A key principle that increases the likelihood of getting others to follow what you preach is to first embody it yourself and actively practice what you advocate.⁣
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This was the approach of the Prophet ﷺ: He taught us values like honesty, responsibility, and truthfulness, while exemplifying these traits, as we have read in the books of sirah. He encouraged us to make siwak a habit, wake up at night to perform night prayers, and engage in voluntary fasting—all of which he ﷺ consistently practiced.⁣
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Whether we realise it or not, this has a profound impact—it makes his followers more willing to emulate his teachings, as his actions reinforce his words. To illustrate this more clearly, imagine someone who preaches about being honest while he's known to be a blatant liar.⁣
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Now, consider applying this principle to anything you call others towards, whether it's following the Sunnah or encouraging good deeds—especially those that are visible. People are more likely to accept and act upon your message when they see you practicing it yourself.⁣
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I still remember vividly the example one of our Shaykh حفظه الله gave to illustrate this concept: if you preach about the Sunnah of keeping a beard while your beard is short-cropped, or worst, your chin is as smooth as silk, then the likelihood of people acting on your advice is much lower.⁣
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Therefore, if you sincerely want others to implement what you propagate, lead by example, and ultimately, tawfīq is from Allāh.⁣
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Madinah, Saudi Arabia⁣⁣
18 Dec 2024 | 17 Jmd. II 1446 AH⁣⁣
✍🏽 @zaidghazali00

👆🏽Learning gratitude and contentment from an 8 year old. May Allāh bless them.

Next time someone echoes the call to return to "moderate Islam" or advocates for being "moderate," stop and ask them: What do you mean by moderation?

Moderation, as defined by some lad from ISIS, and moderation according to liberal Muslims, are both problematic in their own ways.

Ask them to define what they mean by moderation. Usually such calls are simply parroting what the 'higher-ups' say without genuine understanding.

Principle: We judge things by their reality, not merely by their names.
العبرة بالحقائق لا مجرد التسميات

@zaidghazali00

Alḥamdulillāh today, students from the Faculty of Ḥadīth sat for one of our core subjects, Ḥadīth Tahlīlī, where we were tested on al-Muḥarrar by Ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī al-Dimashqī. I was tested a total of 187 aḥādīth (with few of omitted ḥadīths not included in the syllabus) for my level.
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The nature of the questions included:⁣
1. Memorisation of Aḥādīth.⁣
2. Fiqh Rulings: Comparing different scholarly opinions, identifying the strongest one, and explaining the reasons behind the preference.⁣
3. ʿIlal (Defects): Analysing specific ḥadīths to identify any hidden defects.⁣
4. Gharīb al-Ḥadīth: Explaining the meanings of unfamiliar or strange vocabulary in the ḥadīths.⁣
5. Biographies of Companions: Providing brief biographies of the Companions who narrated the ḥadīth.⁣
6. Takhrīj and Status: Tracing the sources of aḥādīth, determining their authenticity, and justifying their status.⁣
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Heartbreaking paper, but the joy of hearing that Dimashq is liberated—interestingly, the homeland of the author of the book we were tested on today—outweighs any disappointments I felt after the paper. Alḥamdulillāh.

✍🏽@zaidghazali00

(ويومئذ يفرح المؤمنون بنصر
الله ينصر من يشاء وهو العزيز الرحيم)

"And that day the believers will rejoice, in the victory of Allāh. He grants victory to whom He wills, and He is the Almighty and the Most Merciful" [30:4-5]

Glory be to Allāh and all praise is due to Him, glory be to Allāh the Almighty!

Even Interactions with Animals Can Shape a Person's Character!⁣⁣
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Be careful on who you befriend, for as long as you're human, you can be influenced by those around you. In fact, even animals can have an impact on us! The Prophet ﷺ said:⁣⁣
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‎والفخر والخيلاء في أصحاب الإبل، والسكينة والوقار في أهل الغنم⁣⁣
“Pride and arrogance are found among the owners of camels, while calmness and humility are seen among the owners of sheep." [Al-Bukhārī]⁣⁣
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If humans can be influenced by animals, which are so different from us, then how much more likely is it that we can be influenced by the people we interact with daily?⁣⁣
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May Allāh grant us the company of those who inspire us to grow in righteousness and guide us toward what pleases Him.⁣⁣
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((Extracted benefits from Shaykh ʿAbd al-Muḥsin al-Qāsim's Majlis al-Samāʿ))⁣⁣
✍? @zaidghazali00

??

At the end of the verse I quoted, there's a duʿā Allāh mentions in which we all can practise;

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

"My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my off-spring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslims."

Allāh says,

ووصينا الإنسان بوالديه إحسانا حملته أمه كرها ووضعته كرها وحمله وفصاله ثلاثون شهرا
"We have commanded people to honour their parents. Their mothers bore them in hardship and delivered them in hardship. Their period of bearing and weaning is thirty months." [46:15]

The first part of the verse enjoins kindness to both parents. Then, Allāh specifically mentions the mother, it seems to be an indication that the mother's right is more emphasised. Why?

Al-Shawkānī mentioned in Fatḥ al-Qadīr,

"This verse indicates that the mother's right is more emphasised than the father's right; for the mother carried the child with hardship, gave birth to them with hardship, and nursed them for this period with fatigue and hardship, and the father did not bear any of that."

@zaidghazali00

An Example of How Scholars Can Derive Different Rulings from the Same Evidence.

Background of the issue: When performing wudhūʾ (ablution), how much of the head is required to be wiped? Should you wipe the entire head, or is it sufficient to wipe only part of it? This question has led to differing opinions among scholars based on their interpretation of the same Qurʾānic evidence.

In discussing the verse:

"وامسحوا برؤوسكم"
"And wipe over your heads." [5:6],

Scholars have differed on the Fiqh issue regarding how much of the head must be wiped during wudhu (ablution). The differences arise due to varying interpretations of the Arabic letter "بـ" (bi-) in the verse. Here are the main opinions:

1 The Maliki and Hanbali opinion: The entire head must be wiped. They interpret "بـ" (bi-) as باء التعدية (for emphasis), making it equivalent to saying, "وامسحوا رؤوسكم" (And wipe your heads), meaning the entire head is included.

1 The Shāfiʿī opinion and an opinion of Ahmad: It is sufficient to wipe only part of the head, even if it’s just a few strands of hair. They interpret "بـ" (bi-) here as باء التبعيض (for partiality), indicating that wiping a part of the head fulfills the obligation.

1 The Hanafi opinion: A quarter of the head must be wiped. They interpret "بـ" (bi-) as باء للإلصاق (for attachment), meaning it denotes the direct contact between the hand and the head; and the obligatory amount of wiping is fulfilled by physically wiping a quarter of the head with the hand.

Author's Note: Just to be safe, it is recommended to take the safer opinion and wipe the entire head during wudhūʾ to ensure that the obligation is fully met.
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Medina, Saudi Arabia
12 Sep 2024 | 9 Rab. I 1446 AH
✍? Zaid Bin Ghazali al-Singhāfūrī