Category: Social Issues

Advice On Raising Children

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

What advice do you have for raising children well?

  • We should have good intentions in doing so.
  • We should be conscious of their feelings and emotions.
  • We should let them constantly hear the remembrance of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
  • We should gradually accustom them to following the Sunnah.
  • We should protect them from being exposed to evil and evil people whether that be through the company they keep or the things they watch or listen to.

On Balancing Awrad and Household Duties

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

A lot of my time is spent raising my children and doing the housework. How can I be consistent in reading my awrad?

Try to read the awrad while doing the housework. Perhaps the children will then memorise these awrad. A young child memorised Surah Ya Sin before knowing how to read and write just by hearing his mother reciting it while cleaning the house every day.

On Moonsightings and Avoiding Conflict

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

Regarding the entrance of Ramadan and the day of Eid, if my family does not follow the moon sighting, should I follow the moon sighting or do what my family is doing to avoid conflict?

You must submit to the correct opinion according to the Sacred Law without disrespecting your family and without argumentation or animosity. If they celebrate Eid on a different day then express your joy and give them your good wishes even though you yourself are not celebrating it on that day.

On Uniting the Rich and Poor

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

How can we unite the Muslims in the US, particularly the rich and poor?

We should encourage Muslims to show mercy and compassion to each other and we should encourage the wealthy to donate some of their wealth to the poor. We should bring them together in gatherings of knowledge and remembrance. We should arrange visits between different communities. The wealthy should visit the poor with humility and the poor should visit the rich not desiring their wealth. They should visit each other for the sake of Allah, to please the Prophet ﷺ and to strengthen the ties of brotherhood.

On Preventing Excessive Use of the Internet and Mobile Devices

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

How can we prevent excessive use of the Internet and mobile devices?

This can be done by focusing the heart on remembrance and reflection. You should remember Allah until His remembrance dominates your heart. You should reflect upon the life of the Prophet ﷺ. This engenders a longing to be in his company and a longing to meet him. You should also avoid keeping the company of those who spend a lot of time using the internet. Continue reading On Preventing Excessive Use of the Internet and Mobile Devices

On Raising Children and Mobile Devices

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

How do we raise our children in an open society in which they have access to mobile devices?

Firstly we should plant veneration and vigilance of Allah in their hearts through talking to them, spending time with them and taking them to attend gatherings of knowledge and remembrance. We should also tell them about the people of the past who had fear of Allah and show them videos and talks by scholars that will increase their fear of Allah.

We should put some restrictions on their use of these devices and upon their interaction with society so that they learn to take that which is of benefit and leave that which is not.

 

On Attending Gatherings in which Forbidden Musical Instruments are Used

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

Can we attend gatherings in which forbidden musical instruments are used?

If there is scholarly consensus that they are forbidden then there is no way we can attend. If the scholars differ over whether they are permissible or not, we should assess what benefit there is in attending. If there is a great benefit to be had in attending, we can overlook the fact that the scholars differ over the permissibility of these instruments. If there is no great benefit to be had, it is better not to attend.

On Women Attaining the Reward for Praying for Forty Days in Congregation

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

The hadith states that if someone prays the five prayers in congregation for forty days consistently catching the opening takbir with the imam they will be safe from the Fire and safe from hypocrisy.[1] How can a woman attain this reward if her monthly cycle prevents her from praying for forty days consistently?

She can attain the reward by praying in congregation consistently up until her cycle starts. Then as soon as it finishes she continues where she left off.

[1] Narrated by al-Tirmidhi