About Bakkah.net

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever-Merciful…

Bakkah.net is the official homepage of Abul-‘Abbaas Moosaa Richardson, an American from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who studied for 16 years at Umm al-Qura University in Makkah.

For nearly two decades, Bakkah.net has offered original articles and translations of the works of the scholars, by Allah’s Permission.

MAKKAHnet was launched on Homestead in 1421.It was launched in 1421 (2000) as a small personal project on a free server called Homestead.  It was called MAKKAHnet then.  It was later re-launched as Bakkah.net in 1423 (2002).

All original articles here on Bakkah.net are written and/or translated by Moosaa Richardson (may Allah forgive his sins), unless otherwise specified.

Visitors are welcome to leave comments, which are published according to our comment approval policy.

May Allah, the Most High, give us success in promoting the proper understanding of Islam based on the Quran and Sunnah, as understood by the Companions and their students and early followers.

May Allah raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad and grant him peace.

*If we recommend any products available on Amazon, we reserve the right, as an Amazon Associate, to benefit from qualifying purchases when you follow our links from Bakkah.net. This helps us offset the costs of maintaining the website, and we do appreciate your understanding and support.

47 thoughts on “About Bakkah.net

  1. Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatu,

    On a few occasions we need advice from experts of knowledge (example: As a beneficiary of partial Government funding supplimented by low School Fees are we elegible for Zakat). Do you know any brother we can contact via email who can give us this advice on the rare occasions that we need it?

    Abu Saleh Ben Koch
    IT / Projects Manager
    An Islamic school in Australia

  2. Asalaamu alayk,

    The new feature of easy supplications for new Muslims is a beneficial and long over-due feature as not much is accommodated (generally) for new Muslims. Jazaakallaahu khayran. Can it be suggested that since new Muslims aren’t likely to be able to read Arabic,for there to be a transcription of the supplications?Maybe on the following page so it can be printed to be on the reverse?

    BaarakAllaahu feek

  3. My name I Mohammad Affan I born in India but my parents maigarated to south Africa 20years ago now I am South African citizens and we are living in South Africa I completed my matric and wanted to study islaam at Islamic university of Madina I applied online in December last year for 2015 academic year but no response when I inquirer they say your application is under considerations plz reply because I’m losing my one year

  4. Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatu,
    I was one of the students who got accepted in Al-Madina last 2014. I wasn’t able to go there because I can’t leave my wife who was pregnant during that time and I can’ t leave my family during those hard situations. I’m now 26 years old . Is it possible for me to still go there? Pls I want this badly. Pls I need ur answer.

    • Wa alaykum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu.

      Whats your full name snd what country did you apply from ?

  5. Assalaamu’alaykum Ustaadh..

    Just for the public to know, is there any particular reason why u aren’t posting new articles on this website these days?

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Most of my time for the da’wah is spent teaching these days. May Allaah put blessings in my & your time.

  6. As Salaamu ‘Alaykum Moosaa!

    What are your thoughts on the Seerah series of Anwar Al Awlaki? I took your advice and decided to stay as far away from YQ as I can, but I’ve heard the seerah lessons of Anwar Al Awlaki are good. What do you advise I should do?

    May Allaah bless you.

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. He justifies suicide bombings in those classes, and he was known for khaariji teachings. Likewise, stay away from those recordings. And think about this: Where did you hear that his lessons are good? Did a scholar or trustworthy student of knowledge say that? I’m guessing: Absolutely not.

    • Jazakallaahu khayran. And no I didn’t hear it from a scholar or trustworthy student, I thought since people have told me his lessons were good that I should verify with people I trust.

      I have a question about images if you don’t mind. Is it safe to say that photography is included in the image-making which the Messenger of Allaah(ﷺ) warned us about? I was told by many people that photography is simply “capturing an image” but this seems problematic to me for the following reasons:

      – Cameras when used on people and animals is capturing life into a still frame

      – The outcome of the action is referred to as an “image” by everyone, so the action itself would be making an image

      – When taking the picture with a camera/phone/computer, the picture you take isn’t exactly the same as what you took it of (a photograph of a tree isn’t the same as a real tree), rather when you take the picture, whatever is captured by the lens is recreated by the machine using pixels, and since the inventor and user of these machines is man, man is who ultimately creates these pictures

      If this is correct, what do the scholars say about keeping photographs in one’s home even if they are kept in a box? Is it okay to pray in a home with photographs? Will the angels enter?

      Please feel the need to correct my understanding wherever you see it necessary. May Allaah bless you and accept your Ramadhaan.

    • I agree with your conclusions about photography, and it is in line with the positions of many of this era’s senior scholars, like Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan, Shaykh Rabee’, Shaykh al-Albaanee, Shaykh Ibn Baaz, and others. And Allaah knows best.

  7. Alsalaamu Alaikum wa rahmotulla wa barakatu…

    In regards to making Images, I assumed from my basic conclusions that this was referring to objects, pictures etc created for the main purpose of worship in that particular era. As people didn’t tend to have just ornaments or family pictures they were mainly idols or of their leaders who aspired to be idols.

    Whereas in my home I had paintings and pictures of scenery but not photos & I was never allowed nor did I allow my daughters to have pictures of pop stars or actors, (my grandfather was christian and always afraid of accidental Idolatry). but when I became Muslim I did away with my ornaments etc that depicted people animals etc as I wasn’t sure of their origins (though I certainly never had any ornamental idols in my home).

    what do you think about the paintings etc and art as it is more being creative but certainly not for idolatrous purposes…

    • wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. Images of things with souls are forbidden. It is often the case that people innocently want to “remember” some people through images, yet later they are worshipped. This was, in fact, the first way Shaytaan used to bring shirk (polytheism) to the people. The respected worshippers of Allaah, Wadd, Suwaa’, Yaghooth, Ya’ooq, and Nasr passed away, and the people wanted to remember them. They constructed images of them, not for idolatrous purposes, but to remind themselves of great worshippers of Allaah, for motivation in worship. Yet, these were the first images taken as objects of worship beside Allaah on earth. So your good intention today does not legitimize a forbidden image. And Allaah knows best.

  8. As salaamu ‘alaykum

    Is it true that in the Maaliki madhab, the actions of the people of Madinah took precedence over an authentic narration from the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم ?

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. Imaam Maalik (d.179, may Allaah have Mercy on him) lived among the children and direct students of the Companions in the hub of Islam, al-Madeenah. He gave weight to the practice of the people of Madeenah based on that, yet not in contradiction to any Prophetic narration he knew to be authentic. And Allaah knows best.

  9. As-salaamu ‘alaykum

    If someone lies on his cv/resume and gets a job, is his income haraam? How can someone avoid this and rectify his condition? Please consider any barriers, like his parents not wanting him to work a “bad” job even if it means lying in order to get a “decent” job.

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. It is not permissible to lie or deceive people to gain employment. Lying is a major sin and a sign of hypocrisy. If someone has done this, he must immediately repent from his sin, and rectify all matters connected to his lie. If he enjoys a status based on the lie, he must clarify it to those who have been deceived. Regarding his parents wanting him to lie in order to get a better job, then that would be obeying the creation in disobedience to Allaah, which is strcitly forbidden, and Allaah knows best.

  10. As salaamu ‘alaykum

    Does the era of the rightly guided khulafaa stop at ‘Ali, or does it continue with Mu’aawiyah & ‘Umar Ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez?

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaam. What is correct is that al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee (may Allaah be pleased with him) completed thirty years of rightly-guided Caliphs, as foretold in the authentic hadeeth. He is the fifth Caliph, and Mu’aawiyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) is the first of the Caliphs in the following era of kingship. He is the best of that next era of leaders, as stated by Shaykh Haafith al-Hakamee in A’laam as-Sunnah.

      A half century later, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azeez (may Allaah have Mercy on him) resembled the justice and guidance of the great early Caliphs, so he has been compared to them out of respect and admiration. Some later scholars called him “the”fifth of the rightly-guided Caliphs” in expression of this admiration, yet in reality there already was a fifth rightly-guided-Caliph: al-Hasan. And Allaah knows best.

  11. As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaah Moosaa,

    I was listening to your Kitaab At-Tawheed class on Spreaker. I was on the episode titled “Even Angels are Overwhelmed by Fear of Allaah (Part 1)”, and SubhanAllaah you said something both very beneficial and relevant to today. It was from about the 3:08 mark to the 6:18 mark and you basically gave a light admonishment to us youth who are so well-aquainted with the disbelieving athletes/celebrities and their lives and “accomplishments” in detail, while at the same time we neglect the REAL important people (the salafus-saalih, namely the Sahaaba). I found it extremely necessary that you covered that in the way that you did, and I thought, if you haven’t already, you should turn that small excerpt into its own benefit as a separate audio in the “Highlights & Brief Benefits” section. I believe many other Muslim youth can find in that short audio exactly what they need to help them abandon these “dunya celebrities” and align themselves with the people of Eemaan and Taqwaa. May Allaah make you firm upon His Path & reward you with an abundance of good!

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. I believe that has already been made into a special clip to be published soon, in shaa’ Allaah, and Allaah knows best.

  12. السلام عليكم

    Can you make a video or direct me to one where I can learn how certain actions in the salaah are done? (i.e How to point the finger during tashahhud, how to place hands on the chest, etc.) I’ve heard audio classes & read writings, but for certain parts of the prayer a visual description is needed to fully understand & implement.

  13. As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullaah,

    If a non-Muslim commits a crime in a Muslim land, is he also subject to the legislated punishment? (i.e a Christian living in Sa’udi commits zinaa & is caught, or he steals & is caught)

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. Yes, this is true in any country from what I understand. When someone enters any land under an agreement of safe stay or passage there, he agrees to observe the laws of that land. Specifically, I recall that people entering Saudi Arabia would be warned about drug trafficking specifically, that it is an offense punishable by death.

  14. As-Salaamu ‘Alaykum,

    How can we properly understand the hadeeth of Tameem Ad-Daaree رضي الله عنه‎‎, in light of the hadeeth about nobody living after 100 years? (I think this is what the hadeeth states, Allaah knows best)

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. No one alive at the time when the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said that would live beyond 100 years. Amazingly, the last living Companion (Aboo Tufayl) was reported to have died in the year 110 (100 years after our Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam).

    • So does this mean that the man who Tameem Ad-Daaree saw on that island wasn’t the Dajjaal? Because based on this the man who was chained up would be dead right now…Please clarify any errors in my understanding إن شاء الله

    • He is exempted from the generality with authentic evidence. Generalities usually have some specific exceptions, known only by bringing the authentic texts together. And Allaah knows best.

  15. As salaamu alaykum. What’s the ruling on someone getting braces in order to fix a lopsided face, or an uneven jaw? Does this fall under changing the creation of Allah?

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. From the book, Questions from the West Answered by Salafee Scholars (pp.130-131), Shaykh Muhammad ‘Umar Baazmool said:

      …As for the issue of straightening teeth: The principle is that all of Allah’s Creation is beautiful, and so a person does not change the appearance that Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, has created him with, so long as no harm is caused by remaining this way. If he is in pain or suffering, then we say: There is no harm, and no reciprocating harm. Thus, you have the right to remove what is causing you harm. In this case, you may alter or correct that which is causing the harm. Aside from this, things must remain the way they are, as all of Allah’s Creation is beautiful.

      An example of changing one’s appearance (in a permissible way) that is found in an authentic Text is what we read about the Companion whose nose had been cut off in a battle before Islam. He had a nose made of gold put on his face, in place of his original nose, and the Messenger (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) approved of that.

      Another example of altering appearances in an acceptable way is what some of the Salaf used to do: They would fasten their teeth together with thin strands of gold (i.e. braces). Similarly, in our modern time, when a tooth breaks or falls out, it can be replaced with a tooth made of gold. Also, with recent advances in dentistry, they are now making teeth from ceramic which have the color and make-up of real teeth. This is not considered changing the Creation of Allah, in shaa’ Allah, since no specific prohibition has been reported about it.

      Again, the criteria used to determine whether an alteration of appearance is prohibited or not is: The violation of a legislative Text. If there is no contradiction to the Legislation of Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, then it is not considered the prohibited kind of changing Allah’s Creation…

      And Allaah knows best.

    • However, i thought that there is no pain when you have crooked teeth. It is just for the desire to be pretty or handsome. So shouldn’t it be impermissible?

      And Allaah knows best.

  16. As salaamu ‘alaykum Uncle Moosaa. May Allah reward you for your efforts as a teacher, as well as your focus on ‘aqeedah. In the west especially, it’s extremely important we have a solid foundation in our ‘aqeedah. I just ask that you teach more ‘aqeedah based books and upload them on spreaker. Life is so much clearer and simpler when you learn the correct creed Alhamdulillah. Also, in your expl. of sharhus-sunnah of al-barbahaaree, the first 10 or so episodes are missing from the series. In Shaa Allah try to fix that. May Allah make you firm upon His Straight Path. May He reward you for every time you’ve ever benefitted someone. May He increase your love for Him every day. May He forgive you for your sins. And may He grant you the best company in Jannah.

  17. Assalamu’alaykum..

    Ustaadh, is there a particular manner in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) slept? Did he sleep on his right side with his right hand underneath his right cheek?

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaah. Yes, he used to lay down on his right side, with his hand under his cheek. صلى الله عليه وسلم

  18. As salaamu alaykum.

    Is it safe to say that since the death of the Messenger sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, the scholars in Makkah and Madinah for the most part have been teaching the manhaj of the Companions? Has there ever been a time when the haramayn was a land of innovation?

    I’m asking this because I want to know if Salafiyyah/Ahlus-Sunnah can be attributed to Makkah and Madinah post-hijrah. So whenever someone asks “Where should we look to for knowledge” is it proper to respond with “Look to Makkah and Madinah and see what is being taught there”

    • Wa ‘alayk as-salaamu wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh. The guidance which is constant and protected from error is that which comes from the Book and the Sunnah, and the ijmaa’ (concensus) of the scholars. No one land is guaranteed to free of error. Imaam Maalik (may Allaah have Mercy on him) relied upon the actions of the people of Madeenah as a basis, or perhaps leverage only, in academic discussions. Other scholars did not agree with that. So if it was not agreed upon in the second century, with the Taabi’oon and children of the Companions prevelant in al-Madeenah, then what about 1300 years later? With this, I do not intend to say or imply in any way that today’s scholars of Makkah and Madeenah are not guided. Al-hamdulillaah, for the Truth being spread from the Haramayn today!

  19. السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

    May Allah preserve you upon goodness Moosaa. Is shaving the armpit hair permissible? I ask because of the ahadeeth I’ve come across concerning armpit hair, they all mention plucking only. And since that area is generally a sensitive one, plucking the hairs can be painful.

    • وعليكم السلام ورحمة الله وبركاته

      I remember hearing Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan saying: shaving or plucking, the point is to remove the hair. And Allaah knows best.

  20. Salaam aleikoum wa rahmatuAllaahi wa baarakatuh,

    I would really like to know if the income is halal or not if it is earned by a barber who, for about 90%, ‘creates’ the forbidden hairstyles.
    BaarakaAllah feek.

    Wassalaam aleikoum wa rahmatuAllaahi wa baarakatuh

    • Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. There is a Fiqh principle:

      الحكم على الغالب
      The rule is based on the most common scenario.

      This helps us understand that to make a general ruling on that income, we would have to conclude it is impermissible in general. However, to be more precise, the work of a barber who takes payment per cut/job, then he has some transactions that are permissible, the 10% or so of his work, when he performs permissible services. That income, specifically, is permissible. The other payments he receives for impermissible services is not. And Allah knows best.

  21. Assalamu ‘alaykum wa-rehmatullahi wabarakatuh. I am facing a dilemma regarding my income and whether it is halaal or not. I am a proofreader for a publishing company: I check and correct grammar, syntax, spellings, consistencies in tenses/names/time/dates provided, style, fact-checking and punctuation.
    I proofread different types of works from fiction to academic, from biographies to romance. The books I proofread range from biographies of drug addicts or celebrities living a haraam life; a Christian lay preacher’s book praising some aspects of Christianity; children’s fictional books about magic or superpowers; academic journals; romance novels without much explicit content and the likes. I want to know if it’s permissible to work this job: I don’t have any control over the content being published as I only check grammar, punctuation, etc. Please do reply. JazakumAllahu khayran.

    • Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. I advise you to keep your work and income clean, and keep all of the projects you work on, for money or as a volunteer, clean and within the limits of Allah, things that you are sure Allah is pleased with. Cooperating on projects which promote polytheism and/or disobedience to Allah goes against the very purpose of your creation, so remember the command of Allah in your work and in all your cooperative efforts:

      وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوان واتقوا الله إن الله شديد العقاب
      “And cooperate in [acts of] piety and righteousness, but do not cooperate in [acts of] sin and transgression, and have taqwaa of Allah (fear Him, keep your duty to Him, do not transgress His limits, etc.). Verily, Allah is severe in punishment.”
      [5:2]

      May Allah give you success.

  22. Assalamu alaikum shaykh moosaa. I don’t know where else to ask this since i couldn’t find a relevant article topic. I have learned that touching non mahram women is not allowed. So how can i explain this to my coworkers in a respectful way without coming across as hypocritical because of my behaviour in the past?

    • Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh.

      While you avoid occasions of intermingling between men and women to the best of your ability on an ongoing basis, say something like this whenever appropriate, “Due to my religion of modesty, I respect ladies and cannot shake hands with them. Thank you for understanding and supporting my religious preference and freedom.” There is no need to explain any errors made in the past. If someone asks you about that, just say humbly, “That was an error on my part.” But essentially, part of religious freedom is your right to begin practicing what you understand to be your religious path at any time, despite whatever you used to do. Remember, these are the people who give each other the “right” to dress or behave as the opposite gender whenever they want, without asking about why they did not do that in previous days! And Allah knows best.

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