Timeless Seeds of Advice for the Muslima

By Imam Kathir

This an incredibly sane book, which can help a woman (who is truly female), keep her head on straight and not get lost in a very dangerous game where she only stands to lose. Satan will try to convince women that they have the right to challenge the boundaries of their existence. This book more than anyth

• Language: English
• Publisher: NOAHA
• Release date: Aug 4, 1989
• ISBN: 9781643544489

Book preview

Timeless Seeds of Advice for the Muslima

Imam Kathir

Copyright ‎

TX0008789309

King Fahd Complex for Printing

Editors: Noah Ibn Kathir / Imam Ahmad

Content

* Iman (inward faith in Allāh)

* The Ways of Attaining Faith in Allāh

* She Worships God (Allāh) Alone

* Women may attend the Jamaah

* Women may Attend Eid Prayers

* Sunnah and Nafil Prayer

* Perform Prayers Properly

* Righteous women must pay Zakat

* Righteous women fast and pray

* The benefits of marriage

* Choosing the right partner

* The Death of a Child

* Sincerity and trust

* The Fundamentals of Trust

* Understanding your husband

* Authority and obedience

* The family and the home

* Acceptance of good advice

* Money

* Friendship and Faith

* The sexual relationship

* Asking Allah for Forgiveness

* A Co-wife (the other wife)

* The unreasonable husband

* You, your family, and Allāh

* Prayer of the Prophet

Books by Ibn Kathir & Ibn Al-Qayyim

* Stories of the Prophets

ISBN 9781643543888

* Seerah of Prophet Muhammad

ISBN 9781094860213

* Stories of the Koran

ISBN 9781095900796

* The Path to Guidance

ISBN 9781643540818

* Purification of the Soul – Vol 1

ISBN 9781643541389

* Tafseer Ibn Kathir

ISBN 9781512266573

* Al-Fawaid: Wise Sayings

ISBN 9781727812718

* Heaven’s Door

ISBN 9781643541396

* Soul's Journey after Death

ISBN 9781643541365

* Koran: English Easy to Read

ISBN 9781643540924

* Characteristics of Hypocrites

ISBN 9781643541358

* Diseases of the Hearts

and their Cures

      ISBN 9781643541129

* Tawbah: Turning To Allah

      ISBN 979-8517657411

* The Holy Quran – Clear and   

Easy to Read: in English

      ISBN ‎ 979851591373

Introduction

Wasting time is worse than death, because death separates you from this world whereas wasting time separates you from Allah.

All praise is due to Allāh alone, we praise Him, we seek His love, aid and His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allāh alone from all the evils of our souls and the evils of our deeds and actions. Whomsoever Allāh guides then there is none to misguide and whomsoever Allāh misguides then there is none to guide ever.  I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, the Creator of All Things. He has no partners and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant and last messenger. O you have believed, be pious to Allah with His true piety, and definitely do not die except as Muslims. (3:102)

3:102

This book contains verses from the Qur'an, sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) and of his Companions as well as of the wise. This book is not limited to Muslims, for any non-Muslim who reads it with an open mind will appreciate the author's ideas and thoughts, ideas that are based on the firm footing of revealed texts and thoughts.  The author took into consideration feelings and emotions that are common to everyone. Nevertheless, the author wrote it based on the true Religion (whether we deviate from it or not) that is intrinsic to us all.

When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening, so live as though today is your last day. Yesterday has passed with its good and evil, however tomorrow has not yet arrived. If you find yourself to be in a very difficult or distress situation, show kindness to others, and you will be the first to find solace and comfort. Give to the needy, defend the oppressed, help those in distress, and visit the sick: you will find that happiness surrounds you from all directions.

An act of charity is like perfume because it will benefit everyone that is near - the user, the seller, and the buyer. O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.

4:1

Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent. He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving. (67:1-2)

67:167:2

Iman (inward faith in Allāh)

Women are one half of society which gives birth to the other half so it is as if they are the entire society.

One of the most important attributes of a good woman, is her deep faith in Allāh (God), and her sincere conviction that whatever happens in this earthly life, and whatever fate befalls her, only happens through the will and decree of Allāh; whatever befalls her would have been impossible to avoid, and whatever does not happen cannot be made to happen without Allāh’s permission.

The hijrah to Allah includes abandoning what He hates and doing what He loves and accepts. Whoever works righteousness, woman or man, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions. (16:97)

Allāh hath promised the Hypocrites men and women, and the rejecters, of Faith, the fire of Hell: Therein shall they dwell: Sufficient is it for them: for them is the curse of Allāh, and an enduring punishment. (9:68)

Humans have no choice in this life but to strive towards the Righteous Path and to do good deeds. Like acts of prayer and worship, by whatever means one can, putting all our trust in God, submitting to His will, and believing that we always in need Allah’s help and support. Contrary to what some believe, Allāh does not prohibit women from going out to fulfill their needs. However, God lays down a proper code of behavior, which is primarily intended to safeguard the modesty, dignity and honor of men and women. On that day you will see the faithful men and the faithful women -- their light running before them and on their right hand-- good news for you today: gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein, that is the grand achievement. (57:12)

"O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, all who enter my house in Faith, and (all) believing men and believing women: and to the wrong-doers grant Thou no increase but in perdition! (71:28)

The perfection of Tawheed is found when there remains nothing in the heart except Allāh. Allāh, the Creator of humans, knows our nature better than anyone, and thus Allah has prescribed appropriate rules of behavior and appearance to be observed when men and women interact with one another in a social milieu. These rules of interaction also include a prescription for modesty in dress, talk and walk, etc.

Lowering the gaze: Indeed it is the most precious ornament of a woman is modesty, and the best expression of modesty is in the lowering of the gaze, as Almighty Allāh says, […And tell the believing women that they should lower their gazes…] (An-Nur 24: 31)

Not intermingling with any men in such a way that their bodies come in contact or that a man touches women, as happens so often happens at the market. It is better for one of you to be pricked in the head with an iron pick than to touch a woman whom it is unlawful to touch. Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allāh is All-Aware of what they do. (24:30)

24:30

Her clothing must conform to the standards laid down by Allah:

These shall not enter the Beautiful Garden, nor shall (even) its fragrance reach them. Here, the meaning of clothed yet naked" is that their light, thin, transparent garments do not conceal what is underneath.

This describes many of the styles of clothing current our current world. Women who wear such clothes likewise fall under the definition of clothed but naked, since such a dress is often more provocative than one which is transparent.

d) She should never wear clothes which are specifically for men, such as trousers. If a heart becomes attached to anything other than Allah, Allah makes him dependent on what he is attached to. And he will be betrayed by it. Allah’s Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was very sad when he saw women trying to resemble men and men trying to resemble women. He prohibited women from wearing men’s clothing and vice-versa.

e) In her choice of clothing, a woman should try not to imitate others, for Islam disapproves of conformity to non-Islamic modes and desires its men and women to develop their own distinctive characteristics in appearance, as well as in beliefs and excellent attitudes.

Allah’s Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:  Whoever imitates a people is one of them. The heart will rest and feel relief if it is settled with Allah. And it will worry and feel anxious if it is settled with the people.

And as for women past child-bearing who do not expect wed-lock, it is no sin on them if they discard their (outer) clothing in such a way as not to show their adornment.

But to refrain (i.e. not to discard their outer clothing) is better for them. And Allāh is All-Hearer, All-Knower. (24:60)

Sins have many side-effects. One of them is that they steal knowledge from you. A woman that loves Allāh must walk and talk in a dignified and business-like manner, avoiding flirtatiousness in her facial expressions and movements. Please remember that flirting and seductive behavior are characteristics of wrong-minded women, not of Muslims.

Allāh said: [Then do not be too pleasant of speech, lest one in whose heart there is a disease should feel desire (for you) …] (Al-Ahzab 33:32)

If the heart becomes hardened, the eyes become dry. Tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent (like palms of hands or one eye or both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer dress like veil, gloves, head-cover, apron, etc.), and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons, their husband's sons, their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigor, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you beg Allāh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.

Beware of every hour and how it passes, and only spend it in the best possible way, do not neglect yourself or Allah, but render it accustomed to the noblest and best of actions, and send to your grave that which will please you when you arrive to it. This worldly life is like a shadow. If you try to catch it, you will never be able to do so. If you turn your back towards it, it has no choice but to follow you.

Love of Allah is the power of the heart, the sustenance of the heart, the light of the heart. When Allah tests you it is never to destroy you. And when He removes something in your possession it is only in order to empty your hands for an even greater gift. Whoever desires to purify their heart, then let them prefer Allah