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Question

Is expiation required of one who reviles a Muslim, such as saying to a Muslim “May the religion of your mother be cursed” [an Arabic form of insulting or cursing]?

Praise be to Allah.
    
    Reviling the faith or the religion or Islam is major kufr (disbelief), 
    according to scholarly consensus. The one who does this should be asked to 
    repent. If he repents, all well and good, otherwise he should be executed, 
    Allah forbid. See questions no. 
    
    
    42505 and
    
    65551. 

    
    With regard to reviling the religion of a particular Muslim person, such as 
    saying “May your religion be cursed” or “May the religion of your mother be 
    cursed” – if his mother is a Muslim – is also reviling the religion, as 
    appears to be the case, which is kufr as stated above. Some of the scholars 
    suggested that it may be interpreted differently, and that what is referred 
    to is the person and his religious commitment. This may be based on 
    circumstantial evidence. In this case he should be punished and disciplined. 
    In any case he should be asked to repent and the matter should be discussed 
    with him. 

    
    It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah: The fuqaha (jusrists) are unanimously 
    agreed that the one who reviles Islam or the religion of the Muslims is a 
    kafir (disbeliever). As for the one who reviles the religion of a Muslim, 
    the Hanafis said, as mentioned in Jami’ al-Fusooleen: The one who reviles 
    the religion of a Muslim should be denounced as a kafir, but his insult may 
    be understood as referring to that person’s bad attitude and bad treatment 
    of others, not Islam itself [because the word ‘deen’ in the phrase under 
    discussion may refer to one’s religion or to one’s way and conduct], in 
    which case he should not be denounced as a kafir. End quote. 

    
    Al-Shaykh ‘Ulaysh al-Maliki said: In it [in al-Barzali] there is another 
    issue, which is if a man ridicules the prayer and people who pray, and many 
    people testify against him, some of whom are credible witnesses and some are 
    not. If it is interpreted as ridiculing the worshippers because he thinks 
    ill of them, then it is to be regarded as reviling the Muslims, so he should 
    be disciplined as the judge sees fit. If it is interpreted as ridiculing the 
    worship itself, the correct view is that this is apostasy, because he has 
    done this openly and many people knew about it, which is different than 
    heresy, and the ruling on apostasy should be applied. End quote. 

    I 
    say: From this ruling it may be understood that the one who reviles Islam or 
    the religion or a madhhab (school of thought) is that this is often done by 
    some of the dregs of the common folk, such as donkey-drivers, camel-drivers 
    and servants, or it may be done by others. If he was referring to the 
    sharee’ah (religious laws) and the rulings that Allah has prescribed for His 
    slaves on the lips of His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon 
    him), then he is definitely a kafir. If he does this openly then he is an 
    apostate who should be asked to repent; if he repents, all well and good, 
    otherwise he should be executed. If he does not do it openly then he is a 
    heretic who is to be executed even if he repents. 

    
    If he was referring to an individual person and his religious commitment, 
    then this is reviling a Muslim and he should be disciplined as the judge 
    sees fit. The two cases may be differentiated on the basis of confession and 
    circumstantial evidence. Some scholars said that the ruling is the same in 
    the second case as in the first. In al-Badr it is narrated that Bahram said 
    concerning apostasy: If the one who does not pray says to the one who tells 
    him to pray: When you enter Paradise, lock the door behind you – if what he 
    meant is that prayer has no effect on one’s religious commitment then he has 
    apostatized, according to scholarly consensus, but if he meant that the 
    prayer of the speaker has no effect because it does not stop him from 
    committing immoral and evil actions, then there are two views as to whether 
    he is an apostate. End quote.  

    
    It is well known that the Holy Quran is also part of the religion, and 
    reviling it is kufr, as was stated by al-Barzali in several places. End 
    quote from Fath al-‘Aliy al-Malik fi’l-Fatwa ‘ala Madhhab al-Imam Malik.

    
    The other possibility that he mentioned may occur rarely, but the basic 
    principle is that cursing a person’s religion is cursing Islam, and no one 
    would do that but a reckless person who is so audacious that he transgresses 
    the sacred limits of Allah and commits this grave evil that may lead to his 
    doom. Because the other possibility is unlikely to be the case when someone 
    utters these words, al-Shaykh ‘Ulaysh (may Allah have mercy on him) did not 
    mention it anywhere else, when he was asked: What do you say about a man who 
    curses the religion of another, and a man who curses his madhhab, or one who 
    says to him, “May Allah curse your madhhab, the madhhab of cats” – are they 
    apostates? 

    I 
    replied: Praise be to Allah and blessings and peace be upon our master 
    Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). 
    Yes, they are apostates because of saying this, and they deserve to be 
    executed if they do not repent, according to scholarly consensus, because 
    reviling religion or a madhhab is only done by the one who is a kafir, and 
    because it is worse than belittling it which implies kufr, and because it 
    comes under the second category mentioned by Ibn ‘Abd al-Salam, al-Qarafi, 
    Ibn Rushd and others. And Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, knows 
    best, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad. End 
    quote from Fath al-‘Aliy al-Malik.

    
    Secondly: 

    
    The expiation for reviling – whether one reviled the religion or the person 
    – is sincere repentance. If a person repents, Allah will accept his 
    repentance. Otherwise the one who reviled another deserves to be punished 
    and disciplined. Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What 
    should be done to the one who calls a Muslim a dog or a pig and other bad 
    words. Is he sinning? 

    
    He replied: Praise be to Allah. He is sinning and he should be punished, and 
    he has to repent. And Allah knows best. End quote from Fatawa al-Nawawi. 

    
    See also question no. 
    
    
    42505 for more information on the repentance of one who reviles the 
    religion. 

    
    And Allah knows best.

Question

To slaughter chickens in an abattoir, they put one thousand chickens under one machine and say “bismillah” only once then they slaughter all of them at once. They wash all of them in one big pot without changing the water, thus every time they wash a chicken this makes the whole water unclean. What is the ruling on eating these chickens? If we buy the chicken uncooked so that we wash it does it become halal? And what if it was cooked in restaurants for example, as they do not wash the chickens before cooking them?.

Praise be to Allah.
    There is nothing wrong with slaughtering 
    chicken by means of modern machines, so long as they are sharp and they cut 
    the throat and the oesophagus. If the machine slaughters a number of 
    chickens at once, then it is sufficient for the person who is operating the 
    machine to say Bismillaah just once when he starts operating it, with the 
    intention of slaughtering them, provided that the person who is operating 
    the machine is a Muslim or a kitaabi (one of the people of the Book, i.e., a 
    Jew or a Christian). 

    Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah 
    (22/463). 

    With regard to what you say about the method 
    of washing them, if washing them in this way takes away the blood and they 
    come out clean, then they are taahir (pure). But if some traces of blood are 
    left on them, then they must be washed before eating. 

    It should be noted that the blood which is 
    naajis (impure) is that which is poured forth, i.e., that which flows from 
    the chicken when it is slaughtered. As for the blood that remains in the 
    veins after slaughtering and comes out when it is cleaned and cut up, this 
    blood is taahir (pure) and there is nothing wrong with eating it because it 
    is not blood that has been poured forth. 

    Allaah says (interpretation of the 
    meaning): 

    “Say (O Muhammad
    صلى الله عليه وسلم): “I find not in that 
    which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who 
    wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth 
    (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork); for that 
    surely, is impure”

    [al-An’aam 6:145]

    And Allaah knows best.

Question

What is the ruling on taking off hijaab and uncovering the face when traveling abroad in obedience to my mother’s demands, on the grounds that I attract unwelcome attention?

Praise be to Allah. 
          It is not permissible for you or for 
          any other woman to take off your hijaab in the kaafir countries, just 
          as that is not permissible in any Muslim country. It is obligatory to 
          observe hijaab in front of non-mahram males whether they are Muslims 
          or kaafirs; indeed it is more obligatory in the case of kaafirs, because 
          they have no faith to keep them from doing that which Allaah has forbidden. 
 
          It is not permissible for you or any 
          other woman to obey parents or anyone else in doing that which Allaah 
          and His Messenger 
          
          (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have forbidden. Allaah says 
          in Soorat al-Ahzaab (interpretation of the meaning): 
 
          “And when you ask (his wives) for anything 
          you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts 
          and for their hearts”
 
          [al-Ahzaab 33:53]
 
          In this aayah Allaah explains that for women to observe 
          hijaab and be screened from non-mahram men is purer for the hearts of 
          everyone. And Allaah says in Soorat al-Noor (interpretation of the meaning):
 
          “And tell the believing women to lower 
          their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private 
          parts (from illegal sexual acts) and not to show off their adornment 
          except only that which is apparent (like both eyes for necessity to 
          see the way, or outer palms of hands or one eye or dress like veil, 
          gloves, headcover, apron), and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna 
          (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms) and not to reveal their 
          adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband’s 
          fathers…”
 
          [al-Noor 24:31]
 
          And the face is the greatest part of 
          beauty or adornment.

Question

I have some stores that sell men’s and women’s clothing in a number of shopping centres. I have read about the situations in which it is permissible to sell women’s clothes, and that it is not permissible to sell these clothes if the seller knows that the one who is buying them is going to use them in ways that Allah has forbidden. But how can the seller or employees know that they are going to be used in ways that Allah has forbidden? The seller may be in a position where he does not know how they are going to be used.

Praise be to Allah.Is it haram to sell women's clothing?
With regard to women’s clothes that merchants sell in their stores, one of the following three scenarios must apply: 

The seller knows or thinks it most likely that these clothes are going to be used in permissible ways, and that they will not be used in haram ways. There is nothing wrong with selling these clothes. 
The seller knows or thinks it most likely that these clothes are going to be used in haram ways, i.e., the woman is going to wear them and adorn herself with them in front of non-mahram men. Selling these clothes is haram , because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“but do not help one another in sin and transgression” [Al-Maidah 5:2]
The seller can figure it out from the type of clothes and the state of the woman who buys them. 
There are some kinds of clothes which it is usually known that however much a woman flaunts herself (tabarruj ) she will never wear them for anyone but her husband, and she cannot go out wearing them in front of non-mahram men. And there are clothes which the seller will think most likely – or may be certain – that the one who buys them is going to use them in haram ways. 
What the seller should do is to act upon what he knows or thinks most likely to be the case with regard to the buyer. 
And the clothes may be used in permissible ways or in haram ways, but the fact that women observe hijab or that the state enforces hijab means that they cannot be used in haram ways, so there is nothing wrong with selling them. 

If the seller is uncertain as to whether these clothes will be used in permissible ways or haram ways, because the clothes may be used in both ways, and there is no evidence to make him certain about either possibility, then there is no sin in selling these clothes, because the basic principle is that it is permissible to sell and it is not haram, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Allah has permitted trading” [Al-Baqarah 2:275]
The one who buys them must use them in ways that Allah has permitted, and it is not permissible to use them in haram ways. 
Fatwas of scholars on selling women clothes
There follow some fatwas of the scholars which support what we have said above. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: 

What is the ruling on dealing in women’s adornments and selling them when the seller knows that the one who is buying them will adorn herself with them in front of non-mahram men in the streets as he can see how she is appearing in front of him, and as is common, unfortunately, in some areas? 
They replied: 
“It is not permissible to sell it if the seller knows that the one who is buying it is going to use it in ways that Allah has forbidden, because that is helping in sin and transgression. But if he knows that the buyer is going to adorn herself for her husband with it or he does not know anything, then it is permissible for him to sell it.” (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah li’l-Buhعth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta, 13/67) 

The Scholars of the Standing Committee were also asked: 

What is the ruling on selling cosmetics to women , knowing that most of those who use them are women who make a wanton display of themselves and are evildoers who disobey Allah and His Messenger, and those who use these things to adorn themselves for men other than their husbands – Allah  forbid? 
They replied: 
“If the matter is as described, it is not permissible to sell them to them, if he knows their situation, because that is cooperating in sin and transgression, which Allah has forbidden as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“but do not help one another in sin and transgression” [Al-Maidah 5:2]” (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah li’l-Buhعth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta, 13/105) 

The Scholars of the Standing Committee were also asked: 

What is the ruling on selling different types of tight pants for women, including jeans and those made from stretch fabrics, as well as pant suits which consist of pants and a blouse, and selling women’s shoes with high heels, and all kinds of hair dyes, especially those which are specifically for women, and selling see-through women’s clothes, especially those made of chiffon, and women's dresses with short sleeves, or short dresses, and short skirts for women? 
They replied: 
“Everything that will be used in haram ways or that one thinks is most likely to be used in such ways, it is haram to make it, import it, sell it and distribute it among the Muslims. That includes what many women have fallen into nowadays – may Allah guide them to the right path – of see-through, tight and short clothes , which includes displaying their charms and showing the shape of their limbs in front of non-mahram men. 
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “If it seems most likely that garments will be used to help commit sin, it is not permissible to sell them or sew them for one who will use them for sinful and wrongful purposes. Hence it is makrعh to sell bread and meat to one who you know will drink wine with them. The same applies to any permissible thing if you know that it will be used to help commit sin.”
Every Muslim merchant and businessman must fear Allah. Our advice to our Muslim brothers is not to make or sell anything but that which is good and beneficial for them, and to forsake everything that is evil and harmful for them. In that which is halal there is sufficient so that we have no need of that which is haram. 
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine” [Al-Talaq 65:2, 3]
This advice is what is implied by faith, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“The believers, men and women, are Awliya (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma‘rعf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden)” [Al-Tawbah 9:71]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Religion is sincerity.” They said: To whom, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the leaders of the Muslims and to their common folk.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Sahih) 
Jarir ibn ‘Abd-Allah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I swore allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), pledging to establish regular prayer and pay zakah, and to be sincere towards every Muslim. Sahih –agreed upon. 
What Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah meant in the words quoted above, “Hence it is makruh to sell bread and meat to one who you know will drink wine with them…” is that it is makruh in the sense of haram, as is known from his fatwas on other topics.” (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah wi’l-Buhuth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta, 13/109) 
For more, please see these answers:  235 , 221744 , 226184 , 197328
And Allah knows best.

Question

I have been divorced for three years now. the proceedings were done through a solicitor. my ex husband did not contest therefore it was done through agreement between us. what i would like to know he has never verbally said ‘talaq’ to me. i have asked a few people, they tell me that under the islamic law i am divorced, and some people tell me that he has to say it verbally. please clarify this for me, as it is affecting me. i initiated the divorce on grounds of violent behaviour.

Praise be to Allah.It is not a condition of divorce that the husband should speak the word in front of his wife or that she should know of it. When the man speaks the words of divorce, or writes them down, this is regarded as a valid divorce that takes effect, even if the wife does not know of it. 
If your husband has completed divorce proceedings with a lawyer then this divorce is valid and effective. Please see questions  9593 and 20660. 
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: 
A man has been away from his wife for a long time, and he had divorced her to himself, even though he did not inform her of that. Has divorce taken place? 
He replied: 
The divorce has taken place, even if he did not convey that to his wife. If a man utters the words of divorce and says, “I divorce my wife”, the wife is divorced whether she knows it or not. Hence if we assume that the wife does not come to know of this divorce until after she has had three menstrual cycles, then her ‘iddah is complete even if she did not know. Similarly if a man dies and his wife does not come to know of his death until after the end of the ‘iddah period, then she does not have to observe ‘iddah because in this case it is already over. 
Fatawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/804.

Question

Can a husband refuse to disclose his earnings and bank details to his wife ?.

Praise be to Allah.A man is not obliged to tell his wife what he 
    has in the bank, just as she is not obliged to tell him what she owns of her own personal wealth. 
But the loving relationship that should exist 
    between husband and wife implies that they should be easy-going in this matter, and that each should let the other know what he or she has, and 
    they should cooperate in organizing their finances and spending in ways that please Allaah. 
And Allaah knows best.

Question

In the Christian religion, a dove is a symbol not only for peace but also for
the Holy Spirit.In the Islamic religion, does the dove hold any significance ?

Praise be to Allah.We put this
      question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, may Allaah preserve him, who
      answered as follows.
      
 The dove
      does not have any particular meaning in Islam. It is simply one of the
      birds that Allaah has permitted us to eat, just like any other permissible
      bird.
      
 In
      Islam, the dove does not stand for peace or for anything else. It is
      sufficient for us Muslims for us to follow the commands of Allaah to
      establish justice on earth.

Question

In the last few days the Egyptian ferry sank and the number of those who drowned in this accident is nearly one thousand. Are they considered to be martyrs? How can we offer the funeral prayer for those of them who have not been found?.

Praise be to Allah.
    Undoubtedly all things are in the hand of Allaah, may He be 
    glorified and exalted, and He controls them as He wills. We may note the 
    following about this incident: 

    Firstly: 

    Allaah may choose from among His believing slaves some types 
    of people, individually or in groups, and send calamity upon them so that 
    the calamity may raise them in status and expiate their sins. So calamities 
    are a means of expiating sins and raising one in status. The Prophet  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is nothing that 
    befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allaah will record 
    one good deed for him thereby or erase one bad deed.” Narrated by Muslim 
    (2572). 

    Secondly: 

    What is prescribed for a Muslim if calamity befalls him is to 
    be patient, and to say that which the Prophet  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) enjoined upon us. It was narrated that Umm Salamah (may 
    Allaah be pleased with her) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no Muslim who is 
    stricken with a calamity and says what Allaah has enjoined – ‘Verily to 
    Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allaah, reward me for my 
    affliction and compensate me with something better’ – but Allaah will 
    compensate him with something better.” Narrated by Muslim (918). 

    Thirdly: 

    Whoever dies by drowning is a martyr (shaheed) and 
    will have the reward of the martyrs with Allaah, may He be exalted. It was 
    narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the 
    Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 
    “The martyrs are five: the one who dies of the plague, the one who dies of a 
    stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is killed by a falling wall 
    and the martyr (who dies) for the sake of Allaah.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari 
    (2829) and Muslim (1914). According to a version narrated by Muslim (1915): 
    “the one who drowns is a martyr.” 

    Ibn al-Teen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: All of these 
    deaths involve hardship and Allaah has shown favour to the ummah of Muhammad 
     (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by making them a means of 
    erasing their sins and increasing their reward, and causing them to attain 
    the status of the martyrs. 

    Fath al-Baari (8/438). See also 
    the answer to question no. 22140. 

    Fourthly: 

    Whomever Allaah has saved from this accident and brought 
    forth safely, let him praise Allaah for that, and do good for the rest of 
    his life, for death will certainly come to man, but Allaah delayed it and 
    saved him. If He had willed, it could have turned out otherwise. 

    Fifthly: 

    If a person is brought out dead, then he must be washed and 
    shrouded, and the funeral prayer offered for him. With regard to the one who 
    cannot be found, the funeral prayer must be offered for them in absentia, 
    because offering the funeral prayer is a communal obligation (fard 
    kafaayah) which must be fulfilled. So the people should form rows and 
    the imam should go forward and lead the prayer for him as if the bier were 
    in front of them. 

    It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah: 

    If the drowned person can be found, then he should be washed 
    and shrouded and the funeral prayer offered for him as with any other 
    deceased person, but if he cannot be found, then the funeral prayer should 
    be offered for him in absentia, according to the Shaafa’is and Hanbalis. End 
    quote. 

    Al-Bukhaari (1318) and Muslim (951) narrated that Abu 
    Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) announced the death of the Negus to his 
    companions on the day he died, and he led them out to the prayer-place, then 
    he went forward and they formed rows behind him, and he said takbeer four 
    times. 

    Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This is 
    evidence for al-Shaafa’i and those who agreed with him with regard to 
    offering the funeral prayer in absentia. End quote. 

    We have discussed the issue of offering the funeral prayer in 
    absentia in the answer to question no. (35853). 

    We ask Allaah to accept them as martyrs and to grant their 
    families patience and consolation. 

    And Allaah knows best.

Question

What is the ruling on giving all that one owns in charity?

Praise be to Allah.
    The scholars of the four madhhabs are agreed that it is 
    mustahabb for charity to be composed of whatever is surplus to one’s needs 
    and the needs of those for whom one is responsible. If a person gives in 
    charity that which affects his needs or the needs of those for whom he is 
    responsible, that is a sin, because his spending on them is obligatory and 
    it is not permissible to give precedence to a naafil (supererogatory) action 
    over an obligatory one.  

    But with regard to whatever is surplus to the needs of those 
    on whom a person is obliged to spend, the majority of scholars say that 
    holding on to whatever wealth he needs is preferable to giving it all away 
    in charity, unless he has an income or is sure that he will be able to put 
    his trust in Allaah and be patient and steadfast in bearing poverty and will 
    be able to refrain from begging. Some scholars regarded it as mustahabb to 
    give all his wealth in that case. The Shaafa’is regard this as being the 
    most correct view, and it is the apparent meaning of al-Muwaffaq’s words in
    al-Mughni. What may be understood from the Maaliki and Hanafi 
    madhhabs is that they do not regard that as mustahabb, because after 
    mentioning the above conditions concerning the permissibility of giving all 
    one's wealth in charity, they say, “There is noting wrong with that,” as if 
    the matter is permissible in their view. But some Maalikis add to that a 
    comment which may be understood as meaning that they regard it as mustahabb, 
    as they say, “The way of encouraging giving all one's wealth in charity is 
    that the donor should feel good about it after giving all his wealth and 
    should not feel regret about being without wealth or hope to gain a similar 
    amount of wealth in the future. He should not have any need of it in the 
    future for himself or for those on whom he is obliged or encouraged to 
    spend. Otherwise it is not recommended for him (to give all his wealth in 
    charity), rather it is haraam for him to do so if those on whom he is 
    obliged to spend are in certain need, or it is makrooh for him to do so if 
    he is certain that those on whom it is recommended for him to spend are in 
    need, because it is better to give in charity that which is surplus to his 
    needs and the needs of those on whom he is obliged to spend.”

    (al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 26/339) 
From these comments it is 
    clear that the scholars did not limit charity to one third (of one's 
    wealth). The evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah that these scholars based 
    their views on is as follows: 

    1 – The aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your 
    neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that 
    you become blameworthy and in severe poverty”

    [al-Isra’ 17:29]
The mufassireen said, in 
    their commentaries on this aayah: Do not give all that you have when you and 
    your dependents are in need of it, so that you are left with no money to 
    spend, like an exhausted camel, i.e., one which has lost its strength and 
    has no energy. And it was said that it means, lest you be blamed and come to 
    regret it. But the one who is being addressed here is not the Prophet  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he is not one of those 
    who would regret spending what they had in their hands for the sake of 
    Allaah. Rather Allaah forbade extravagance in spending and giving all the 
    money that one has in hand, less that end in regret on the part of the one 
    who spent all that he had.

    (al-Mawsoo’ah 4/184) 

    2 – It was narrated that Ka’b ibn Maalik (may Allaah be 
    pleased with him) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, as a sign of my 
    repentance I will give away some of my wealth in charity to Allaah and His 
    Messenger.’ The Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be 
    upon him) said: ‘Keep some of your wealth for yourself, that will be better 
    for you.’” (al-Bukhaari, 2552; Muslim, 4973). 

    The Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 
    did not specify that he should give one-third in charity.

     Al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The 
    hadeeth of Ka’b indicates that it is prescribed for the one who wants to 
    give all his wealth in charity to keep some of it. That does not imply that 
    if he wanted to go ahead with it, he would not be able to do so. It was said 
    that giving all one's wealth in charity varies according to one's situation. 
    If a person is strong and knows that he will be able to bear the 
    consequences with patience, then there is no reason why he should not do 
    that.  Based on that we may interpret the action of Abu Bakr al-Sideeq and 
    the way in which the Ansaar preferred others to themselves even though they 
    were in need of that [cf. al-Hashr 59:9]. But if a person is not like that, 
    then he should not do that. This is how the words “There is no charity 
    except when one has the means” should be interpreted. According to another 
    report, “The best of charity is that which is given when one has the means.”

    (al-Nayl 8/288)

     3 – It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be 
    pleased with him) said: Abu Talhah was the richest man among the Ansaar in 
    Madeenah in terms of date palm trees, and the most beloved of his wealth to 
    him was the garden of Bayruha’. It was opposite the Mosque and the Messenger 
    of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go there 
    and drink its water, which was good.”

     Anas added: “When the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) 
    –  

    ‘By no means shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, 
    righteousness — here it means Allaah’s reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you 
    spend (in Allaah’s Cause) of that which you love’

    [Aal ‘Imraan 3:92] – 

    was revealed, Abu Talhah stood up and went to the Messenger 
    of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and said: ‘O 
    Messenger of Allaah, Allaah says, “By no means 
    shall you attain Al-Birr (piety, righteousness — here it means Allaah’s 
    reward, i.e. Paradise), unless you spend (in Allaah’s Cause) of that which 
    you love…” The most beloved of my wealth to me is 
    the garden of Bayruha’, and I am giving it in charity to Allaah, hoping to 
    find reward for that with Allaah. So dispose of it, O Messenger of Allaah, 
    as Allaah shows you.’ The Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Bravo! That is a good deal, that is a good deal. 
    I have heard what you said and I think that you should give it to your 
    relatives.’ Abu Talhah said, ‘I will do that, O Messenger of Allaah.’ So Abu 
    Talhah shared it out among his relatives and cousins (sons of his paternal 
    uncles).”

    (al-Bukhaari, 1368; Muslim, 1664)

     Al-Shawkaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said (al-Nayl, 
    3/36):

     “This indicates that it is permissible to give more than one 
    third of one’s wealth in charity when one is alive and not suffering from 
    terminal illness, because the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be 
    upon him) did not ask Abu Talhah how much he wanted to give in charity, but 
    he said to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas when he was sick, “A third is a lot.”.

Question

What is the meaning of Allaah’s name al-Rafeeq (the Most Kind)?

Praise be to Allah.Allaah 
          is Kind to His slaves. He is Kind in His actions – He creates all created 
          beings in stages according to His wisdom and kindness, although He is 
          Able to create them all at once, in a single moment. Whoever studies 
          His laws and sees how they came step by step, will see that this bears 
          testimony to His kindness, may He be glorified. 
 Allaah 
          is Kind and He does not hasten, because the one who hastens is the one 
          who is afraid that he will miss something. But all things are under 
          His control and dominion, so he does not hasten. 
 Ibn 
          al-Qayyim said: 
 He 
          is Kind and loves people who are kind; by His kindness He gives them 
          more than they can wish for.