Q. What is the difference between Zakaat, Sadaqa and Lillah?
A. Sadaqa and Lillah is one and the same thing. Both is an optional act while Zakaat is a compulsory act.

Q. Explain what exactly is Sadaqa/Lillah? (From hereon both will be regarded as Sadaqa)
A. Sadaqa is an optional act of charity which can be given at any time, to Muslim or non Muslim. It can be given in the form of clothes, food, money etc. The concept of Sadaqa is so vast that Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam has said that even a smile will be regarded as Sadaqa.

Q. What intention can a person make when giving Sadaqa?
A. A person should give his charity (whether Zakaat or Sadaqa) only for the pleasure of Allah Ta'aala. A person can give his Sadaqa (not Zakaat) on behalf of another person. A Dua can also be made e.g. "O Allah grant my mother Shifaa (cure) through the blessings (Barakat) of this act of charity."

Q. Will putting money in the collection tins or giving a few coins to the beggars also be regarded as Sadaqa?
A. Yes, every act of charity whether big or small will fall under Sadaqa.

Q. What is the benefits of Sadaqa?
A. Most importantly it will be a means of gaining the pleasure of Allah Ta'aala. Charity will also attract the mercy of Allah Ta'aala, buy the giver abundant rewards and can also be a means of saving one from a future calamity.

Q. If a person decides to give charity (Zakaat or Sadaqa), who should he look to first?
A. A person should first look towards his family whether immediate or far. If there is any family member worthy of Zakaat or Sadaqa then it is better to give it to them. Nabi Sallallahu alaihi Wa Sallam has said that charity to family members holds two rewards i.e. the reward of charity and the reward of keeping family ties.

From Ihyaaud Deen. This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series Seerah

On the eve of the birth of Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), an earthquake shook the palace of Kisra, the Persian King, causing fourteen towers of the palace to collapse. The fire in the temple of Persia, which had been burning continuously for a thousand years was suddenly extinguished and Lake Saawah unexpectedly dried up.

The Persian king Kisra was extremely distressed but royal pride would not allow him to expose his fears. Eventually he summoned his advisors, courtiers and ministers of state and intended convening a meeting to discuss the causes for the unusual events and rare phenomena. Amidst the discussions, news of the fire in the temple reached the court and which only intensified Kisra’s apprehension and increased his anxiety. It was just then that the Mubidhan (the Persian supreme judge) stood up and revealed to the assembly his peculiar vision, which he was shown the previous night. He exclaimed, “Last night I saw a dream wherein I was shown a herd of strong, powerful camels. I saw them travel with great speed dragging along with them Arabian horses until they crossed over the Tigris River and spread throughout the world.” Kisra enquired from the Mubidhan as to what was the interpretation of the dream. The Mubidhan replied, “It is likely that a matter of great significance is about to occur in Arabia. In order to allay your fears I advise you to send a message to your governor in Hiyra asking him to despatch a learned scholar of Arab decent in order to investigate the matter further.” He further remarked that the Arab scholars possess a great deal of knowledge with regard to the current events.

Q. I never quite understood the idea behind the number "786". Is it possible for you to explain its significance at your earliest convenience?

A. "786" is the total value of the letters of "Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim". In Arabic there are two methods of arranging letters. One method is the most common method known as the alphabetical method. Here we begin with Alif, ba, ta, tha etc. The other method is known as the Abjad method or ordinal method. In this method each letter has an arithmetic value assigned to it from one to one thousand. The letters are arranged in the following order: Abjad, Hawwaz, Hutti, Kalaman, Sa'fas, Qarshat, Sakhaz, Zazagh. This arrangement was done, most probably in the 3rd century of Hijrah during the 'Abbasid period, following other Semitic languages such as Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldean etc.

If you take the numeric values of all the letters of the Basmalah, according to the Abjad order, the total will be 786. In the Indian subcontinent the Abjad numerals became quite popular. Some people, mostly in India and Pakistan, use 786 as a substitute for Bismillah. They write this number to avoid writing the name of Allah or the Qur'anic ayah on ordinary papers. This tradition is not from the time of the Prophet -peace be upon him- or his Sahabah. It developed much later, perhaps during the later 'Abbasid period. We do not know of any reputable Imams or Jurists who used this number instead of the Bismillah.

Herewith below is the table:
Each Arabic letter corresponds to a certain numerical value in the following way:

Alif – 1
Baa – 2
Jeem – 3
Daal – 4
Haa (small) – 5
Waaw – 6
Zaa – 7
Haa (big) – 8
Tau – 9
Yaa – 10
Kaaf – 20
Laam – 30
Meem – 40
Noon – 50
Seen – 60
Ayn – 70
Faa – 80
Saud – 90
Quaf – 100
Raa – 200
Sheen – 300
Taa – 400
THaa – 500
Khaa – 600
Thaal – 700
Dhaud – 800
Thau – 900
Ghayn – 1000

Any letter not included above has the same numerical value as the one written like it in this table. E.g., Hamza is the same as Alif.

Now calculate Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem, which consists of the following letters:
Baa = 2; Seen = 60; Meem = 40; Alif = 1; Laam = 30; Laam = 30; Haa (Small) = 5; Alif=1; Laam = 30; Raa = 200; Haa (big) = 8; Meem = 40; Noon = 50; Alif = 1; Laam = 30; Raa = 200; Haa (big) = 8; Yaa = 10; Meem = 40.

Add all the numerical values and you will find the total to be 786.

This is how the Arabic letters are valued numerically. The practice of substituting Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem with the number 786 is NOT substantiated by the Ahadith nor the Qur'aan. This was merely the practice of some of our pious predecessors. It is NOT a Sunnah practice nor does it hold any virtue.

It is permissible to use the number 786 on letterheads etc if there is a fear of the name Allah being disrespected. According to the numeric values mentioned in the famous lexicon, Fairuzul Lughaat, the number 786 symbolizes Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem if the numeric value of each letter in Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem is added up.

Where is happiness? More than five billion people are searching for it. But where is it? If happiness was in the hand, then the one whose wrist is adorned with a designer watch worth hundreds of thousands of rands, or whose fingers have been ringed with priceless diamonds, or the one who counts huge bundles of his money everyday, would always be very happy. If happiness was in the eyes, then the one who lives in the most scenic of places, with his most luxurious, expensive and eye-catching possessions such as furniture, cars, clothing, etc., in front of him all the time, would forever be elated. If happiness was in the stomach, the person feasting on delicacies would have been continuously ecstatic, while the one eating simple basic food would have been very miserable . However, nobody has found happiness in possessions and objects. Happiness is in the heart. If the heart is happy, the joy of the heart permeates every part of the body, irrespective of whether the hand does not have a rand, or whether the stomach has only been filled with bread and water. The question is: How does the heart gain happiness?

CONTENTMENT

The foundation of happiness is Imaan. The pillars of this happiness are righteous actions and the qualities of Imaan. Among the foremost qualities of Imaan that bring happiness to the heart and fill one's life with peace and tranquillity is qana'ah (contentment). Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said: “Verily true wealth is the contentment of the heart.” In another narration contentment has been described as “the wealth that is never exhausted.” Wahb bin Munabbah (R.A.) expressed this reality in the form of an anecdote. “Respect and wealth went out one day to search for a companion,” he said. “They met contentment and permanently stayed over with him.” The message is clear: Respect and true wealth is to be found in contentment. Otherwise one will be forever poor and miserable despite owning billions.

Contentment refers to being happy with what one has been blessed with. It entails living within one's means. Contentment does not bar one from possessing any comfort and luxury. Indeed, it is opposed to buying things merely to enhance one's “status,” or to avoid being regarded as “oldfashioned” by others. Contentment is the opposite of materialism. Therefore, if contentment offers peace and happiness, materialism promises unhappiness and misery.

From Ihyaaud Deen. This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Janaazah

• A boy and girl close to the age of puberty will be enshrouded in the manner a baaligh male and female are enshrouded. Enshrouding the boy in two cloths and the girl in three cloths is also permissible.
• As far as minors are concerned, it is Sunnah to enshroud a minor boy in three cloths and a minor girl in five cloths as baaligh males and females are enshrouded. Enshrouding a minor boy in one cloth and a minor girl in two cloths is also permissible.
• An infant child, who passes away immediately after birth or a while later, will be given an Islamic name. Similarly, ghusal will be given and the normal kafan will be carried out. The Janaazah Salaah will also be performed upon him.
• A still born child will be given an Islamic name. Thereafter he will be given ghusal, wrapped in a cloth and buried without Janaazah Salaah.
• If a woman miscarries then if the limbs are not yet formed (i.e. hands, feet, nose, mouth etc. are not fully formed), they will be wrapped in a cloth and then buried.
• If the limbs are formed (i.e. hands, feet, nose, mouth etc. though the entire body has not yet been formed), then the child will be named, washed, wrapped in a cloth and buried without Janaazah Salaah.

Note: The shar’ee ghusal will not be carried out in this case.

• If the newborn dies at childbirth before most of the body exits then it will follow the law of the stillborn child i.e. it will be given an Islamic name. Thereafter it will be given ghusal, wrapped in a cloth and buried without Janaazah Salaah.
• If the child died after most of the body appeared then it will be regarded as though he was born alive and then died i.e. he will be given an Islamic name. Similarly, ghusal will be given and the normal kafan will be carried out. The Janaazah Salaah will also be performed upon him.

Note: The major portion of the child coming out will be determined in the following manner: If the head of the child came out first, then once the chest exits it will be regarded as though the major portion of the child has come out. And if the child’s feet came out first then by the navel becoming visible it will be regarded as though the major portion of the child has come out.