Trading her Imaan for the crumbs of the dunya, an estranged wife tendered the following proposal to her husband for terminating the marriage: (Our comments in bold in brackets) “I would like to inform you that I have sought legal advice and I am fully aware of what my legal rights are, so we have one of two options: We can legally divorce amicably or alternatively, we can take the matter to court. I would like to divorce amicably, but should you decide to take the route of the latter option, I have been informed that in terms of section 7 (3) of the Divorce Act, estates are to be divided in terms of the financial situations of the parties. (Taking the matter to the kuffaar court and seeking the kufr benefits of the kufr acts of law are haraam.) I was a homemaker for 17 y e a r s ( B e i n g a ‘homemaker’ was your Waajib obligation as demanded by the sacred Nikah contract. You had not bestowed any favour whatsoever to your husband by being a ‘homemaker’. You had only favoured yourself.) I have been left with nothing. (A person will have only whatever Allah Ta’ala has predestined for him/her. Your inordinate greed for haraam money and enlisting the kuffaar court to extort haraam from your husband is the evidence for the kufr in your heart.) You are a CA which shows the court that you CAN AFFORD maintenance. (After Talaaq, the man is responsible for your maintenance during the Iddat period if you are in the marital home. He will be responsible for the maintenance of his children in terms of the Shariah, not according to the exploitive decree of the kuffaar court.) However, regardless of what is going on between the two of us, I would like to maintain a level of respect because we share three children together. (There can be no level of ‘respect’ when you are pursuing the path of exploitation and extortion with the aid of the kuffaar court.) Please agree to the following proposal: 1. Please stop all communication through the children, please contact me timeously and directly through email or WhatsApp in future. It is affecting the children negatively and if you continue to do so, I will take the matter to children’s court. (You have absolutely no right to prevent the father from having communication with his children. If you are not an immoral woman, then while you will have the right of custody over the minor children, their father will remain the Guardian. You have no right to make any decisions regarding the children without the approval of the father. You are only the custodian, not the guardian. You have no right to dictate your stupid, haraam conditions.) 2. In terms of maintenance for the children, I would like R7500 per child per month, this is exclusive of school fees and medical aid, but inclusive of water, lights, rent, fuel, groceries, clothing, medical bills, entertainment, etc. (You cannot decide the maintenance amount. You are an exploiter, an extortionist and a contemptible gold-digger. An independent assessment must be made by responsible persons to decide what are the basic needs of the children. Maintenance will then be determined according to the Shariah not according to your lust, fulfilment of which you are seeking via the kuffaar court. Furthermore, if the father is averse to his children attending these immoral secular schools, you may not send them to their moral destruction, and you may not claim that he pays such haraam fees. It is the father’s right to decide on the expenses and the avenues of expenditure. You do not have such rights.) 3. Rehabilitation maintenance for myself, an amount of R5000 per month for two years. 4. A vehicle to transport the children, preferably the Audi, because that is the car I was using when we were living together. (If you are a drug addict, then get yourself rehabilitated at your own expense. Your ex-husband is not responsible for any type of rehabilitation expenses. Furthermore, he is responsible for expenses only for the Iddat period. Thereafter your male relatives have to maintain you, or if you are a lewd street woman, then go work and earn. Your demand for a vehicle is ludicrous. Your ex-husband’s stupidity of having provided you with a vehicle is now rebounding on him. Since he had aided you in sin by having provided you with a haraam car, he has now to suffer your haraam demand.) Please lemme know of your decision by Tuesday, 23rd February 2021 by no later than 1pm. If I have not received an answer by then. I will be left with no choice but to take the matter further. (Yes you are free to carve your pathway straight to Jahannam). Many women are purchasing kufr and ruining their Aakhirat for the sake of worldly carrion by enlisting the aid of the kuffaar courts to extort haraam money from their ex-husbands. This naseehat is only for such women who do have Imaan, but due to ignorance and misadvised by morons, they take the route of the kuffaar court to suck haraam money from their ex-husbands. Women who believe that they have Imaan should understand that according to the Shariah, the position is as follows: (1) The ex-wife is entitled to maintenance only for the Iddat period. Thereafter she ceases being the responsibility of her exhusband. (2) She is the custodian of the minor children. When a boy reaches 8 years, custody is transferred to the father, and when a girl is close to buloogh, the mother’s right of custody ends. (3) The father remains the Guardian. The mother has no right of making decisions for the children without the approval of the father. (4) The father has visitation rights at all times. A neutral venue should be arranged where he may visit his children. (5) It is the obligation of the father to maintain his children. The expenses (Continued on page 8) for the basic needs are his obligation although it is understood that he will spend more on his children within his means. But the mother may not demand money for expenditure for such activities which according to the Shariah are not permissible. (6) If the mother refuses to relinquish custody when her right has terminated, then the father will have the right to withhold maintenance from the children. The above is a brief summary of rights and obligations when a separation takes place. However, if the father is unfit or immoral, certain of his rights may be denied while some rights may be curtailed.
The Tribulation of Doubts and Desires
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) informed us that all this would occur. With regards the tribulation of doubts, he(sallallahu alaihi wasallam ) told us, as reported via a number of routes, that his nation would split into more than seventy sects, the narrations differ as to precisely how many sects, and that all of these sects would be in the Fire save one: that which would be upon what he|(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and his Companions were upon.
With regards the tribulation of desires:
- Muslim records the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn Amr (radiyAllahu anhu) that the Prophet(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “How will you be when the treasures of the Persians and Romans are opened to you? What sort of people will you become?” ‘Abdu’l-Rahman ibn ‘Awf (radiyAllahu anhu)said, “We would say as Allah ordered us.’ He said, “Or something else: you would compete with each other, then be envious of each other, then turn your backs on each other, then hate each other.”
- Bukhari records on the authority of Amr ibn Awf (radiyAllahu anhu) that the Prophet|(sallallahu alaihi wasallam ) said, “By Allah! I do not fear poverty for you but I fear that the world be proffered to you as it was proffered to those before you such that you vie for it as they vied and it destroy you as it destroyed them.”
- A hadith carrying the same meaning as this one has been recorded by Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Uqbah ibn Amir(radiyAllahu anhu).
When the treasures of Chosroes were conquered at the hands of Umar (radiyAllahu anhu), he wept and said, ‘This has never come into the hands of a people except that it caused discord and splitting to occur amongst them/ or words to that effect.1
The Prophet(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) would fear these two tribulations, - Imam Ahmad records on the authority of Abu Barzah (radiyAllahu anhu) that the Prophet|(sallallahu alaihi wasallam ) said, “I only fear for you the desires of misguidance brought about by your stomachs and private parts and the misguiding tribulations,” and in another narration, “…misguiding desires.”
Most people succumbed to one or both of these tribulations as a result of which they ended up splitting and hating each other after having been brothers, loving each other. The tribulation of desires has afflicted the majority of creation and they have fallen victim to the allurement of this world and its luxuries; it has become their goal and they covet it, only when they attain it are they satisfied. For its sake do they come to anger, for its sake do they make allegiance, and for its sake do they declare enmity.They sever the ties of kinship, spill blood, and disobey Allah all for the gain of some worldly lot.
1 <Abdu’l-Razzaq #20034 and ibn al-Mubarak #768 with a sahlh isnad.
With regards doubts and misguiding desires, it is on account of these that the People of the Qiblah split into many sects and factions, each hating the other and some charging others with disbelief, this after they used to be brothers, their hearts united as if in one body. Of all these sects, only one will be victorious and it is mentioned in his (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saying, - ‘There will always be a group of this nation manifest upon the truth, they will not be harmed by those who forsake them or oppose them until the Command of Allah comes, and they will still be in that state/’
In the last days, they will be the strangers mentioned in these ahadith: those who rectify the affairs when the people become corrupt, those who correct what the people have corrupted of the Sunnah, those who flee from trials and tribulations in order to safeguard their religion, and those who have departed from the tribes; this is because they are few – only one or two will be found in some tribes and none at all in others, just as the first Muslims were. It is in this way that the Imams have explained this hadith.
TAKEN FROM : THE JOURNEY OF THE STRANGERS BY IBN RAJAB AL-HANBALI AND IMAM AL-AJURRI PAGES 72-74
The Charity of Ibn Jurayj (rahimahullah)

Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) have promised barakah for those who give charity with sincerity.
Allah Ta’ala states:
‘Allah destroys interest, and increases charity.’
(Surah Baqarah, Ayah: 276)
Hereunder is an inspiring incident on this topic:
Makkiy ibn Ibrahim (rahimahullah) narrates:
‘We were with Ibn Jurayj (rahimahullah), when a beggar asked for something. Ibn Jurayj (rahimahullah) told his treasurer: ‘Give him a dinar (gold coin).’ The treasurer replied: ‘I only have a dinar (gold coin), if I give it away then what will we have for you and and your family?’ Ibu Jurayj (rahimahullah) got angry and said: ‘Give it to him!’
Makkiy ibn Ibrahim (rahimahullah) mentions further:
‘Whilst we were still with Ibn Jurajy (rahimahullah), a man came with a letter and a purse, which one of his brothers sent. The letter read: ‘I have sent you fifty dinars (gold coins).’
Ibn Jurajy (rahimahullah) had the purse and the coins counted, which in total were actually fifty one dinars (gold coins). Ibn Jurayj (rahimahullah) told his treasurer: ‘You gave one coin, which Allah returned and gave an additional fifty coins!’
(Sunan Tirmidhi, after Hadith: 2035)
Such is the barakah of sadaqah (nafl charity). Each individual should develop this nobble habit in accordance his/her capacity.
May Allah Ta’ala inspire us to abandon interest, wastage and extravagance, while increasing our nafl (optional) sadaqah (charity).
18 sources of barakah
Well-wishing Businessmen
Well-wishing is a fundamental part of our Din.
In the famous, authentic (sahih) Hadith, Nabi (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) said:
‘The Din [of Islam] is well-wishing.’
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 196)
The fact that Nabi (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) used such an expression shows how inherent this quality is in Islam.
According to ‘Allamah Nawawi (rahimahullah), this Hadith is the core of our Din. i.e, The whole of Din is based on this principle of well-wishing (nasihah). This quality governs all aspects of a Muslim’s life.
( Al-Minhaj, commentary of Hadith: 197)
Well-Wishing Tradesmen
Well-wishing is undoubtedly a quality that is needed in every Muslim, in every facet of his/her life.
The following is a Hadith in which Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) exhorted the adoption of this quality specifically in business and trade too. This applies to both parties of any deal; both should be considerate to each other, and apply the fundamental principle of well-wishing (nasihah).
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
The best of earning, is the earnings of that worker who well-wishes.’ [i.e. Is honest, upright, is one who has the well-being of the customer in mind].
(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 2 pg. 334)
Inspiring Incidents
There are several inspiring examples of the Sahabah (radiyallahu’anhum) and those after them adopting this beautiful quality in their business dealings.
Among them are the following:
1 & 2. Sayyiduna Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah (radiyallahu’anhu)
‘Allamah Nawawi (rahimahullah) writes:
‘It is reported about Sayyiduna Jarir (radiyallahu ‘anhu) that he ordered his slave to buy a horse for 300 dirhams, the slave came with the owner of the horse to discuss the price. Sayyiduna Jarir (radiyallahu’anhu) said to the owner of the horse, your horse is worth more than 300 dirhams, will you sell it to me for 400. He said you can have it, O Abu Abdir Rahman. Then Sayyiduna Jarir said it is worth more than that, sell it for 500. In this manner he continued increasing the offer by 100 and the owner was happily agreeing until it reached 800 dirhams, upon which the deal was concluded. Sayyiduna Jarir (radiyallahu’anhu) was asked about this to which he said: I pledged allegiance to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) to be a well-wisher for every Muslim.’
(Summarised from Al-Minhaj, commentary of Hadith: 197. Also see Al-Mu’jamul Kabir, Hadith: 2395)
It was Sayyiduna Jarir’s (radiyallahu’anhu) habit whenever he bought or sold anything to anyone, to say to him:
‘I want you to know that what I have taken from you is more preferred to me than what I have given you. You may choose again if you wish.’
(Sunanul Kubra of Bayhaqi, vol.5 pg.271)
3. Another Sahabi (radiyallahu’anhu)
Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu’anhu) mentions that he went with a man to the market, when they noticed a particular item being sold. [Sayyiduna Anas says] I enquired about it, the seller asked for thirty. The man [that I was with] looked at it and said: ‘I will take it for forty.’ The seller asked: ‘What makes you do this, whereas I am offering it to you for less?’ The man took another look and said: ‘I will take it for fifty.’ The seller asked: ‘What makes you do this, whereas I am offering it to you for less?’ He replied: ‘I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying: ‘A bondsman will not be a true believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself’, and I see this to be worth fifty.’
(Musnad Bazzar, Hadith: 7548 and Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 1 pg. 95)
4. Imam Yunus ibn ‘Ubayd (rahimahullah)
The Tabi’i; Imam Yunus ibn ‘Ubayd (rahimahullah) was a cloth merchant in Basrah.
On one occasion someone came to sell him a silken robe. When he enquired the price, he was told it was being sold for five hundred dirhams.
Imam Yunus (rahimahullah) replied: ‘It is better than that.’ i.e, it’s worth more.
The seller raised the price to six hundred, to which Imam Yunus gave the same answer.
This continued until he (the buyer) raised the price to a thousand dirhams!
(Tadhkiratul Huffaz, vol.1 pg.145)
5. Imam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah)
One one occasion, a merchant came to sell cloth to Imam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah).
The merchant wanted one hundred dirhams for it.
Imam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) said that it’s actually worth more. (Again here, the buyer is actually raising the price!)
This person then asked for two hundred dirhams for that cloth.
Imam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) said: ‘Its worth more than that!’
The person then raised the price to three hundred dirhams.
To which Imam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) gave the same answer.
When the price was raised to four hundred, he said:
‘It’s actually worth more, but I’m prepared to pay four hundred if you agree.’
(Fadail Abi Hanifah of Ibn Abil ‘Awwam, vol.1, pg.130)
Lesson
The underlying lesson in all these incidents is for the buyer to look at the benefit of the seller. When one looks again at these incidents, one will understand that even the seller had the well-being of the buyer in mind, therefore in each of these incidents the seller didn’t ask for an unreasonable price!
Such are the sublime teachings of the Sunnah, that everyone should look at how to benefit the opposite party, and Allah grants barakah in those dealings. Unlike is common in the current capitalist system; where everyone looks for his own gain, irrespective of the collateral damage it may entail, whilst all are deprived of barakah!
The above incidents should serve as eye-openers for Muslims of today. See more on this, here.
Such was the exemplary traits of our predecessors. May Allah Ta’ala inspire us all to follow.
Imagine what a better place this world would be with such impeccable business practices!
JOB ENVIRONMENT
Q. In the environment I am working, I am in the midst of females. Speaking and interacting with them is unavoidable. What is the status of this job?
A. Your job is haraam. It is incumbent to find other work. It is not permissible to cast yourself in a zina environment. Rizq has been predetermined and it is sealed. Rasulullah ( S a l l a l l a h u a l a y h i wasallam) said:
“Earning a halaal rizq is the obligation after the Fardh Salaat.” The Mashaaikh say: “Upon us is the obligation to worship Him as He has commanded, and on Him is the obligation to feed us as He has promised.” Allah Ta’ala has not ordained haraam avenues for searching rizq. In this dunya trials must be expected. You are obliged to search for halaal employment. If you earnestly search and make dua, a halaal avenue will open up. Settling for a haraam job is a defeatist attitude which signifies disbelief in the Promise and Commands of Allah Ta’ala. Make a genuine search for halaal rizq and accept a halaal opportunity even if the wage is substantially lower. After the trial and submission to Allah’s Law, He will open up further and better avenues. Your job-environment is satanic. Your akhlaaq are imperceptibly being ruined
and your Imaan is being tarnished in the immoral haraam environment.
Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “If you have tawakkul (trust) on Allah in the true meaning of the term, He will feed you as He feeds the birds. They emerge from their nests hungry, and they return fully satiated.”
COMPLAINT NEGATES TAQWA
Q. In U.K. there is a Madrasah where the Ustaadhs (Maulanas) are complaining about the low wages they are being paid. Many of these Ustaadhs are men of Taqwa who would not want to work in institutions where there are females. This madarsah mosque management even pays some of the cleaners higher salaries. This situation prevails in almost all of these Islamic schools. What are your comments?
A. The ‘maulanas’ mentioned by you are not men of Taqwa. Taqwa is not restricted to segregation from females. If they had true Taqwa, they would not complain about the small wage they earn. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “If you have true Tawakkul (Trust) on Allah, He will provide your Rizq as He does for the birds. They (the birds) leave their nests in the morning hungry, and by the evening they return fully satiated.”
Rizq is pre-ordained and fixed. Whatever wage these Ustaadhs receive is their Rizq sent to them via the management by Allah Ta’ala. Complaining is a display of ingratitude for the Rizq provided by Allah Ta’ala. The Maulanas should resort to Dua and be contented with whatever they receive. If they feel that the wage is too little, then they should search for an alternative source of income. But they should not complain. The focus of men of Taqwa is not on people. It is on Allah Ta’ala. Men of Taqwa understand that only Allah Ta’ala is the Raaziq and whatever they earn is the amount of Rizq Allah Ta’ala has ordained for them. These maulanas whom you describe as men of Taqwa are in reality mercenaries who pursue the dunya with the Deen. That is why they are complaining. They should not cast avaricious eyes at the higher salaries of the cleaners. These cleaners are receiving their Rizq from Allah Ta’ala. Their higher salaries have been ordained for them by Allah Ta’ala. It is the attitudes of hasad (jealousy) and ingratitude which constrain people to complain and to compare themselves with others. The Hadith advises us to look at those who have lesser bounties than us, not at those who have more. If this advice is heeded, there will be no complaint in the hearts of men of Taqwa. Minus this attitude, there is no Taqwa.
The Fitnah of Women and Wealth
عن أبي سعيد الخدري عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إن الدنيا حلوة خضرة وإن الله مستخلفكم فيها فينظر كيف تعملون فاتقوا الدنيا واتقوا النساء فإن أول فتنة بني إسرائيل كانت في النساء (صحيح مسلم رقم : 2742)
Hazrat Abu Sa‘eed Khudri (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Indeed, the world is sweet and lush (i.e. attractive and enticing), and Allah Ta‘ala has appointed you as vicegerents in the world, so that He may examine your conduct and behaviour in the world. Hence, beware of the fitnah of the dunya (i.e. the fitnah of wealth) and the fitnah of women, as the first fitnah of the Banu Israa’eel was the fitnah of women.”
Ibaadat is not only Salaat, Fasting etc.
During a discussion which related to an ‘Aalim who refrained from accepting doubtful wealth, Hazrat Moulana Ashraf ‘Ali Thaanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) mentioned:
Nowadays, the required level of taqwa and caution is not seen among people in matters relating to wealth. There are many people who confine piety to their ‘ibaadaat (i.e. virtuous deeds and actions). Many are even punctual on tahajjud, chaasht and ishraaq and in completing their wazeefas. However the inordinate passion and love for wealth within their hearts does not seem to decrease. As a result, they do not exercise the required level of precaution in their business dealings and monetary affairs and continue to consume doubtful wealth.
(Malfoozaat-e-Hakeemul Ummat)
HOW TO SPOT FINANCIAL/ INVESTMENT SCAMS
In this day and age financial or investment scams can be particularly difficult to spot. These scams are being actively promoted on social media across the globe. Those who invent these schemes know that potential victims will do a certain amount of due diligence but they hope that people will not probe too deep to unearth the truth and that peoples greed to make a quick buck, to get rich quickly will make them part with their money. Many recruit individuals who appear to be reasonable, well educated, some with titles (such as doctors), experienced in finance and investing to promote the scams. Such tactics make it extremely difficult for the average person not to be attracted and become a victim of such schemes. Indeed, many of those promoting the scam are unaware of the fact that the whole scheme is a scam, they are just being used and promoting these scams to their feed their own desire to get rich quick. Many unsuspecting individuals “invest” simply because those promoting these scams seem credible, they appear to be honest, good Muslims.
Many of these financial or investment scams are based on a pyramid multi-layered marketing hybrid model. Such schemes rely on recruiting a large number of people across the globe, so that a huge number of people are scammed of relatively small amounts of money to line the pockets of the very few at the top of the pyramid. From an Islamic perspective, both pyramid schemes and multi-level marketing schemes are impermissible. Please see fatawa no. 22935 (14/03/1425AH) by the Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fataawa, fatawa number 1152/ 993-L/ 1429 issued by Darul Ifta, Daul Uloom, Deoband and fatawa by mufti Siraj Desai on this subject.
Here is a list of 20 red flags which one should watch out for, signs which should put you on the alert and to exercise caution.
Beware of phrases like:
1. “Passive income”
2. “Become financially independent”
3. “Guaranteed income”
4. “High returns, No or low risk”
5. “You won’t have to work again”
6. “Revolutionary” “Innovative”
7. “Once in a lifetime opportunity”
8. “Look how much I have made since joining….”
9. “If interested PM me”
10. “Don’t delay” “Act now”
Beware of “investment” schemes which involve:
11. Recruiting others into the scheme to earn commission
12. Tiers of membership
13. Compensation plan
14. Bonus points
Beware of “investment” schemes in which:
15. What is being sold is not clear
16. How the income will be generated is not clear
17. The investment is too complicated to understand
18. No detailed documentation of the investment scheme
19. No history or track record of ROI
20. It just seems too good to be true.
It is essential for Muslims to do their utmost to ensure that their earning are halal, that means avoiding dubious forms of income including pyramid (and Ponzi) and multi-level marketing schemes.
Dr. A. Hussain
16th Dec. 2019