Jewels of Iman Issue 6 by jewels of iman

JEWELS OF IM AN www.aateam.org

Issue 6

April 2015 Rajab 1436

Ramlah Bint Abi Sufyan Status of Women Beautifying Our Hearts Truthfulness

Plus much more inside...

Edit orial: Assalamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, I pray that this reaches you in the best of health and iman. We begin by praising Allah, and sending peace upon his beloved Messenger Muhammad, may peace and blessing be upon him. As muslims we have to be very careful of the path we take. Every one of our actions are recorded, by the two angels that observe and note down, whether it be something small or big. On the Day of Judgement we will be brought to account for our every action. This thought should be a constant reminder to us, keeping us on the straight path. Then we will be recompensed for it, either with a reward, or a punishment. The life of this world is only a temporary enjoyment. It will end after a few years, a few days or a few hours. Only Allah knows when death will overtake us. Thus it is important that we engage in what is pleasing to Allah. Many find death a harsh and depressing topic. Yet for those who truly believe, then it is quite the opposite. For death for the true believer signifies the end of fitan, toil, trouble and testing. It points to ever-lasting peace, and enjoyment. It directs to a meeting with the Lord, Allah (May He be Glorified). The struggles of this life will end, when the soul leaves the body. We have to exert patience to jump the hurdles of life, and persevere to climb the ladders to attain success in the next life. Every obstacle and joy is test, and your actions are recorded. Imagine if you could hear the angels writing your deeds. Would that change the way you behave? Remember Allah above us all, is All-Seeing, and to Him we are accountable. Editor-in-Chief, Bibi Zainab Dowlut

"And Allah is not unaware of what you do."

CONTENTS Dawah: 6

Muhammad: A Mercy to Mankind

Reflection: One Step Closer

Importance of Da'wah

l ink withyour creator: 14

Al-Hadi Pt1

Surah Rum

Beautifying Our Hearts

Signs of the hour # 5

House on Fire

Truthfulness

When Hardship Befalls Us

Muharramat: Perfume

Repentance # 2

sisterssection:

journey tothe hereafter: 21

Sel f Improvement :

Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan

Status of Women

havingfunthe hal aal way: 39

Quiz Time?

Jokes of Rasulullah

Searching

Acknowledgement

M UHAM M AD: A M ERCY TO M ANKIND Misconception # 4

Muhammad (peace be upon him) is regarded by muslims as the last and final messenger sent by Allah to mankind. He came as a seal of the prophets who were sent before him, and was the concluding messenger to mankind. Throughout the ages, Allah has sent Prophets and messengers to mankind, instructing them to worship the only one God, worthy of worship. Allah says, ?We have already sent Our messengers with clear evidences and sent down with them Scripture and the balance that the people may maintain (their affairs) in justice? ? (Al-Hadid 57:25) Also, ?O company of jinn and mankind, did there not come to you messengers from among you, relating to you My verses and warning you of the meeting of this Day of Yours?? (Al-Anam 06:130) Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent not only to muslims, or Arabs but rather to humanity, this made him different from the prophets before him. They came to their respective nations only; for example Moses was sent to the Children of Israel. Muhammad on the other hand was sent to all of mankind. ?Say (O Muhammad): O Mankind, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you all, (from Him), to who belongs the dominion of

the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death? ? (Al-Araf 07:158) Muhammad peace be upon him was sent so that God alone would be worshipped on earth, without any partners. He was sent to uphold the truth and banish falsehood, with regards to the worship of Allah. Muhammad (peace be upon him), is not God, or the son of God for the muslims. He is only a Messenger of Allah, He never claimed divinity or anything similar. He was merely sent to warn people that they will be brought to account and will endure recompense for their deeds, and that hellfire is a reality. Similarly, he brought the good news that paradise too was a reality, and that Allah is All-forgiving, Acceptor of Repentance. ?And We have not sent you (O Muhammad), except as a bringer of glad tidings and a

warner.? (Furqan 25:56) Muhammad peace be upon him was not a tyrannical ruler, nor a king who used power and soldiers to establish their kingdom, and rule. Rather, he merely called people to worship of one true God. He was a mercy to us in that he taught us a message that released us from servitude to those who are themselves slaves, and guide them to the worship of the Lord of all slaves. Allah says about him, ?And We have not sent you except as a mercy to mankind,? (Al-Anbiyaa 21:107) Muhammad (peace be upon him) was also endowed with miracles like the Prophets before him, namely the splitting of the moon, and his travel to Jerusalem in one night, in a civilisation where planes, cars and motor vehicles did not exist. He also prophesised events which have come to pass. But the greatest miracle of 6

Muhammad is that of the Qur?an, which remains today in its original form, unchanged and unaltered for 1400 plus years. Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate, he could neither read nor write, and he was not a poet. He could not, therefore, bring forward a book, whose eloquence was and is beyond that of top orators, whose style is unique and inimitable, whose rhythm was captivating and consistent, and whose content was true to the finest detail. Gabriel delivered the message of Allah to Muhammad (peace be upon him), and informed him that he was the Messenger of Allah, and thus began his prophet hood. He conveyed and taught the people what Gabriel had taught him. When he first received the revelation, and gained his prophet hood, he sought comfort in his wife, Khadijah, thinking that he had gone mad, or was affected by an evil spirit. His wife consoled him saying, ?Allah will never disgrace you, you unite relations, you bear the burden of the weak, you help the poor and the needy, you entertain the guests and endure hardships in the path of truthfulness.? Allah said about his exemplary charisma, ?verily, you (O

Muhammad) are on exalted standard of character.? (Al-Qalam, 68:04) Muhammad (peace be upon him), before the advent of his prophet hood was well-known for his immaculate mannerisms. He was nicknamed ?Al-Ameen,? meaning the Trustworthy or Honest one. He was one to always lend a helping hand, and showed kindness to the elderly and the youth.

In a conversation between Abu-Sufyan, who was at the time an enemy of Muhammad, and Hiraql, king of Rome, Hiraql said, ?I asked him about his ancestry and you had replied that he had the best ancestry. This is the case with Prophets; they are the descendants of the noblest among their people (Addressing Abu Sufyan), he continued: I asked you if there had been a

king among his ancestors. You said that there had been none. If there had been a king among his ancestors, I would have said that he was a man demanding his ancestral kingdom. I asked you about his followers whether they were people of high or low status, and you said that they were of rather low status. Such are the followers of the Prophets. I asked you whether you used to accuse him of falsehood before he proclaimed his prophet hood, and you said that you did not. So I have understood that when he did not allow himself to tell a lie about the people, he would never go to the length of forging a falsehood about Allah. I asked you whether anyone renounced his religion being dissatisfied with it after he had embraced it, and you replied in the negative. Faith is like this when it enters the depth of the heart (it perpetuates them). I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You said they were increasing. Faith is like this until it reaches its consummation. I asked you whether you had been at war with him, and you replied that you had been and that the victory between you and him had been shared by turns, sometimes he suffering loss at your hand and sometimes you suffering lost at his. This is how the Prophets are tried before 7

the final victory is theirs. I asked you whether he (ever) violated his covenant, and you said that he did not. This is how the Prophets behave. They never violate (their covenants). I asked you whether anyone before him had proclaimed the same thing, and you replied in the negative. If anyone had made the same proclamation before, I would have thought that he was a man following what had been proclaimed before. (Then) Hiraql (King of Rome) asked: What does he enjoin upon you? I said: He exhorts us to offer Salat, to pay Zakat, to show due regard to kinship and to practise chastity. He said: If what you have told about him is true, he is certainly a Prophet. I knew that he was to appear but I did not think that he would be from among you. If I knew that I would be able to reach him. I would love to meet him; and it I had been with him. I would have washed his feet (out of reverence). His dominion would certainly extend to this place which is under my feet.? (Sahih Muslim) This was Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him. He was a role model to those around him, and those afar, those who lived with him and those after him. He was sent with justice, kindness, morality, peace, love, security,

safety and purity. Anything that was beneficial and good to people, he guided them to it, and anything that was evil, false, and abhorrent he warned them against it. All these points, illustrate that he truly was the Messenger of Allah. The characters of the messengers and prophets of God, are always immaculate, and so was Muhammad, that even his enemies bore testament to his truthfulness. His ?living?miracle of the Qur?an, holds firm despite the attempts of many to criticise, and defame it. As Allah says, ?They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, even though the disbelievers hate it.? (As-Saff 61:08) He was an illiterate man, who never studied the scriptures of any people for him to copy or imitate it, yet he brought forth Islam, and the Qur?an. It is no wander Michael H. Hart ranked him as the most influential person is history in his book. Muhammad (peace be upon him) changed the course of history forever, he transformed nations and civilisations. He gave rise to morals and ethics, he created a way of life and system of government that had never been witnessed before, or since. Within the course of a few years, he changed the face

of the Arabian peninsula, an area that was given in to tribal warfare, which in turn affected the rest of the world. Today, his followers stand at approximately 1.57 million, and number which is increasing. "His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as a leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement-all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an imposter raises more problems than it solves. Moreover none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West? Thus, not merely must we credit Muhammad with essential honesty and integrity of purpose, if we are to understand him at all; if we are to correct the errors we have inherited from the past, we must not forget the conclusive proof which is a much stricter requirement than a show of plausibility, and in a matter such as this only to be attained with difficulty.? (W Montgomery Watt) By Bibi Zainab Dowlut

REFLECTION: ONE STEP CLOSER Changing is never easy. You don?t just wake up one day, and say ?I want to change?, and expect things to go that way. Changing needs effort. It needs our commitment and focus. Looking back to the days when I started changing my life, it was an ongoing struggle. Leaving the whole ?I wanna riot? scene for the ?I love sunnah? crowd was a bittersweet journey. Over the years, I have seen our muslim brothers and sisters struggle with their change. Let?s call it hijrah; as it is a hijrah from an ignorant state to a better one. It was heart breaking to see them struggle, going back and forth. I am not saying that I am successful in my hijrah, I am still progressing and struggling. When Allah blesses you with guidance, grab it and never let it go. During this time, your iman will be tested. You either make it, or fail. These are the steps that I did. 1. Learn the correct Aqeedah: Don?t be defensive by saying ?what Aqeedah? I am a muslim?. Yes, we are a muslim. But do we have a sound aqeedah? As a born muslim, I was raised with the misconception that I was born with a sound aqeedah. No, we are not. Sometimes, there are things that will shock us. For example, before understanding the correct aqeedah, I was surprised to know that I had a little liberalism and murji?ah ideology, and Pluralism was trying to get a place too. Learn, understand and implement Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah, Al-Uloohiyyah and Asma Was Sifat. Learning the correct aqeedah is the key to our hijrah. It is easier for us to accept other things in Islam after this. 2. No music: What? A bit extreme? Yes. It is time to discard those music. I know it is hard, but InshaAllah you can do it. Performing your ibadah is much easier once you stop listening to music. It is like you have shown the shaytan who is the boss. Download Quran recitations and Islamic

lectures to your MP3 players instead. 3. Refresh your niyyah (intention): This is important. Most of the times, we get sidetracked. There are times when the shaytaan whispers to us, making us think just how good we are. Beware! The fitna of riyaa is so great that sometimes we don?t even realise it coming. ?Umar b. al-Khattab narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Deeds are [a result] only of the intentions [of the actor], and an individual is [rewarded] only according to that which he intends. Therefore, whosoever has emigrated for the sake of Allah and His messenger, then his emigration was for Allah and His messenger. Whosoever emigrated for the sake of worldly gain, or a woman [whom he desires] to marry, then his emigration is for the sake of that which [moved him] to emigrate.? Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim. 4. Clothings: Once you have a sound aqeedah, you will realise that you have no problems in changing your appearance. The short hijab will be replaced by longer ones, and so on. 5. Saying no to free mixing (ikhtilat)! This means in real life and in the cyber world. No lunch together, no chatting on Facebook. It was easy on me, but hard on everyone else. My absence in my crowd lead to people alienating me and calling me names. But remember, we are doing this to please our Creator. Our hard work will prevail. InshaAllah. 'Abdul-Wahhab bin Al-Ward narrated from a man

among the inhabitants of Al-Madinah who said: "Mu'awiyah wrote a letter to 'Aishah, that: 'Write a letter to advise me, and do not overburden me.'" He said: "So 'Aishah [may Allah be pleased with her] wrote to Mu'awiyah: 'Peace be upon you. As for what follows: Indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) saying: Whoever seeks Allah's pleasure by the people's wrath, Allah will suffice him from the people. And who ever seeks the people's pleasure by Allah's wrath, Allah will entrust him to the people. And Peace be upon you.'" (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2414)

past coming and trying to kill my iman, people belittling my effort in changing my life, and more. Be grateful of all the tests that Allah has blesses us with. It will bring us closer to Allah, and it will increase our iman. ?The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.? Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2396) and Ibn Maajah (4031); classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

6. Patience:

7. Filter your companions:

This is the time when our patience is being tested. I remember during the first few months of my hijrah, I cried a lot. There are people who will drag your Iman down. I had people spreading false facts about me, people from my

This might be harsh. It is time to let go some of your friends and build a good support system. Let go of those friends who are more likely to drag you back to your old life, and stay close with friends who are willing to help you to change.

?A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so look whom you befriend.? (Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhi) 8. Don?t stop! Never ever stop learning about the deen. Make an effort to read books and articles on Islam, listen to lectures. In this age of technology, we can find the knowledge and lectures just a click away. The more we learn, the more foolish we feel we are. There are so much that we do not know. 9. Steadfastness: It is the hardest things in life. With Allah?s will, we can do this. Try to follow and act upon all the sunnah that we know. I hope this will be beneficial. What really counts are good endings, not flawed beginnings. May Allah guide us to the righteous path. By Anisah Matasim

IM PORTANCE OF DA' WAH The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: "Convey from me, even one verse." (Bukhari) When I was living in my world of ignorance, I knew nothing about Islam. For nearly 20 years of my life, I never had a clue about Islam or who Muslims where. I thought that most hijabis were all Indians or Pakistanis and that they all were hindus or sikhs! I was trapped in my ignorant bubble and my life only revolved around the gym and social parties. I was completely clueless about Muslims and I had never spoken to one in my life (or so I thought). Had Allah not put my husband in my path, I feel like I would have been living my life full of ignorance (Allah Knows Best) not knowing what the true religion of Islam was. As I look back, I realised that I must have known a handful or more of Muslims (by their names and ethnic background) but I never knew a thing about Islam because they never outwardly showed that they were Muslims or because they just never talked about it. Perhaps they were afraid that if they mentioned Islam, I would have turned my back and fled (because of 9/ 11) or maybe they just did not know the importance of spreading

Islam and conveying the message of truth. So here I am, writing to you all about the utter importance of spreading the gift of Islam. After Allah guided me to this beautiful religion, I realizedjust how important it was for me to share thisbeautiful gift with others. I think that educating non-Muslims, and even Muslims about the true Islam is extremely important. Not only are there many people who do not know anything about Islam and Muslims but there is also a huge misconceptions about the religion which has been circulating the world (thanks to the media). Many non-Muslims learn the religion through watching unreliable news channels and reading anti-Islam websites on the internet. But the only way others can learn about the true Islam is from Muslims who understand and practise the religion according to the Qur'an and Sunnah! Therefore, it is very important that we must continue educating ourselves about our own religion and to lead by example through our character

and manners. ?Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur?aan) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided? [al-Nahl 16:125] The only way that Islam spread through to the lands and reached us today is because of the dedication of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He (peace be upon him) and his companions (May Allah be pleased with them) worked day and night to spread the beautiful message of Islam. So, we have no excuse. We should not be afraid of society and the media and we should never have to water down the deen or cater to the non-Muslims and keep quiet. There are many individuals out there (like how I once was), who are trying to seek the truth and find that true religion. Many individuals already believe in one God, they just need to learn about 11

Islam so they are able to find Allah and turn to Him alone. I encourage all the Muslims who practise Islam and who follow the Qur'an and Sunnah with the understanding of our pious predecessors, to take da?wah more seriously and to reflect upon the countless rewards that Allahpromised to the one who guides one to Islam (by the Permission of Allah). With regards to the reward, the Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: "Whoever guides (another) to a good deed will get a reward similar

to the one who performs it." (Sahih Muslim) He also said, "By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you it would be better for you than the best type of camels." (Bukhari, Muslim) As a revert, I truly understand the importance of spreading Islam and showing others this beautiful gift. I see how my parents and old friends who are in such darkness and leading a life full of worry, despair and unhappiness. It really makes me feel sad to know that one strives so hard

for this dunya and that in the end all their efforts are being wasted because they do not know their purpose of life. I know many reverts can relate to me because they see how their family suffers in their ignorance. That is why it is our duty as Muslims to show others Islam through good manners and kind words and if Allah wills, He will guide them just how He guided me, because of someone else's good character and kind manners. By Umm Abdur-Rahman

M uham m ad (peace be upon him said, "Convey from me even one verse." (Bukhari)

LINKWITH your creator

AL-HADI Asma Was Sifaat # 6 The word ?Hadi? (the Guider) is derived from the Arabic word ?Hada? which is translated as ?guide?. Allah guides His creation is many ways. It has appeared twice in the Qur?an: ?And that those on whom knowledge has been bestowed may learn that the (Qur'an) is the Truth from thy Lord, and that they may believe therein, and their hearts may be made humbly (open) to it: for verily Allah is the Guide of those who believe, to the Straight Way.? (Surah al-Hajj: 54) ?And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a guide and a helper.? (Surah al-Furqan: 31) Allah is the only one who has created beings and guided them: ?(It is Allah) Who created and proportioned. And Who destined and [then] guided.? (Surah al-A?la: 2-3) Allah created us, made two paths; good and bad, He sent commandments and prohibitions, made clear the path which leads to His pleasure, and also made the wrong path clear so that a person can avoid it. He granted created beings with faith, obedience and acknowledged them with those deeds which leads to paradise, and guides them. Dear readers! Allah?s name ?al-Hadi? has been categorized into four for your better understanding: 1) General guidance: Allah has guides every soul according to its need and necessity which also includes the wild (animals and insects). Allah says in the Qur?an:

?And your Lord inspired to the bee, "Take for yourself among the mountains, houses, and among the trees and [in] that which they construct. Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you]." There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.? (Surah an-Nahl: 68-69) In the above ayah, Allah states how he commanded and guided the honeybees and made from them a provision, a cure for all of us. May Allah be Glorified. He guides the animals to their food and taught them what is necessary for their livelihood. ?And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered. But those who deny Our verses are deaf and dumb within darkness. Whomever Allah wills - He leaves astray; and whomever He wills - He puts him on a straight path.? (Surah al-An?am: 38-39) Similarly, a new born baby quickly learns to suck the milk. This is because of Allah?s guidance who guided the baby to do so while he knows nothing of this world. 2) Guidance for the Mukallif (Islamically

responsible for their own actions): It is in the Sunnah (way) of Allah (may He be glorified) that He clearly shows the right path to the people of every nation. If they chose to stay 14

on it then they are safe in both the worlds, and if they deny it then they?ll have no excuse to protect themselves from the anger of Allah on the Last Day. ?And Allah would not let a people stray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they should avoid. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things.? (Surah at-Tawbah: 115) 3) Ingrained Revelation: In the guidance of Allah alone do the hearts find peace, contentment, and tranquility. These favors are for those who accepts the truth and guidance. Allah says: ?And [had you been present], you would see the sun when it rose, inclining away from their cave on the right, and when it set, passing away from them on the left, while they were [laying] within an open space thereof. That was from the signs of Allah. He whom Allah guides is the [rightly] guided, but he whom He leaves astray - never will you find for him a protecting guide.? (Surah al-Kahf: 17)

Day. With regards to the believers, Allah says: ?And We will have removed whatever is within their breasts of resentment, [while] flowing beneath them are rivers. And they will say, "Praise to Allah, who has guided us to this; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us. Certainly the messengers of our Lord had come with the truth." And they will be called, "This is Paradise, which you have been made to inherit for what you used to do." (Surah al-A?raf:43) As for the Disbelievers, Allah states: ?[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds, and what they used to worship. Other than Allah, and guide them to the path of Hellfire.? (Surah as-Saffat: 22-23) To Be Continued... By Maliha Rahmat

Moreover, in another ayah in the Qur?an it similarly states: ?Then is one to whom the evil of his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good [like one rightly guided]? For indeed, Allah sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not let yourself perish over them in regret. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do.? However, those who have a yearning of Allah?s pleasure, about them Allah?s says: ?By which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace and brings them out from darkness into the light, by His permission, and guides them to a straight path.? (Surah al-Ma?idah: 16) 4) Guidance on the Day of Judgment: Allah guides the believers towards the Paradise and guides the disbelievers towards hell on the Last 15

SURAH RUM Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated. In the nearest land, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. In Bid` i years. The decision of the matter, before and after is only with Allah. And on that day, the believers will rejoice. With the help of Allah. He helps whom He wills, and He is the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful. A promise from Allah, and Allah fails not in His promise, but most men know not. (Surah Rum 30:1-6) Seven years prior to the Hijra (migration) of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the two biggest empire ? Persian and Roman, were at war. Muslims wanted the Romans to win as they were from the people of the Book (injeel) whereas, the pagans of Makkah wanted the Persians to be victorious because they both didn?t believe in the hereafter. The Romans were Christians and Persians were Zoroastrians. The romans were defeated. Their victories were the talk of the town, and the pagans of Makkah were delighted and were taunting the Muslims to the effect: "Look the fire worshipers of Iran are winning victories and the Christian believers in Revelation and Prophethood are being routed everywhere. Likewise, we, the idol worshipers of Arabia, will exterminate you and your religion." During this time, Allah revealed the first few aayats of Surah Ar-Ruum comforting the Muslims that the Romans after their defeat will be victorious, and that the believers will rejoice. Narrated Niyar bin Mukram Al-Aslami: "When (the following) was revealed: 'Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated. In the nearest land, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious in Bid' years (30:1-4).' - on the day that these Ayat were revealed, the Persians had defeated the Romans, and the Muslims had

wanted the Romans to be victorious over them, because they were the people of the Book. So Allah said about that: 'And on that day, the believers will rejoice - with the help of Allah. He helps whom He wills, and He is the Almighty, the Most Merciful (30:4 & 5). The Quraish wanted the Persians to be victorious since they were not people of the Book, nor did they believe in the Resurrection. So when Allah revealed these Ayat, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, went out, proclaiming throughout Makkah: 'Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated. In the nearest land, and they, after their defeat, will be victorious, in Bid' years (30:1-4).' Some of the Quraish said: 'Then this is (a bet) between us and you. Your companion claims that the Romans will defeat the Persians in Bid' years, so why not have a bet on that between us and you?' Abu Bakr said: 'Yes.' This was before betting had been forbidden. So Abu Bakr and the idolaters made a bet, and they said to Abu Bakr: 'What do you think - Bid' means something between three and nine years, so let us agree on the middle.' So they agreed on six years; then six years passed without the Romans being victorious. The idolaters took what they won in the bet from Abu Bakr. When the seventh year came and the Romans were finally victorious over the Persians, the Muslims rebuked Abu Bakr for agreeing to six years. He said: 16

'because Allah said: 'In Bid' years.' At that time, many people became Muslims." (Grade Sahih, Darussalam, English Vol. 5, 44/3199) This did not end with just the Romans?victory in 621 AD. Heraclius (Hiraql), the king of Rome entered Azerbaijan and destroyed Clorumia, the birthplace of Zoroaster, and ravaged the principal fire temple of Iran. Great are the powers of Allah, this was the very year when the Muslims achieved a decisive victory at Badr

for the first time against the idol worshippers. Thus both the predictions made in Surah Rum were fulfilled simultaneously within the stipulated period of ten years. All Praises is due to Allah alone. He gives victory to whomever He wills, gives defeat to whomever He wills, and Allah never breaks His promise. By Maliha Rahmat

BEAUTIFYING OUR HEARTS Heart Softeners # 2

Abu Darda reported that Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said, ?Nothing is weightier on the Scale of Deeds than one?s good manners.?(Bukhari) As we spend countless hours standing in front of the mirror, combing our beards, making sure our pants are above the ankles, fixing our niqab's and making sure our abaya's are clean and ironed, we tend to forget about fixing what is inside of us. Surely, trying to follow the Qur'an and Sunnah to the best of our abilities is important and highly encouraged, but sometimes we focus too much on our outer appearance and we neglect our inner appearance. Though nobody can see the colour of our hearts or can read our thoughts, Allah Knows everything that lies within ourselves. Many of us worry too often about our physical, outer Islam, yet neglect the inner, intangible Islam. Surely, the physical aspect of Islam is important and our physical worship is extremely valuable and does help us become better Muslims, but until the inner part of us is clean and pure, then only will our outer Islam be sincerely for the sake of Allah. Allah, the Almighty looks more to the hearts and our sincere actions more than anything else and it seems these days, many of us forget this. Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ?Verily, Allah does not look at your appearance or wealth, but rather He looks at your hearts and actions.? (Sahih Muslim 2564) Since I reverted to Islam, I have met many wonderful sisters online and offline who have shown me countless times of the beauty of Islam through their manners and good character. They always greet me with a smile and send me a random message and to let me

know that they were thinking of me and wanted to say Salam. They genuinely want to talk to me and they never message me just because they need something. They try to follow the manners and etiquettes of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and it just makes me feel so special and that there are some sisters who truly do love me for the sake of Allah. Unfortunately, I can only count a handful of these lovely sisters on one hand, may Allah reward them and continue to beautify their character. It seems these days many sisters place more concern with their exterior appearance and neglect the inner. Many of us may look like a Muslim but the way some of us act online, in public, and in secret are unacceptable. Islam is about good manners and there is a lot of reward for those who show beautiful manners and etiquettes(while of course implementing the Qur'an and Sunnah). Abu Hurairah said, ?I heard Abu al Qasim (the Messenger of Allah) (peace be upon him) say, ?The best among you in Islam are those with the best manners, so long as they develop a sense of understanding.? (Bukhari) Of course this is a reminder to myself first and foremost, as I truly feel this is something that I struggle with on a day to day basis. As I delve deeper into the true teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah and learn more about our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and how he had the most beautiful character and dealt with people with the finest of manners, I can't help but feel compelled to follow his footsteps. Coming from a background where 18

good manners and etiquettes were never really practised, it really is a challenge. Some people were born into good manners and others, not so much. I consider myself the latter and I have learnt just how important it is to practise what we preach. We should all be working hard on beautifying our character and walking on this earth with the best of manners. We should be showing the non-Muslims the beauty of Islam through the way we carry ourselves and as well to those Muslims who are far from the deen. Just because our exterior is beautiful and it physically portrays Islam, it does not mean that we have the right to be rude to people, not send Salams, curse and backbite, and other acts that are disrespectful and not part of the deen. Abdullah ibn ?Amr said, ?Rasulullah (peace be upon him) was never obscene or coarse. Rather, he used to tell us that the best among us were those with the best manners.? (Bukhari) What is more beautiful than a Muslim sister who knows the importance of beautifying her heart so that her deeds would be sincere and purely for the sake of Allah? When I see a sister with beautiful character, I can't help but want to emulate her actions and it really motivates me to want to focus more on my inner character so that it will shine through on the outside. Having the most expensive abaya or dressing in all black does not mean anything if you will continue to treat others without respect while looking down on them. Just because you wear the niqab and cover your face, it does not mean that you have the right to judge others who do not dress the same as you. How do we call others to Islam if we cannot even show to them the kind manners and good character of a believer? We must always remember, Rasulullah (peace be upon him) said: ?The most beloved of Allah?s servants to Allah are those with the best manners.? (At-Tabar창ni and Albani authenticated it in

Silsilatul-AHaadeethis-Saheehah) How easy it is to attain the status of one who prays the night prayer, and how easy it is to be granted al-Jannah just by exercising good manners towards one another (and of course fulfilling the obligatory before anything)! Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, ?If one has good manners, one may attain the same level of merit as those who spend their nights in prayer.? (Bukhari) Let us all reflect upon the beautiful manners that our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) had and let us follow in his footsteps and those after him. We should take care of our outer appearance but we should also remember never to neglect what is in our hearts because that is truly what Allah cares about the most! Remember to always keep your intentions clean and to remember not to put your outer appearance before your inner one. With a clean heart and the right intentions, our manners should cloak our outer appearance with beauty. May Allah bless us all with good character and manners and keep our intentions purely for His Sake and may Allah give me and all of us the tawfeeq to practise what we preach ameen! By Umm Abdur Rahman

Journey tothe hereafter

SIGNS OF THE HOUR Signs of the Hour # 5 The Day of Judgement is the day when Allah will resurrect all of us. Allah will raise us from our graves and we will be held accountable for whatever good or evil we have done in this worldly life. So far we have discussed major signs and few minor signs of the Overwhelming Hour in our series; The Signs of the Hour. In this article, we will be highlighting two minor signs relevant to wealth and riches of the world. Wealth can be defined as large amount of money and possessions or the value of all the property, possessions, and money that someone or something has. Two minor signs which are related to wealth are ?? Pervasiveness of wealth lawfully or unlawfully: Acquiring wealth whether halaal or haraam has become pervasive. Generally speaking, people's goal in this world is only to accumulate money. They endeavour in gaining wealth. Little do they know that the greatest wealth is to live content with the blessings

given to us by Allah, which we often take for granted.

mountains will vanish, and all the people will die.

?? Destitute goat-herders vying with one another in the construction of magnificent buildings: Another sign before the commencement of the Hour is that the people would compete and face off with one another in constructing lofty and luxurious buildings. Whenever we acclaim the lofty and monumental buildings, we think that it is a sign of the Striking Hour which have been predestined. The Last Day starts when Allah orders one of the angels to blow the Trumpet for the first time. Upon this, the earth will quake, the heavens will split asunder, the stars will scatter, the

?And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills.? [Quran 39: 68] ? My advice to you, my dear brothers and sisters is; spend majority of your time of during the day by worshipping Allah. Remember him at the time of ease and difficulty. May Allah (Glory Be To Him) guide us on the straight path and May He light up our faces on The Day Of Judgment. May Peace And Blessings Of Allah Be Upon The Messenger And His Family. Ameen By Bint Nayeem

HOUSE ON FIRE Ways to Jannah # 6 With the dawn of the present era, it is now an uncommon site to see people praying in congregation, yet the signs of the hour indicate that the hour is nonetheless, but very close. It truly sometimes puzzles to me as to why, why on earth would people not do something despite the umpteen advantages that it offers? Is it because of laziness, or is it because of lack of knowledge or is it that they don?t truly believe in the ahadith? In two authentic ahadith, it has been narrated that: 'Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah have mercy on him) has been reported to have said that Allah?s Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer offered by person alone." [Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 11, Number 618] Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah have mercy on him) Allah?s Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "'The reward of a prayer in congregation is twenty five times greater than that of a prayer offered by a person alone. The angels of the night and the angels of the day gather at the time of Fajr prayer.' ?Abu Hurairah then

added, "Recite the Holy Book if you wish, for "Indeed, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn (Fajr prayer) is ever witnessed." [Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 11, Number 620] Let us look at it from a different angle- we perceive that it is obligatory for us to pray, yet were we to pray in congregation, we are hence rewarded 20+ times more, then why, when we already have to pray, not pray it in congregation? Also, there remains the fact that praying in congregation in itself is an obligatory act It is narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ?By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I had thought of ordering that wood be gathered, then I would command the call to prayer to be given, and I would appoint a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would go to men [who do not attend the congregational prayer] and burn their houses down around them. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if

anyone of you had known that he would receive a bone covered with meat or two (small) pieces of meat in a sheep?s foot, he would come for 'Isha' prayer.? In al-Saheehayn (the following version was narrated by al-Bukhari) Al-Bukhari, 7224; Muslim, 651. Ibn al-Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The fact that he was thinking of burning down the houses of people who did not attend the prayer is the clearest evidence that attending prayer in congregation is obligatory, because it would not be permissible for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to do this with regard to something that was mustahabb and not obligatory. The fog seems to clear out, and we start comprehending, that praying in congregation is indeed obligatory and also by doing so, we secure for ourselves abundant ajar. To cream the peach, I will further mention yet another hadith that will certainly prove to be the most galvanising incentive that one could ask 22

for: Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Allah will prepare for him who goes to the mosque (every) morning and in the afternoon (for the congregational prayer) an honourable place in Paradise with good hospitality for (what he has done) every morning and afternoon goings? [Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 11, Hadith 631] Alhamdulillah (Indeed all praise belongs to Allah) the above hadith truly is the wax seal to all the profuse advantages that congregational prayer offers. I hereby request all my brothers, not to take the above ahadith lightly and to embed it in their hearts the fact that congregational prayer is indeed compulsory. As humans, it?s alas our tendency that we take things that don?t suit our desires, lightly, however heavy in magnitude their importance may be. In today?s world of trials, tribulations, music and what not, it truly might be a challenge to compel oneself to the threshold of the masjid

five times a day, but keep in mind challenges are meant to be won and whims and desires to be conquered. The phrase Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest) called out by the muezzin should serve to animate our actions as well, as we realize that truly Allah IS the greatest and it is to Him that we owe everything. However a point to note here, is that prayer in congregation is not obligatory for women, and a woman?s prayer in her house on her own is better than her praying in congregation in the mosque, as for men when they hear the athaan; they have to attend the masjid. In conclusion, I supplicate to my Lord The most Powerful, to help our brothers make and remain steadfast on their resolutions to pray in congregation, for verily without Allah?s help nothing is possible. Ameen ya Rabb For more proofs that congregational prayer is obligatory on males, please visit http:/ / islamqa.info/ en/ 40113 By Bint Ayesha

Self Improvement

TRUTHFULNESS Our Character # 6 No muslim is or was perfect in everything except our Prophet (peace be upon him); he had all the moral qualities which were ordered by Allah. He was the most upright and respectable person ever to walk the face of the earth. On one occasion he (peace be upon him) said, ?I was only sent to perfect noble character.? (Collected by Ahmad) The contemporary Muslim is weak in some areas, average in some, and near to perfect in others and so Islam appreciates the good qualities of every Muslim. Just like our imaan fluctuates, similarly our character has its ups and downs. In this article, let?s discuss the importance of a truthful Muslim. Truthfulness is a necessity in all societies, it brings about trust. For the Muslim, truthfulness has greater value. Some years back a non-muslim acquaintance said to a Muslim man who had paid less than his due wage ?If you are a Muslim you will never break my trust.? Even the non-muslims know about the truthfulness, sincerity and honesty of Islam. Islam commanded us to be truthful, Allah says in surah Baqarah verse 42 ?And do not mix the truth withfalsehood or conceal thetruth while you know [it].?

A Muslim who obeys the commands of Allah is rewarded for speaking the truth, because it is part of our religion, and we have been instructed to be truthful. The Prophet said, "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar." (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 8:116) A truthful Muslim is one who is truthful inside and out, i.e. in his speech and his actions. Such a person is truthful in secret and in public. Whether the people can see him or not, he is aware that Allah sees all, and he knows that he will stand before Allah on a coming day, and will be responsible for all his actions.

Now the question is; how truthful of a muslim are we? Are we amongst those that lied when we were young in class to get out of trouble? Did we lie to our parents, to avoid punishment? How about with our friends? Or are we amongst those that still lie to save face even in petty situations? Let us look at a story of Abdul Qadir Jilani. When he was a young boy, he told the truth even though bandits were going to steal his money. This shows us the importance of telling the truth even when young, the importance of ingraining the habit of truthfulness especially in children. The punishment for being untruthful is severe. The Prophet said, "I saw (in a dream), two men came to me." Then the Prophet narrated the story (saying), "They said, 'The person, the one whose cheek you saw being torn away (from the mouth to the ear) was a liar and used to tell lies and the people would report those lies on his authority till they spread all over the world. So he will be punished like that till the Day of Resurrection." (Sahih Bukhari) Dear Muslim brothers and sisters, it is incumbent upon us to build righteous characters. It is not too late to start from now, be truthful in your dealings small or large, private or public, with Muslims and non-muslims alike, speak and be truthful, even if it hurts, or is against you. Repent for your past lies however big or small? .Surely Allah is the All Merciful and He is the All-Forgiving. By Fatima Damad

WHEN HARDSHIP BEFALLS US ?Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ?We believe,?and will not be tested? And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test)? [Al-?Ankaboot 29:2-3] One of the beauties of being a Muslim is that our lives are never free from tests and trials. Many of us go through hardships on a daily basis while some of us handle them better than others, a good majority of us handle them with grief, sorrow and uneasiness. Lately, I have been going through many trials and tests that have really humbled me and made me realize just how weak of a human being I am. The hardships I am trying to overcome may not be something difficult or hard for others, but Allah tests His creations according to their own weaknesses and their capabilities. Everybody's tests are different and the wisdom of Allah is unlimited! He knows what we can handle and He knows us better than our own selves. Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)! "...Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned" (Al-Baqarah 2:286) Initially, I had become really annoyed and impatient with the things that I was overcome by, (may Allah rectify our character and increase us in patience; Ameen!) However, then I realised it was a time for me to turn to my Lord and to

call upon Him for help and ease. It is hard for us to handle our hardships with patience and humility. I struggle with this, but at the same time I am also trying to realise that everything that happens to us, is already written for us and I must endure it and remember that these tests and trials are meant to shape my character into something that Allah Loves. When we are inflicted with something out of the ordinary and when we go through things that are out of our comfort zone, it is an opportunity for us to self-reflect on our character and our sins. I believe that these hardships sent to us from Allah are meant to make us stronger and to make us realise that we are also very weak individuals and we cannot do anything on our own without the help of our Lord! The tests and trials that Allah sends us are because He loves us! Allah is the Greatest! They are for us to turn to Him and remain STEADFAST after He has helped us through the trials and tests. Day after day, I realise just how much this dunya is made to be a test. It is not something that is made to be enjoyed and it is by far, in no way meant to be a permanent abode of happiness. Every day is a struggle and we must really work hard to fight our desires and try our best to obey Allah's Commands! Remember the tests that Allah gives us is so that we can earn more 27

reward and it can humble us into someone who can be better Muslims and inshallah it will be the chance for us to meet Allah with a clean and pure heart. The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said, ?Whoever Allah wants good for him, he puts them to test. He puts them through difficulties. Like a diamond or some metal that has to be burnt and then that which is bad from it is removed so that you have that which is the pure diamond or the pure gold or whatever. Put them to tests, trials and difficulties.? (As recorded in Bukhari and Muslim)

When things happen to us, we automatically think it is for the worst, but Allah says: "? But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not." (Al- Baqarah 02:216) Also, this hadith and Qur'anic verse are both such eye openers as to what we can learn from going through tests and trials! Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah)...If we were not tested by Allah, then we would never know what kind of person we are! Allah tests us to see who of us is faithful and true, and who turns to His Lord during the trialling times of hardship!

Alhamdulillah, (Praise be to Allah), we have Allah to turn to, unlike the disbeliever who turns to the alcohol bottle, drugs, and parties just to escape temporarily, only to repeat the same deadly cycle day after day! Allahu Akbar! How Islam is such a blessing, where we can cry to our Lord with our pain and suffering and He will Respond with His Mercy. Only if we believe and if we have true tawakkul (trust in Allah). May Allah give us all tawakkul and firm conviction that He will help us get through it all! Ameen! The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ?The greater reward is with the greater trial or the greater the trial or difficulty of test or hardship is then the greater the reward. And when Allah loves a person He will test them. So he will be pleased and then He will be pleased. He who is displeased, then He will be displeased.'(Sahaba?s name not clear) ?The people as long as they are in good health, good shape, good condition they are covered. You don?t know their true character because they are in good situation, they are in good circumstance. As long as they are in a good circumstances they are covered. But if a trial or difficulty or a hardship comes upon them, then you will see their reality. They will go to their reality. The Mu?min will run to his Imaan, the Mu?min will run to his belief, the believer will run to his belief, his Imaan and the hypocrite will run to his hypocrisy, and the hypocrite will run to his hypocrisy. ?Without being shaken, you don?t not know what comes to the top and what goes to the bottom. Without being shaken you don?t know a man from those who are faking; you won?t know women from those who are faking. You won?t know those who truly believe from those who don?t. Those who make a claim o-n their tongue and is not really in their hearts and from their limbs from those who are willing to die for this matter. This can o-nly be shown by trials, the tribulations and tests and difficulties.? (As narrated by Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah) 28

?Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (Unseen)? [Aal ?Imraan 03:179] Sometimes when I am tested, I wonder why Allah has tested me. I try hard to think about the blessings through my trials and that I will be rewarded more than I could ever imagine if I only stay patient and true to Allah, the Almighty. Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves every day for the blessings we have and that we must continue to strive to be better. Remembering that every test is meant to purify us and to earn us reward. I know it is easier said than done, because for me, sometimes my mental state overpowers me and it is hard for me at that moment to remember Allah. I think that is my true test...because most of us, when we get caught up in the moments of our tests and trials, we are so absorbed in our problems, we forget that Allah was the One who put us in it in the first place! Subhanallah...O' what a test this life is! A constant struggle to maintain happiness during our trialling times during loss, illness, and mental unrest. Nevertheless, Alhamdulillah for the Qur'an and Sunnah that teaches us and reminds us how to handle ourselves in each and every situation: ?And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Saabiroon (the patient).Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ?Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.?They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones? [Al-Baqarah 2:155-157] Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ?No misfortune or disease befalls a Muslim, no worry

or grief or harm or distress ? not even a thorn that pricks him ? but Allah will expiate for some of his sins because of that.? (Agreed upon. Narrated by al-Bukhari, 5641) What to take from this, is that we should constantly be striving to purify our hearts and to always remember that tests and trials are not meant to harm us but only to make us better and to purify us. Allah does not inflict His believers with harm and He is most Just! Don't let the moment you are on your death bed or the last minute of your breath on earth be the first time you reflect upon your sins and your relationship with Allah! Remember Allah has created us only for us to worship Him alone! We must always strive to be better and to use the hardships and trials inflicted upon us to help humble us and to purify our hearts so that we can meet Allah and He will Pleased with us. ?And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)? [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56] ?Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the ?Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)? [al-An?aam 6:162]

?Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?? [al-Mu?minoon 23:115] May Allah make us turn to Him alone and may He give us the ability to trust Him and may He forgive us and purify us through all the hardships and trials. Ameen! By Umm Abdur-Rahman

PERFUME

Muharramat # 6

Perfumes, scents, fragrances, ittar, oud, bakhoor, I?m sure we all have a favourite. Be it sweet, warm, fruity, floral, fresh, earthy or exotic, we all enjoy smelling good. None of us wants to leave the house reeking, sweaty and smelly, or having picked the days dinner in the seams of our clothes. Especially so, for women. Women have a tendency to want a good appearance; and naturally a good smell is entwined in the package of ?good appearance.?I mean, there is no point looking good, but as soon as someone is within 5 metres of your body they have to evacuate the area! Women and perfumery go hand in hand. However, there limits to wearing perfume for women. Whilst a woman may douse herself in her home, she has to be careful of carrying the scent outside with her. The Prophet peace and blessings be upon him) issued a very stern warning in regard to this, he said, ?Any woman who applies perfume and then goes out among the people so that they could smell her fragrance is a Zaaniyah(adultress).? (Ahmad) Whoa! You may be thinking, ?that?s harsh!?But in reality it?s not. Islam came to protect the women, to take care of them, to honour them. It came to remove from them the stains of jahiliyyah in which they were mere merchandise. The perfume of women causes unwanted attention, and unnecessary interest in her. Research by Monell Chemical Senses Centre has found that perfume makes women more attractive, and prettier. Other research has found that there is a direct link between our olfactory senses and desire. So, it?s no wonder the Prophet (peace be upon him) issued such a severe warning. Zaynab Al-Thaqafiyyah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ?If any one of you (women) goes out to the mosque, let her not touch any perfume.? Similarly Abu-Hurayrah narrated, that the Prophet said, ?Any woman who has scented herself with bakhoor (incense) let her not attend ishaa prayers with us.?

Today it has become a norm, when women leave the house, the bottle of perfume is strategically placed for easy access, and the charcoal is ready to be lighted for the bakhoor. Many give the excuse that they are going to the house of Allah, and therefore have to be presentable and smell good. As long as you are clean, and your clothes are clean, then there is no need for perfuming oneself before leaving for the mosque. On this account, Abu Hurayrah narrates that a woman passed him by and her scent was over-powering. He addressed her, ?O female slave of Al-Jabbar, are you going to the mosque?? She said, ?yes.? He said, ?Go back and wash yourself, for I heard the Messenger of Allah say; ?if a woman comes out to the mosque and her fragrance is overpowering, Allah will not accept any prayer from her until she goes home and washes herself.? My dearest sisters, there is no point perfuming oneself to attend the mosque if your prayers will not be accepted. You are losing the reward! There is no point attempting to please the creation with a ?presentable?appearance and smell at the cost of the displeasure of Allah, by which one is classed as a fornicator! Women?s perfumes and scent causes unnecessary attraction, and undue provocation. Islam is simple. We should go out hoping to gain the reward and mercy of Allah, not to fall into sin. May Allah protect us, and keep us on the Siraat-ul-mustaqeem. By Bibi Zainab Dowlut

REPENTANCE

?I know I?ve done something wrong, but I can?t be bothered. It?s only small, and insignificant. I?m sure Allah will forgive it. He is the Most Merciful, and His mercy overcomes his anger? ? Stop right there. There?s a big problem with your thought trail. What guarantee do you have that Allah will forgive your sin? None. Did you ask Him to forgive it? No. Don?t you know that His punishment is severe?! The mind of a person who thinks like such, is in error. They have to acquaint themselves with Allah properly, and dwell on the ayats about punishments, threats and warnings. They should learn about the consequences of sins, and the price of them in the hereafter. They should contemplate death often, and imagine the walls of the grave closing in on them. They should think of the angels of torture, and the heat of the fire of hell. If on earth fire burns, then picture what it would do if it was seventy times hotter, and every time your skin was burned through it was replaced with a fresh one for you to feel the pain again! Our Lord is the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious, the All-Forgiving. But He is also swift to account, and severe in punishment for those who wrong themselves. Allah will never do injustice to a person. He will requite you with what you deserve. Many of us rely totally on Allah?s mercy. We forget that we have to strike a balance between the wing of hope and the wing of fear. Hope in Allah?s Mercy and forgiveness, and fear of His punishment and anger. We should worship Allah in both fear and hope. Fear will make us abstain from sins, and hope will make us work for Jannah. A combination of both will inspire and motivate us to repent from sins. ?? ok but I have lots of good deeds anyway, so my good deeds will

erase my bad ones? ? Yes following up a bad deed with a good deed will erase the bad deed, as Allah informed us in the Qur?an,

?indeed good deeds do away with misdeeds,? (Surah Hud 11:114) Ibn ?Awn said, ?Don?t rely just on your many deeds because you don?t know whether Allah will accept them or not.? We have no assurance that Allah will accept our good deeds, but we fervently hope that He will. Abu-Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that His Lord said, ?My slave commits a sin, then he says, ?O Allah, forgive me my sin.?Then Allah says, ?My slave committed a sin but he knows that he has a Lord Who forgives sin and takes away sin. So, I forgive my slave.?Then he commits sin again and says, ?O Allah, forgive me my sin.?Then Allah says, ?My slave committed a sin but he knows that he has a Lord Who forgives sin and takes away sin. So, I forgive my slave.? The he commits a sin again and says, ?O Allah, forgive me my sin.?Then Allah says, ?My slave committed a sin but he knows that he has a Lord Who forgives sin and takes away sin. So, I forgive my slave.?? (Bukhari and Muslim) We ask Allah to forgive us our sins, and make us of those who turn to Him. By Bibi Zainab Dowlut

Sisters Section

WOM EN OF THE GOLDEN ERA

# 6 Ramlah Bint Abu-Sufyan

Many a times we sit lonely and depressed, with our grief and sorrow embedded deep in our hearts. The eye sheds its tears and the hearts grows heavy with a hollow-like feeling. A loneliness creeps in as we watch the hustle and bustle of the dunya, people walking by, busy in their lives. A tantamount of burden weighs heavily on our heart and it is in such situations of misery, that we find ourselves at the cross roads, a choice to do that which is right, however improbable it may seem, and the other choice that constitutes of deception, lies and falsehood. In most cases that wrong choice inadvertently leads to the threshold of a cycle-a cycle of misery as we endeavour to conceal our errors and yet in striving to do so perpetrate even more lies and involuntarily propel the spokes of the cycle to continue moving. Oh! But no one is aware of my situation!

every atom, every molecule. Here we should take lesson from Ramlah daughter of Abu-Sufyan also known as Umm Habeebah (May Allah be pleased with her). She was one of the early converts to Islam and had migrated to Abyssinia with her husband Ubaydullah bin Jahsh. Sadly, her husband apostate and converted to Christianity. This grieved her a lot, and to add to her pain, he took to drinking excessively and later died.

Are you worried, knowing that Al-Wadood, Ar-Ra?uf is watching us, best aware of our situation? He, the Almighty, is even aware of a dark insect crawling on a dark stone in a dark night, He (Glory be to Him) is aware of every leaf,

Dear friends, envision this with deep concentration; we can?t imagine ourselves leaving our homes for an hour! Yet look at the situation of the exceptional and exemplary lady, who not only prevented herself from showing

Now, Umm Habeebah was lonely in a faraway foreign country, with no one to support her. Her husband had died, and her father was still a disbeliever, and to cream to that, was the leader of the Quraysh (though later on, he accepted Islam). Therefore, she had nowhere to go.

ingratitude to her Lord (something we fall into for unconventional things, let alone being helpless the ways she was). She focused herself, and made the right decision; spending her time in ?ibadah and taking care of her young daughter. Indeed she went through difficult times. Truly, Allah knew what she was going through. She was blessed with one of the greatest blessings, a woman in her time could wish for, Allah chose her to be among the Mothers of the Believers. Her patience bore fruit and the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) married her. She is said to have narrated sixty-five hadith, not many in comparison to Abu-Hurayrah or Anas bin Malik, nevertheless, her exemplary patience and courage to make the right choice in the face of trials, is her legacy. It was her earnest desire that her father and brother enter the fold of Islam, which they eventually did. She passed away during 33

her brother, Muawiyah?s Caliphate, during the year 44 AH. In summary, I would like to note a point, although the above passage was about the right decision, there is yet solace for those who messed

up, for indeed yet again we have ample opportunity to repent and take the right course. Certainly, it will be more challenging compared to the first time, and Satan will arduously try to manipulate us, as he had done so the first time. Keep in mind, regardless

of the inducements, Allah has given us the power to choose. Go ahead, and follow the right track! Beg of our Lord to help us and guide us for verily indeed, He is the Ar-Rahman; The Most Merciful. By Bint Hasan

"Truly Allah knewwhat shewas goingthrough..."

STATUS OF WOM EN Fourteen hundred years ago when the world was cloaked in darkness, and men ruled the world, Allah sent a Messenger to mankind. He was to be a mercy to them all, instructing them in good manners and teaching them the laws of Allah. He (May peace be upon him) was sent at a time when women were used and abused, they were a commodity, traded as and when needed. They had no place in society, and were considered second class citizens. Women were unequal to men, they were bought, sold, used and discarded when men desired. Amidst the darkness came a light. Allah detailed laws governing women?s rights before any other system of government or religious establishment. Ilsma gave women civic rights, personal rights, and made her the counterpart of men. In Islam women and men are different but equal. Allah has fashioned each gender differently, thus he has given each different strengths, weaknesses and roles. The Prophet peace be upon him said, ?Treat women kindly, women were created from a bent rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is the top part, so treat women kindly.? (Bukhari and Muslim) This Hadith is by no means a degradation of women compared to today?s standards. The Prophet clearly stated, ?treat women kindly? and he emphasised it by repeating it twice! Naturally we all have flaws as we are not angels who are perfect by nature; we?re all bent! Women are also fragile, thus this quote

serves as a command to the men to care for women, and give them their due rights despite their short-comings. It is an elevation for women, that she is not to be disregarded for her faults, for we all possess faults, rather she is to be treated kindly. ?And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable, but men have a degree of responsibility over them.? (Surah Al-Baqarah 02:228) Women are treated as queens, we have rights of our own, and are to be cared for by our menfolk, who have to see to our needs. The status of women in Islam is so great that often they are pathways to paradise. As daughters, mothers, sisters, wives and the many more roles that women fill, they are an integral part of society. Muawiyah bin Jahima Al-Sulami came to the Messenger of Allah, and said, ?O Messenger of Allah, I desire to go on the military

expedition and I have come to consult you.?The Messenger (peace be upon him) asked, ?Do you have a mother??He answered, ?Yes?The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ?Stay with her, for paradise lies at her feet.?(Ibn Majah) Does this mean that if you look beside your mother?s feet, you will find paradise there? No, this a metaphorical phrase to mean that through serving your mother, keeping her company, and caring for her you may attain paradise. See what I mean that women are gateways to paradise! The Prophet peace be upon him said, ?whoever has three daughters and is patient with them, and gives them to drink and clothes them, they will be a protection for him against the fire.? In another narration, ?whoever has two daughters and treats them kindly, they will be a protection for him against the fire.? That?s how important it is to look after and care for women! If you look after them well, and treat 35

them kindly they will be a barrier for you from the hell fire. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said, ?The best of you are those who are best to their wives, and I am the best of you to my wives.? (Tirmidhi) Treating a woman well, is what makes a man good! And he can only learn to be good to women by following the example of

Muhammad (peace be upon him). Women comprise of one half of society, and funny enough they give birth to the second half. So taking care of women is essential to building a successful society. Allah has created women as the counter parts of men, they are judged for their deeds equally and as

such reap equal rewards. Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer- we will surely cause him to live a goodly life, and we will surely give them their reward according to the best of what they used to do.? (Surah Nahl 16:97) By Bibi Zainab Dowlut

Having funthe Hal aal way

Answers to Last month's Quiz: (From Left to right): 1) Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid Jibreel conveyed the greeting of Allah, and his own through the Prophet (peace be upon him) to her as in the hadith of Abu-Hurayrah Narrated Abu Hurayrah, ?Jibreel came to the Prophet (peace be uponhim) and said, ?O Allah?s Messenger (peace be uponhim), ?this is Khadijah, coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (Allah) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a palace made of Qasab in Paradise, wherein there will be neither any noise nor any toil (fatigue, trouble etc).? (Bukhari)

2) Zainab Bint Khazeemah She could not bear to see a poor person, or one in dire need, except that she would extend a helping hand. 3) Ummaha-tul-Mu'mineen means Mothers of the Believers, and it refers to the wives of the Prophet (peace be upon him) 4) A'ishah Bint Abi-Bakr is the fourth ranking amongst all the companion in the number of narrations from the Prophet (Peace be upon him). A'ishah is said to have narrated two-thousand two-hundred and ten ahadith. May Allah reward all these great women, and grant us their company in Jannah-tul Firdous.

Quiz Time!

What does Da'w ah mean (i n Islam)?

What w as t he gr eat e st mi r a cl e of Muh ammad (p eace b e up o n hi m)?

ic m a l s i t a h W mont h p r eceeds ? n a d a m a R

What w as t he ni ckname of Muhammad b ef or e hi s p r op het hood? 39

The Jokes of Rasulullah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: Once the Prophet (peace be upon Him) and I were on a journey. I was thin back then and not fat. The Prophet told the people around him: ?Go ahead. We will catch you.? When we were left behind far enough he told me: ?Let?s race!? We raced and I won. He did not mention it again. Then I gained some weight. Meanwhile I completely forgot about this incident. During another journey he told the people around him to go ahead. When they went far away, he said to me, ?Let?s race!? This time he won and started to laugh saying ?we are even now.? (Ahmad and Abu-Dawud)

Searching There is only one true path Out of the two To the left, or the right If I step to the left A promise of temporary happiness The pleasures of this world is in my hand A vision of destructive ending Resulting in a void and hollow in my heart

Come back, Back to Tawheed Back to Kitabullah Back to Sunnah of the Prophet, Back to Islam. By Anisah Matasim

If I go to the right, I still struggle There are 73 routes to choose Do I have to go through them all? What if I die in my exploration? What if I didn?t get to the correct path? What if I end up in one of the wrong path without knowing? Oh, these what ifs They didn?t do a thing to my broken and battered soul. That one path. That one route A promise of a happiness Could only be found with knowledge. Oh dear heart, be patient, Oh Iman, be strong Oh love, find your Creator Oh aqal, be wise Oh taqwa, don?t shatter. That one path. That one route Those who are wise will be safe, Those whose heart are blinded will die on the door,

Founder/ CEO Dr. Rayan F. Arab Editor in chief Bibi Zainab Dowlut Layout/ Design Bibi Tasneem Boodhoo Writers

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