Reblogged from Salaf-us-Saalih.com :: The Call of the Salaf is True Islam:

How to give Shahadah to a Christian
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee (hafidhahullaah)
http://mtws.posterous.com

Question:

Some of the Christians come wanting to accept Al-Islaam, so we have them to say the Shahadah. We say: Say: Ash-hadu An-Laa Ilaha Illa-Allaah wa Ash-hadu Anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allaah wa Ash-hadu An ‘Eesaa Kalimatu-llaah wa Rooh Minhu (I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah and I testify that ‘Eesaa [Jesus] is the Word of Allaah and a soul from Him [i.e. created by Him]). Some of the people find fault with that and say that we should not have them say this last sentence.

Answer:

Never (would this be incorrect)! As it relates to the Christians this is a must. This is because this destroys what they were upon from falsehood. So it is a must that one urges them to say that ‘Eesaa (Jesus) is the Word of Allaah the Glorified and High and a soul from Him which he gave to Maryam. He is not a son of Allaah, nor is he Allaah, nor is he the third of three (part of a trinity). This is the Shahadah as it relates to the Christian; your action is correct and he who finds fault with this has erred.

Questioner:

They said that it is affirmed that Christians accepted Al-Islaam during the time of the Prophet ﷺ and they would not be urged to say that ‘Eesaa is the Word of Allaah and a soul from Him.

Shaykh:

These (during the time of the Prophet ﷺ) understood the statement, while these people (being asked about) are non-Arabs and it is a must that one clarify to them the affair. This is because the first people, when it was said to them: “Say: ‘Laa Ilaha Illa-Allaah (None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah’ and you will be successful.” They said:

أَجَعَلَ الْآلِهَةَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا إِنَّ هَذَا لَشَيْءٌ عُجَابٌ

“Has he made the âliha (gods) (all) into One Ilâh (God – Allâh). Verily, this is a curious thing!”(Sad 38:5)

So the Arabs understood. Now, even the Arabs may be in need of understanding (the meaning). However, the Christian Arab understands the meaning of Laa Ilaha Illa-Allaah due to his pure Arabic language. But this (being asked about) is a non-‘Arab and he is in need of that being clarified for him. The intent in that is to snatch out that which is firmly embedded within his heart from the (belief in) the divinity of Jesus, upon him be blessings and peace.

Translated by Raha ibn Donald Batts

Source: http://ar.miraath.net/audio/4710

as Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

NEW BOOK: NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE:

A Concise Manual For The New Muslim
Shaikh ‘Abdul ‘Azeez Bin Yahyaa Al Bur’ee (may Allah preserve him) (Author)
Abu ‘Abdis Salaam Siddiq Al Juyaanee (Translator)
Publisher: Salafy Ink Publications

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Fourth Question:

From those understandings that we have amongst us is: if a person accepts Islam, it is said to him “Pick an attribute for yourself” and that which they mean is that one changes their name (to a Muslim name) and they say for example, you are a person who is generous (kareem) or you have generosity, so you are Abdul- Kareem (servant of the Most Generous) or you are a person who is aware and experienced about things so you are ‘Abdul-Khabeer (servant of the All-Aware), so is this the correct understanding regarding picking a name?

Answer:

There is no objection in changing one’s name if the name holds some type of evil meaning or even if a person wanted to change his name and it didn’t hold an evil meaning. There is no objection to this; this is the first thing. Secondly, if the name is suitable and it doesn’t oppose Islam in any way, and these individuals always change the names, we say to them: No, stop! Because the Prophet – salla Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – didn’t change the name of everyone who accepted Islam. He only changed some names due to a wisdom that necessitated that like. For example, if the name held a meaning that exceeded the bounds of the legislation. So it is not from the Sunnah to do the likes of this affair.

Also the affair of looking if a person is kareem (generous), then he is called Abdul- Kareem, then it is not a must that a person picks a name that starts with ‘Abd (i.e. slave of), for the Prophet – salla Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – said the best of names are ‘Abdullah and ‘Abdur-Rahman, and the most truthful of names are Haarith and Hammaam.

So he mentioned some names, even if they aren’t preceded by ‘Abd. They still are truthful names like Haarith and Hammaam. So it isn’t a must that a name contains ‘Abd.

The fourth matter is that I fear that it is understood from this matter that there is a Sunnah or that there is guidance from the Salaf regarding this affair and from that which I know, this hasn’t been reported from the Salaf in the likes of this fashion, so I fear that it enters into the affairs of newly innovated matters and innovations so this should be left and the names shouldn’t be changed except for some wisdom and a legislated excuse.

Related Links:

• The ruling on changing one‎s name after accepting Islam – Shaykh ‘Abdul-’Azeez bin Baaz & Shaykh Fawzaan
• Ruling on changing one’s name and being circumcised after converting to Islam – Fatwas of Nur `Ala Al-Darb – alifta.com
• Permissibility of a new revert to enter the Sacred Precincts even if they have not changed their names – alifta.net

Question:

A Man used to sell drugs before Islaam, then he became Muslim. Now, he has a lot of money from that time. He asks, what is upon him as it relates to this money? Is it permissible for him to give charity and make Hajj from it?

Answer:

This money belongs to him; because Islaam wipes away that which came before it; clear? Al-Islaam wipes away that which came before it. The Prophet, when the disbelievers of the Quraysh would embrace Al-Islaam, no doubt they had many impermissible dealings; clear? Yet he did not command them to get rid of their wealth which was derived from Haraaam.

Question asked and Translated by Raha ibn Donald Batts
3 Rajab 1433/ May 25, 2012
http://mtws.posterous.com

Related Links:

• What to do with Riba (interest) Money of a New Muslim  – Shaykh Muhammad bin Haadee al-Madkhalee (Must read !!)

Between the period he embraces Islaam and [openly] announces his [embracing of] Islaam, is the new Muslim required to perform the obligatory acts as required of [all] Muslims?

Response:

All Praise be to Allaah alone, and may the prayers and salutations be upon His Messenger and his companions; To proceed:

When a person embraces Islaam, then [as a Muslim] – according to his ability – he is [now] required to gradually learn that which is required of him – as legislated. He is [then] required to act accordingly, and that is from the date he embraced Islaam.

And with Allaah lies all success and may Allaah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and his family and his companions.

The Permanent Committee for Islaamic Research & Verdicts
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-’Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa – Fatwa No.6348
Fataawa ad-Da’wah wal-Jamaa’aat al-Islaamiyyah – Page 85

The Ahadeeth of Tawheed from the Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah of Shaykh Al-Albaani
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya

161- The Messenger of Allaah said to ‘Alee bin Abu Talib: ‘Go and bury your father.’

He said; ‘No, I won’t bury him, because he died as a Mushrik.’

The Messenger said to him: ‘Go and bury him, and don’t speak to anyone until you come to me.’

I came to him and I had signs of dirt and dust upon me. He ordered me to wash, so I washed and he supplicated for me with supplications which would not please me to exchange anything for them on the face of this earth.

From the benefits of the hadeeth

1- That it is permissible for a Muslim to take the responsibilities of burying his close Mushrik relative. This does not negate his hate far his relative’s Shirk.

Do you not see that ‘Alee refused to bury his father the first time. Whereby, he said: ‘he died as a Mushrik‘ thinking that if he buried him then this would enter into being in alliance with his father which is prohibited. Like the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:

<<Take not as friends the people who incurred the Wrath of Allaah >>

When the Messenger ordered him again to bury his father he hastened to fulfill the Messenger’s order. And he left that which seemed to be correct to him the first time. It is also from obedience, that a person leaves his own opinion for the command of his Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam.

It appears to me that the son burying his Mushrik father or his mother is the last of what the son possesses of good companionship with his Mushrik father in this world. As for after the burial then it is not allowed for him to pray for him, nor seek forgiveness for him, this is due to the clear statement of Allaah Ta’ala:

<<It is not proper for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allaah’s Forgiveness for the Mushrikeen even though they be of kin>>

So, if this is the case, what is the situation of the one who supplicates for mercy and forgiveness on the pages of newspapers and magazines for some of the Kuffar, announcing their deaths, for a small amount of Dirhams!

The one who is concerned for his hereafter should fear Allaah.

2- It is not legislated for him to wash the unbeliever, nor should he shroud him. And nor should he pray upon him even if he is a close relative, since, the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam did not order ‘Alee to do so. If this had been permissible, the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam would have mentioned it, since delaying the explanation of an order when there is a need for it, is not permissible. This is the Madhab of the Hambalees and other than them.

3- It is not legislated for the relatives of that Mushrik to follow the funeral procession. Because the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam did not do this for his uncle. His uncle was the kindest and the most compassionate of the people to him. Even to the extent that the Prophet supplicated to Allaah for him, whereby his uncle’s punishment will be the least in the Hellfire, as has been previously explained.

And in all of this there is a lesson for those people who have been deceived by their ancestry, but they do not do any thing for their hereafter with their Lord, and Allaah the Great spoke the truth when He said:

<< There will be no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask of one another >>

Source : http://followingthesunnah.wordpress.com – Blog of Abbas Abu Yahya

Question:

If the person repents and returns to his Lord after having left off the prayer, is it upon him to pronounce the Shahada (testimony of faith) again, and to take a ghusul (ritual shower for purification)?

Shaykh Uthaymeen:

If the person who did not pray repents to Allah the Exalted and begins to pray again, then he will be a Muslim due to his prayer; because the person who becomes a disbeliever due to leaving something, he becomes a Muslim when he begins to perform this action. And in this very prayer he will say, ‘I bear witness that nothing has the right to be worshipped except for Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.

As for taking the ghusul, then this is based upon the view that the ghusul is an obligation when the disbeliever enters into Islam. Thus those who say that when the disbeliever enters into Islam the ghusul is an obligation upon him they hold the view that the person who begins to pray again must make ghusul. As for those who say that it is not obligatory for the disbeliever who enters into Islam to make ghusul, they say it is not obligatory for this person to make ghusul. And there is no doubt that it is better for the person to make ghusul as to exit from the difference of opinion between the scholars and to free himself from blame.

Translated by Rasheed Ibn Estes Barbee
http://mtws.posterous.com/should-i-take-my-shahada-over-explained-by-sh

Related Links:

• Does mere pronouncement of Shahadah suffices to enter Islam?
• The ruling on Ghusl and circumcision for those who embrace Islam
• Are witnesses needed for a non Muslim to take shahada?