All praise is to Allah Ta’ala who has blessed us with Islaam and Imaan. May peace and salutations be in abundance upon our beloved Nabi b.
Allah Ta’ala declares in the Holy Qur’aan: ”O You who believe! Save yourself and your family from the fire of Jahannum whose fuel is mankind and stones!”
In a Hadith Nabi b has said, ”Each of you is a Shepherd and you will be questioned regarding your flock.”
From the above it is deduced that we as parents have been entrusted with a very important responsibility towards our children. Allah Ta’ala has gifted them to us as a trust. It is our duty to fulfil this trust to the best of our ability, otherwise Almighty Allah Ta’ala will take us to task in the Hereafter.
The most important need of our children is proper upbringing and sound Islamic knowledge. Nabi has said, ”The seeking of Knowledge is Fardh (compulsory) on every Muslim.” The Knowledge of Deen will protect their Imaan in the temporary life of this world and will save them from the fire of Jahannum in the hereafter.
It is only through the knowledge of Deen that our children will be obedient to us, respect us and take care of us when we need them the most. If we neglect imparting Islamic Education to our children, we as parents will suffer the consequences the most.
In order to provide our children with good Islamic education and to give them a strong and firm basis for their Islaamic development, some Rules and Guidelines have been formulated. This will greatly assist us to improve the discipline and level of education in the Madrasah, Insha Allah. Source From : http://www.talimiboardkzn.org/
SR500 Umrah fee for short stay under consideration
An Umrah visa fee of SR500 for pilgrims who will stay in the Kingdom for a maximum of five days is under consideration, Haj and Umrah Minister Mohammed Saleh Bantan was quoted as saying in a section of the Arabic press on Monday.
“This is one of many other options the ministry is considering,” Al-Madina daily quoted him as saying.
From October, a revised visa fee structure has been implemented in the Kingdom.
The first entry of Haj and Umrah pilgrims will be free, but for subsequent entries they will be charged SR2,000.
The minister said the new Haj and Umrah fees will not constitute any financial burden on Muslims as the Saudi government will bear the fees for first-time pilgrims.
Bantan called for consolidating the concept of hospitality for the guests of Allah through creative projects.
He said the hospitality industry requires getting rid of the brokers. “This should be replaced by the old system of hospitality when the guests of God were served free of charge for the sake of Allah,” he said.
Bantan was talking at the closing ceremony of the month-long Hara Makkawiya festival which concluded on Sunday.
Head of Al-Nuzha neighborhood Sheikh Adel Amin Hafiz said the festival showcased the historical and cultural heritage of the holy city. More than 470 antiquities were shown during the festival in which about 180 productive families participated.
Ten cultural seminars were held during the festival which hosted 20 government and private departments and received about 34 delegations. “More than 200,000 people visited the festival which was a window through which the modern generations could look at the achievements of their ancestors,” said Hafiz.
The Passports Department (Jawazat) has warned those who opt to stay in the Kingdom after the expiry of their Umrah or visit visa with fines reaching up to SR50,000, six-month imprisonment and deportation.
“No Umrah pilgrim or a visitor should remain in the Kingdom after the expiry of the validity of his/her visa,” the Jawazat said in a statement.
It asked all those who have arrived through the Kingdom’s air, land or sea inlets not to delay their stay in the Kingdom beyond the validity of their entry visa.
It asked all those who arrived in the Kingdom on Umrah or visit visa to strictly abide by the duration of stay fixed for them in their visas.
The Jawazat asked citizens and expatriates to ask the visitors to leave on time and to report those who purposely delay their departure. “Those who fail to report overstayers will receive the same punishment in addition to deportation if they are foreigners,” it said.
The Jawazat also warned citizens and expatriates never to host, hide, employ, transport or extend any kind of assistance that may help pilgrims or visitors to overstay.
“Those who help the pilgrims and visitors overstay in the Kingdom will be fined SR100,000, imprisoned for six months and deported if they are expatriates,” it said.
The Jawazat also asked all the Haj companies to report the overstayers otherwise they will be punished with heavy fines.
It also asked all companies, firms and individuals not to hire the overstayers otherwise they will be severely punished. Source : http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/overstayers-warned-heavy-fines-imprisonment/
The Islamic calendar, Muslim calendar or Hijri calendar (AH) is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 days. The Islamic lunar calendar (also referred to as Hijri calendar) is a purely lunar calendar.
It contains 12 months that are based on the phases of the moon. Each lunar month is approximately 29.53 solar days. Therefore, the Islamic calendar is shorter than the Gregorian calendar. 12 lunar months is about 12 x 29.53=354.36 days (10 to 11 days shorter than the solar calendar). This why you may have noticed that the month of Ramadan and the time of Hajj gets earlier each year.
The Islamic lunar calendar, was first introduced in 638 AD by the second Caliph (Khalifa in Arabic), `Umar ibn Al-Khattab. The starting point of the calendar however was set to about sixteen years earlier, to mark the Hijrah — i.e. the time of emigration of the prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. The word hijrah means to leave a place to seek sancturary or freedom from persecution or freedom of religion (or any other purpose). The emigration to Medina was a historic event, as it marked the turning point from persecution to freedom and acceptance of Submission (Islam in Arabic).
The actual starting date for the Calendar was chosen to be the first day of the first month (1 Muharram) of the year of the Hijrah. The Islamic (Hijri) calendar is usually abbreviated A.H. in Western languages (similar to A.D. used to mark the Christian calendar). Muharram 1, 1 A.H. corresponds to July 16, 622 A.D.
There will be major qualitative changes in the operation of the Indian Haj mission next Haj, according to Consul General Mohammad Noor Rahman Sheikh.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, he said the distance of accommodation of green category pilgrims from the Grand Mosque in Makkah has been reduced from 1,500 meters to 1,000 meters while all pilgrims in Madinah will be housed in the central area close to the Prophet›s Mosque. And new contracts will be signed to upgrade the transportation of pilgrims between Makkah and Madinah by replacing old buses.
Sheikh said these decisions were taken during a recent meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, which is in charge of Haj affairs, in New Delhi. The bilateral Haj agreement between India and Saudi Arabia will be signed on Jan. 11.
Sheikh said the Haj mission on Sunday published advertisement in local media outlets inviting applications from landlords for renting buildings within one kilometer from the periphery of the Grand Mosque. The ad states that there is no need for kitchen facility because cooking will not be allowed in green category buildings in the central area of Makkah.
Sheikh said the authorities started enforcing the cooking ban since the Haj 2016. The Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah and the Civil Defense Department have given strict instructions in this regard, he added.
The Saudi authorities have asked property owners to remove all arrangements for cooking in buildings in the central area of Makkah and warned violators of fines and shutdowns.
Sheikh said all intending pilgrims will be informed that there will not be any cooking facilities in green category building. He disclosed that the Haj mission has no plans to introduce catering services in Makkah or Madinah.
“It was a tough and unsuccessful experiment when we tried to serve food to pilgrims in their accommodations in Madinah for eight days. It involves a lot of money and logistics, apart from problems in catering to the tastes of pilgrims from different regions and states,” Sheikh said while noting that India is a very vast country with diverse food habits, unlike many Asian, Arab and Middle Eastern countries that have similar or uniform food habits.
“We tell the pilgrims clearly that the Haj mission cannot take the responsibility of food and hence they can come prepared,» Sheikh said.
He sad 70 percent of pilgrims were given accommodation in the central area of Madinah last Haj. The Indian authorities have given permission to find accommodation for all pilgrims in the central area starting next Haj.
According to Sheikh, transportation between Makkah and Madinah has been a headache for the Haj mission. “Some of the buses are old models and this created many problems. We have requested the Saudi Ministry of Haj and the Car Syndicate to replace them with new ones,” he said, adding that the Indian authorities have given the go ahead to sign additional agreements in this regard.
She belonged to Banu Asad Ibn ʿAbd alʿUzza Ibn Qusay, a distinguished family of the Quraysh tribe. By genealogical standards of nobility, she enjoyed a high status in the society.
Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) was born fifteen years before the Year of the Elephant. Her family enjoyed a high status in the Makkan society. Khadijah’s father, Khuwaylid was a well-established trader as well as a tribal leader.
She was called Tahirah even in pre-Islamic days. Owing to her nobility and social status, the Makkans also called her sayyidat nisaʾ Quraysh the highest among the ladies of Quraysh. Following the advent of Islam, Qur’an called her Umm almuaminin, or the Mother of Believers an expression that signified her status in the new Muslim community. Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said that she was afdal nisaʾ ahl aljannah the most meritorious among the women who shall enter paradise.
The lineage of Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) meets that of Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) at Qusay Ibn Kilab. Qusay is credited with establishing the authority of Quraysh in Makkah. Before Qusay, Quraysh did not have any share in the governance of Makkah and the custodianship of the Ka’abah.
Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) was married twice before her marriage to Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him). Her first husband was ʿAtiq Ibn ʿAbid Ibn ʿAbdullah alMakhzumi. Following his death, she got married to Abu Halah Ibn Zararah alTamimi. According to some biographers, she married Abu Halah first.
Abu Halah and Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) had a son, Hind Ibn Abi Halah, which explains her alias “Umm Hind”. Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) had a share with Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) in the upbringing of Hind. Hind embraced Islam, and participated in the battles of Badr and Uhud. He died in 36 AH in the Battle of Camel.
Abu Halah had three other sons: Halah, Harith, and Tahir. All three of them embraced Islam. Harith Ibn Abi Halah died in the early days of Islam defending Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) on an occasion when he was attacked by his opponents in Makkah. In fact, he was the first martyr of Islam. With ʿAtiq Ibn ʿAbid alMakhzumi, Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) had another daughter, who was known as Umm Muhammad.
Remarriage of widows and divorcees was very common those days. In fact, a widow or a divorcee would be married again soon after the completion of ʿiddah. Thus, a number of tribal leaders and men of fame proposed to Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) following the death of her second husband, but she did not entertain any of those proposals.
But Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) was convinced about the nobility of Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him), and she thought of marrying him. Three months after Muhammad’s (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) return from as-Sham, Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) sent her friend Nafisah Bint Umayyah to Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) with a proposal for marriage.
Muhammad’s (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) uncles Hamzah, ʿAbbas, and Abu Talib are known to have attended the ceremony. From Khadijah’s side, Waraqah Ibn Nawfal (cousin), ʿAmr Ibn Asad (uncle), ʿAmr Ibn Khuwaylid (brother), Hakim Ibn Hazzam (nephew), and some ladies of the family attended the ceremony. It is reported that Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) friend, was also present on the occasion.
She was the first wife of Allah's Messenger (PBUH). She herself proposed to marry Allah's Messenger (PBUH) taking into consideration the honesty, perfectness and blessing she had observed in the personality of Allah's Messenger (PBUH). Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was 25 at the time of his marriage with Khadijah (RA). Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was blessed with four daughters from her i.e., Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umme Kulsoom and Fatimah (RA) andtwo sons i.e. Qasim and Abdullah (RA) were born form Khadijah (RA), except for Ibrahim (RA). All the children of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) died in his life, except for Fatimah (RA) who died six months after the death of Allah's Messenger (PBUH). Allah's Messenger (PBUH) was 50 when his first wife died. Khadijah (RA) died in the 10th year of Hijrah at the age of 65. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) used to remember the truthfulness and companionship of Khadijah (RA) after her demise.
Abu Talib addressed the gathering thanking God for placing him and his family among the descendants of Ibrahim, and for honoring them with the responsibility to oversee the affairs of the Ka’abah. He praised his nephew, Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him), mentioning some of his good attributes. He said his nephew was not wealthy, but that wealth was a passing affair. He then announced the mahr for the marriage. Following Abu Talib, Waraqah Ibn Nawfal addressed the gathering. It is reported that Waraqah officiated at the marriage. He acknowledged the merit and nobility of Banu Hashim and declared Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) and Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) as husband and wife for the appointed mahr. Some reports suggest that twenty camels were offered as mahr. Other reports suggest that the mahr was 500 Dirhams of the time.
At the time of marriage, Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) was 40 years old, and Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) was 25 years old. The marriage took place about 25 years after the army of elephants attacked Makkah, and 15 years before Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) was appointed by God as His Messenger. After marriage, Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) moved to Khadijah’s residence, where he continued to live until he migrated to Madinah. The two enjoyed each other’s company for about 24 years until the death of Khadijah. Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) did not marry other women during Khadijah’s life.
Soon after marriage, Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) and Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) were blessed with a son who was named al-Qasim. Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) came to be known as Abu al-Qasim in Makkah. But Qasim died while he was young.
In the years following the death of Qasim, Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) and Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) were blessed with four daughters and a son one after the other. The daughters were Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah. The son was ʿAbdullah, also known as Tayyib and Tahir. A lady named Salma is known to have nursed all of Khadijah’s children.
She was a graceful and wise woman, who established herself as a successful trader. As a mother, she brought up her children in the best possible manner. Subsequently, when it was time to support Muhammad’s (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) mission, she did not hesitate from spending her wealth to support the cause of Islam. She could afford the luxuries of this world, but she joined her husband and other members of his clan in exile for three difficult years in Shiʿb Abi Talib. Thus, Jibril informed Muhammad (May the peace and blessing of Allah be on him) that God promised Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) a palace in paradise.
The Holy Quran addresses the people till the Day of Judgment: Allah says: Nor that ye should ever marry his wives after him.(Al-Ahzab: 53)
It means that the status of Pure Wives (Wives of the prophet (PBUH) is that, they are the mothers of all the believers.
Allah's Messenger (PBUH)was first married to Khadijah (RA) at the age of 25 years. She was 40 at the time of her marriage to Allah's Messenger (PBUH), i.e. Khadijah (RA) was older than Allah's Messenger (PBUH) by 15 years. In addition she was married two times before her marriage to Allah's Messenger (PBUH), and had children from these marriages. When Allah's Messenger (PBUH) reached 50 years of age, Khadijah (RA) died. Thus Allah's Messenger (PBUH) spent the days of his youth (From the age of 25 to the age of 50 years) with a widow woman Khadijah (RA). Khadijah (RA) died in the 10th year of Hijrah at the age of 65. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) used to remember the truthfulness and companionship of Khadijah (RA) after her demise. She was Buried in Makkah , Jannat al-Mu'alla. Khadijah (RA) First wife of Prophet Mohammed, Mother of Fathima (RA), Grand Childrens of Hasan and Husain (RA). She is commonly regarded by Muslims as the "Mother of the Believers".
A Companion of the Prophet narrates that whenever any gift was brought to him he would immediately send it to some lady who had been a friend of Khadijah. Ayshah, a favorite wife of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) says that whenever a goat was slaughtered the Prophet it would send some meat to Khadijah's friends; when she remarked about this on one occasion he told her, 'I have great regard for her friends, as she has a special place in my heart.' Ayshah said she never experienced such a feeling of natural feminine jealousy for any other wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as she did for Khadijah. She also narrates that whenever Muhammad spoke of her he would talk at great length and praise her qualities, and pray for her forgiveness.
Khadija, the mother of Islam, was the first person on earth to accept Muhammad as the final prophet of God and accept the revelations that culminated into the Holy Qur’an. She was greeted with “Salam” (peace) by God himself as well as the Angel Gabriel. She bequeathed her worldly goods and put herself in the face of danger to stand by the Prophet Muhammad as Islam became established in the land.
Khadija was one of history’s most remarkable women. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) once said that the four greatest women of mankind were: Khadija bint Khuwaylid, Fatima bint Muhammad (his youngest daughter,) Mary bint Emran (the Virgin Mary) and Asiya bint Muzahim (the wife of Pharaoh.) Khadija continues to inspire people to this day who revere her for taking great care of the Prophet of Islam and for showing the world, through her behavior, what a pious, modest and courageous woman can accomplish. The example she left for mankind remains timeless.
Old age, language problem, getting separated from group are some of the reasons why pilgrims get lost in the Grand Mosque and the central area around it.
Makkah Arabic daily has put together a list of the top ten reasons. Usually, pilgrims try to find those who speak their language or police officers to ask for direction to their hotel. This becomes a real problem when a pilgrim is unable to communicate with authorities or when he or she is unaware of the name or location of his or her hotel.
“You also need to take into account the age of pilgrims and their social and cultural backgrounds,” said supervisor of Turkish pilgrims Ahmad Halabi, who stressed that the Saudi Ministry of Haj pays special attention to lost pilgrims and make sure that they reach their destination.
He cited a number of reasons and factors why pilgrims get lost, which include old age. Elderly pilgrims find it difficult to remember the doors through which they entered the Grand Mosque. “The Grand Mosque is big and the streets and roads around it are confusing. Some insist on leaving their hotels alone and refuse to stay with the group. That’s when most of the accidents happen,” Halabi said.
“Some pilgrims refuse to carry wrist bands, which contain their names and location,” he said.
The Makkah Municipality is working to develop an indicative map of Makkah and major important sites in the city, he said.
1.Old age
2.Language problem
3.Unfamiliarity with maps
4.Not knowing the name and location of accommodation
5.Not knowing the name of the office for pilgrim affairs
6.Unfamiliarity with the name of the street or neighborhood
7.Not paying attention to nearby landmarks
8.Ditching the group
9.Removing the wrist band
10.Going to the Grand Mosque from one road and leaving from another.
If a person wants to fill a container he will first ensure that the container is clean. If the container is not clean he will first clean the container then he will fill it up. Likewise, if we want to fill his heart with the blessings of Ramadhān then we will first have to clean our hearts. If we are not prepared to fill ordinary water in a dirty glass how then we expect to fill a dirty heart with the pure blessings and mercies of the blessed month of Ramadhān?
Allāh through His infinite mercy blessed us with the night of emancipation, the night of the 15th of Sha’bān so that we may clean and purify our hearts so that when Ramadhān comes we are able to fill our hearts with the immense goodness it brings along.
The night of the 15th of Sha’bān is a night of turning to Allāh in repentance. It is also an opportunity to patch up with fellow human beings. It is an occasion to clean up our hearts so that when Ramadhān comes we are ready to fill up our hearts and gain maximum benefit from this auspicious month.
We are thought in the aḥādīth that on this night Allāh forgives His entire creation except those who ascribe partners unto Him. Another narration mentions that Allāh forgives so many people on this night as to the amount of wool on the sheep of the tribe named Kalb.
A workshop on Haj has suggested construction of auxiliary roads between the Grand Mosque in Makkah (Haram) and Mina, where the pilgrims stay for at least three nights during the peak of the pilgrimage.
The workshop, in which about 130 experts from 45 government and private departments participated, suggested that the support roads should extend to the northern expansion areas of the Haram.Workshop on Hajj 2017 Plan
It also proposed to limit the daily intensity of the road between Makkah and Madinah to a maximum of 50,000 pilgrims.
It suggested the use of modern technology for cleaning of the Holy Sites and said untraditional methods should be considered for keeping the sacred places perfectly clean, especially during the Haj season.
The workshop called for air-conditioning of all tents in Mina before the upcoming Haj season and said traditional tents in Arafat be replaced by fire-resistance ones or permanent buildings.
It called for adopting measures to avoid the late arrival of pilgrims in the Kingdom and said Dhul Hijja 5 should be the deadline for the arrival after which no pilgrims from abroad should be received.
The recommendations of the workshop will be submitted to Emir of Makkah Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is the chairman of the Central Haj Committee.
The participants discussed a number of Haj-related subjects including
accommodation, sustenance, transport, reception and send-off, grouping, enlightenment of the pilgrims and others.
It said the Mashaer train stations should be developed to facilitate the embarking and disembarking of pilgrims.
The participants recommended improving the guiding methods in Mina so that pilgrims do not lose their way.Workshop on Hajj 2017 Plan
They also said the roads leading to the train stations and the Jamarat Bridge should be shaded to protect the pilgrims from the scorching heat.
The workshop said the sprinklers used to refresh the air in Arafat, Mina and the pedestrian roads should be increased and made more effective.
It called for obliging the Haj companies to contract big national firms to supply food to the pilgrims.Workshop on Hajj 1438 Plan
It said the pilgrims should have the freedom to choose their own means of transport to go to the airport according to their own wishes and needs.
The workshop asked the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) to take the necessary measures to prevent crowding by departing pilgrims at airports.
Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, emir of Makkah and adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, on Wednesday announced plans to an international airport in Taif and a regional airport in Qunfudah, both in Makkah region.
“The Taif International Airport will be no more a dream. It will become a reality as work on the project will start in 68 days and the airport will be ready by the beginning of 2020,” Prince Khaled said.
“As for Qunfudah Economic Airport, the project’s site was handed over to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and the authority has started carrying out studies with regard to implementation of the project,” he said. Prince Khaled made the remarks while speaking at a meeting of the Taif Airport Committee at his office in Jeddah, the Saud Press Agency reported.
Prince Khaled said the modus operandi in the implementation of the Qunfudah airport would be similar to that of the Taif airport.
“Once completed, Taif airport will have a capacity to handle 5 million passengers a year, including Haj and Umrah pilgrims,” Prince Khaled said.
The emir said the airport will be the first mega project to be implemented in Makkah province in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The airport, which will be implemented on an area spreading over 48 million sq. meters, is located 40 north east of Taif city, and close to Souk Okaz.
Prince Khaled said the airport project reached the phase of implementation thanks to the great efforts being exerted by the government and private sectors, including the Ministry of Transport, represented by GACA, National Water Company (NWC), and Saudi Electricity Company (SEC). He thanked the Ministry of Transport, which has already started implementing the road leading to the airport, and the Taif Municipality, which has made available land.
The new airport was incorporated in the plan for New Taif City along with the University City, technology oasis, Souk Okaz, a residential township and an industrial city.
“All these projects have passed their design phases and now started the phase of actual implementation,” Prince Khaled said.
The emir was briefed on the reports presented by GACA, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, NWC and SEC with regard to the airport project.
The reports showed that work related to infrastructure reached the phase of execution. The emir drew attention to the recommendation in the GACA report that participation of the private sector has expedited the project’s implementation.
The airport will be the main highlight of the New Taif City whose design is based on “A city within a garden.”
The city project will be implemented on a total area spreading 1,250 sq. km with a capacity to accommodate 750,000 residents. Plots of land on a total area of 14 sq. km have been allotted to the Ministry of Housing for building the residential township. It is expected that the technology oasis can draw more than 500,000 citizens.
Abdur-Rahman Ibn Awf (Radhiyallahu Anhu) was among those ten fortunate Companions of the Prophet (sa), who were given the good news of being accepted in Paradise after their death. He was known for his truthfulness, sincerity and good knowledge of religious matters. Abdur-Rahman (Radhiyallahu Anhu) embraced Islam at the age of thirty, after being invited to do so by Abu Bakr (Radhiyallahu Anhu). Before becoming Muslim, his name was Abd Amr, and it was the Prophet (sa) himself who changed his name to Abdur-Rahman
Abdul Rahman bin Auf was born with the name Abdu Amr ibn Awf into the tribe of Banu Zuhrah. He married the Uthman ibn Affan's half-sister. Sa`ad ibn Abi Waqqas was his first cousin.
He was one of the first eight persons to accept Islam, doing so two days after Abu Bakr. On this occasion he adopted the name Abdul Rahman, meaning "Slave of (God) the Beneficient".
In 634 CE, the dying Caliph Abu Bakr called in Abdul-Rahman (along with Uthman) and informed him of his designation of Umar ibn al-Khattab as successor.
In 644, the dying Umar nominated a board of six members who were required to elect one of themselves as the next caliph. The group consisted of Sad Ibn Abi Waqqas, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Talha ibn Ubayd Allah, Ali ibn Abi Talib and Uthman ibn Affan. Uthman was chosen as the third caliph.
Abdul-Rahman one of The Ten Promised Paradise. He was one of the ten people (al-asharatu-l mubashshirin) who were assured of entering Paradise.
Abdur-Rahman (rta) had the wonderful opportunity of migrating twice in the cause of Islam – to Abyssinia and to Madinah.
When Abdur-Rahman (ra) arrived in Madinah, he had no money or property. He had to start from scratch.
During the summer in 622 CE, about seventy Muslims set off with their families to Madinah, where they were lodged in the houses of the Ansar, the Muslims of Madinah, until they could set up their own homes.
Abdur-Rahman (ra) was paired up with Sa’ad Ibn Ar-Rabi’ah (ra) who was one of the wealthiest men of Madinah. On that occasion, Sa’ad (ra), out of generosity and kindness to his new brother, told Abdur-Rahman (ra),
“My brother, among the people of Madinah I have the most wealth. I have two orchards and I have two wives. See which of the two orchards you like and I shall vacate it for you, and which of my two wives is pleasing to you and I shall divorce her for you.”
This is the kind of love Muslims of the time had for each other.
Sa’ad Ibn Ar-Rabi’ah was ready to part with his fortune and his family for the sake of Allah and offer it to another Muslim brother, all you can say is SubanAllah.
Ever since Abdur-Rahman (rta) began his own business in the market of Madinah,
Allah (swt) blessed him with bounty beyond his most daring expectations. Whatever he touched seemed to bring him instant success.
When most other Muslims accepted the sharing offered to them from their Muslim brothers of Madinah,
Abdur-Rahman’s (ra) response is going to blow your mind away. It is going to raise the hair on your skin and it will truly make you appreciate the will of a Muslim.
Abdur-Rahman (ra) responded to Sa’ad Ibn Ar-Rabi’ah (ra) showing great appreciation,
“May Allah bless you in your family and wealth. But show me where the market-place is.”
It was “The market of Qainuqa” he was asking about.
He did not wish to be a burden on anyone inducing his paired brother Sa’ad (ra). Amid the gloom, there was one bright spot, a sign of things to come, He didn’t want to take a loan or a gift from anyone because he knew that Allah (swt) would provide for him, and he believed in his ability to earn from finding opportunities in the open market.
He was trained in business from his father, he ran businesses with his father up until he was 30 years old. Before accepting Islam, he was one of the high bloods of Makkah who were born with silver spoons.
This nose for smelling opportunities and the eye to see them anywhere, allowed him to enter the market, employ his business acumen and capitalize on opportunities.
Abur-Rahman ibn Awf (RA) was one of the most fierce and bravest companion of Muhammad . He participated in all the battles during the time of Muhammad . He was a veteran on jihad.
On the Battle of Badr, he fought bravely and in Battle of Uhūd, He was among the few that protected and shielded Muhammad. He suffered more than 20 wounds some of them severely deep. In which one wound on his leg caused him not being able to walk properly for the rest of his life, yet he continued to be firm and steadfast.
On the last Ghawzah of Muhammad, the Battle of Tabuk, in which Madinah suffered from drought and hardship. Thereupon, Muhammad called upon his companions to give generously for the war effort in the path of Allāh and assured them they would be rewarded. The Muslims’ response was immediate and generous.
In the forefront of those who responded was Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf (RA). He donated 200 awqiyyah of gold whereupon…
Umar ibn Al Khattāb (RA) said to Muhammad : “I have (now) seen Abdur-Rahman committing a wrong. He has not left anything for his family.”
“Have you left anything for your family, Abdur-Rahman?” asked Muhammad “Yes, I have left for them more than what I give and better.” replied Abdur-Rahman (RA)
“How much?” enquired Muhammad. “What Allāh and His Messenger have promised of sustenance, goodness and reward.” replied Abdur-Rahman (RA).
Eventually, the Muslim army left for Tabuk and there Abdur-Rahman was blessed with an honor which was not conferred on anyone till then. It was Salātul-Fajr and Muhammad was not there at time. Muslims chose Abdur-Rahman as their imam. The first rak'at of the salāt was almost completed when Muhammad joined the worshippers and performed the salāt behind Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf.
Subhan'Allāh! Such rare honor was to be the imam of the most honored of Allāh’s creation, the imam of the Anbiya, the imam of Muhammad , The Messenger of Allāh!
When Muhammad ﷺpassed away, Abdur-Rahman (RA) took the responsibility of looking after the needs of his family, the Ummahat al-Mu'minin. He would go with them wherever they wanted to and he even performed Hajj with them to ensure that all their needs were met.
He became the richest man among the the companions of Muhammad . His business transactions invariably met with success and his wealth continued to grow. His trading caravans to and from Madinah grew larger and larger bringing to the people of Madinah wheat, flour, butter, cloths, utensils, perfume and whatever else was needed and exporting whatever surplus produce they had.
He earned so much wealth but never remained attached to it for its own sake and he did not allow it to corrupt him.
His generosity did not stop there, he continued giving with both hands, secretly and openly. He gave so much that with this fabulous generosity, A'īshah (RA) said;
What kind of businesses did Abdur-Rahman start?
Start of his trading is said to be in a humble way but he was quick to scale the opportunities he found and turned them into a fabulous career of business success.
Abdur-Rahman started off with some dried butter-milk (yogurt),ghee and butter, and then he realised horse trading had a good volume (According to some historians he started of with 2-4 dinars gold coins).
As he started to trade the horses, he quickly found the profit margin to be very small due to high supply and demand. He soon started to sell the saddles for the horses, which was lot more profitable compared to just horse sales.
As he bought and sold different commodities, saddles and horses, due to volume he turned over, his profits grew rapidly.
When your heart is clean, you conduct your business with sincerity and you know how to scale – the brighter future becomes a reality fast.
From day one since Abdur-Rahman (rta) began his own business in the market of Qainuqa in Madinah, Allah (swt) blessed him with bounty beyond his most daring expectations. It was not long before whatever he touched seemed to bring him instant success.
Core entrepreneurial values of Hazrat Abdul Rehman Bin Auf (R.A) were very simple:
He always bought goods on cash and sold on cash. (So no credit deals)
He always tried to avoid storage, he had sold goods even if he was offered with one penny of profit. (High level of circulation of cash, So basic focus was on earning profit by increasing revenue)
He always made fair deals. (I.e. If there is even a minor fault in his product, He highlighted it front of his customer)
One day, food was brought to him with which to end a fast. He looked at the food and said:
“Musaib ibn Umayr has been killed. He was better than me. We did not find anything of his to shroud him with except what covered his head but left his legs uncovered. Then Allāh endowed us with the (bounties of) the world… I really fear that our reward has been bestowed on us early (in this world).”
To this, he began to cry and sob and could not eat.
He died in 32 Hijri (652 AD). His Salāt Janazah was led by the 3rd Caliph, 'Uthman ibn Affan (RA). His grave is now located in Amman, Jordan.
The grave of 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf in Amman, Jordan
See Maulana Tariq Jameel Shab explaining his Tijarah:
