al-Rahmaniyyah Press

The Virtue of Fasting During Muharram
Abu Al-Hasan Malik Al-Akhdar

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The best month for observing siyam after Ramadan is Al-Muharram, and the best prayer after the prescribed salah is prayer at night.”^[1]

This narration clarifies that Muharram is the best month for fasting after Ramadan. Yet, this raises a question: If that is the case, why did the Prophet (ﷺ) fast more during Sha’ban?

Al-‘Allamah Al-Azim Abadi (رَحِمَهُ الله) stated, “As for why the Prophet (ﷺ) fasted more during Sha’ban than in Muharram, there are two possible explanations: First, he might have learned of the virtue of [of fasting in] Muharram later in his life. Second, he might have had excuses such as travel, illness, or other reasons [during Muharram].”^[2]

Further, Al-‘Allamah Muhammad b. Salih Al-‘Uthaymin (رَحِمَهُ الله) said,

It has been said that the best month to fast [after Ramadan] is Muharram, but this needs further consideration since the Prophet (ﷺ) used to fast more in Sha’ban than in Muharram.

Another interpretation is that “the best month for observing siyam” means fasting the entire month, but this, too, requires scrutiny because ‘Aishah, who was one of the most knowledgeable people about the Prophet’s practices, said, “I never saw him fast more in any month than in Sha’ban.”

There is a third possibility that it means to fast in Muharram, not the entire month, unlike Sha’ban. This would mean that the Prophet’s action^[3] clarifies his statement^[4]. This interpretation seems the most accurate to me.

Some have said that the best month for fasting after Ramadan refers to fasting on the day of ‘Ashura, using a part to represent the whole, but this is also questionable because mentioning the entire month while only referring to one day seems unlikely.

The most accurate interpretation, and Allah knows best, is that Muharram is the best month for fasting [after Ramadan], aligning with both the verbal and practical Sunnah, without fasting the entire month or most of it.^[5]

In sum, while the Prophet (ﷺ) stated that Muharram is the best month for observing siyam after Ramadan, he fasted more during Sha’ban. This suggests that fasting in Muharram is best, but not the entire month, aligning with his practice. Therefore, one should take advantage of fasting during Muharram, especially on ‘Ashura. Allah
knows best.

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^[1] Collected by Muslim in his Sahih (no. (no. 1163) and Abu Dawud in his Sunan (no. 2429).

^[2] ‘Awn Al-Ma’bud (7/59)

^[3] I.e., his act of fasting most or all of Sha’ban.

^[4] I.e., his statement that Muharram is the best month to fast after Ramadan.

^[5] Muhammad Al-Uthaymin, *Sharh Kitab Al-Siyam wa Al-Itikaf*, accessed July 5, 2024, https://www.alathar.net/home/esound/index.php?op=codevi&coid=110444.

The Misguided Methodology of Al-Muwazanat
Abu Al-Hasan Malik Al-Akhdar

The dangers of counterbalancing good and bad deeds in criticism (Al-Muwazanat) are clear and grave. This methodology stems from those who feel the need to praise innovators and transgressors as they criticize them. Their approach contradicts the way and the works of the people of Hadith, not to mention sound reasoning. The purpose of condemning such individuals and sects is to protect others from their harm. Counterbalancing criticism tempers its impact. Thus, no one mentions the beauty of a fire’s flames while urging people to flee a burning house. 

When proponents of this methodology emerged, scholars of the Sunnah, led by Al-Allamah, Rabi’ b. Hadi Al-Madkhali confronted them and, by Allah’s permission, put them on their heels. Observing recent attempts by some to credit the people of innovation (and even some disbelievers) while criticizing Salafis, I chose to translate a brief reminder from our noble Shaykh on the falsehood of Al-Muwazanat. May Allah keep us firm upon the Sunnah, and may He reward and preserve the Shaykh.

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Al-‘Allamah Rabi’ Al-Madkhali said, “To finish answering the previous questions, I believe one was about the methodology of counterbalancing good and bad deeds in criticism (Al-Muwazanat). On this topic, I have written two books, praise be to Allah: Manhaj Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jama’ah fi Naqd Al-Rijal wa Al-Kutub wa Al-Tawaif (The Methodology of Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jama’ah in Criticizing Individuals, Books, and Sects) and Al-Mahajjah Al-Bayda’ fi Himayah Al-Sunnah al-Gharra’ ‘an Zaygh Ahl Al-Ahwa’ wa Zallat Ahl al-Akhta (The Clear Path in Protecting the Noble Sunnah from the Deviations of the People of Desires and the Mistakes of the People of Errors).

I followed these two books with many responses to [‘Abd Al-Rahman] ‘Abd al-Khaliq’s doubts and fabrications in my book, Al-Nasr Al-Aziz ‘ala Al-Radd Al-Wajiz (The Great Victory over the Concise Rebuttal).

We have answered many questions on this topic. I first refer readers to these books I mentioned, so they can understand the evidence and principles upon which the Salafi methodology is based, which show the falsehood of this misguided and innovated methodology. I consider it one of the most despicable, deceitful, and dangerous innovations. If this methodology were truly adopted, it would destroy the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and all Islamic sciences—nay, all human sciences. Allah forbid. This approach, and Allah knows best, was invented by the people of falsehood to defend the people of innovation and misguidance. So, remember the lectures of deceivers and liars. I suspect those who formulated this methodology belong to this group, and I believe they were not preceded in this. I’ll suffice with a few examples for you:

In Al-Bukhari’s book Al-Du’afa (The Weak Narrators): Why did he not mention the good deeds of the men he listed in this work? By their logic and their principle, Al-Bukhari would be considered unjust, sinful, and lacking integrity. Thus, we should accept nothing from him.

Ahmad b. Hanbal spoke about hundreds of narrators without counterbalancing criticism, as did Yahya b. Ma’in, ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Mahdi, ‘Ali b. al-Madini, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Al-Daraqutni, Ibn Hibban, and Ibn Khuzaymah. They disparaged narrators without such counterbalancing and authored works on this subject, including those we mentioned: Al-Bukhari’s Al-Du’afa (The Weak Narrators), al-Nasa’i’s Al-Du’afa wa Al-Matrukin (The Weak and Abandoned Narrators), Al-’Uqayli’s Kitab Al-Du’afa, and Ibn Hibban’s Kitab Al-Majruhin (The Book of the Discredited Narrators). Read these works. Do you find this methodology in them?

Then they cling to Al-Dhahabi, the historian. As a historian, he may occasionally show leniency, but he never follows the methodology they claim. In writing biographies, he might criticize a narrator and mention his good qualities as well. He also authored specific books dedicated to criticism, such as Al-Mizan, Al-Diwan, Al-Mughni, and Al-Dhayl. These four books are all focused on criticism. Why are they not mentioned? Why do they not refer to this Al-Dhahabi, whom they cling to as a historian in his book Al-Siyar? These are people of falsehood and doubts, and Allah’s statement applies to them: 

فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌۭ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ وَٱبْتِغَآءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ

‘As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]’ (Ali ‘Imran 3:7). 

When they come to the Book of Allah, they interpret it as they wish. When they come to the words of the Messenger, they interpret them as they wish. When they come to the words of the scholars of the Salaf, they interpret them as they wish and distort them. We have not seen an innovation more dangerous than this methodology, nor innovators more dangerous to Islam than these. They only defend falsehood and misguided beliefs. When you bring up someone who insults the Companions or the Prophets, they ask, ‘Where are his good deeds?’ But when they mention the people of Sunnah, who are full of good deeds, they do not mention any of their noble qualities and fabricate faults. How similar they are to the Rafidah.

May Allah bless you. I will stop here, and I urge you to refer to the books I mentioned, which have been endorsed by the scholars, praise be to Allah, including Ibn Baz, Al-Albani, Al-‘Uthaymin, and others. Some of those who initially authored these works later retracted and acknowledged that when criticism is meant for advising and warning, it is not necessary to mention good qualities. One of them cited consensus on this matter. I only criticized the people of innovation and misguidance to offer advice and warnings. So why do they attack me and my books? May Allah bless you.”[1]

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[1] Rabi Al-Madkhali, Su’al ‘an Al-Muwazanah, accessed July 1, 2024, https://rabee.net/alfatawi/سؤال-عن-الموازنات-والاستدلال-بما-فعله/.

My roots are Carolinian. It is the soil of my father and grandfathers. I spent many summers there as a child, reuniting with those who gave us our names. This was years before accepting Islam, and I do not recall ever seeing a Muslim there in those days. Out in “the country” as a boy feeding the hogs, I never imagined recounting those trips in the mountains of Yemen.

One afternoon in Dammaj, I was late for the Sahih al-Bukhari class after Asr prayer. One of the students informed me that our Shaykh, al-Allamah Muqbil b. Hadi al-Wadi’ – Allah grant him mercy – had called on me. When the opportunity arose, I announced my presence to the Shaykh. “Come forward,” he said, summoning me to his desk at the front the masjid. I was puzzled. Was I in trouble for being late? As I made my way through the rows of students, the Shaykh said, “Where is ‘Abd al-Rahman?” A Shami brother, too, rose and advanced toward the desk. The Shaykh smiled. “Your brother wants to debate you,” he said to me.

“On what subject, O Shaykh?” I said.

“On the nature of pig skin.”

‘Abd al-Rahman began to deliver a litany of quotations about pig skin from several works of fiqh. I waited patiently for him to finish. When he did, I said, “Shaykh, when I was young, I spent many summers on my family’s farm in North Carolina. They had pigs.” I then gave first hand knowledge of the subject. My interlocutor, who had never actually seen the animal, tried to continue, but the Shaykh interjected, “The facts speak for themselves,” he said laughing. 

My last trip “down South” was eight years ago. My grandmother had passed, and we went to commiserate with family. On the trip, my sister and I went to a local supermarket and were surprised when we heard the greetings: “Al-Salam Alaykum,” a woman said. We returned the salutations. Remembering my days there as a boy, those were the last words I expected to hear. It reminded me of Allah’s (ﷻ) statement,

وَ رَأَیۡتَ ٱلنَّاسَ یَدۡخُلُونَ فِی دِینِ ٱللَّهِ أَفۡوَاجا

“And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes” (al-Nasr 110:2)

Now, eight years later, I return to the state, Allah willing, to attend a lecture series on the reality of the Salafi methodology. This weekend is something of a homecoming for me and a chance to witness the efforts of Ahl Sunnah to establish a masjid on previously untrodden ground. May Allah (ﷻ) bless the community there and continue to make them sources of good. Indeed, Allah (ﷻ) is the Hearer of supplication. 

Abu al-Hasan Malik al-Akhdar

19 Rabi’ al-Awwal 1445 AH

Camden, NJ

Prior to 1358 AH, the area spanning southern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen was steeped in superstitions, ignorance, acts of polytheism, and innovations. But Allah would decree that the Shaykh, the reformer, ‘Abd Allah al-Qar’awi would settle in the region and establish the call of the Prophets and Messengers: the call to tawhid. He instituted schools, built masajid, delivered sermons, taught lessons in towns and villages, and introduced thousands of men, women, and children to the methodology of the Salaf. He was, as Shaykh Rabi’ b. Hadi al-Madkhali said of him, “knowledgeable, pious, ascetic, earnest, patient, and dependent upon [Allah Alone] in his call. He was Salafi in creed, upon the ‘aqidah of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah.” It therefore pleases us to announce the publication of a comprehensive biography on the life and call of this noble reformer.

The work chronicles his family lineage, his birth, his upbringing, his travels, his travails, his triumphs, his teaching and tireless efforts to spread tawhid, and, ultimately, his final illness and death. May Allah grant him Mercy. It is our hope that this biography will help enlighten English-speaking readers on the life and call of this noble scholar.

You can purchase this title directly from our online store or shop for it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0975K5CRV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_2RPYMT6BQHRYBSA3PCK8

Fleeing from the Decree to the Decree