Sunnah of S... II

Something I think that should be talked about more (in a controlled setting - with teachers/scholars/Councillors/people of knowledge). Simply because its something so simple, and ignorance in this matter can have such traumatic effects on people/marriages on a physical and psychological level. Due to culture we are taught to shy away from such issues, but as Muslims there is nothing wrong with developing an understanding and still remaining humble and modest about it. It's easy for people to say that these issues do not concern them, as it is simply "not in their nature", well all I can say is; make it your nature. Follow the Sunnah, or you will always fail in this. 

A great piece, well done: 

http://muslimmatters.org/2013/05/03/vignettes-on-female-sexuality/

Internal Cleansing

After relieving onself and on exiting the bathroom, one should ask Allah for forgiveness and say "Gufraanak" there are two opinions as to why this is so; the first being, that one is unable to recite any Dikhr or Quran during this time so one asks Allah for forgiveness for this short period where one could not utter His rememberance. The second opinion being; that one has just cleansed and externally removed the impurities built up from the body and we say Gufraanak in order to internally cleanse the impurities built up in the Heart also. My preference is the second opinion, and Allah knows best.

On Marriage

Even though marriage is a Sunna and an act of worship (ibadah), there is a 'genuine' difference of opinion between classical scholars – due to the various evidences – in terms of what is ‘superior’ for a person who does not have a desire or urge to get married. Most Imams hold that marrying is superior, but there are many others who consider marriage to be merely permitted (mubāḥ) for such a person, and thus it is better for him/her to devote him/herself to worship, serving Islam and other noble activities. In view of this, some of the greatest Imams of our Umma did not marry? Scholars like Imam Nawawi, Imam Ibn Taymiya, Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari and the famous female scholar of hadith Sayyida Karima al-Marwaziyy and others (Allah have mercy on them) did not marry due to their dedication to teaching, propagating and serving the din of Allah!

By Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari

Debating Matters of Religion

A man came before Imaam Abu Hanifa and brought with him another man who was known to have a deviant belief of Islam.
The man asked Imaam Abu Hanifa "Can I pray behind this man?" Imaam Abu Hanifa Rahimullah replied "We cannot pray behind either of the two of you."
The man became surprised and asked why, and the Imaam replied "because he holds a belief that
is deviant from Islam and you, (refering to the man who asked the question), you argue about matters of religion."
Imaam Al-Ghazzali says in Bidayat Al-Hidayat that he consideres argumentation in matters of religion a major sin of its own.
These days there are Imaams/people who actually enjoy debating on matters of religion, and for some it is simply in their nature to just uneccesarily debate and constantly prove their point to others. However all this really shows, is that they themselves are uneasy and confused in their own heart and it is thus the reason why it should be avoided to pray behind such people, and in my view to stay away from such people completely.