Bismihi Ta`ala
*TO PURPOSELY DIFFERENTIATE.*
Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam brought a deen that compels us to believe in all revelations of Allah Ta’ala done to previous prophets.
“And who believe in what has been revealed to you and what has been revealed before you; and they have faith in the Hereafter.” (2:4).
الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ [البقرة : 4]
Besides the Quran, the other books that were revealed have unfortunately lost their originality and have been edited by humans. So only the Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him have been preserved in its originality.
So to differentiate ourselves from the altered religions, Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam prescribed us to differentiate from non muslims. I wish to throw some light on this sphere of our deen, which is very impotant. Without this differentiating characteristic, it would be difficult for us to attract the Divine Help. The uniform of beard and sunnah clothing uniform. The help of Allah is still alive, but we just need to take the proper channel to achieve it. I would request Muslims to wear the uniform of sunnah to achieve victories. Khair, let me start by Ashoura:
1. The fast of Ashura is on the 10th of Muharram. One who fast the 10th of Muharram will have his last year`s sins forgiven.(Muslim)
صحيح مسلم – ()
وَصِيَامُ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ أَحْتَسِبُ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُكَفِّرَ السَّنَةَ الَّتِي قَبْلَهُ
سنن الترمذي – ()
But since the jews used to fast that day(Bukhari), then Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam prescribed purposely to differentiate from them by fasting one more day either 9th or 10th.(Tirmizi)
وَرُوِيَ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ صُومُوا التَّاسِعَ وَالْعَاشِرَ وَخَالِفُوا الْيَهُودَ
صحيح البخاري – ()
قيس بن مسلم عن طارق بن شهاب عن أبي موسى رضي الله عنه قال
دخل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم المدينة وإذا أناس من اليهود يعظمون عاشوراء ويصومونه فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم نحن أحق بصومه فأمر بصومه
So Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam told us to oppose the jews and to add a fast either 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th. Makrooh Tanzihi to fast alone 10th of Muharram, although rewarded.
2.
صحيح البخاري – (11 / 278)
عن ابن شهاب قال قال أبو سلمة بن عبد الرحمن إن أبا هريرة رضي الله عنه قال
إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال إن اليهود والنصارى لا يصبغون فخالفوهم
Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’The jews and the Christians does not colour their hair/beard. So oppose them(by colouring your hair/beard).’’Bukhari
In the fiqh of colouring hair, one not allowed to use black and fancy colours. Mehendi is recommended. Else permissible brown, dark brown and natural hair colours. Looking at other ahadiths, we find that when completely white, then Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam used to recommend colouring of hair and beard. See all in Ibn Majah.
3.
صحيح مسلم – ()
أَخْبَرَنِي الْعَلَاءُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ مَوْلَى الْحُرَقَةِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جُزُّوا الشَّوَارِبَ وَأَرْخُوا اللِّحَى خَالِفُوا الْمَجُوسَ
Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’Cut the moustache short, leave the beard grow in opposition of Majoos/Iranians.’’(Sahih Muslim)
It is important for you to know that it is wajib and compulsory to keep beard so long until the length of a fist.
4.
سنن أبى داود – ()
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رُكَانَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ
أَنَّ رُكَانَةَ صَارَعَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَصَرَعَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ رُكَانَةُ وَسَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ فَرْقُ مَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ الْعَمَائِمُ عَلَى الْقَلَانِسِ
Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’The emblematic differentiating figure appearance between us and the polytheists is that our Imaamahs are on Topis.’’(Abu Dawood)
5. Rasouloullah Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam came to Madinah Munawarah and changed the two feast days that they used to celebrate. So we differentiate with others by celebrating only Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adhaa(Nassai)
أخْبَرَنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قالَ: حَدَّثَنا إسْماعِيلُ، قالَ: حَدَّثَنا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أنَسٍ، قالَ: كانَ لِأهْلِ الجاهِلِيَّةِ يَوْمانِ مِن كُلِّ سَنَةٍ يَلْعَبُونَ فِيهِما فَلَمّا قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ المَدِينَةَ قالَ: «كانَ لَكُمْ يَوْمانِ تَلْعَبُونَ فِيهِما وقَدْ أبْدَلَكُمُ اللهُ بِهِما خَيْرًا مِنهُما: يَوْمُ الفِطْرِ، ويَوْمُ النَّحْرِ»
السنن الكبرى للنسائي
6. Our Azaan was legislated to differentiate our call to prayer to other religions.(Bukhari)
حَدَّثَنا عِمْرانُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، حَدَّثَنا عَبْدُ الوارِثِ، حَدَّثَنا خالِدٌ الحَذّاءُ، عَنْ أبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أنَسِ بْنِ مالِكٍ، قالَ: ذَكَرُوا النّارَ والنّاقُوسَ، فَذَكَرُوا اليَهُودَ والنَّصارى «فَأُمِرَ بِلاَلٌ أنْ يَشْفَعَ الأذانَ، وأنْ يُوتِرَ الإقامَةَ»
بخاري
7.
The large Abayas/Jilbaabs that dissimulate and hide the silhouette of the muslim women is also a differentiating factor between us and non muslims, and that for centuries. Islam encourage hayaa and preventing seeing and seeing woman`s body. While others encourage nudity, indecency and adultery.
In the same spirit, we are called not to imitate the Shias. So we fast on Ashura because it is sunnah of prophets. It was a day of victory and forgiveness. So we fast on that day. And also reported in different ahadiths that Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said: ‘’One who spend generously on his family on the day of Ashoura, then Allah Ta`ala will increase his sustenance throughout the whole year.’’(Shu`abul Imaan)
شعب الإيمان – (5 / 333)
َخْبَرَنَا أَبُو سَعْدٍ الْمَالِينِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ بْنُ عَدِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْأَهْوَازِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ نُصَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ ذَكْوَانَ، عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ حَكِيمٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: ” مَنْ وَسَّعَ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ وَسَّعَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ سَائِرَ سَنَتِهِ ” . ” هَذِهِ الْأَسَانِيدُ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ ضَعِيفَةً فَهِيَ إِذَا ضُمَّ بَعْضُهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ أَخَذَتْ قُوَّةً، وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ “
So we distinguish ourselves from Shias by spending on our family and not mourning on the day Ashoura. And since the Shias have adopted to apply Kohl/Surma on the day of Ashura, so we say prohibited to apply Kohl on that day, because it became their emblem. And we don`t mourn on anyone on that day. Nor do we talk on Hazrat Hussein`s martyrdom to create sensation during these days.
Those who have distinguished themselves with emblems of Islam in every sphere of their lives, well they will have their wouzu wet areas shine on the day of Qiyaamah. This will be the differenciating emblem of Ummah of Rasouloullah Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam on the day of Qiyaamah(Bukhari).
صحيح البخاري – (1 / 234)
عن خالد عن سعيد بن أبي هلال عن نعيم المجمر قال
رقيت مع أبي هريرة على ظهر المسجد فتوضأ فقال إني سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول إن أمتي يدعون يوم القيامة غرا محجلين من آثار الوضوء فمن استطاع منكم أن يطيل غرته فليفعل
Mufti Mackoojee