A person’s home is their ultimate sanctuary and place of comfort.

Hence, when a child feels threatened, his first instinct is to run

home, as home is the place of safety. As our homes are our private places, meant for our comfort and happiness, we tend to spend both
time and money on ‘doing up’ our homes until they meet our desired level of safety, comfort, beauty and efficiency.
This is easily witnessed in the money that we spend on painting, tiling, alarm systems, electric fences, state-of-the-art appliances,
furniture, linen, Italian flooring, granite counters, German bathroom fittings, air-conditioning, and so on. In fact, some people are so
particular in this regard that every room of the home has its own theme to which the curtains, carpet, BIC (built in cupboards), linen
and even light switches and plug points have to match!
After all the effort is undertaken and money is spent, the result is a home that is ‘tailor made’ to the exact ‘spec’ of the family living in
it. Their home is exactly as they designed, providing comfort, security and even entertainment. Hence, many a home even has its own
swimming pool!
In the light of the above, why is it deemed ‘sad’, ‘unfortunate’ and ‘depressing’ if a person enjoys his holiday from home? If we
honestly ponder over the reality, not many hotels in the world boast the combined comforts that we enjoy at home, and even those that
do have the comforts charge you through the nose for it! Even after paying the price, the pillows are not as we are used to, and so we
wake up with a stiff neck. The wall between the rooms is too thin, or the corridor is too busy, and so the noise disturbs us and we
cannot sleep comfortably. The shower curtain is too small and so every time we shower, the entire floor is flooded. All the lifts are
full, as its peak season, so it takes 20 minutes just to get to the lobby from our floor.
If we feel for something as small as a cup of tea and are not prepared to pay the exorbitant room service rate, we are left with the
option of making it ourselves in a plastic kettle that threatens to rattle its way of the counter as it boils, after which we have to resort to
creamer in our tea instead of milk. Sometimes, due to flight schedules, we arrive at our hotel before the check-in time, and are forced
to spend precious hours of our time waiting in the lobby, unable to even rest or freshen up after our long journey. 
Let alone all, do we face even one of these inconveniences at home? The purpose of a holiday is to recharge and relax. With a change
of mind-set, we will realize that for most of us, our home with its comforts is actually the place most conducive to achieving that
purpose. Hence, it is not necessary for us to fork out a fortune and fly off to foreign destinations whenever its holiday time.
May Allah Ta‘ala make our homes places of comfort, solace and fulfillment.

Holidays uswatulmuslimah.co.za

The word ‘holiday’ comes from the Anglo Saxon halig daeg, or holy day. However, holidays to a great extent have become anything
but holy. A Christian once observed that in their most auspicious month, December (holiday time), the most amount of crime and evil
is committed. Contrary to this, in the most blessed month of the Muslims, Ramadhaan, the most amount of good takes place.
Nevertheless, let alone those who are lax at all times, even those who are conscious of deen seem to ‘relax’ with regards to deen also
while on holiday. The salaahs that were punctually performed while at home are now missed. The shameless attire that was never
adopted at home is now adopted. Such places are visited, together with the entire family, where no Mu’min should dare to go near. All
this in the name of ‘holiday’. It should be understood that any activity which does not transgress the bounds of sharee‘ah would be
permissible. Hence if one’s holiday does not involve any violation of the commands of Allah Ta‘ala, there will be no harm in it.
However the intention of a true believer is never merely to ‘pass the time’. Thus the holiday should be something which refreshes and
revives one’s spirit for the service of deen.

SPECTATORS
Nevertheless, it is indeed extremely sad to notice Muslims imitating the Kuffaar in their manner of holidaying. Let alone imitating
them, many Muslims actually join them in their activities. For instance, many Muslims join the Kuffaar hordes in the city centers
especially on the 25th and the last day of December. There are those who then remain as spectators and others actively participate. As
for the spectators, they should take note of the following hadeeth: “Whosoever adds to the numbers of a people, he is from among
them.” (Al-Maqaasidul Hasanah pg. 498) Thus it is clearly understood that merely being present also renders one as being part of
those who are involved in the evil. Those who participate can gauge from the above just how much more serious their action is.

HOTELS
As for those who holiday at hotels which are gambling and vice dens, they innocently protest: “We do not gamble at all!” Such people
should take heed of the famous advice “Refrain from places which cast a doubt upon oneself.” No person goes to a bar merely to buy a
halaal soft drink. By merely entering such a place, one is bound to be affected by its environment. Hence hotels which house casinos,
etc. should never be visited.
On the subject of hotels, some people are fond of spending a few days at hotels (at times just a few kilometers from their homes) ‘for a
holiday’. It is understandable when a person is far away from home and out of necessity has to live in a hotel. But to squander the gift
that Allah Ta‘ala has given merely to sleep on a hotel bed used by all and sundry is difficult to understand (there is little else that is
generally done in a hotel which is permissible in deen).
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said: “Let your house be
sufficient for you.” (Tirmizi #2406) It is indeed a calamity if a person cannot get comfort and relaxation in his home and has to go
about looking for it in a hotel bed. There are many people who live in the open without a shelter above their heads. This money should
rather be used to provide a roof for them.

MUSIC CONCERTS
Having lost the values of Imaan, many Muslims attend the evil musical shows and other gatherings where music is played. Rasulullah
(sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is reported to have said that in the latter times (close to Qiyaamah) a group of people will be transformed
into monkeys and swine. They would be people who believe, perform their salaah and fast. However they would have taken to musical
instruments, dancing girls, drums, and liquor. They would one night engage in their amusement and wake up the next morning as
monkeys and swine. (Ithaaful Kharatil Maharah #7548)

BEACHES
During the peak holiday times, most beaches are places of absolute fitnah where, besides other evils, nudity is the norm. No person
who has concern for the modesty and morality of his family will venture close to any such place. The collective evil that takes place at
one time in these places could draw the wrath of Allah Ta‘ala immediately. It is only His clemency if He does not send down a
calamity upon such places. Thus we should never sacrifice our deen, even when on ‘holiday’.

(Adapted from Hazrat Moulana Yunus Patel’s (rahimahullah) tarbiyat program 

1.Parents need to understand that we can’t be too strict on the children during the holidays. Some freedom should be given to them.
However it shouldn’t be such that we give so much freedom, that we allow them to go to discos, rave clubs and cinemas. Some
parents put the TV on in the house, putting the suitable cartoon for the child. And the child spends hours in front of the television. The
adverse effect of all of this will be experienced by the parents.

2.Adjust the times in our daily routine. Take out time for our children. Talk to them, joke with them and take them out to places to
acquire halaal entertainment. But if we say: “No! Rather send them with their friends” etc. Then we should take lessons from around
us. How much of correspondence we get where muslim girls are having abortions. Their parents don’t know anything about it.

3.The world outside is extremely vicious. It’s like someone going to Kruger National Park. If he steps out of the car, he will be
devoured by a cheetah or lion. We can’t change the world due to our limitations. But we can change ourselves and the environment of
our homes. No government stops us from performing salaah. No government forces us to watch TV, movies or to adorn the dress of
the kuffar.

4.We as parents need to know what is on our children’s phones. Recently some boys were found watching haraam on their phones in
the musjid.

5.I am not saying it is totally haraam to watch the waters of the ocean. But in these so called festive times we know what haraam takes
place there. For those who want peace of mind and also want their children to grow up in a healthy environment, we shouldn’t go to
these places. Look for good things that they will be occupied in. Take them out for some halaal entertainment. (where no laws of
shariah are broken and the environment is conducive)

Holidays

Your teenage son attends school. You pay his fees, buy his uniform, provide him with his text books and stationery, arrange for his
transport and give him whatever else is necessary for his education. However your son is not truly dedicated to studying. His main
purpose of attending school is to enjoy the few exciting excursions arranged by the school each year. Hence in his school life he
“lives” from one excursion to the next. This is what motivates him. It is his objective. He eagerly awaits the excursion and plans for
the next excursion before the first is over. If the excursion is cancelled for any reason, he is dejected and depressed.

Like any sensible father, you are very disappointed. Your son should have been dedicated to his studies. The excursions are
secondary and “by the way.” If no excursion was undertaken, it is not a serious issue. Studying diligently and obtaining a good pass
should have been the main concern. You feel your son has “let you down.”

We are also in the “school” of this world to “study” – to learn to recognize our Creator, become His true servants and gain His
pleasure. This is our main focus of life. This is our motivation, objective and wherein we experience real pleasure. Everything else is
secondary. Thus the “excursions” – the occasional little breaks to freshen the mind – are entirely secondary. They should not be
given primary importance or become the driving factor in our lives.

TAKE A BREAK
Unfortunately with the Western culture eroding into our way of life, the “excursions” — the elaborate holidays — have become an
aspect of primary focus. Generally people no more take a holiday to “take a break.” Instead the holiday has become the objective.
Many people need to take a break after the holiday. Nevertheless, much time is spent planning one’s holidays. Budgets are allocated
for it. While on holiday “where we will spend the next holiday” is discussed. Thus we generally live from holiday to holiday. Every
effort is made to ensure that the next holiday is more fun-filled and exciting than the previous one. If the holiday does not
materialize, the person is dejected. Alas, this is not the life that a true Mu’min leads.

Making holidays a high priority in life and generally chasing fun and entertainment are in fact the ideals of a “religion” termed
“hedonism.” In Philosophy, hedonism is defined as “the doctrine that pleasure is the sole or chief good in life and that the pursuit of
it is the ideal aim of conduct (Encarta Encyclopedia).” In simple terms a hedonist is one who worships his desires and makes chasing
fun his object in life. This is exactly what Allah Ta’ala has denounced in the Qur’an in the words: “Have you seen the one who takes
his desires as his deity and (as a result) Allah caused him to deviate despite knowledge (45:23).” Indeed no Mu’min will claim to be a
hedonist in belief. Yet in practice by and large we follow in the footsteps of the hedonistic West. The cornerstones of Western
society are “make money” and “have fun.” Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) has taught the very opposite – the crux of which is
that do not chase the world but spend your life in striving for the comforts, luxuries, fun and pleasure of Jannah.

TRUE PLEASURE
Apparently it would seem that the one who follows the teachings of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and spends his life
striving for the Hereafter would have no pleasure in this world. There is nothing further from the truth. In fact only those who
dedicate themselves to Allah Ta’ala taste true pleasure. Hazrath Ebrahim bin Adham (R.A.) used to say: “By Allah we experience such
pleasure in worship that, if the kings had known about it, they would have tried to snatch it with their swords.” It is for this very
reason that they have no need to chase the artificial and superficial fun of material things, nor do they get depressed due to not
having some petty material pleasures. On the contrary, the fun worshippers not only get depressed but also become suicidal. It is
part of their belief that “avoidance of pain should be the main concern … and suicide is by far the most efficacious way of avoiding
pain (Encarta Encyclopedia).”  Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raajioon! Allah forbid!

Just as no Muslim will claim to be a hedonist in belief, likewise he will never believe in suicide being a way of avoiding pain. A
Mu’min certainly believes in life after death and knows that there is unimaginable pain and suffering for one who commits suicide.
Yet, due to imitating the hedonistic lifestyle and to some degree making worldly pleasure the purpose of life, some Muslims also
become depressed and even suicidal when their desired worldly pleasure is not acquired.

Indeed, Islam has given leeway for a person to occasionally “take a break” from ones normal schedule of work. The object is to take
some rest and refresh the mind so that one could return to one’s primary objective (Deen) with renewed enthusiasm and vigour.
Hence in taking some rest one will never compromise one’s Deen. Compromising one’s objective for some trivial fleeting pleasure
will be like a person who for the pleasure of some warmth makes a bonfire with all the money that he has earned. This would be
very tragic indeed.

DO NOT DEGRADE…
In order to ensure that one’s “break” does not break the back of one’s Deen or break the morality and Imaan of one’s family, the
following are some guidelines which should be adhered to:
Refrain from all venues of fitna. Even being in the vicinity of the popular public beaches, parks, “shoppertainment” centres and other
such venues where hoards of naked people wearing scraps of clothing prance around, is extremely detrimental to one’s Imaan.
The same applies to beachfront hotels, holiday resorts and the like. Exposing oneself and one’s family to all the nudity, music and
other fitnas at these venues seriously damages every ones hayaa (shame and modesty) though one may not actively be a part of the
fitnas taking place.
Do not degrade the Islamic garb (the beard, kurta / cloak, niqaab) by attending any such venues where drinking, nudity and other
haraam activities take place. These are places which should not be attended by any Muslim, let alone a Muslim who is conscious
enough to adopt the Islamic garb.
Remember that you are only taking a break from your normal daily schedule, not from Deen. Therefore, Salaah, recitation of the
Qur’an, zikr and other Deeni activities should not stop. Instead it should increase since one is free from many other daily chores.
Any place where immorality abounds attracts the wrath of Allah Ta’ala. This is clearly mentioned in the Ahadith. Incidents such as
tsunamis, earthquakes and other similar catastrophes in the recent past were a clear manifestation of the ahadith. A common factor
was the prevalence of much immorality in the affected areas. When the punishment of Allah Ta’ala descends, the innocent are also
affected with the guilty, though in the Hereafter they will be separated from the criminals. Thus places where the naked hordes
roam around – on the beachfront, resorts and other similar places – must be strictly avoided.
Always bear in mind that true pleasure only lies in obedience to Allah Ta’ala. In disobedience lies torment and agony – even though
one may be in the lap of luxury on the most “exotic holiday.” May Allah Ta’ala grant us the taste and true pleasure of Deen in this
world and grant us the eternal holiday of Jannah. Aameen.
AL HAADI