Singing "idle talks" [Luqmaaan 31:6]

Bismiallah.

As Salamualaikum Warahmatuaallahi wa barakatuh, 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, 

"The interpretation of the Sahaabah and Taabi’in, that ‘idle talk’ refers to singing, is sufficient." 

This was reported with saheeh isnaads from Ibn ‘Abbaas and Ibn Mas’ood. Abu’l-Sahbaa’ said, 

"I asked Ibn Mas’ood about the aayah"(interpretation of the meaning), 

"And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks"[Luqmaan 31:6].

He said, "By Allaah, besides Whom there is no other god, this means singing" and he repeated it three times.

It was also reported with a saheeh isnaad from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that this means singing.

There is no contradiction between the interpretation of “idle talk” as meaning singing and the interpretation of it as meaning stories of the Persians and their kings, and the kings of the Romans, and so on, such as al-Nadr ibn al-Haarith used to tell to the people of Makkah to distract them from the Qur’aan.

Both of them are idle talk. Hence Ibn ‘Abbaas said, “Idle talk” is falsehood and singing. Some of the Sahaabah said one and some said the other, and some said both.

Singing is worse and more harmful than stories of kings, because it leads to zinaa and makes hypocrisy grow (in the heart); it is the trap of the Shaytaan, and it clouds the mind. 

The way in which it blocks people from the Qur’aan is worse than the way in which other kinds of false talk block them, because people are naturally inclined towards it and tend to want to listen to it. 

The aayaat condemn replacing the Qur’aan with idle talk in order to mislead (men) from the path of Allaah without knowledge and taking it as a joke, because when an aayah of the Qur’aan is recited to such a person, he turns his back as if he heard them not, as if there were deafness in his ear. 

If he hears anything of it, he makes fun of it. All of this happens only in the case of the people who are most stubbornly kaafirs and if some of it happens to singers and those who listen to them, they both have a share of this blame. (Ighaathat al-Lahfaan, 1/258-259)

Reposted from iReminisces 

Dying the way that you live

As Salamualaikum Wa Rahmatuallahi Wa barakatuhu, 

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Make the most of five things before five others: life before death, health before sickness, free time before becoming busy, youth before old age, and wealth before poverty.” See Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 1077. 

So many of us are in one of the two situations: 

The first- Running around like a headless chicken, stressed and upset because things aren't going the way "you planned," and you wish there were more hours in the day to fit your busy school, work, gym, leisure, and sleep in one day. But what about your Islam?

The second- No job, no hobbies, no major responsibilities. All the free time in the world spent on facebook, blogs, tv, gossiping, instagram, cultivating negative thoughts, depression and over-eating. Feeling sorry for yourself because having too much free time makes a perfect pathway for shaytaan to whisper to you how your life sucks, and Allah is "treating you unjustly" because he put you in this stagnant position.  But what about your Islam?

Take inventory: 

How often do you read the Quran? How often do you ponder it's meanings? read tafsir? study the sunnah? how many of us live according to the sunnah in a loving way, giving thought to why we do things and say things?

How many times a day do you watch tv, listen to music, backbite, overeat?  what about studying so hard all day for college exams and homework, that you basically neglect your salaah?! 

These are just a few examples. I want you to genuinely answer these questions (to yourself only). Take a time inventory of your day or week and see how much time you waste doing things that are of no benefit to you in the hereafter. The blessing of time is one of the greatest blessings Allah gives his slaves, and in true human nature we waste the majority of our time because we THINK we have more!

 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two blessings which many people do not make the most of and thus lose out: good health and free time.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6412. ]

*********

Ibn al-Qayyim said, “So it may become impossible for him to pronounce the shahaadah, as many people have witnessed happen to those on the deathbed, such that it was said to some of them:

“Say Laa ilaaha illallaah.” So he replied, “Aaah! Aaah! I cannot say it!”

And it was said to another, “Say Laa ilaaha illallaah.” So he replied, “King! Rook! Checkmate!” and then he passed away.

And it was said to another, “Say Laa ilaaha illallaah.” So he started singing irrationally, saying, ‘Taatinaa tinintaa, [no meaning, just irrational singing]’ and then passed away.

And the same was said to another, so he replied, “And how will what you are saying help me when I left no sin except that I committed it?” and then he passed away without saying it.

And the same was said to another, so he replied, “And how will that benefit me? And I don’t know if I have ever prayed a single time to Allaah?” and then he passed away without saying it.

And the same was said to another, so he replied [talking about himself], “He is a disbeliever in what you say,” and then he passed away.

And the same was said to another, so he replied, “Every time I want to say it my tongue withholds.”

And someone who was present at the death of someone who would beg told me that [they told him to say the shahaadah] so he started saying, “For Allaah’s Sake. A penny for Allaah’s Sake,” until he passed away.

And a trader told me that he was present when one of his relatives was on his deathbed, so they told him to say Laa ilaaha illallaah and he was saying, “This piece is cheap. This is a good buy. This is such and such,” until he passed away.

So if the devil has gained mastery over the servant in the state when his mind is present and his strength [is also present] and he has complete cognizance [i.e., while he is alive and healthy], and has employed him in committing whichever acts of disobedience to Allaah he wants him to do, and has made him unmindful of the remembrance of Allaah the Most High, and has paralysed his tongue from remembering Him and his limbs from obeying Him–then what does one think will be the case when his strength breaks down and his heart and soul become preoccupied with the death pangs that he is in?

And [all the while] Shaitaan will have gathered all of his strength and determination and assembled everything that he is capable of to avail his opportunity concerning him–for that is the last action.

So the strongest his Shaitaan will be against him is at that time, and the weakest he [i.e., the person] will be is at that time.

So who do you think will be safe from that? So it is there that, “Allaah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word [i.e., 'the firm word' is Laa ilaaha illallaah], in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allaah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allaah does what He wills.” Ibraaheem 14:27

So how can someone whose heart Allaah has made heedless from His remembrance and who has followed his desires and whose affair is ever [in] neglect be granted the success to have a good ending?

Thus far away–the one whose heart is distant from Allaah the Most High, heedless of Him, worshipping his own desires, a slave to his lusts, his tongue dry from ever remembering Allaah [i.e., not moist with His remembrance], his limbs incapacitated from obeying Him actively working to disobey Him–far away [is such a person] from being granted the success to have a good ending.”

*********

Don't you want to be able to pronounce the shahadah before your soul departs from your body? The words flow effortlessly off the tongue now, but at the time of death as with the time in the grave, it is your heart that will do the speaking. Spend your time wisely, guard your tongue, and do as many good deeds as you can! Beg Allah in Du'a to root at-Tawheed firmly in your heart, and live as if the hour will approach you tomorrow. 

May Allah inject our hearts with Eeman, istiqamah, ikhlaas, and haya, and may he allow us to among those who are able to die with the sweetness of the shahadah on our hearts and tongues. Laa Illaha IllAllah!

As Salamualaikum, 

Umm Talha