Archives: Questions

Question

Regarding answer to ?14248 how did the sheik come to the verdict it is not sunnah to shave girls hair,dont girls have the harm in thier hair as well,is there difference of opinion.

Praise be to Allah.Al-Tirmidhi (1522) narrated that Samurah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The boy is in pledge for his ‘aqeeqah which should be slaughtered on his behalf on the seventh day, and he should be named and his head shaved.” This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, and it indicates that it is mustahabb to shave the hair of the newborn. 
The fuqaha’ differed with regard to shaving the head of a female newborn. The Maalikis and Shaafa’is are of the view that it should be shaved as the male’s head is shaved. The Hanbalis are of the view that it should not be shaved.  
The Shaafa’is quoted as evidence for shaving the head of a female the mursal report narrated by Maalik, al-Bayhaqi and others from Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn who said: Faatimah the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) weighed the hair of Hasan, Husayn, Zaynab and Umm Kalthoom, and gave the equivalent weight in silver in charity. Al-Bayhaqi also narrated it in a marfoo’ report from ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told Faatimah to give charity equal to the weight in silver of the hair of al-Husayn. Al-Nawawi said: There is some weakness in its isnaad. 
The argument of the Hanbalis is based on the fact that in principle women are not allowed to shave their heads, and there is no report concerning shaving the newborn except in the case of a boy. 
Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni (1/104): It is proven in the reports that it is makrooh for a woman to shave her head unnecessarily. Abu Moosa said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) disavowed himself of women who raise their voices and shave their heads (at times of loss). Agreed upon.  
Al-Khallaal narrated with his isnaad from Qataadah that ‘Ikrimah said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade women to shave their heads, and al-Hasan said: It is mutilation – i.e., changing the creation of Allaah. 
Because there is no saheeh hadeeth which speaks of shaving the head of a newborn female, the principle remains, which is that it is forbidden to shave the head. 
See: Sharh al-Khurashi ‘ala Mukhtasar Khaleel (3/48); al-Majmoo’ (8/406); Kishshaaf al-Qinaa’ (3/29). 
With regard to the command to remove the harm that is mentioned in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “With the boy there is his ‘aqeeqah so shed blood on his behalf and remove the harm from him” (narrated by al-Bukhaari (5471), the phrase “remove the harm” may be interpreted in different ways. It was said that what is meant is shaving the head, or removing any dirt that is on it, such as blood etc. So it may be understood that it means it is mustahabb to wash it. 
Al-Haafiz said in al-Fath (9/593): In the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas that is narrated by al-Tabaraani it says: “Remove the harm from him and shave his head.” So he added the idea of shaving the head after saying remove the harm. Therefore we should interpret the word adha (harm) as referring to something more general in meaning than shaving the head. This is supported by the fact in that some versions of the hadeeth of ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb it says:  “and wipe the dirt from him”. Narrated by Abu’l-Shaykh. End quote. 
Whatever the case, the hadeeth refers to boys only (ghulaam) and this supports the view of the Hanbalis. 
And Allaah knows best.

Question

What were the diet and eating habits of the Prophet , and his Companians?

Praise be to Allah.

The Prophet’s guidance with regard to food is perfect guidance. It was described by Ibn al-Qayyim as follows:




When he put his hand in the food, he would say, “Bismillaah (in the Name of Allaah), and he told people to say this when eating. He said, “When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allaah. If he forgets to mention the name of Allaah at the beginning, let him say Bismillaahi fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (in the name of Allaah at its beginning and at its end).” Saheeh hadeeth, narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1859) and Abu Dawood (3767).


The correct view is that it is obligatory to mention the name of Allaah (say Bismillaah) when eating. The ahaadeeth which state this are saheeh and are clear, with no contradictions in them.
When he raised the food to his mouth, he would say, “Al-hamdu Lillaahi hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubaarakan fihi ghayri makfiyyin wa laa muwadda’ wa laa mustaghni ‘anhu Rabbanaa ‘azza wa jall (Allaah be praised with an abundant, beautiful, blessed praise. He is the One Who is Sufficient, Who feeds and is never fed, The One Who is longed for, along with that which is with Him, and the One Who is needed. He is Our Lord, may He be glorified). Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5142).
He never criticized food at all. If he liked it, he would eat it, and if he did not like it, he would leave it and not say anything. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3370) and Muslim (2064).
Or he would say, “I do not feel like eating this.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5076) and Muslim (1946).
Sometimes he would praise the food, as when he asked his family for food, and they said, “We have nothing but vinegar.” He asked for it and started to eat it, saying, “What a good food is vinegar.” Narrated by Muslim (2052)
He used to talk whilst he was eating, as is seen from the report quoted above about vinegar.
And he said to his step-son ‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah when he was eating with him: “Say Bismillaah and eat from that which is in front of you in the dish*.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5061) and Muslim (2022). [* At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), people used to eat together from one dish, and children would sometimes forget the correct etiquette. - Translator]
He would repeatedly urge his guests to eat, as generous hosts do, and as is seen in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, narrated by al-Bukhaari, about the story of drinking milk, where he repeatedly said to him, “Drink!” and he kept telling him to drink until he (the guest) said, “By the One Who sent you with the truth, I have no more room for it!” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6087).
When he ate with others, he would not leave until he had made du’aa’ for them. He made du’aa in the house of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Bisr, and said: “O Allaah, bless for them that which You have provided for them, forgive them and have mercy on them.” Narrated by Muslim (2042).
He commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said, “The Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.” Narrated by Muslim (2020). This implies that eating with the left hand is haraam, and this is the correct view, because the one who eats with his left hand is either a shaytaan (a devil), or he is imitating the Shaytaan.
It was also reported in a saheeh hadeeth that he told a man who was eating with his left hand in his presence, “Eat with your right hand!” The man said, “I cannot.” He said, “May you never be able to!” – and the man never lifted his right hand to his mouth after that. Narrated by Muslim (2021). If it was permissible (to eat with the left hand), he would not have prayed against him for doing so. It was the man’s stubborn arrogance that made him refuse to obey the command, and this is the utmost disobedience which deserved this prayer against him.
He commanded those who complained that they never felt full to eat together and not separately, and to mention the name of Allaah (say Bismillaah) over the food so that He might bless it for them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (3764) and Ibn Maajah (3286).
(See Zaad al-Ma’aad, 2/397-406)
It was also reported that he said, “I do not eat reclining.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5083.
He used to eat using the first three fingers (of his right hand), which is the best way of eating.
See: Zaad al-Ma’aad, 220-222. And Allaah knows best.


The Prophet’s guidance regarding diet:




The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to know what he was eating.


He used to eat what was good for him.


He used to eat enough to keep him going, but no so much as to make him fat. Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The believer eats in one stomach whilst the kaafir eats in seven.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5081) and Muslim (2060).


He taught his ummah something to protect them from diseases caused by eating and drinking. He said: “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink and one third with air.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1381), Ibn Maajah (3349); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2265).


And Allaah knows best.

Question

define religion?
define whats is the imprtance of society in
islam.how other religion

Praise be to Allah.Our religion is Islam. It is the religion revealed to
    our Prophet Mohammd, praising and peace of Allah (God) be upon him. He told us to worship
    non-but Allah and to believe and follow the teaching of the Quran, the Holy Book. He
    ordered us to do good and stay away from evil. Islam is based on five pillars, which are:
    To believe there is no god but Allah and that Mohammad is his slave and messenger, to pray
    five times in a night and day in fixed times, to fast the month of Ramadan, to give alms
    to the poor and to perform pilgrimage at least once in a life time.
Islam rules everything in our lives. A society must go by the teaching
    of Islam in order to reach perfection. Islam governs the relationship between a Muslim and
    the environment, the people around him and even the animals. Islam has a say in everything
    in our lives and the more you apply it to your life, the better you feel.

Question

I would like to learn the exact time for iftar and sahur, how many days in a month one should fast, exactly which day of the week it is supposed to be as well. Please provide me with as much as you can details about that.

Praise be to Allah.By His Wisdom, Allah has prescribed that His slaves should voluntarily seek to draw closer to Him, after performing the obligatory acts of worship, by doing more of the same kinds of acts of worship, and He has assigned to that great rewards, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that his Lord said: “My slave does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My slave continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I will love him, When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.” (al-Bukhari, 6502) 
Types of voluntary fasting
Nafl fasts fall into two main categories: 

General voluntary fasts (i.e., not restricted to any particular time or circumstances). The Muslim may observe a voluntary fast on any day of the year that he wishes, except those which are known to be forbidden, such as the two ‘Eid days, on which fasting is haram, and Ayyam al-Tashriq (the three days following ‘Eid al-Adha), on which fasting is haram except on Hajj for those who do not have a hadiy (animal for sacrifice). Also excluded is deliberately singling out Friday for fasting, because it was reported that this is not allowed. One of the best forms of voluntary fasting is to fast alternate days for those who are able to do that, as it says in the hadith: “The most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud (peace be upon him), and the most beloved fasting to Allah is the fasting of Dawud. He used to sleep half the night, stand in prayer for one-third of the night, and sleep for one-sixth, and he used to fast alternate days.” (al-Bukhari, 1131; Muslim, 1159) 

In order for this kind of fasting to be regarded as virtuous, it should not weaken a person and make him unable to do his primary duties, as it says in the hadith: “he used to fast alternate days, and he never ran away from battle (because he used to break his fast at times of jihad).” (al-Bukhari, 1977; Muslim, 1159) 

Specific voluntary fasts. These are superior to general voluntary fasts, and are of two types: 

Types of Specific voluntary fasts

The first type is fasts which are specific to a type of person, such as young men who cannot get married, as mentioned in the hadith of ‘Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him): “We were young men with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and we did not have anything (i.e., we could not afford to get married). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to us, ‘O young men, whoever among you can afford to get married, then let him do so, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity. And whoever is not able to do that, then let him fast, for that will be a shield for him.’” (al-Bukhari, 5066; Muslim, 1400) 

This kind of fasting is more emphasized so long as a person is single, and this prescription is more emphatic the more provocation there is. There is no mention of any specific number of days in this case. 

The second type is fasts prescribed at specific times, which vary, with some being weekly, some monthly and some annual. 


The weekly fasts are on Monday and Thursday , on which days fasting is mustahabb. It was narrated that ‘Aishah said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was keen to fast on Mondays and Thursdays.” (al-Nasai, 2320; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami’ al-Saghir, 4827). 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, and he said: “Those are two days on which people’s deeds are shown to the Lord of the Worlds, and I want my deeds to be shown to Him when I am fasting.” (Al-Nasai, 2358; Ibn Majah, 1740; Ahmad, 8161; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami’, 1583). He was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said, “On that day I was born and on that day revelation came to me.” (Muslim, 1162) 

With regard to the monthly fasts, it is mustahabb to fast on three days of each month. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “My close friend [i.e., the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)] advised me to do three things which I will never give up until I die: fasting three days each month, praying Duha, and sleeping after praying Witr.” (al-Bukhari, 1178; Muslim, 721). It is mustahabb to observe this fast in the middle of the hijri month, on the days called Ayyam al-Bid . 

It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to me, ‘If you fast any part of the month then fast on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.’” (al-Nasai, 2424; Ibn Majah, 1707; Ahmad, 210; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami’ al-Saghir, 673) 

Annual fasts are observed on specific days, or during periods when it is Sunnah to fast. 

Sunnah days to fast
The specific days include the following: 

The day of `Ashura which is the tenth of al-Muharram . It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about fasting on the day of `Ashura. He said, “I do not know of any day on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) fasted that was better than this day and any month that was better than this month, meaning Ramadan.” (al-Bukhari, 2006; Muslim, 1132). It is Sunnah to fast the day before or the day after along with `Ashura, in order to be different from the Jews.
The day of `Arafah , which is the ninth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. It is mustahabb only for those who are not standing in `Arafah itself, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said concerning the virtue of the three fasts mentioned above: “The observance of three days' fast every month and that of Ramadan every year is equivalent to fasting for the entire year. I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of `Arafah may atone for the sins of the preceding and the coming years, and I seek from Allah that fasting on the day of `Ashura may atone for the sins of the preceding year.” (Muslim, 1162). 

Periods when it is Sunnah to fast
The periods during which it is Sunnah to fast include the following: 

The month of Shawwal . It is Sunnah to fast six days of Shawwal, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan then fasts six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Muslim, 1164).
The month of Muharram: it is Sunnah to fast whatever one can of this month, because of the hadith: “The best of fasting after Ramadan is the month of Allah al-Muharram, and the best of prayer after the obligatory prayers is prayer at night (qiyam al-layl).” (Muslim, 1163)
The month of Sha`ban, as it was narrated that ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast until we thought that he would never break his fast, and he would not fast until we thought that he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) fast an entire month apart from Ramadan, and the month in which I saw him fast the most was Sha’ban. He used to fast all of Sha`ban or all of it apart from a few days.”  (al-Bukhari, 1969; Muslim, 1156) 

The Muslim who is keen to do good must realize the great virtue of performing voluntary fasts for the sake of Allah, as it says in the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah, Allah will keep his face seventy years’ distance from Hell,” (al-Nasai, 2247; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Sunan al-Nasai, 2121)
We ask Allah to make us among those whose faces He keeps far away from Hell and its heat, and to bless us with Paradise. 
Precise timing of Suhur and Iftar
With regard to the precise timing of Suhur and Iftar:
As mentioned in the definition of fasting, fasting means abstaining from food, drink and all other things that break the fast from dawn until sunset, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall” [Al-Baqarah 2:187]
So the fasting person must begin to abstain from things that break the fast when dawn begins and continue until the sun has set. 
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said concerning the time of iftar: “When the night has come from here and the day has gone from here, and the sun has set, then let the fasting person break his fast.” (al-Bukhari, 1818; Muslim, 1841). 
With regard to the time of suhur, the majority of jurists said that it is the time from the last half of the night until the second dawn. It is Sunnah to delay it, according to the majority of scholars, so long as the second dawn has not begun, because of the verse quoted above and because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Hasten iftar and delay suhur.” (Narrated by al-Tabarani and classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami’, 3989).
The purpose of suhur is to give one strength to fast, so the closer it is to dawn the more effective it will be in helping one to fast. We ask Allah to make us among those who adhere to His laws and act according to them. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad.
And Allah knows best.

Question

Why were not the surahs of the Quran ordered according to the order of revelation?

Praise be to Allah.Order of verses in one Surah
The fact there is scholarly consensus, and many texts stating the order of verses in one Surah, that is very well known. The consensus was reported by many scholars, including Al-Zarkashi in al-Burhan and Abu Ja’far, who said: “The order of the verses in their Surahs came about because this is how it was instituted by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and there is no dispute among the Muslims with regard to this matter.”
The texts regarding this matter include the following:

The report narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasai, Ibn Hibban and al-Hakim from Ibn `Abbas, who said: “I said to ‘Uthman, ‘What made you put al-Anfal which is one of the Mathani, next to Bara-ah [al-Tawbah], which is one of the Mi’in? Why did you not put the line Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim in between them when you put it at the beginning of the rest of al-Sab’ al-Tiwal [the long seven Surahs]?” ‘Uthman said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to receive revelation of Surahs with many verses. When they were revealed, he would call his scribes and tell them, ‘Put these verses in the Surah where such-and-such is mentioned.’ Al-Anfal was one of the first Surahs to be revealed in Madinah, and Bara-ah (al-Tawbah) was one of the last parts of the Quran to be revealed. Its stories were similar to the stories mentioned in al-Anfal, so it was thought that it was part of it. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was taken [i.e., died] without explaining whether it was indeed part of it, so they were put next to one another, and the line Bismillahir Rahman ir’Rahim was not written between them, and it [al-Tawbah] was put among the Sab’ al-Tiwal [seven long Surahs].” (Al-Hakim said: its isnad is sahih, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Al-Mustadrak, 2/330)
Ahmad narrated in al-Musnad (4/218) with a hasan isnad from ‘Uthman ibn Abi’l-‘As that he said: “I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he fixed his gaze on something, then lowered his gaze until he was almost looking at the ground, then he gazed at something. He said, ‘Jibril (peace be upon him) came to me and told me to put this verse in this place in this Surah: “Verily, Allâh enjoins Al-‘Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but Allâh Alone Islâmic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsân [i.e. to be patient in performing your duties to Allâh, totally for Allâh’s sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to kith and kin (i.e. all that Allâh has ordered you to give them, e.g., wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help), and forbids Al-Fahshâ (i.e. all evil deeds, e.g. illegal sexual acts, disobedience of parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false witness, to kill a life without right), and Al-Munkar (i.e. all that is prohibited by Islâmic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and every kind of evil deeds), and Al-Baghy (i.e. all kinds of oppression). He admonishes you, that you may take heed.” [al-Nahl 16:90 – interpretation of the meaning].’”
Al-Bukhari narrated in al-Sahih (no. 4536) that Ibn Abi Malikah said: “Ibn al-Zubayr said: ‘I said to ‘Uthman, “This verse that is in al-Baqarah (interpretation of the meaning), ‘And those of you who die and leave wives behind them … And those of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath for their wives a year’s maintenance and residence without turning them out’ [al-Baqarah 2:234-240] has been abrogated by the other, so why are you writing it down?” He said, “Leave it as it is, my nephew, I will not change anything from its place.”’”
Muslim narrated (no. 1617) that ‘Umar said: “I did not ask the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about anything more than I asked him about al-Kalalah [those who die leaving neither ascendants nor descendents as heirs], until he poked me in the chest with his finger and said, “Is not ayat al-sayf at the end of Surat al-Nisa enough for you?”
There are also the hadiths about the verses at the end of Surat al-Baqarah.
Muslim narrated (no. 809) from Abu al-Darda that whoever memorizes the first ten verses of Surat al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal; according to another version, whoever recites the last ten verses will be protected.

The Prophet’s recitation of various Surahs in the presence of his Companions indicates that the order of their verses is something that was instituted and commanded by him, and that the Companions did not put the verses in a different order from that in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to recite them. The reports to that effect reach the level of Mutawatir.
Al-Qadi Abu Bakr said in al-Intisar: 
“The order of the verses is something that is obligatory and binding. Jibril used to say (to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)), ‘Put such and such an verse in such and such a place.’”
He also said:
 “What we think is that all of the Quran which Allah revealed and commanded that it should be written down, and which was not abrogated after being revealed, is that which is contained between the covers of the Mus-haf of ‘Uthman, and that there is nothing lacking or added to it. Its order is the same as that commanded by Allah, may He be exalted, and instituted by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Nobody has moved any verse backwards or forwards. The Ummah learned from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the order of the verses of each Surah properly, just as they learned from him the correct pronunciation and recitation.”
Al-Baghawi said in Sharh al-Sunnah: 
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to instruct his Companions and teach them what was revealed to him of the Quran in the order in which it appears in our Mus-hafs now, the order which Jibril taught him. When each verse was revealed, Jibril would tell him, this verse is to be written after such and such a verse in Surah such and such. Thus it is clear that the efforts of the Companions were limited solely to gathering the Quran in one place, not to arranging its order. The Quran is written on al-Lawh al-Mahfuz in this order, then Allah sent it down in its entirety to the first heaven, whence it was revealed in stages as it was needed, and the order in which it was revealed is not the order in which it is recited.”
Order of Surahs in the Quran
With regard to the order of Surahs, was this also instituted by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), or was this the ijtihad of the Companions? With regard to this question, there were differences among the scholars. The majority of scholars, including Malik and al-Qadi Abu Bakr, according to one of his two opinions, favoured the second opinion.
Ibn Faris said: 
“There were two aspects to the compilation of the Quran. One was putting the Surahs in a certain order, such as putting al-Sab’ al-Tiwal (the seven long Surahs) first, and following them with the Mi’in, which is what the Companions did. The second aspect is the compilation of the verses within the Surahs. This was instituted by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who recited them as he was told to by Jibreel, on the command of his Lord. On this basis, the Salaf differed as to the order in which the Surahs should appear. Some of them put them in order of revelation, which was the mus-haf of ‘Ali, which started with Iqra (al-‘Alaq), then al-Muddaththir, then Nun (al-Qalam), then al-Muzzammil, and so on. The Mus-haf of Ibn Mas’ud started with al-Baqarah, then al-Nisa, then Al ‘Imran, with other major differences. The Mus-haf of Ubayy was similar.”
Al-Karmani said in al-Burhan: the order of the Surahs as it is now is the same as that in al-Lawh al-Mahfuz which is with Allah. This is the order in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to review the Surahs of the Quran he had received so far with Jibril each year. In the year in which he died, he reviewed it with him twice, and the last verses to be revealed were (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And be afraid of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah…’ [al-Baqarah 2:281]. Jibril commanded the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to put this between the verses dealing with riba and those dealing with loans.”
Al-Zarkashi said in al-Burhan: “The difference between the two views is one of wording. Those who support the second view say that it was taught to them so that they could learn the reasons of Revelation and the sequence of the words. Hence Malik said that they compiled the Quran according to what they had heard from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), as well as saying that the order of the Surahs was the product of their ijtihad. He said that the dispute boils down to one question which is: was this a verbal instruction of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), or were they merely referring to what he used to do, which would give them room for ijtihad.”
Al-Bayhaqi said in al-Madkhil: “At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the Surahs and verses of the Quran were in this order, except for al-Anfal and Bara-ah (al-Tawbah), as we see from the hadith of ‘Uthman referred to above.”
Ibn ‘Atiyah said: “The order of many of the Surahs was known during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), such as the seven long Surahs, those that begin with Ha’-Mim, and al-Mufassal. With regard to the others, it may be the case that it was left for the Ummah to determine their order after he died.”
Abu Ja’far said: “The reports support most of what Ibn ‘Atiyah said, and a little is left which is open to debate, such as the hadith, ‘Recite the two shining ones, al-Baqarah and Al ‘Imran.’” (Reported by Muslim, no. 804)
Al-Bukhari narrated (no. 4739) that ‘Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Bani Israil (al-Isra), al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta-Ha and al-Anbiya, these are among the earliest and most beautiful Surahs and they are my treasures,” (meaning, these are among the earliest I recited).
Abu Ja’far al-Nahhas al-Mukhtar said that the Surahs were compiled in this order from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) because of the hadith of Wathilah, “In place of the Tawrat I was given the seven long Surahs.” He said: “This hadith indicates that the order of the Quran was taken from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Ibn Hajar said, “the fact that the Surahs, or most of them, are in a given order does not contradict the idea that this was instituted by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). What proves that this was instituted by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the report narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud from Aws ibn Hudhayfah, who said: ‘We asked the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the morning, “How did you write down the Quran in chapters?” They said, “We wrote it down in chapters of six Surahs, five Surahs, seven Surahs, nine Surahs, eleven Surahs and thirteen Surahs, and the chapter of al-Mufassal, from Qaf until the end. This indicates that the order of the Surahs – as it appears in the Mus-haf now – existed at the time of the Messenger of Allah, or it is possible that what was known in order at that time was Hizb al-Mufassal specifically, which is not the case with the rest.”
(See al-Itqan fi ‘Ulum al-Quran by al-Suyuti, 1/62-65)
And Allah knows best.

Question

I have “MSN Messenger” and I get to know people through chat rooms and MSN Messenger. I claim to be a girl and I talk to them about sex so that I can get the names of websites from them, but my aim is to get the names of these sites so that I send word to the people who are responsible to close them down. Please note that I used to look at these sites too, before Allaah guided me.

Praise be to Allah.
    Our advice to you is not to do this thing, because by doing 
    it you are exposing yourself to danger. Even though you have repented, and 
    we praise Allaah for this blessing, the Shaytaan still flows through the son 
    of Adam like his blood. No one should expose himself to temptation. We 
    advise you to make use of your time in doing good things that are of great 
    benefit, such as reading and memorizing Qur’aan, keeping company with 
    righteous people, and seeking knowledge of sharee’ah and the Qur’aan and 
    Sunnah from scholars who practise what they preach. It is good to visit 
    beneficial Islamic sites on the web that spread good according to the way of 
    Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, following the righteous salaf, may Allaah have 
    mercy on them. 

    We ask Allaah to reward you with good for your zeal, and to 
    make us and you steadfast in adhering to the truth until we meet Him… Aameen.

Question

How many hadiths are there in the Muwatta of Imam Malik?

Praise be to Allah.This is a brief introduction of the book entitled Muwatta al-Imam Malik; we ask Allah to benefit us thereby. 
Status of the Muwatta of Imam Malik
Al-Muwatta is one of the great books of Islam which includes a number of marfu’ hadiths and mawquf reports from the Companions, the Successors and those who came after them. It also includes many rulings and fatwas of the author. 
The Muwatta is so called because its author made it easy (watta-a) for the people in the sense that he made it easily accessible to them. 
Imam Malik said: “I showed this book of mine to seventy of the jurists of Madinah, and all of them agreed with me (wata-ani) on it, so I called it al-Muwatta.” 
Why was the Muwatta compiled?
The reason why it was compiled: Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in al-Istidhkar (1/168) that Abu Ja’far al-Mansur said to Imam Malik: “O Malik, make a book for the people that I can make them follow, for there is no one today who is more knowledgeable than you.” Imam Malik responded to his request, but he refused to force all the people to adhere to it.”
The number of transmissions in the Muwatta
 Imam Malik read the Muwatta to people for forty years, adding to it, taking away from it and improving it. So his students heard it from him or read it to him during that time. So the reports in al-Muwatta are many and varied because of what the Imam did of editing his book. Some of his students narrated from him before it was edited, some during the process, and some at the end of his life. Some of them transmitted it in full whilst others narrated part of it. So a number of transmissions of the Muwatta became well known, the most important of which are: 

The transmission of Yahya ibn Yahya al-Masmudi al-Laythi (234 AH). This is the most famous transmission from Imam Malik, and most of the scholars based their commentaries on it. 
The transmission of Abu Mus’ab al-Zuhri, which is distinguished by the additions contained therein. It is the last version transmitted from Malik and it is still in circulation among the scholars. 
The transmission of ‘Abd-Allah ibn Maslamah al-Qa’nabi (221 AH). This is the largest version of the Muwatta, and ‘Abd-Allah is one of the soundest of people with regard to the Muwatta, according to Ibn Ma’in, al-Nasai and Ibn al-Madini. 
The transmission of Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani. 
The transmission of ‘Abd-Allah ibn Salamah al-Fahri al-Masri. 

And there are many others. Shaykh Muhammad Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi (may Allah have mercy on him) spoke about the narrators of the Muwatta and discussed fourteen versions of it, in his introduction to the edition of the Muwatta that he edited (pp. 6-16). 
These versions differ in the order of the books and chapters, and in the number of marfu’, mursal, and mawquf hadiths. The wording of the hadiths also differs greatly. 
How many hadiths in the Muwatta
The number of hadiths in the Muwatta differs from one version to another, and according to the system of numbering. That is because some scholars counted every report from the Companions or Successors as a separate hadith, whilst others did not count them in their numbering. Hence it is sufficient for us to mention the numbers that are mentioned in some of the edited versions of the Muwatta, which are: 
The version transmitted by Yahya al-Laythi (which is the most famous version, and this is what is usually meant by al-Muwatta): It was numbered by Shaykh Khalil Shiha, and the number of hadiths that he counted was 1942, including both marfu’ and mawquf reports. 
The version transmitted by Abu Mus’ab al-Zuhri was numbered in the edition published by the Musasat al-Risalah. The number of hadith in this edition is 3069, which includes everything, even the words of Imam Malik, hence the number is greater. 
Is the Muwatta Of Imam Malik authentic?
The conditions he followed in his book are among the most reliable and strongest of conditions. He followed a method of erring on the side of caution and choosing only sound reports. 
Al-Shafi`i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: There is nothing on earth after the Book of Allah that is more correct than the Muwatta of Malik ibn Anas. 
It was narrated that al-Rabi’ said: I heard al-Shafi`i say: If Malik was uncertain about a hadith he would reject it altogether.  
Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah said: May Allah have mercy on Malik, how strict he was in his evaluation of men (narrators of hadith). (Al-Istidhkar, 1/166); al-Tamhid, 1/68) 
Hence you will find that many of the isnads of Malik are of the highest standard of sahih. Because of this, the two Shaykhs al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated most of his hadiths in their books. 
Note: Imam al-Shafi`i made the comment quoted above before al-Bukhari and Muslim wrote their books, as was noted by al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) in his summary of ‘Ulum al-Hadith (pp. 24-25). 
Method of the compilation of the Muwatta
In compiling his book, Malik followed the method of compilation that was current during his time, so he mixed the hadiths with the words of the Companions and Successors and fiqhi opinions. The reports of the Companions number 613 and the reports of the Successors number 285. 
In one chapter the marfu’ hadiths appear first, and are followed by the reports of the Companions and Successors, and sometimes he mentions the actions of the people of Madinah, so his book is a book of fiqh and hadith at the same time, it is not just a book of reports only. Hence you will find that some chapters have no reports, rather they contain the views of the fuqaha/jurists and the actions and ijtihad of the people of Madinah. An example of that is the chapter on produce on which no zakah is due, and the chapter on the fast of one who kills another by mistake, and so on. 
We also find that it is limited to sections on fiqh, etiquette and the actions of day and night. There is nothing in his book about Tawhid, zuhd (asceticism), the Resurrection, stories and tafsir. 
References:

Al-Fikr al-Manhaji ‘inda al-Muhaddithin by Dr Humam Sa’id, p. 111-118; 
Manahij al-Muhaddithin by Dr Yasir al-Shimali , p. 285ff; 
Muqaddimah Tahqiq al-Muwatta, ed. Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi. 

For more about hadith, please see these answers: 197164 , 240606 , 85048 , 119516 , 239540 and 115125 .
And Allah knows best.

Question

As you know, many people are suffering
from diseases for which they cannot find medical treatment, so they turn to the Book of
Allaah and the scholars and some pious and righteous people who have memorized the Book of
Allaah, so that they can recite ruqyah as prescribed by sharee’ah to treat them. The
site of women’s pain may be in their heads, chests, arms or legs – is it
permissible for them to uncover these places so that they may be read over in cases of
necessity? What are the limits within which women may uncover when Qur’aan is read
over them for this purpose?

Praise be to Allah.It is Sunnah to learn ruqyah as prescribed in
    sharee’ah, seeking to benefit the Muslims and treat these chronic diseases, because
    the Book of Allaah is a beneficial healing. But it is not permissible for a non-mahram man
    to touch any part of a woman’s body when doing ruqyah, and it is not permissible for
    her to uncover any part of her body such as her chest, neck, etc. He should recite over
    her even if she is covered, and this will be of benefit no matter where the pain is. It is
    also Sunnah for some of the sisters who can read Qur’aan to be taught how to do
    ruqyah so that they can use it to help modest women. And Allaah knows best.

Question

I have a son who is very hot tempered. How can I deal with this characteristic?

Praise be to Allah.How to deal with an angry child in Islam
Means of dealing with anger  include the following: 

Seeking refuge with Allah from the accursed devil .
Keeping quiet.
Calming down; if you are standing, you should sit down; if you are sitting, you should lie down.
Remembering the reward for restraining anger , as it says in an authentic prophetic narration: “Do not get angry and Paradise will be yours.”
Understanding the high status of one who controls himself, as it says in an authentic narration: “Whoever restrains his anger, Allah will cover his faults. Whoever controls his fury – even if he is able to show it – Allah will fill his heart with hope on the Day of Resurrection.” (Classed as sound by Al-Albani in Al-Silsilah Al-Sahihah, 906)
Learning the teachings of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) concerning anger.
Knowing that controlling anger is one of the signs of piety, as it says in the Hadith quoted above.
Paying attention when reminded, controlling oneself and following advice.
Knowing the bad effects of anger.
Thinking about how one is affected at the moment of anger.
Praying that Allah will remove this resentment from one's heart.

Useful story on how to how to deal with angry child
There follows a lovely story which will help you to deal with angry children : 
There was a boy who was always losing his temper. His father gave him a bag full of nails and said to him, “My son, I want you to hammer a nail into our garden fence every time you need to direct your anger against something and you lose your temper.” 
So the son started to follow his father’s advice. On the first day he hammered in 37 nails, but getting the nails into the fence was not easy, so he started trying to control himself when he got angry. As the days went by, he was hammering in less nails, and within weeks he was able to control himself and was able to refrain from getting angry and from hammering nails. He came to his father and told him what he had achieved. His father was happy with his efforts and said to him: “Now, my son, you have to take out one nail for every day you do not get angry.” 
The son started to take out the nails for each day that he did not get angry, until there were no nails left in the fence. 
He came to his father and told him what he had achieved. His father took him to the fence and said, “My son, you have done well, but look at these holes in the fence. This fence will never be the same again.” Then he added: “When you say things in a state of anger, they leave marks like these holes on the hearts of others. You can stab a person and withdraw the knife but it doesn’t matter how many times you say ‘I’m sorry,’ because the wound will remain.
For more details, please see the following answers: 10016 , 270306 , 21390 , 215167 , and 88153 .
And Allah knows best.

Question

What are the benefits of Zamzam water?

Praise be to Allah.The water of Zamzam is water of great virtue which first sprang forth when Jibril (peace be upon him) struck (the earth) with his wing (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3364). Allah provided water for Isma’il (peace be upon him) and his mother with it . 
The heart of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was washed with Zamzam water. Many sahih hadiths have been narrated concerning its virtues, such as:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best water on the face of the earth is the water of Zamzam; it is a kind of food and a healing from sickness.” (Sahih al-Jami’, 3302)
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) drank it , did wudu with it and poured it on his head. He used to carry Zamzam water in small vessels and large containers in order to pour it on the sick and give it to them to drink. (Al-Silsilat al-Sahihah, 883)
One of the Companions said: we used to call it al-Shabba’ah (satisfying) and it helped us to take care of our families (i.e., it was filling and helped them to do without food, it was also sufficient to nourish children). (Al-Silsilat al-Sahihah li’l-Albani, 2685)
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.” (Narrated by Ibn Majah, 3062; this is a hasan hadith. Scholars and righteous people have experienced this – they have drunk it with the intention of fulfilling some need such as healing from sickness or being freed from poverty and distress, and Allah fulfilled these hopes).
And Allah knows best.