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Islam is built on 5 Pillars • “On the authority of Abu Abdul Rahmaan
Abdullah (ra), the son of Umar ibn alKattaab (r.a) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) say: ‘Islam is built upon five [pillars]: testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayers, giving zakat,
making pilgrimage to the House and fasting the month of Ramadan.’” [Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim]
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•
We can see from the parable that the Messenger of Allah (saw) has given that Islam is like a structure, we could imagine it like a house or tent. The pillars of the structure are five, and these parts are complimentary and integral to
the whole. The testimony of faith, or belief in Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), forms the central pillar. The remaining four pillars, which put belief into action, give support to the overall structure. If one part is missing,
then the analogy is that the structure will not be sound. As long as the middle pillar is there and standing, the structure is considered to be standing, but if falls, there will be nothing left.
•
The strength of our conviction in the first pillar of Islam, the testimony of faith, will determine the strength of our practice of the other pillars of Islam. Imagine yourself like a structure, with your belief in Allah (swt) and His
Messenger (saw), as the center of everything you do. Your practice of the other pillars of Islam is based on the strength of this central pillar. What does your structure look like? Are any of the pillars unstable, or are they firm
and sound?
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• Do we really love for the sake of Allah (swt) and love what He (swt) had ordered us to do? • Do we accept with certainty that Islam is the best model for how to live our lives and does this acceptance show through in our actions? • Are we striving to please Allah (swt) with all that we do, carrying out our actions for His (swt) sake alone? • Is any part of our love or worship directed to other than Allah?
• Our Hereafter depends upon our answers to these types of questions.
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•
It is also our obligation to love the Prophet Muhammad (saw). Indeed complete Imaan, requires that we love the Prophet (saw) and what he (saw) loved, more than we love our own selves and our own desires. Allah says in the
Qur’an: “Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than
Allah and His Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His Decision (torment). Allah guides not the people who are disobedient.” (Surah al-Taubah)
•
Let’s ask ourselves, do we strive to follow the Prophet’s (saw) example in our daily lives? Or are we more concerned about wealth, family, entertainment and impressing others than we are about following the
teachings of the Deen of Al-Islam? Are we in danger of negating the second part of the shahadah by not following the example set by our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw)? 1007
• We should also remind ourselves that the Prophet (saw) said: “The first matter that the slave [of Allah] will be called to account about on the Day of Judgement is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad.” (Recorded in al-Tabaraani) • No matter what deeds we perform in our life, the most important aspect is our relationship to Allah (swt). This relationship with Allah (swt) is
demonstrated and put into practice, as well as improved and increased, by the prayer. If we perform the prayer properly, with an attentive heart, it will have a lasting effect on our lives in this world and in the Hereafter.
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• Allah (swt) tells us that paying zakat is one of the keys to receiving His Mercy in the Hereafter: “The believers, men and women, are helpers and supporters of one another, they enjoin what is right and forbid what is evil, they offer their prayers perfectly, they give the zakat and they obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will bestow
His mercy on them. Surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” (Surah al-Taubah:71)
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• The payment of zakat should purify us by cleansing us of the diseases of stinginess and miserliness, and it should purify our wealth by removing any evil effects from it. It is also one of the keys to establishing the Muslim community and the Muslim State. Zakat plays an important role in the wider society by helping the poor and strengthening the ties of brotherhood and sisterhood. It also shows the believers that all that they have comes from Allah (swt) and they will not suffer if they give wealth for His (swt) sake. In fact, Allah promises to increase
them in reward: “The likeness of those who spend in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain], which grows seven spikes, in each spike is a hundred grains, and Allah multiples [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is All Encompassing, All Knowing.” (Surah al-Baqarah:261) 1010
•
Allah makes it clear in the Qur’an that withholding the payment of zakat is displeasing to Him (swt): “And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allah has bestowed on them of His Bounty (wealth)
think that it is good for them. Nay, it will be worse for them. The things which they covetously withheld shall be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Well-Acquainted with all that you do.” (Surah ali-Imraan:180) •
“[There are] those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah – announce to them a painful torment. On the Day when that wealth will be heated in the fire of hell and it will brand their foreheads, flanks and backs. [It will be said to them],
‘This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard.'” (Surah alTaubah:34-35) 1011
• What can we learn from this? We are just as obligated to pay zakat as we are to pray. We should ensure that we understand how to calculate how much zakat we need to pay, and that we pay it once every lunar year. Many people use Ramadan as the reminder and pay it in this time in the hope of seeking extra reward, but it
can be paid at any time. It is important to give it with the intention of pleasing Allah and to seek to use it as a means to purify ourselves of the ills of greed and miserliness. And with Allah (swt) lies the highest reward.
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•
The Prophet (saw) stated that Islam is built on five pillars, and Hajj or pilgrimage to the House of Allah (swt) in Makkah. The performance of Hajj is an obligation on every Muslim who has the means to perform it.
•
In general ‘the means’ are considered to include physical health, financial well-being and the provisions needed to undertake the journey. In addition, women should have a mahram [male relative or husband] to travel with them as they are not allowed to travel alone, although some scholars allow for the lone woman to travel in a ‘trustworthy’ group made up of men and women. If one does not meet these conditions, one is not obliged to perform Hajj.
•
Muslims emulate this journey in their annual Hajj pilgrimage, which occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar.
•
Spiritually, the Hajj can provide an individual with a complete cleansing of the soul, as the Prophet (saw) said, “Whoever performs the Hajj for the sake of Allah and does not commit any lewdness or sins returns like the day in which his mother gave birth to him [without any sins].” (Recorded in Bukhari and Muslim)
•
Successfully completed with the right intention, the Hajj can also provide the ultimate reward, as the Prophet (saw) stated, “And the Hajj that is accepted by Allah and performed properly has no reward other than Paradise.” (Recorded in Bukhari and Muslim) 1013
•
Fasting serves to demonstrate our sincerity to Allah (swt) and draws us closer to Him (swt). Only He (swt) knows if a person has truly fasted or not, and He (swt) has a special reward for those who are sincere enough to do it. He (swt) says in a hadith qudsi (the words of Allah narrated by the Prophet (saw) but not included in the Qur’an): “He leaves his food, drink and desires because of Me. Fasting is for My sake and I shall reward it. And every good deed shall be rewarded ten-fold.” (Recorded in Bukhari)
•
SubhanAllah the rewards for fasting are so great. Many times we have a sense of fear when Ramadan comes in the summer months because we think ‘The days are so long!’, but Allah (swt) in His infinite mercy, always bestows His blessings and makes it easy. What you will note from the ahadith and Qur’anic ayat that have been quoted, is that the blessings of the fast are not limited only to Ramadan. Fasting Ramadan is an obligation upon us and we must ensure that we fast sincerely with the intention of pleasing Allah (swt), and that we make up any missed fasts. But any extra fasting that we choose to do on top of that, promises an even greater reward. The companions of the Prophet (saw) used to love the short days of winter because they could get the reward of fasting during the day and pray longer in the night. 1014
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Controlling Temper There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.... Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper
at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The day passed, and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.�
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The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad
as a physical one. Moral: Friends and loved ones are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and
encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us. Water your relationships with kindness… and they will grow. So be careful little lips what you say…! And you won't chase friendships away. 1018
1019
Creation in the Womb • “On the authority of Abu Abdul Rahmaan
Abdullah ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and he is the truthful, the believed, narrated to us: Verily, each of you is brought together in his mother’s abdomen for forty days in the form of a drop of fluid. Then it is a clinging object for a similar [period]. Thereafter, it is a lump
looking like it has been chewed for a similar [period]. 1020
Creation in the Womb… The angel is then sent to him and he breathes into him the spirit. He is also commanded to issue four decrees: to record his sustenance, his life span, his deeds and [whether he will be] unhappy [by entering Hell] or happy [by entering Paradise]. I swear by Allah, other than whom
there is no God, certainly one of you will perform the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is between him and Paradise except an arm’s length, and then what has been recorded will overtake him and he shall perform the deeds of the people of Hell and enter it. And, certainly, one of you will definitely perform the acts of the people of Hell until there is not between him and Hell except an arm’s length
and then what has been recorded for him will overtake him and he shall perform the deeds of the people of Paradise and enter it.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 1021
•
The one who is truthful in everything he says is known as Al-Saadiq, the truthful. This was a characteristic of the Prophet (saw) that was well-known amongst his people before he received revelation. Al-Masdooq, the
believed, means that he (saw) was a person who was believed in what he (saw) said and what he did. Ibn Masood (r.a) perhaps mentioned both of these characteristics of the Prophet (saw) here, and Allah knows best, as a kind of emphasis and reminder. This hadith contained startling facts that were unheard of at that time and contradicted the common belief about the development of the baby in the womb. From the time of Aristotle, it was thought that the baby was already fully formed at the earliest moment and simply grew larger in the womb. The idea of stages of the development of the fetus was not recorded until 1839. Indeed this hadith is one of the many scientific ‘miracles’ that one can find in the narrations of hadith. 1022
• Allah (swt) outlines these in the Qur’an: “O Mankind! If you are in doubt concerning the Resurrection, then verily, We have created you from dust [that is, Adam], then from a nutfah, then from an alaqah, then from a mudhghah, some formed and some unformed (miscarriage), that We make it clear for you [that Allah has the
ability to create and resurrect].” (Surah al-Hajj:5) • Nutfah, literally means a drop of fluid, alaqah is the clinging object and mudhghah is the chewed
lump.
1023
•
The first stage of development of a human being is the stage of being a nutfah. The term nutfah is used in different ways in the Quran including to describe male sperm, female sexual fluid, and the mixture of male and
female sexual fluid. The commentators of this hadith state that the expression ‘brought together’ here applies both to the bringing together of the male and female sexual fluid, as well as the guarding or preserving of it.
•
The word used in Arabic in this hadith is ‘batn‘ which translates as ‘abdomen’, but in other narrations the word ‘rahim‘ or ‘womb’ is used. The word for womb is closely related to the word for mercy ‘rahmah‘, illustrating the
association of mercy towards kin. The Prophet (saw) said: “Verily, the womb (al-rahim) has taken its name from alRahman (the All-Merciful). Allah has said, ‘Whoever keeps your ties, I shall keep his ties. Whoever cuts you off,
I shall cut him off.” (Recorded in al-Bukhari)
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• The next stage of development mentioned by the Prophet (saw) is alaqah, which literally means ‘something that clings’. The word can also mean ‘a leech’, or ‘a clot’ or ‘congealed blood’. • The next stage is called mudghah, which means ‘chewed lump’. This could be paralleled with the fetal development of skeletal indentations that
appear like equally spaced bumps, or teeth marks in flesh, and Allah knows best. This process takes place and is finished by the sixth week, or 42 days after conception. • SubhanAllah, it is amazing to reflect that our bodies were created like this, from something microscopic. In many ways this should show us our insignificance. It also reflects clearly and magnificently the glory of our Creator, Allah (swt), for Whom all things are possible. 1025
• After the angel has come to the fetus in the womb and breathed the spirit into it, this hadith tells us that, by the Will of Allah (swt), the angel issues four decrees about the life of that individual: his sustenance, his life span, his deeds, and whether he will be happy by entering Paradise or unhappy from entering Hellfire. • This is a reminder for us about Allah’s preknowledge of everything that occurs in the universe. As we discussed in the Hadith of Jibreel
under the topic of Qadr, or Divine Decree, everything that will happen to us in our lives is already written, by the command of Allah, and recorded in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lauh alMahfoodh).
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• Before the baby is born, its destiny is known to Allah (swt). Every mouthful of food that it will take, every item of clothing it will wear, is already recorded by Allah (swt). The deeds that it will perform in its life are decreed, and as we can see from this hadith, the ultimate outcome of them is also predetermined. As Allah says: “As for those
who are miserable, they will be in the Fire, sighing in a high and low tone. They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord will. Verily, your Lord is the doer of what he will. And for those who are fortunate and happy, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein for all the time that
the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord will, a gift without end.” (Surah Hood 106108) 1027
• The fact that these decrees are issued, does not mean that we do not have any responsibility for our actions, as was discussed previously. Rather, it means that we have the free will to act, and will be tested on how we act, but Allah (swt) in His infinite knowledge already knows how well we will do, just like a teacher is able to predict the
test outcome of a student by knowing their ability. In this context, we should also remember the astonishing fact that dua (supplication) has the power to change what is predestined. The Prophet (saw) said: “Caution will not be of any benefit against predestination, but dua benefits (matters) that have occurred and are (yet) to
occur. And indeed, dua meets with a calamity, and fights it until the Day of Judgement.” (Recorded in al-Tabarani) 1028
• Finally, it is important to note from this hadith that the life span of the individual is also decreed at this time. That is, the time of OUR OWN death, is also decreed. Imagine for a moment if we could know this for ourselves. If we had a label on us with the date of our deaths. Would this make us live our lives differently? Would it make us feel
that ‘time is short’? We know the label is there, it’s just that we can’t see it. Yet in many ways we live each day like we have forever.
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Innovations (Bidah) • “On the authority of the Mother of the
Faithful, Umm Abdullah, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not from it shall have it rejected.’” [Sahih al-Bukhari &
Muslim]
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• This hadith refers to matters that are ‘introduced’ or innovated to the religion of Islam. In Arabic this is known as bidah. The religion of Islam is complete, and there is no need to introduce anything new. As Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “This day I have perfected and completed your religion for you, completed my favor upon you
and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Surah al-Maaidah:3) • ‘This matter of ours’ as it is referred to in this
hadith, is the religion of Islam. The Prophet (saw) referred it to is as an amr or ‘matter’ to imply that it is something that the Muslims are concerned or busy with. All of the Muslims actions are concerned with or related to this matter.
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• Any opinion, view or practice, that is not found in, or derived from, the Qur’an or the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw), has no place in Islam. • If the introduced matter relates to worship, it will be rejected by Allah. Even if one perceives that the act they are doing – be it spinning around in circles, punishing their body, or celebrating the Prophet’s
(saw) birthday – will draw them closer to Allah (swt), this action will not be accepted by Allah (swt) if it was not practiced by the Prophet (saw). Allah (swt) is the only One who knows how He (swt) should be worshipped, and He has shown us the example of the best type of worship in the practice of the Prophet (saw). Thus, the general principle is, if it is an act of worship, there must be clear evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah for it.
1032
•
In relation to worldly matters, the general principle is that all actions are allowed unless they specifically prohibited. Here, our concern should be whether the act violates any of the principles in the Shareeah. There are the obvious
examples of adultery, fornication, taking intoxicants or dealing in interest (riba). But this hadith would also relate to acts such as a Muslim woman seeking to get married without the consent of her male guardian. This is in
contradiction to the rules laid out in the Shareeah and would therefore be rejected by Allah (swt). •
This shows us the importance of seeking a deeper knowledge of our religion. If we don’t know what our
religion teaches us, then how can we know if we are acting in accordance with it? How can we be sure that we are staying on the ‘Straight Path’? As Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: “And verily, this is My Straight Path, so
follow it. And follow not [other] paths, for they separate you away from this path. This He has ordained for you that you may become pious.” (Surah al-Anaam:153) 1033
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The Lawful & Unlawful are Clear • “On the authority of Abu Abdullah al-
Nu’maan ibn Basheer (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) say, ‘That which is lawful is clear, and that which is unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful [or ambiguous] matters about which not many people are knowledgeable. Thus, he who
avoids these doubtful matters certainly clears himself in regard to his religion and honor.
1037
The Lawful & Unlawful are Clear…
But he who falls into the doubtful
matters falls into that which is unlawful, like a shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Verily every king has a sanctuary and Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. In the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be sound, all of the body is sound and
which, if it be diseased, all of the body is diseased. This part of the body is the heart.” [Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim]
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• There are innumerable acts which are clearly permissible and sanctioned in the Shareeah. In some cases these are explicitly mentioned as being permissible, whilst in other cases, it is clear that they fall under the general guidelines laid out in the Qur’an and Sunnah. For example, Allah says in the Qur’an: “This day are (all) good things
made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them.” (Surah al-Maaidah:5)
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• In other cases expressions like “there is no sin upon you…” appear in the Qur’an, making it clear to us that something is permissible. In the same way, acts that are forbidden are very clearly stated. For example, Allah says in the Quran: “Forbidden for you are only carrion and blood and swine-flesh and that which has been
slaughtered in the name of other than Allah and that which has been killed by strangling, or by violent blow or by a headlong fall or by the goring of horns and that which has been [partly] eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it [before its death] and that which is sacrificed on altars. [Forbidden] also is to use
arrows for seeking luck. All that is disobedience to Allah and sin.” (Surah al-Maaidah:3)
1040
•
Also included in this category of clearly unlawful acts, is every act for which Allah (swt) and His Messenger (s) have prescribed a punishment, including adultery, fornication and murder. It is from the grace and mercy of
Allah (swt) that He sent this religion and message in a way that is clear and easy to understand. There can be no doubt about matters which are either lawful or unlawful. •
The only way to be sure of avoiding what Allah has
prohibited, is to avoid going near anything that is doubtful. Staying away from these things is the best way to protect our religion and our honor. •
We can see here that if we are unsure about something,
and whether or not an act will be pleasing to Allah (swt) it is better to avoid that act if at all possible. Exercising this type of caution will be better for us and will stop us from straying towards things which are clearly forbidden.
•
May Allah purify our hearts and intentions. Ameen.
1041
The Religion is Naseehah • “On the authority of Abu Ruqayyah
Tameem ibn Aus (may Allah be pleased with him) the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘The religion is naseehah.’ The people said, ‘To whom?’ The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) replied, ‘To Allah and His Book and to His Messenger
and to the Leaders of the Muslims and to the common folk of the Muslims.'”[Sahih Muslim]
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• Naseehah is a very comprehensive term that encompasses sincerity, virtue, good advice, wellwishing, the desire for all forms of goodness, purification, cleansing, improving, removing unwanted elements, uniting and joining something that has been separated. It can be understood as seeking an action or statement that
contains goodness and improvement for another person. In this we can see that both the intention and the action are desiring what is best for the other person. It is loving what is good for our fellow Muslim and calling them to it. This is the essence of the practice of the religion of Islam, and the way of the true believer.
1043
• SubhanAllah, this sounds like something so simple, to want what is best for another person and to guide them to it, but many times this can feel very difficult. How often do we see someone doing something that we know to be wrong, or perhaps doubtful, and yet we are too afraid to speak out for fear of offending them or hurting
their feelings? The essence of naseehah is that we should want what is best for another person, so we should try to find a way to gently guide them to what is better, with wisdom and good preaching. It is only when we do this, that we will be fulfilling this essential aspect of our religion.
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• Allah (swt) is Self-Sufficient and is not in need of any of His creation. When the believer makes naseehah to Allah, they are drawing themselves closer to Him (swt) and purifying themselves. Allah (swt) in His infinite wisdom and mercy, has made these acts obligatory upon us, so we are literally obligated to purify ourselves and draw nearer to Allah (swt). SubhanAllah, the beauty of Islam. • But are we meeting our obligations? Are we remembering Allah (swt) and obeying Him? Are we upset when His laws are disrespected? Do we love for His sake? Are we thankful for the blessings of food, shelter and health? What about hearing, sight and speech? • Let’s make dua to Allah (swt) to assist us remembering Him as He should be remembered, thanking Him as He (swt) should be thanked and worshipping Him as He should be worshipped.
1045
•
We should also strive, according to the best of our ability, to gain the blessings of the Quran in our daily lives through reading it (with translation if we don’t understand Arabic), reciting it correctly, studying it and learning its lessons and parables. Calling others to believe in the Qur’an as a revelation from Allah is also part of this naseehah.
•
Naseehah to the Book of Allah requires us handle the Quran with the proper respect. We should not touch the mushaf (Arabic Quran without translation) while we are in a state of
sexual impurity or during a woman’s menstruation. Some scholars also recommend that one does not touch the mushaf without wudhu (ablution). •
Since naseehah is such an essential part of our religion, we need
to ask ourselves sincerely if we are in fact making naseehah to the Book of Allah. What place does the Quran hold in our daily lives? Do we turn to it as our first source of guidance? Do we know all the lessons that it teaches us? Are we striving to recite it in the best way possible? And are we calling to others to believe in it? •
We have this astonishing jewel that is like no other treasure in the world. Let’s cherish it, contemplate it, and share it with others.
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•
Making naseehah to Allah’s Messenger (saw) includes loving those who follow, defend and strive to revive his (saw) Sunnah. They are working for the sake of Allah (swt) in supporting the Messenger (saw), so we should not hold any hatred for them in our hearts. It’s a very sad thing to imagine, but there is a lot enmity in the hearts of Muslims towards fellow Muslims. Communities become polarized through following different scholars, and even within like-minded communities there are differences and quarrelling. It is an astonishing and truly saddening thing that we can not be united upon the practice of the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). May Allah (swt) guide us to what is better and grant unity to the Muslim Ummah. Ameen.
•
As a way of making naseehah to Allah’s Messenger (saw), let’s try and revive the Sunnah within our own daily lives. Can you think of something that you know from the Sunnah that you are not practicing? What about the Duha prayer (between the sunrise and dhur prayer)? Shaking the hand of your fellow Muslim when you greet them? Spreading the greeting of Salam to those who you don’t know? Try and think of a Sunnah that you are not currently practicing and revive it in your life. You will reap the benefits.
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•
The best examples for the Muslims rulers, such as Abu Bakr (r.a) and Umar (r.a), certainly realised what an important role naseehah played in their rule. They actively sought advice reminded the Muslims as a whole that it was an obligation upon them to correct and advise the Muslim rulers. Umar (r.a) reportedly said, “May Allah have mercy on the one who corrects us concerning our evil.” This was a sign of their sincerity SubhanAllah.
•
It’s a sad fact that when we read this, our hearts can only sink when we think of what has become of Muslims rulers of today. Where can we see any example of rulers who are truly living and implementing
the Shareeah? Where can we see any examples of rulers who are willing to listen to the naseehah of their subjects? As I write this, the streets are filled with protesters in Arab countries voicing their discontent with their rulers. •
On a more personal level, let’s ask ourselves how willing we are to accept sincere naseehah? Are we willing to listen if someone wants to advise us to what is best concerning our conduct, our speech or how we dress? Pride gets in the way and tells us we don’t want to be told what to do, even if what we are being advised to is best for us in terms of our religion. We should reflect not only on giving naseehah to others, but also on how to accept it, and to change our conduct for the sake of Allah (swt).
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•
Naseehah therefore plays an important role for the Muslim community as a whole. It is one of the key aspects to protect a society from the spread of evil. Those who slip, should be sincerely advised and helped to stop. Such behavior engenders love and brotherhood amongst the
Muslims and removes selfishness and hatred. •
As with the naseehah to the Muslim leaders, it is best if naseehah amongst members of the Muslim community is done in private. We should have sound knowledge of what we are giving advice about, otherwise we may lead someone astray. We should also be prepared to accept naseehah, and not be so proud as to think that we are above correction.
•
This is such a profound hadith, SubhanAllah. The Prophet
(saw) summed up the religion of Islam in just one word, naseehah. Being engaged in naseehah to Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the leaders of the Muslims and to the common folk of the Muslims, effectively has an impact on every second of our lives. If we were to be effectively engaged in these types of naseehah, we would purify both ourselves and our societies. How simple the call, how much we struggle to implement it. 1049
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The Forbidden • “On the authority of Abu Huraira Abdul
Rahman ibn Sakhr (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) saying, ‘What I have forbidden you, stay away from. What I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you can. Verily, the people before you were destroyed only because of their excessive questioning and their disagreeing
with their Prophets.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
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•
The Arabic word ‘nahi‘ is translated here as ‘forbidden’, although it has two implications. There is the strict or complete prohibition of an act which makes something forbidden or haram, and then there is the recommendation to avoid something which makes an act discouraged or disliked, in Arabic makrooh.
•
The most apparent meaning in this particular hadith is that it is referring to haram or completely forbidden things, which would include adultery, fornication, drinking alcohol, stealing, murder and dealing in interest etc. We should do our best to avoid these things under all circumstances.
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Disliked or makrooh acts are also to be avoided, but there is no sin upon the person who performs them on an irregular basis. This would include acts like, for example, eating raw onion or garlic before attending the congregational prayer. The person who wants to attain a purer level of taqwa or consciousness of Allah (swt) and closeness to Him (swt)
should do their best to avoid both haram and makrooh acts out of fear of displeasing Allah (swt).
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Similarly to the term ‘forbidden‘ or prohibition, the term ‘order’ also has two levels to it.
•
The first level is an order that is obligatory on the believer and, under normal circumstances, they are not excused from performing these acts. These are also known in Arabic as wajib and include prayers, zakat, fasting, pilgrimage if one has the means, fulfilling one’s oaths and promises etc. If a person fails to do these things and they are within one’s ability, then in general, they are considered to have committed a sin.
•
The second level of order refers to the mustahabb or recommended acts, which include the sunnah prayers and spending in charity etc. If a person does these acts, Allah will be pleased with them and will reward them. But if they fail to perform these acts, then there is no
sin upon them. These acts serve to draw us closer to Allah (swt) and make us more beloved to Him (swt).
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• As the Prophet (saw) said in a hadith Qudsi (hadith containing the direct words of Allah): “Surely, Allah, The Exalted, said, “Whoever shows enmity to an ally of Mine, I have waged war upon him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have obligated upon him. My servant continues
to draw near to Me with the voluntary acts until I love him. Once I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask of Me, I would surely grant it to him. If he were to seek refuge with Me, I would surely protect him.” (Sahih al-
Bukhari)
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• SubhanAllah look at the Mercy of Allah (swt), He (swt) actually shows us the acts that will make Him love us. Our obligatory acts, performed with the correct intention and mindfulness, draw us near to Allah, but the recommended acts performed with the same mindset, make us LOVED by Him (swt). When we have reached this stage, He (swt) will guide us in everything that we do, and if we ask Him (swt) for refuge, protection or otherwise, He (swt) will grant that to us. • We should therefore ask ourselves whether we are indeed striving to perform the obligatory and after that the recommended acts such as sunnah prayers, giving in charity, extra fasting, making Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage) etc. How much effort are we investing in these important acts, when the reward is so great? 1057
• As we saw illustrated in the hadith of Jibreel, when the angel came to the Prophet (saw) to ask him (saw) important questions about the religion of al-Islam, some types of questioning can be very beneficial. Indeed, the questions that one must ask as they seek to understand their religion are actually considered obligatory upon us. We should seek knowledge and we must ask questions to do this. • So what then is excessive questioning and how can we avoid it? To assist us in understanding this we should first turn to the Qur’an, where Allah (swt) says: “O believers! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if you ask about them while the Qur’an is being revealed they will be made plain to you. Allah has forgiven that, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.” (Surah al-Maidah:101) 1058
• The reference here is to questions for which answers are not in fact needed, they are more hypothetical, or seeking ridicule. These kinds of questions are not allowed. They are the type of questions that were put forward by the hypocrites and disbelievers. During the time of the Prophet (s) in particular it was disliked to ask too many questions about permissible and impermissible acts, because it was feared that due to someone’s excessive questioning an act may become forbidden. We should therefore preoccupy ourselves with questions relating to the
understanding and application of the religion, and not hypothetical situations that may occur. It is reported that if one of the companions was asked about a hypothetical situation, they would say ‘Has it happened?’ and if the answer was negative, they would say, ‘Leave it until it happens’. 1059
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We can see here that the key lies in having the right intention in our seeking understanding and in our use of questions. We should have the intention of getting closer to Allah (swt) through a deeper understanding and practice of His (swt) religion. If we do that, Allah (swt) will guide us and show us the Straight Path.
•
Let’s make dua that we become of those truly knowledgable people who Allah (swt) spoke of in the Qur’an: “It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that truly fear Allah.” (Surah al-Faatir:28)
•
Differences and disagreements are one of the greatest means by which a people become weakened. People turn in anger towards one another and may even disagree with their leader, as is the case with the past people who disagreed with their Prophets. This can clearly be understood as a lack of submission.
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One of the clearest examples of people disagreeing with their Prophet is found in the account of the Tribes of Israel in the Qur’an. Allah says: “And (remember) when Moses said to his people, ‘Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow.’ They said, ‘Do you make fun of us?’ He said, ‘I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant.’ They said, ‘Call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is.’ He [Moses] said, ‘He [Allah]says, “Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young, but [it is] between the two conditions. So do what your have been commanded.’ They said, ‘ Call upon your Lord to make plain to us its color.’ He said, ‘He says, ‘It is a yellow cow, bright in color, pleasing the beholders.’ They said, ‘Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us what it is. Verily, to us all cows are alike. Surely if Allah wills, we will be guided.’ He [Moses] said, ‘Verily He says, ‘It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the fields, sound, having no other color except bright yellow’. They said, ‘Now you have brought the truth.’ So they slaughtered it though they were near not to do it” (Surah al-Baqarah: 67-71)
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These verses clearly illustrate obstinate and disagreeable behavior towards the commands of a Prophet, and thus Allah (swt). Instead of fulfilling what Allah (swt) had commanded them they began questioning.
•
We can find the same thing prevalent today. Many people question the wisdom of the teachings of Allah (swt) and His Prophet Muhammad (saw). Even when a ruling is clear they seek to question. Some will say, ‘Oh it is only a Sunnah‘ or ‘That was only for that time in Arabia’ as if the Sunnah does not form an integral part of the complete practice of Islam, and the example of the life of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was not the best example for all people for all time. This is in contrast to Allah’s description of the true believers: “The only
saying of the faithful believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, ‘We hear and we obey,’ And such indeed are successful. Whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, fears Allah and
keeps his duty [to Him], such are the successful.” (Surah alNoor:51-52) •
May Allah make us of those who ‘hear and obey’ and are successful. Ameen. 1062
Allah is Pure & Accepts Only Pure Deeds • On the authority of Abu Huraira who said: The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Verily Allah, the Exalted, is pure and accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He has commanded the
Messengers. The Exalted has said, ‘O Messengers! Eat of the good things and do right.’ And the Exalted also said, ‘O believers! Eat of the good things that we have provided for you.'” Then he [the Prophet peace be upon him] mentioned a man who after a long journey is disheveled and dust colored. “[The man] stretches his hands out toward the sky and says, ‘O Lord, O Lord,’
while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing unlawful and his nourishment is unlawful. How is he to be answered [in such a state]?” [Sahih Muslim]
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• The beauty of this hadith is that describes the quality of acts which are pleasing and acceptable to Allah. • It begins by stating that Allah (swt) is tayyib in Arabic. Tayyib literally means something good, but in reference to Allah (swt) in this hadith it means ‘the pure’. Allah, is pure and perfect and far above any imperfection or need. He (swt) possesses all of the attributes of perfection and completeness. He (swt) is not in need of any
partner or child. He (swt) does not need to sleep or rest. All of these attributes are implied in this one statement of the Prophet (saw) in which every form of shortcoming or weakness is removed from Allah (swt).
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• The scholars have said that this portion of the hadith refers not only to wealth that is pure, meaning earnt for lawful means, but to all deeds. That is, Allah (swt) does not accept any deed unless it is free from anything which would make it impure. Our actions should be lawful according to the Shariah. Our deeds must be free from ostentation or showing off, or seeking to please other than Allah, in other words it must be performed for His sake only. Our wealth should have been acquired using halal means (not from interest, or sale of liquor etc ) and our
sustenance should also be pure and good (halal). As we will see later in this hadith the entire way in which a person lives life can be taken into account when considering whether or not a deed will be ‘acceptable’ to Allah (swt). And any acceptance is through His (swt) Mercy, and He is the Most Merciful. 1065
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The are a number of ways in which a deed can by ‘accepted’ by Allah (swt). Firstly, Allah may pleased with the deed, praise the one who performed it, tell the angels about the deed performed and so forth. Secondly, the deed
may be rewarded in the Hereafter. Thirdly, the person may be considered to have performed their legal obligation of enacting the deed (ie they prayed). A verse in the Qur’an further states: “Allah accepts only from those who are God-Fearing” (Surah al-Maaidah:27) •
It is reported that the companions used to fear that their deeds would not be accepted by Allah because of this reason. If that was the fear of the companions, how much more should be the case for us?? It is clearly not enough simply to perform a deed for it to be accepted by Allah (swt) and for Him to be pleased with it. We should strive
to purify our intentions, our conduct and our sources of livelihood, as well as asking ourselves whether we really fear Allah (swt) if we hope to have our deeds accepted by Him (swt) and be source of reward for us in the Hereafter. 1066
• The food that one consumes to sustain themselves should be pure and good, or halal, and the money they use to purchase this sustenance should also be pure and good, and earned through halal means (not from interest, or sale of liquor etc ). • These actions are essential keys to having ones deeds will be accepted by Allah. It was a command which Allah gave to all the Messengers and which He (swt) has given to this nation also. Consuming what Allah (swt) has prohibited will
cut us off from His Mercy.
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“… a man who after a long journey is disheveled and dust colored. [The man] stretches his hands out toward the sky and says, ‘O Lord, O Lord,’…”
•
In this very moving example, the Prophet (saw) describes
a man who is need. He is at the end of a long journey; his clothes are disheveled and he is covered in dust. Usually, this state of need would put a person in a good position to have his dua answered. As the Prophet (saw) said: “Three
supplications are responded to: the supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveler, and the supplication of the father for his child.” (Recorded in alBukhari)
•
When we are travelling and we are in a strange land, far away from home and friends and family, perhaps facing hardships, our heart becomes softened and we are more inclined to realize our dependence on Allah (swt). This
feeling in the heart is one of the greatest causes for one’s supplication to be answered by Allah (swt).
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• The fact that this traveler was disheveled and dusty implies a simplicity and modesty of the part of the person which is also noted as being one of the causes for a supplication to be answered. The Prophet (saw) stated: “Many a person with disheveled hair is turned away from the doors [whereas Allah holds him in such high
esteem] that if he were to swear by Allah, Allah would fulfill that for him.” (Recorded in Muslim) • This man then ‘stretches his hands out toward the
sky’ which is another important characteristic in having your supplication answered. The Prophet (saw) said: “Your Lord is munificent and generous and is ashamed to turn away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him.” (Recorded in Ahmad) 1069
•
The Prophet Muhammad (saw) was known to raise his hands in dua. It is recorded in a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari that when he (saw) prayed for rain he (saw) raised his arms so high you could see the whites of his armpits.
Similarly when he (saw) beseeched Allah (swt) during the Battle of Badr, he (saw) extended his arms so much that his cloak fell off his (saw) shoulders. •
Finally, the traveler says, ‘O Lord, O Lord’. We can feel
here that the man is making an urgent request to Allah (swt), pleading with Him. By calling Him his Lord he is admitting his dependence on Him. Indeed many of the supplications that are found in the Qur’an begin ‘O Lord’
or ‘O our Lord’. •
In this simple description then, the Prophet (saw) described a man who, by all external appearances, appeared to be in a prime position to have his dua
answered by Allah (swt). But as we will see in the next post, there is a fundamental criteria that must be met before a dua can be answered, and this man, despite his need, had not met it. 1070
• Allah (swt), in His infinite His Grace and Mercy, has revealed to His Prophet (saw) factors which facilitate His (swt) answering of dua, as well as factors which can inhibit His (swt)answering of dua. This part of the hadith shows us some of the things we need to be careful about if we want Allah to answer our dua. • The Prophet (saw) clearly states in this hadith that the man’s food, drink, clothing and nourishment were unlawful, and for these reasons Allah (swt)
may not respond to his supplication, even though he was a traveler in need calling out to his Lord. This shows us that how we live, what we eat and drink and how we clothe ourselves are of fundamental importance to our relationship with our Allah (swt). 1071
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If our lives are filled with forbidden things, how can we expect Allah to respond when we ask of Him (swt)? If we do not respond to Allah’s call, how can we expect Him (swt) to respond to our call when we need Him
(swt)? •
Allah says in the Quran: “And when My servants ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then that I am indeed near. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. Therefore, let them respond to Me [My commands] and believe in Me that they may be rightly guided.” (Surah al-Baqarah:186)
•
It is recorded by Ibn Rajab in his work Jaami, that one of the companions of the Prophet (saw) said of dua, “Do not be surprised that the response is slow in coming as you have blocked its road due to your sins.”
•
Ask yourself if you can think of anything that you may be doing that is blocking your dua from being answered, for we are more in need of the answer to our prayers than we are of anything else in this dunya.
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Finger Dipped In Ocean • The Messenger of Allah (salla
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “By Allah, this world in comparison to the
hereafter is nothing but as though one of you dipped his finger in the sea. So ponder how much (of sea water), the finger returns with.” [Mishkat AlMasabih]
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The duration of the Day of Judgment is equal to 50,000 years. The sun will be brought overhead so that it is unbearably hot. People will be drenched in their sweat according to the amount of their sins. Some will be
ankle deep in it, some will be in it up to their ears. In this condition, people will be standing for hundreds of earth years and not even a minute of that day will have gone by. Those who love Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in
this world will be under the shade of Allah’s Throne on the Day of Judgment – the only shade available that Day. •
That is why Serve this world according to the time you
are going to spend in it, and work for the akhirah according to the time you are going to spend in it.” Luqman Hakeem advised his son: “After we have been standing in the same spot for thousands of years, our
life on earth is going to look like nothing!
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Make a ratio of your time on earth compared to your time on the single Day of Judgment. If you live for a hundred years, it is 100: 50,000. The time to spend each day in the pursuit of dunya comes out to be less than 3
minutes! The rest of the day should be spent preparing for the Day of Judgment. If you were to make a ratio between the time to be spent in dunya compared to the time in akhira, it would be 100 years: infinity. Any
number compared to infinity becomes zero. Effectively, the significance of the duration on dunya becomes zero. 0 minutes, not even 3 minutes! How is it possible that we spend all our time preparing for the akirah?
•
In other words, our dunya can be spent working for the akhirah -- at the same time that we fulfill our duties on earth. This can be achieved by fulfilling our roles and responsibilities according to the guidance of Allah
(subhana wa ta'ala). Ask yourself, "Am I spending all my time on earth working for the akhirah?"
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Unsuccessful Fisherman • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “If Allah has decreed a rank for one of his servants to reach, but his deeds will not suffice him to reach this rank, then Allah afflicts him with hardship with respect to his body,
wealth and children. Then he perseveres through this until he reaches the high rank that Allah has decreed for him to reach.”
[Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1079
•
Once upon a time two men went for fishing. One was a disbeliever and the other was a Muslim. When the disbeliever would throw his fishing net, he would take the names of his gods and his net would
fill with fish. When the Muslim would throw his net out, he would do so with Allah’s name, but no fish would get caught in his net. This continued till sunset when, finally, the Muslim caught one fish. •
However, this fish jumped out of his hands back into the water. So, this poor Muslim had to return home without a single fish, while the disbeliever’s bag was overflowing with fish. On witnessing this strange and sad outcome the angels accompanying the Muslim were upset and asked Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), “O our Lord! How is it that your Momin
servant, who takes Your Exalted Name returns empty handed while your disobedient, disbelieving servant returns with such success that his bag is full of fish?” 1080
• Allah (swt) showed the Muslim’s angels the beautiful palace that He had prepared for him in Paradise and asked, “O angel, after reaching this place do you think that any of the anguish and sadness that my Momin servant experienced because of his failure to catch fish will remain with him?” And showing the
horrible place prepared for the disbeliever in Hell, Allah (swt) asked: “Will those things that were granted to the disbeliever in life, be able to rescue him from the eternal punishment of Hell?” The angel replied, “O my Lord! I swear by Your existence that this can never happen.” [Imam Ahmad]
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The Eloquent Hypocrite • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The thing I fear most for my Ummah is
the eloquent hypocrite.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
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A hypocrite (Munafiq) is a person who hates or dislikes Islam yet claims to be a Muslim. The damage from Munafiqeen is far worse than the damage that can be caused by the Kuffar. This is
because since they claim to be Muslims, Muslims trust them and have their guards down with them. They attack from within the community. The enemy within your house can do more damage than the one outside it. •
Eloquent hypocrites artfully use their tongues to sow seeds of doubt (in Islam) among the Muslims. That is why Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has said that the place of the Munafiqeen in Jahannum is worse than the place the Kuffar will occupy.
•
When we look at how many Muslims are led astray
by people claiming to know Islam and ostensibly following it, it is no wonder that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) worried so much for his Ummah regarding artful hypocrites.
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A Believer in the Grave • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: "When a deceased person is laid in his grave, he hears the sound of the footsteps of people as they go away. If he is a believer, the prayer will stand by his head, the fasting will be to his
right, alms to his left, and all other good deeds of charity, kindness to relations, and good behavior will be by his feet." [Musnad
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
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• Then two fearsome, dread-inspiring angels, called Munkar and Nakeer, visit the soul to ask it about its religion, God, and prophet. The believing soul sits upright in its grave as Allah grants it the strength to answer the angels with full faith and certainty. Munkar and Nakeer: “What is your religion?”
Believing soul: “Islam.” Munkar and Nakeer: “Who is your Lord?” Believing soul: “Allah.” Munkar and Nakeer: “Who is your Prophet?” (or “What do
you say about this man?”) Believing soul: “Muhammad.” Munkar and Nakeer: “How did you come to know these things?”
Believing soul: “I read the Book of Allah (i.e. the Quran) and I believed it.”
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• Then, when the soul passes the test, a voice from the heavens will call out: “My slave has spoken the truth, supply him with furnishings from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open a gate for him to Paradise.” The believer’s grave is made roomy and spacious and filled
with light. He is shown what would have been his abode in Hell - had he been a wicked sinner - before a portal is opened for him every
morning and evening showing him his actual home in Paradise. Excited and full of joyful anticipation, the believer will keep asking:
‘When will the Hour (of Resurrection) come?! When will the Hour come?!’ until he is told to calm down. [Jami at-Tirmidhi] 1089
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Ask Your Heart • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Ask yourself for a decision, ask your heart for a decision
(saying it three times.) Righteousness is that with which the soul is tranquil, and the heart is tranquil, but sin is that which rouses suspicion in the soul and is perplexing in the
breast, even if people give you a decision in its favor.” [Mishkat AlMasabih]
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Everybody has within them the sense to distinguish right from wrong. And each person will be held accountable for using this sense. It is possible to twist facts and get people to give the decision that you want to hear, but if your heart is not at peace with the decision then know that it is most likely sinful for you to act on it. Unfortunately, if a person sins enough then the heart becomes dead and the ability to feel disquiet dies.
•
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Leave that which causes you doubt for that which does not cause
you doubt.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi] •
This hadith is one of the ahadith around which the whole religion revolves: it is the foundation of scrupulousness (wara) around which revolves certainty; and it brings relief from the dark oppressiveness of doubts and speculation. 1094
As Leaves Off a Dry Branch • “The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
shook a dry branch of a tree briskly so that all the leaves of the branch fell off. Thereupon, the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) observed:
‘The sins of those who say prayers drop off as the leaves of this dry branch fell off.’ Then the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) recited this Ayat of the Quran: ‘Establish worship at the two ends of the day and in some watches of the night. Lo! Good deeds annul ill deeds. This is a reminder for the mindful.’ (11:114)” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1095
• The Prophet (peace be upon him), in his capacity as the best teacher mankind has seen, used a striking simile with a visual aid to impress upon the Sahabah how the Salat purifies a person of their sins. • The leaves of a dry branch fall off easily. He took one and shook it vigorously. It quickly shed its
leaves. Having shown this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told the Sahabah that the prayer causes sins to drop off a person in the same way that the leaves fell off the dry branch. Having provided them with the incentive for Salat, he then recited the Ayat in which Allah tells us to establish prayer. Good deeds, such as Salat, annul the evil
deeds that we accrue over the day.
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Be Choosy • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “A man follows his friend’s religion. So each of you should consider whom he makes his friend.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
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•
There is a principle according to which you are said to become like the people with whom you associate.
•
Be amiable with all but very choosy about whom you befriend. Slowly and gradually the way you talk, what
you talk about, the way you dress, the way you behave, what you eat, how you spend your time, all end up becoming like that of the company you keep. •
If you befriend somebody who doesn’t pray regularly, eventually you will start missing prayers too. If your friends like to eat out at expensive restaurants you will start spending more money eating out too. If your friends mock bearded Muslims or women in Hijab you will end up participating in their sins.
•
On the Day of Judgement you will be raised with those whom you loved. May it never happen that we are
grouped with those people who are to be thrown into the Fire.
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The Hare and The Tortoise A tortoise one day met a hare who made fun of her. “My, my, you move so slowly, you will never get far!” The tortoises, upset by the hare’s manner, said, “Let’s have a race and see who is faster.” The hare laughed and said, “You must be joking! But all
right, we’ll see who reaches the other side of the hill first.” Off he ran, leaving the tortoise far behind. After a while, the hare stopped to wait for the tortoise to come long. He waited and waited till he felt sleepy. “I might
as well take a nap,” he thought. “Even if she catches up with me, I can easily win the race.” So, he lay down under a shady tree and closed his eyes. When the tortoise passed the sleeping hare, she walked on slowly but steadily. By the time the hare woke up, the tortoise was near the finishing line. He ran as fast as he could, but he could not catch up with the tortoise. Moral: Slow and steady can win the race.
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The Doors of Sadaqah • Abu Dhar al-Ghafari said: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: ‘Sadaqah is prescribed for every person every day the sun rises.’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, from what do we give sadaqah if we do not possess property?’ He said: ‘The doors of sadaqah are takbir
(Allahu Akbar), Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, Lailaha-ilAllah, Astaghfirullah, enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing thorns, bones and stones from the paths of people, guiding the blind, listening to the deaf and dumb until you understand them, guiding a person to his object of need if you know where it is, hurrying with the strength of your legs to
one in sorrow who is appealing for help, and supporting the weak with the strength of your arms. These are all the doors of sadaqah.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
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• In other words one does not need to have financial resources to earn the reward of sadaqah. There are many deeds that qualify as sadaqah with Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). In addition to those listed above the following ordinary courtesies are also sadaqah if we do them with the intention of pleasing Allah with them.
1. To administer justice between two people is sadaqah. 2. To assist a man upon his mount so that he may ride it is sadaqah. 3. To place his luggage on the animal is sadaqah. 4. A good word is sadaqah. 5. Every step taken toward prayer is sadaqah. 6. Your smile for your brother is sadaqah. 7. Planting anything from which a person, an animal or anything eats is sadaqah.
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The Story of Alqamah • “Alqamah (may Allah be pleased with him) was a very pious person. He spent his time in prayer and fasting.
At the approach of death he was unable to proclaim the Kalima Shahada, in spite of repeated instruction by those present. Alqamah's wife sent a messenger to Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) to inform him of Alqamah's grave condition. Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) enquired whether the parents of Alqamah were alive. He was
informed that Alqamah's mother was alive. Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asked the aged mother about Alqamah. She replied: ‘Alqamah is a very pious person. He passes his time in Salat and Saum. He performs Tahajjud, but he always disobeys me for the sake of his wife. I am, therefore, displeased with him.’
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The Story of Alqamah… Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘It will be best for him if you forgive him.’ However, she refused. Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to gather firewood. On hearing this order, Alqamah's
mother asked in consternation: ‘Will my child be burnt in the fire?’ Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Yes! Compared to the punishment of Allah, our punishment is light. I take oath by Allah that as long as you remain displeased with him, neither his Salat nor his Sadaqah is accepted.’ The old lady said: ‘I make you and all people present witness that I have forgiven
Alqamah. Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) addressing the gathering, said: ‘Go and see if the Kalima is on the tongue of Alqamah or not.’ 1110
The Story of Alqamah… After returning from Alqamah the people informed him that he was reciting the Kalima. Thus, he left this world with the Kalima on his lips. After burying Alqamah, Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘The curse of Allah is on the one who causes difficulty to his mother. The curse of the angels and the curse of mankind be on him. Allah Ta'ala neither accepts his Fardh nor his Nafl Ibadat as long as he does not repent and obey his mother. He has to gain her pleasure as best as he can. Allah's Pleasure depends on the mother's pleasure and His Wrath is concealed in her wrath.’” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
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•
This hadith is a reminder for us to be respectful and obedient to our parents and try to keep them happy with us. It is not a small matter to upset them for the sake of our friends or others who we value more. The only time that we are allowed to give preference to others is in the matter of others’ Allah-given rights, since no obedience can supersede obedience to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and His Messenger (peace be upon him).
•
Therefore, it is important to find out what the rights of our children, spouses, relatives, friends, and other
Muslims are, so we know what Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) wants us to do in case there is a clash between what different people want from us. This is the only proper way to balance relationships as it seeks Allah’s pleasure. Otherwise, mothers deserve our utmost attention, respect and obedience. 1112
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Records, Deeds, Person, All Weighed • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The scales will be set up on the Day of Resurrection, and a man will be brought forth and placed in one pan, then everything that was recorded against him will be placed in the other. The scale will tip against him, and it will be said, ‘Send him to the Fire.’ “When he will turn back, a voice will cry out from the presence of the Most Merciful, saying, ‘Do
not hasten! There is something left for him.’ A piece of paper will be brought forth on which would be written ‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allah,’ and it will be placed in
the pan with the man and the balance will tip in his favor.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1116
• This hadith indicates the value of the Kalima Shahadah “Laa ilaaha ill-Allah”; the value of acknowledging Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) as the One and Only worthy of worship. • This hadith also indicates that the person will be weighed in one pan along with his Hasanaat and his record of good deeds, and his Sayi’aat and record of bad deeds will be placed in the other pan. Ahadeeth mention that the doer of the deed, the deed, and the record of his deed will all be
weighed.
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Sirat Mustaqeem •
The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Indeed Allah has described a parable of the Sirat
Mustaqeem (Straight Path to Allah’s Pleasure and Jannah): On the two sides of the path are walls with many unlocked doors, each door having a curtain. There is a caller appointed at the head of Sirat Mustaqeem who calls out, ‘O people keep to this straight path. Don’t look at or go on the crooked paths breaking off from it.’ When a person traveling this path wishes to open one of these doors then a caller calls out, ‘Beware, do not open it. If you open it then you will adopt this path and leave the Sirat Mustaqeem.’ The Sirat Mustaqeem is Islam, and the walls are Allah’s Hudood (legal limits), and the open doors are the Haraam things forbidden by Allah, and the caller at the doors is the Quran Kareem, and the caller on the straight path is the living conscience gifted as a guide from Allah to the heart of every person possessing faith.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1118
•
The Sirat Mustaqeem is the straight path that leads to Allah’s Pleasure and Jannah. It is the surest, quickest and safest way of getting there.
•
This hadith informs us that the conscience that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has gifted each human being with, is to keep us on this straight path. It keeps calling to the person reminding him/her to stick to the straight path and stay away from the things disliked by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).
•
Our conscience tells us not only to not step on those paths but also not to even take a peek at them. This is because sin is tempting and many are those who will not be able to resist its pull. Once a person gets off a path, a deviation of even the slightest degree with time results in putting a great distance between the person and his/her desired destination.
•
The walls on the sides of the straight path are the legal limits that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) prescribes us to stay within. The doors in the walls are the Haraam (forbidden) things that take a person off track. The Quran is another caller warning us to not open any of these forbidden doors. 1119
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Excessive Joking • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): “Who will
take these words and apply them, or knows someone who will?” Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) answered, “I will, O Messenger of Allah,” whereupon the Prophet (pbuh) took his hand and enumerated five things, saying: “Avoid the unlawful (deeds) and you will be the most religious of people.” “Be satisfied with what Allah has allotted you and you will be the richest of people.” “Treat your neighbor well and you will be a believer.” “Love for others what you love for yourself and you will be a Muslim.” “Avoid excessive laughter for too much laughter kills the heart.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
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• Imam Nahlawi says: “The necessary condition for the permissibility of joking is that it does not contain lies or occasion fright, because this hurts others, and we are forbidden to do so.” • “Excessive joking is blameworthy since it eliminates one’s dignity and reserve and creates resentment in certain situations and people. It also
causes immoderate laughter, which kills the heart.” [al-Durar al-Mubaha fi al-Hazr al-Ibaha, quoted in "Reliance of the Traveler" by Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri]
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Pulling Back From the Fire • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa
sallam) said: “I am like a person who lit a fire and when the surrounding area became bright with light, the moths and insects began to drop
in the fire. The person is now trying with all the force at his command to stop these moths and insects from dropping in the fire, but the moths and insects are rushing towards the fire rendering all his efforts ineffective. Likewise, I am trying my best to draw you back and keep you away from the fire, yet you are bent on falling into it.� [Mishkat Al-Masabih] 1125
•
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came as a mercy for all mankind. After being commissioned with the message of Islam, he spent every day and night for the remaining twenty-three years of his life consumed
with worry, concerned that no one should fall into Jahannum. •
The love of the Prophet (pbuh) for mankind was such that he would spend the whole night crying, “Allahumma Ummati, Allahumma Ummati” (O Allah my Ummah, O Allah my Ummah). Every Prophet is given one wish to use as he pleases. Tears rolled down Rasul Allah (pbuh)’s face as his son Ibraheem was dying in his arms, but he didn’t use that wish to save his son’s life. He didn’t use that wish to save anyone of his family - not any of his daughters (radi Allahu
anha), not his beloved uncle Abu Talib, nor anyone else. He saved that wish to use for you and me on the Day of Judgement. 1126
• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) testifies to the concern of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in this ayat: “But will you, perhaps, torment yourself to death with grief over them if they are not willing to believe in this message?” [Quran 18:6] • He (peace be upon him) worried about us so much, yet how worried are we about ourselves?
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Rich Begging • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “The begging of a rich person will appear as a disfigurement on his face on the Day of Resurrection.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
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• One who asks from other people when he is not in need, will be humiliated with disfigurement on the Day of Resurrection, as he had unnecessarily disfigured his image in the world with begging. • Teach your children from day one not to ask people for things. All bad habits begin small.
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Retaliation • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “People shall be mustered on the Day of Judgement naked, uncircumcised, and possession-less, and a call will be made to them in a voice that those who are far shall hear as well as those who are near, saying: ‘I am the King, I am He who gives recompense: it is not meet for any inhabitant of hell to enter it while any of the inhabitants of paradise owes him something until I exact it of them. And it is not meet for any inhabitant of paradise to enter it while he
owes any of the inhabitants of hell something until I exact it from him, even if it be the requital of a single slap of the face.’” We asked the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam), “How will this be, when we meet Allah Mighty and Majestic naked, uncircumcised, and without a thing?” He replied, “With good and bad deeds.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1133
• Just retaliation is a fact of the Day of Judgement. No one will be able to avoid it. It is the day when Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) as King and Judge will distribute justice and nothing will escape His notice. Every gesture and every intention will be weighed in the balance. That day people will pay each other with their good deeds. If one person slapped another unjustly, he will have to hand over some of his good deeds to make up for it. If a person’s good deeds finish while he still owes people, their bad deeds will begin to be loaded into his account. • This news is a warning to each of us to watch ourselves, for no deed, big or small escapes Allah’s knowledge. It is also balm on the aching wounds of the oppressed. Such perfect justice is not possible on earth where you can’t undo most harm, you can’t turn back the clock, you can’t catch every criminal, you can’t prove many injustices. 1134
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One Whom Allah Loves • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “By Allah, Allah will never throw one who loves
Him and whom He loves into the Fire.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
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• Love is a reciprocal thing. Suppose you love someone from the bottom of your heart but regardless of what you do for them they do not reciprocate your feelings. While you look at them adoringly, they look past you as though you were invisible. You put everything on the side to serve them day and night, but they don’t acknowledge
your selfless love or any of your sacrifices. You stand by them through thick and thin, but they don’t value your feelings. You always try to do what pleases them, but they don’t ask for your opinion. They say about you things that are untrue and listen silently while your reputation is trashed. How long will your love last?
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• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has shown His intense and unceasing love for me; but have I loved Him in return? Have I given preference to Allah, His feelings and His opinions? • May Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) help me to become such that I reciprocate His love. “Those who believe are overflowing in their love for Allah.” [Quran: Surah Baqrah, Ayat 165] • May my love for Him become greater than my love of my own desires and may I value His
opinion more than that of people.
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Fitnah of Duyna • Abu Musa Ashari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “He who loves his dunya hurts his Akhirah, and he who loves his akhirah hurts his dunya. Therefore you should give preference to the one that lasts over the one that is to
perish.” [Mustadrak Al Hakim]
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• If you live in a rented house and are having your own house built will you spend a great deal of money, if any, on the rented house or will you try
to save as much as you can for the construction of your own house? When one works for the everlasting next life, they try to send whatever
they have forward. That means that they compromise their lifestyles in order to spend their money in Allah’s path. They compromise on their
leisure in order to put in more effort for their akhirah. They compromise on their desires so that Allah fulfills their every desire in the Hereafter. In short, they try to maximize the return on whatever Allah has given them in this world.
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• A look at the life of any of the Sahabah will show the practical application of this hadith. Allah repeatedly calls this world a “deception.” Despite being warned, we act as though it will last forever. We spend two or three decades on acquiring the “education” that will only serve us in this life. We then spend the rest of our decades trying to enjoy
this life as much as we can. But for the everlasting life that will begin with the blink of an eye we do not bother to prepare much. • Sufyan Thawri narrated that Eesa ibn Maryam (alaihis salam) said: “As fire and water cannot coexist within the same bowl; in the same way love of the akhirah and love of this world cannot
coexist in the heart of a Momin.” [Dham adDunya li Ibn Abi ad-Dunya]
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Manner of Advising • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “O Umar! You are a strong person. Do not jostle through the crowds to reach the black stone lest you injure the weak. If you find an opening, then touch it, otherwise simply face it and utter Tahleel and Takbeer (laa ilaaha illallaah
and Allaahu akbar).” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1147
• On one occasion the Prophet (pbuh) noticed that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was making Tawaf around the Kaabah and as he wished to touch the black stone, he jostled through the crowds and kissed it. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was very muscular and strong and on his way to the black stone he
could have harmed someone. The Prophet (pbuh) wanted to advise him in this regard, so in order to mentally prepare him for advice he started by saying, “O Umar, you are a strong person.” Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) became pleased upon hearing this. The Prophet (pbuh) then said, “Do not jostle through the crowds to reach the
black stone.”
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•
There was once a king who saw in a dream that all his teeth had fallen out. He called a dream-interpreter, told him what he had seen, and asked him to interpret it.
•
When the interpreter heard the dream his complexion
changed and he began to repeat, “Allah’s refuge is sought! Allah’s refuge is sought!” The king became worried and asked, “What is the interpretation of my dream?” The interpreter said, “After many years pass, your wife and children will die, and you will be all alone in your kingdom!” •
The king screamed, became furious, and began to hurl abuses and insults. He then ordered that the interpreter be imprisoned and called for another one. He again related to him what he had seen in his dream and asked him for the interpretation.
•
The dream interpreter smiled and said, “Glad tidings dear king!” The king said, “What is the interpretation of the dream?” The interpreter said, “It means that you will live for very long – so long that you will be the last of your family to die, and you will remain a king your entire life.” 1149
• The king became very pleased, showered him with gifts, and remained content with him whilst angry with the first dream-interpreter. In reality, both interpretations were the same, the difference was in the way in which the interpretation was conveyed. • A man’s flesh is not fit for eating nor is his skin fit for clothing – there is nothing in him except the sweetness of his tongue.
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Naked on Day of Resurrection • “When Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) heard the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) say: ‘Mankind will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, barefoot, naked and uncircumcised,’ she said, ‘O Messenger
of Allah, men and women together, looking at one another?’ He (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘O Aishah, it will be too distressing for them to be looking at one another.’” [Mishkat Al-Masabih] 1151
•
On the Day of Judgement all human beings who ever lived will be resurrected and gathered together. They will be naked, barefoot and uncircumcised. But the Day of Judgement will be too stressful for anyone to even notice
the other people around them, let alone look at them. Each person will be consumed with worry, so concerned about their fate that everything else will cease to be of significance to them. •
“And warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day that is drawing near (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), when the hearts will be choking the throats, and they can neither return them to their chests nor can they throw them out.” [Quran: Surah Ghafir, Ayat 18]
•
“O mankind! Fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour (of Judgement) is a terrible thing. The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant one will drop her load, and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state, yet they will not be drunken, but severe will be the Torment of Allah.” [Quran: Surah Hajj, Ayat 1-2] 1152
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1. The meaning of these dua (from 13-17) includes all the objectives/needs that a person wishes for: The final objective of any person is twofold:
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1) Gaining entry into Jannat. 2) Saving oneself from the fire of Jahannum. And for these two objectives, there are two
conditions. i) Obedience and ii) Being free from sin. Therefore, it adds up to four.
All the above are rendered in the above ayaat. (Bayanul Quran Vol. 2. P. 85) 1. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said “Destruction be to that person who recites these
verses and does not ponder regarding them�. (Ayah 190 / 1) Ibn Kathir Vol. 1. P. 450) 2. Abu Hurairah (r.a) narrates, Prophet (saw) used to recite the last 10 ayaat of Surah Al Imran every night. (Al Imran Ibn Kathir Vol. 1. P. 451)
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The Beautician of Firawn’s Daughter • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said: “When I was taken towards the heavens, I got a very pleasant odor. I asked Jibril about it and he said that it was the odor of the beautician of the daughter of Firawn and her children. I asked him to tell me more about them and he said: “One day she was engaged in the routine task of beautifying the daughter of Firawn when the
comb fell down from her hands. While picking it up she said, ‘Bismillah’ (In the Name of Allah). 1158
The Beautician of Firawn’s Daughter… Firawn’s daughter asked her if she referred to her father when she called the name of Allah. She replied, ‘No! But my
and your father’s Lord is only Allah!’ The girl asked, ‘Shall I reveal what you say (to Firawn)?’ She replied that she may tell
him if she liked. So, she revealed it to her father, Firawn, who summoned the beautician and asked, ‘Do you have any other Lord besides me?’ She answered, ‘Yes, my and your Lord is Allah.’ 1159
The Beautician of Firawn’s Daughter… Firawn had a fire kindled and a brass cow-shaped vessel was heated over it. When it was ready (very hot), he ordered
that the woman and her children be thrown into it. She interjected, ‘I have something to say.’ He said, ‘Go on say,
what is it?’ She said, ‘After we are burnt down, our bones (mine and the children’s) should be placed together in a cloth and buried in the earth.’ He agreed that he would do so. 1160
The Beautician of Firawn’s Daughter… Firawn commanded that her children should be thrown into the fire first. So, they were cast into it one by one. She watched that
until it was the turn of the last child, the new-born baby suckling its mother’s milk. This made her sob a little. The infant suddenly spoke to her, saying, ‘Mother! Jump into this fire! For the punishment of this world is very minor compared to that of the next.’ Hence, she jumped into the fire.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1161
• The Prophet (pbuh) learnt of this story on the night of Miraj (his ascension to the heavens). Through this hadith we learn of one of the beautiful rewards that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) gives to the Shaheed. The Prophet (pbuh) smelt the scent of the beautician and her children in Jannah and indeed the people who die in the path
of Allah go straight to Jannah. Everybody dies, but Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) tells us in the Quran not to call the Shuhada dead, for they do not in reality die but move directly into their existence in Jannah. That is why there is no funeral prayer that is prayed over the Shaheed.
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• In the midst of frightfully strong people there is sometimes a weakling who manages to create panic in the hearts of disbelievers. This is the story of one such woman who agreed to be plunged into a worldly fire than risk being thrown into the fire of the next world. • The beginning of the beautician’s trial was when Firawn questioned her, “Is there any Lord besides me?” She could have concealed her faith to save her life and the lives of her helpless, innocent
children. But she stood firm in her love of Allah and her testimony of faith.
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• It is the peculiarity of the field of love that those who enter it face a fresh trial every time. Allah says: “Alif Lam Meem. Do the people think that
they will be left alone because they say, ‘We believe,’ and that they will not be tried? And certainly We tried those who were before them. So Allah will certainly determine those who speak truly, and He will certainly determine the liars.” [Quran 29:1-3] • The faith of a person is tried according to his religious standing. The more religious a person the more he should be prepared to face trial. It is easy to make a claim but to get through with steadfastness is the real thing.
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• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) displays His power by raising believers in the centres of polytheism. Faith is the fragrance that spreads out through the
thickest of seals. This is what happened to the beautician when she uttered “Bismillah” on picking up the comb. When that happened she decided not to conceal her faith anymore. It is generally believed that a man’s life is his dearest possession. But this is not true for a mother. A mother’s life is meaningless without her children, and it takes terrible will-power to be responsible for their being thrown into fire.
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•
There have been six new-born babies who have spoken in the cradle as a manifestation of the power of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala): Eesa bin Maryam (alaihis salam), the child who spoke in favour of Jurayj Al-Abid, the
baby who made a supplication counter to its mother’s, the child who testified to the truth of Yusuf (alaihis salam), the one indicated in Surah Burooj concerning the Companions of the Ditch, and the child of the beautician of Firawn’s daughter in this hadith. •
This is not only a story of the past. Hazrat Ali (radi Allahu anhu) said concerning the emergence of Imam Mehdi, “He will come at the end of time when a person will be killed only for saying: ‘Allah, Allah.’” [Hakim in Mustadrak. Sahih on the conditions of Imams Bukhari and Muslim.] Each Hadith and each Ayat carries a
message till the end of time. How receptive we are to the message, depends on us.
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The Emperor's Seeds Once, there was an emperor who was getting old. It was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his children, he decided to do something different. He called the young people in the country to his palace. He said, "It's time for me to choose the next emperor. I'm going to give each of you a seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here in one year with the plant that you grow. I'll choose the person who does the best job to be emperor!" There was a boy named Ling at the palace and he also received a seed. He went home and told his mother the news. She helped him get a pot and plant the seed. Every day he watered and watched the pot.
After three weeks, other young people began to talk about their plants. Ling kept watering and checking his seed, but nothing grew. Many, many weeks went by. Still nothing. 1169
By now everyone was talking about their plants, but Ling didn't have one. Six months went by with nothing in his pot. He thought he had killed his seed. A year went by, and the young people brought their plants to the emperor. Ling told his mother that he didn't want to take an empty pot. But she encouraged him to take his pot and be honest about what had happened. Ling knew his mother was right. He took his pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was surprised at the variety of plants that people brought. When Ling put his empty pot down on the floor, people laughed at him. When the emperor arrived, he began checking the plants. Ling tried to hide himself at the back of the room.
Suddenly, the emperor spotted Ling with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was scared. "The emperor knows I failed! Maybe he'll punish me!
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Ling got to the front, the emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. The emperor announced to the crowd, "Everyone, look at your new emperor! His name is Ling!"
Ling couldn't believe it. He couldn't grow his seed, so how could he be emperor? The emperor said, "One year ago, I gave everyone a seed. But I gave you all boiled seeds that would not grow. All of you,
except Ling, have brought me plants. When you found that the seed would not grow, you changed my seed for another one. Ling was the only one with enough honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he will be emperor!�
The Prophet taught, "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 al-Bukhari, Vol. 8:116] 1171
Lessons from "The New Emperor“ • Integrity is being seamlessly whole. • Integrity is being true to who you are. • Integrity is taking everything – and everyone – as a whole, not dividing things as “yours” and “mine”, home and work, my idea and your idea,
what I want and what you want. • Integrity is the avoidance of deception and expediency. • Integrity is being the same person to everyone. • Integrity is doing what you say you’re going to do; keeping your promises; being a person of your word.
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Forbearance and Patience Most Loved • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said to al-Ashaj bin Abd Qays (may Allah be pleased with him): “You
have two qualities that Allah and His Messenger love.” Al-Ashaj (may Allah be pleased with him) became overjoyed and said: “What are the two qualities, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet (salla
Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Forbearance and patience.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1174
• Before you rush to settle scores with people remind yourself of this hadith. • One of the most striking examples of forbearance and patience is that of the Prophet Yaqub (pbuh). Consider how he dealt with his sons knowing they had been involved in foul play with his beloved Yusuf (pbuh), their stepbrother. His love
of his son Yusuf (pbuh) was such that he did not even like him to go out to play with his stepbrothers. Yet how many decades did he forbear while his heart bled, and his eyes became blind with silent weeping. • Allah tells us the stories of prophets in the Quran so we may model our behavior on their exalted characters.
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Mouth to the Trumpet • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “How can I enjoy myself when the one with the Trumpet has raised the Trumpet to his mouth, knitted his brow and is waiting to blow.” They said: “What should we say,
Messenger of Allah?” He (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Say, Allah is enough for us and the best Guardian. We have put our trust in Allah.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1176
•
The angel entrusted with the Trumpet is Israfeel (alaihis salam). He will blow three blasts on it at the command of his Lord, the Almighty and Majestic. The first is the Blast of Terror, the second the Blast of Swooning, and the third
the Blast of the Rising for the Lord of heaven and earth. •
What the Prophet (peace be upon him) was saying in this hadith is that when one is aware of the imminent end the world is coming to and the immediateness of his accountability before his Lord, then how can he enjoy himself mindlessly with the soon to end amusements of this world.
•
It is not possible for a Muslim to give precedence to entertainment over responsibility. Those who do not believe in reward in the afterlife may try to cash whatever they can in this world. But a Muslim knows that the
rewards of the afterlife are far greater. To him it is like taking $100 now or $1,000,000 after a month. The cash is not equal to the credit. So he/she prefers credit over cash. 1177
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Loved by Him • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah gives worldly things to those He loves and to
those He does not love, but He gives eeman (faith) only to those He loves, so he who is given eeman by Allah, has been loved by Him.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Al-Bayhaqi]
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•
The most priceless treasure on earth is eeman. This is the currency that will buy you eternal happiness and all the riches you want to keep forever. Thus, whoever is given the treasure of eeman is among the most beloved people
to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). •
If something is not in your share in this worldly life (e.g. car, house, nice clothes, good food), it makes no difference. The duration of this life compared to the life
that starts after this, is so short, that it will be as though it never happened. •
Material riches in this life could also be the lot of him/her who ends up for eternity in the Fire of Hell. Again, this life
is so short compared to the Hereafter, that despite having every luxury in the world, a person who ends up in the Fire of Hell will say that they never experienced anything good.
•
Thus, the only thing of real value is eeman, as this will take one to Jannah. This treasure is only given to the one whom Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) especially loves. 1182
Looking Away brings Sweetness to Worship
• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “A Muslim who accidentally looks at the beauty of a woman and, instead of continuing to look at her, lowers his gaze will be
rewarded by Allah with such worship, the sweetness of which he will clearly feel.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1183
•
We wonder what we are doing wrong that we don’t feel the connection with Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in our heart and in our lives. We are given tips on how to achieve Khushoo in prayer and focus, on where to
look, what to think, and what kind of prayer mat to use: But how can any of these tips be effective when we have ruined our connection with Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) by His disobedience? •
Looking at non-Mahram women is like drinking salty water, the more you drink the thirstier you become. Even a sip will make you ill. If your throat is parched with thirst, you are still better off not drinking anything than drinking salty water, for it will only increase your thirst and make you suffer more. If you have no sweet water (wife), strengthen yourself with
fasting. •
Refuse to look at women (except your wife). Be your own boss! 1184
1185
1186
1187
1188
Hearing unlike Seeing • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Hearing is not like seeing.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1189
• Allah says: “The mutual rivalry for piling up (the good things of this world) diverts you (from the more serious things). Until you see the graves!” [Surah At-Takathur, Ayah 1-2] • Truly, competing in accumulating wealth causes destruction in both worlds. But what is its cure? “Until you see the graves!” • Imam Qurtubi (may Allah be pleased with him) explains in his Tafseer: “The scholars say: It is recommended for him who wants to cure the diseases of his heart and who sincerely wants to begin obeying Allah to, 1)
Think about the destroyer of pleasures, the separator of groups and the finisher of sons and daughters - death,
2)
See those who have passed away, and
3)
Visit the graves.
1190
•
“These three things are recommended for him whose heart has become hard and who persists in sins, as a cure for his spiritual diseases and as a shield against temptations and Shaitaan. If contemplating on death
benefits him and his heart becomes soft once again, well and good. But if he persists in sinning, he should also visit the dead and their graves. It is possible that he take heed from the viewing of that which only thinking of
did not benefit him. •
“For remembering death notifies the heart about where it is going to end and is a warning to it: But seeing him who has already passed away and visiting the graves of the Muslims is witnessing it with one’s own eyes. This has a different and special impact. Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Hearing is not like seeing.’ (Ahmad) Thinking about death is not always possible and does not work for him who wants to cure the diseases of his heart immediately. Seeing a grave is faster, and its impact is greater. 1191
•
“He should learn from him who is already under the ground. (He should think about) how this person got separated from his family and his loved ones, after leading soldiers and armies, starting new generations
and families, and gathering wealth and provisions. Then suddenly, death approached him in a time he never expected, and he was caught in such shock he wasn’t able to handle it! •
“He who has come to visit the grave should contemplate on the condition of his brothers who have already passed away. These brothers of his had set such high hopes and accumulated so much wealth, now look at how their hopes are finished, and their wealth doesn’t do them anything. The soil has now erased the different qualities and traits of their faces and has separated the different parts of their bodies. After them it did the same to their women, it orphaned their children and divided their wealth among their heirs. 1192
•
“He should remember how these people ran after the world, how they strived in fulfilling their desires, how they even used deception to get what they wanted and how they depended on their health and their youth. He should realize that his inclination towards his desires and worldly things is like the inclination of these people, and his negligence of death is like their negligence. He should realize that he will end up where they are, for sure.
•
“He should contemplate on the condition of him who was persistent in achieving his ambitions, and now his legs have perished… This person who is now in his grave would enjoy looking at whatever he felt like. Now, his eyes
too are gone… This dead person would debate and overcome others with his eloquent speech and insects have now eaten his tongue... This person would laugh when he was pleased, and things went according to his way and now dirt has replaced his teeth… The believer who has come to visit the grave should understand that his condition is and will be like this person’s condition. 1193
• “After this contemplation and observance all worldly desires should become meaningless and the observer should start working for his Aakhirah. He should become austere and should begin obeying his Lord, his heart should soften, and he should humble himself before his Lord.”
1194
Inquire About Relatives • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Inquire after your relatives so that you can perform
Silah Rehmi. Without doubt Silah Rehmi creates love among relatives, abundance in wealth, and increase in life span.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1195
• To fulfill the rights of Silah Rehmi, when dealing with relatives keep the following five points in mind: 1)
Inquire about them,
2)
Help and cooperate in their time of need,
3)
Try to remove the hardships they are encountering,
4)
Meet them with a cheerful face,
5)
Pray for their well-being in both worlds.
• What is not Silah Rehmi? Suppose your relatives need help in kidnapping a person or in planning a burglary, should you help them? No, because this will get you in trouble. If you get caught, then you risk going to prison. If you don’t get caught, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is
still watching and will punish you severely on the Day of Judgement.
1196
• Thus, helping relatives with crimes is not Silah Rehmi: Silah Rehmi is to advise them against it, try to stop them from acting on their bad intentions, and if nothing else works, then dissociating from them so you don’t get punished along with them. • The same logic applies if your relatives want to commit the crimes of backbiting, free mixing among men and women, having music in gatherings, mocking Allah’s religion or
Messenger, etc. It is no favor (Silah Rehmi) to your relatives for you to aid them in this or participate in their sins.
1197
1198
1199
1200
Human Heart Flip Flops • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do not be delighted by the action of anyone until
you see how he ends up.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1201
• Do not say anything good or bad about a person until you see how he ends, because the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “The heart of the son of Adam is agitated more severely than the cooking pot when it boils.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] • Do not say about any Muslim that he is a person of Paradise or of the Fire due to good or bad deeds, since you do not know what his final action before his death will be. You hope for Allah’s Mercy for him and fear for him because of
his sins. You do not know what has been destined for him at the time of his death as regards repentance. So you pray and hope that something good has been destined for Him at the time of his death. Pray for a death in the state of Islam for yourself too. 1202
How to be Grateful • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) once told Muadh (radi Allahu anhu): “By Allah, you are dear to me! So do not forget to say at the end of each prayer, ‘O Allah, help me in remembering You, in being grateful to You and in serving You well.’” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1203
•
Gratitude is thanking the One who grants blessings for His generosity. The gratitude of a servant should have three qualities, without which it can hardly be considered to be gratitude. They are the inner recognition and
appreciation of the blessing, speaking about it openly, and using it as a means to worshipping Him. •
Gratitude is a matter for the heart, the tongue and the limbs. The heart is for knowledge and love of Him; the
tongue is for thanking and praising Him; and the limbs are to be used in obeying the One Who is being thanked, and in holding back from committing disobedient acts. •
Abu Hazim said: “As for the one who uses only his tongue
to express his gratitude, he is like a man who only covers himself with the hem of his garment without putting it on, so it is of no use to him in either the heat, or the cold, or the snow, or the rain.”
•
We must remember Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in our hearts, be grateful to Him with our tongues, and serve Him with all our faculties. 1204
1205
1206
1207
Humble before Tongue • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “When the son of Adam wakes up in the morning, all of his body parts humble themselves in front of the tongue and say, ‘Fear Allah with regards to our rights! Our wellbeing depends on you. If you remain upright, so shall we. If you
become crooked, so shall we.’” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1208
• We have been warned against uttering something callously without contemplating its consequences. • How many women have been divorced by their husbands merely due to the tongue! A man falls into an argument with his wife and she begins to repeatedly challenge him, “Divorce me! I challenge you to divorce me! Divorce me if you are a man!”
• He orders her to be silent, perhaps shouts at and scolds her. When things get out of hand, he destroys his own household by eventually telling her that she is indeed divorced. • For this reason, the Prophet (pbuh) advised that when a person gets angry, he should observe silence, because he otherwise will not be able to control his
tongue. • Animals have long tongues, yet they cannot speak. Man has a relatively short tongue, yet he cannot keep silent.
1209
Health Better than Riches • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is nothing wrong with being rich for
those who fear Allah, but for those who fear Allah, good health is better than riches. And peace of mind is also a blessing.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1210
•
This hadith tells us:
1) If we fear Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) then wealth won’t hurt us because we will use it appropriately. 2) If we do not have adequate fear of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) but do have wealth, it is very unfortunate for us. This is because we will spend the wealth in ways displeasing to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and earn His Wrath on the Day of Judgement for misusing the trust He placed with us. All the needy people of the world, to whom the wealth should have been channeled through us, will take our good deeds on the Day of Judgement. 3) Health is a greater blessing for the God-fearing than wealth is. Health allows us to perform deeds pleasing to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). The more wealth we have,
the longer our Reckoning will be. The less wealth we have, the shorter our Reckoning will be and the sooner we can reach Paradise if we have been God-fearing. 1211
(4) Peace of mind is a great favor of Allah’s. It is an enormous blessing to be depression, anxiety and frustration free. Peace of mind and tranquility of heart have no connection with wealth. They come from obeying Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and rejecting Shaitaan’s offers and advice. • Shaitaan’s name is “Iblees,” which means the one who causes despair. If we allow him to hang around us (for example, by having music or animate pictures in our environment, by not
praying regularly, by not keeping ourselves clean of impurities, or by doing anything Allah has forbidden us from doing), then we allow him to transfer his germs to us and we begin to suffer from tension and depression. But the despair his obedience causes is greatest on the Day of Judgement. 1212
1213
1214
1215
Meaningless Work • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is the excellence of a man’s faith that he
gives up meaningless work.” [Jami atTirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1216
• List all your activities and label them to see which belong to the category of meaningless. If the activity is not taking you towards a
meaningful goal for any of the roles that arise from your ideology (e.g. Muslim, parent, son/daughter, self, breadwinner, daee, etc), then it would be to your advantage to replace it with more meaningful activity. Anything that does not bring you closer to Jannat and distance you from the Fire is meaningless in the long run and will cause you to regret when it is too late why you bothered to waste your time with it.
1217
Hell for Mistreating Allah's Creation • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “I was shown Hell, and I saw a woman of Banu Isra’eel who was being punished because of a cat that she had owned.
She tied it up and did not feed it, or let it eat of the vermin of the earth, until it died of hunger.” [Mishkat AlMasabih]
1218
• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is Ar-Rahman and ArRaheem. He has commanded us likewise, to be merciful to His creation. • “If this is the case for one who tormented a cat, then how will it be for those who use all kinds of methods to torture human beings, especially when it is the righteous who are being tortured for their faith and their Islam?” [Islamic Creed Series: Paradise and Hell in the Light of the Quran and Sunnah by Dr. Umar S. Ashqar]
1219
1220
1221
1. The word “Amanna” does not refer to the AhlulKitab’s past Iman but it refers to their bringing Iman of the present and being included amongst
the group of believers. The word Rabbana clarifies that they are bringing the true Iman and not the superficial Iman like the hypocrites. By the word “Ash-shahidin” the ummah of Prophet (saw) is
meant, those who will give testimony regarding the conveyance of the message of Prophet (saw). (Tafsir Mazhari Vol. 4. P. 18)
1222
1223
Miserly Beyond Words • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The miser is the one in whose presence I
am mentioned and yet he does not invoke blessings on me.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1224
• How much effort does it take to say “salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam”? Is it so much to ask for, for the person who spent 23 years of his life for me? So that Islam could reach me, and I could be with him in Paradise? • Indeed, I would be a miser if I could not take a few seconds out to ask Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to bless the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam).
1225
1226
1227
Wisdom of Iyas Ibn Muawiyah A man came to Iyas Ibn Mu'awiyah, a Muslim judge famous for his wisdom, and the following conversation took place between them:
Man: What is the Islamic ruling regarding wine? Judge: It is Haram (Forbidden). Man: How about water? Judge: It is Halal (Permissible). Man: How about dates and grapes? Judge: They are Halal. Man: Why is it that all these ingredients are Halal, and yet when you combine them, they become Haram? The judge looked at the man and said: If I hit you with this handful of dirt, do you think it would hurt 1228 you?
Man: It would not. Judge: How about if I hit you with this handful of straw? Man: It would not hurt me. Judge: How about a handful of water? Man: It surely would not hurt me. Judge: How about if I mix them, and let them dry to become a brick, and then hit you with it, would it hurt you? Man: It would hurt me and might even kill me! Judge: The same reasoning applies to what you asked me!! Iyas Ibn Muawiyah Al-Muzani was a tabi'i Qadi (judge) in the 2nd century AH who lived in Basra (modern day Iraq). He was renowned for possessing immense cleverness which became a favourite topic in Arabic folklore.
1229
1230
Fast will Intercede • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The fast and the
Quran are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The fast will say, ‘O Lord, I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.’ The Quran will say, ‘I prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.’ And their intercession will be accepted.” [Musnad
Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1231
• On the Day of Qiyamah everybody will be desperate for intercession, if only somebody of high rank could plead on their behalf with Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). On that Day only those will intercede whom Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will allow to do so. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us that one’s fasts will be granted the power by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to intercede.
1232
No Obedience in Disobedience to Allah
• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "There is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator." [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal; Mustadrak Al
Hakim]
1233
• If a father and son sleep in one place, and the son wants to pray fajr but his father sleeps, does anyone suggest that the son needs to take permission from his father to pray the obligatory prayer? Suppose that the father forbids his son from performing the prayer, should the son obey his father? The answer is clear according to the
above-mentioned hadith, as well as the following one: "Obedience is in what is right." [Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim] • Therefore, it is clear that no permission is required for anyone from anyone when an act is fard ayn (individual obligation), just as no
permission is required from the father, the husband or the ruler for the obligatory fajr prayer. 1234
1235
1236
1237
Physical Forms of Surahs • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Read the Quran, for it will come forth on the Day of
Resurrection as an intercessor for its companions. Read the two shining ones – Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Aal-e-
Imran, for they will come forth looking like two clouds or two patches of mist, or like two flocks of birds spreading their wings, defending their companions.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih] 1238
• Many texts indicate that deeds will be brought forth on the Day of Resurrection in a form which is known best to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). For example, the Quran will come forth on the Day of Resurrection as an intercessor for those who read and acted upon it. Surah al-Baqarah and Surah Aal-e-Imran will come forth looking like two
clouds or two patches of mist, or like two flocks of birds spreading their wings, defending those who read and acted upon them. • So, do read the Quran, think about it, and live your life by it.
1239
Praying for Blessing on the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
• The Messenger of (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no slave who prays for blessing on me but that the angels pray on him as long as he prays on me. So let the slave do a little
or a lot of it.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1240
• The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is so beloved to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) that He has ordered angels to pray for blessings on every person who prays for blessings on him (peace be upon him). • As long as you are engaged in asking Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to bless Muhammad (peace be
upon him), angels remain engaged in asking Allah to bless you. • A short form of this Dua is to say: “salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam.”
1241
1242
1243
1244
Really Deprived • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “The blessed month has come to you. Allah has made fasting during it obligatory upon you. During it, the gates to Paradise are opened and the gates to Hellfire are locked, and the devils are chained. There is a night (during this month) which is better than a thousand months. Whoever
is deprived of its good is really deprived (of something great).� [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1245
•
Ramadan is the month in which Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) pours down His forgiveness and reward for good deeds. How much we gather depends on us.
•
If it is raining and you want to collect rainwater how
much you collect will depend on how many and which utensils you put out. If you keep a plate in the rain, you’ll catch a little of it. If you put a bucket out you’ll collect a lot more water. And if you put all your buckets, bowls, glasses, pots and pans and tubs out, you’ll collect the most that you can. •
Similarly, in Ramadan, Allah is pouring His Rehma, Mercy, Forgiveness, and Recompense for good deeds from the sky. Do we want to spend Ramadan sleeping away or collecting through as many good deeds as we can? Would we be as casual about it, if instead of Allah’s Rahma and Maghfirah it were raining $100 notes from the sky?
•
What Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is offering is much better.
1246
Poisoned Arrows • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The glance is a poisoned arrow of Shaitaan. Whoever lowers his
gaze for Allah, He will bestow upon him a refreshing sweetness which he will find in his heart on the day that he meets Him.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1247
• The unrestrained glance results in the one who looks becoming attracted to what he sees, and in the imprinting of an image of what he sees in his heart. This can result in several kinds of corruption in the heart of the servant of Allah. • Shaitaan enters with the glance, for he travels with it, faster than the wind blowing through an empty
place. He makes what is seen appear more beautiful than it really is and transforms it into an idol for the heart to worship. Then he promises it false rewards, lights the fire of desires within it, and fuels it with the wood of forbidden actions, which the servant of Allah would not have committed had it not been for this distorted
image.
1248
• It has been said that between the eye and the heart is an immediate connection; if the eyes are corrupted, then the heart follows. It becomes like a rubbish heap where all the dirt and filth and rottenness collect, and so there is no room for love for Allah, relating all matters to Him, awareness of being in His presence, and feeling joy at His
proximity – only the opposite of these things can inhabit such a heart. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “The glance is a poisoned arrow of Shaitaan. Whoever lowers his gaze for Allah, He will bestow upon him a refreshing sweetness which he will find in his heart on the day that he meets Him.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1249
1250
1251
1252
Smile and be Encouraging • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Make things easy! And do not make them
complicated! Be cheerful! And do not be repulsive.” [Sahih Bukhari] • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Teach and give good tidings! Make things easy,
and do not make them hard!” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1253
•
These ahadith highlight the importance of being cheerful ourselves, encouraging others and making them optimistic. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said that a believer should have two wings; one of fear and one of
good hope in Allah. If a person were unrealistically optimistic, they would stop working to achieve their goals, thinking that things will come to them anyway. On the other hand, pessimism also prevents a person
from acting, since they have no hope and see no good in doing anything. Therefore, as teachers we should encourage optimism at the same time that we discourage overconfidence. •
The first hadith also points out that when a person is not cheerful, they do not possess the ability to draw other people to them, instead, they repel them. One of the ways to be cheerful is to smile. The Sahabah told us that nobody smiled more than the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him). This is proof enough for us to smile. 1254
• Current research tells us that the physical act of smiling releases certain chemicals in our bodies that help us fight disease, produce happiness, and properly modulate sleep and appetite. In addition, when the brain and heart activity of volunteers was measured, it was seen that a smile gave the same level of stimulation that 2000 bars of
chocolate would. Smiling encourages others to remember happy events, feel optimistic and be motivated. So, smile to make others more receptive to your message.
1255
Untruths and Eemaan Don't Mix
• The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “A Momin cannot have complete faith unless he gives up falsehood in his jokes and debates, though in all other matters he speaks
the truth.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1256
• A person is not at the highest level of honesty till he gives us telling untruths even in jokes and debates. • Once we rid ourselves of lying to our children, lying in ordinary household matters, lying to relatives, lying in business dealings, and lying in the workplace, we need to move on to remove
lying from our jokes and lying to substantiate a point that may itself be completely valid. • Eemaan does not allow a person to lie. Lies and Eemaan don’t mix.
1257
1258
1259
1260
Seal My Lips When Angry • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “If one of you gets angry, let him be quiet.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn
Hanbal]
1261
• In Islam, the raising of voices is a sign of bad character and bad manners. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says in the Quran: “And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice, for indeed the harshest of sounds is the braying of the donkey.” [Surah Luqman: Ayat 19] • Anger does not justify the raising of my voice.
And if I am not to raise my voice, I certainly should not do worse than that and start swearing, taunting, or hitting! I should try to make my character worthy of Jannah, InshaAllah. • When I become angry, I must seal my lips.
1262
You Were Like Spit • One day the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) spat on his palm, then putting his finger in it said: “Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says, ‘O son of Adam! How can you run away from Me, when I created you from something like spit (semen). Then when I completed My creation of you and molded you appropriately, you started walking around in two sheets in such a way that your strut caused the earth to begin to shake. Then you gathered wealth and hoarded it and when your soul reached your collar bone then you began to say, ‘Let me
give in charity,’ though the time for giving in charity had passed.’” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1263
• When Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) created His servant, the man’s condition was such that he understood nothing and could do nothing. He did not bring anything with him of which he was owner, nor could he give anything to anyone, nor could he prevent anybody from doing anything. He could neither benefit nor harm anyone. In this
condition his complete dependence on a perfectly powerful entity was obvious, which everybody could witness. For a baby to be dependent in this way is true for every human being that is born. He always remains dependent on the One who created him. It does not happen that once he moves on to a different condition where he can
begin to feed himself and earn, he is no longer dependent on his Creator.
1264
• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), man’s Creator, bestows His blessings upon him, perfects His creation, dresses him in fine clothes, favors him with the abilities to think, understand and see, gives him knowledge, and gives strength to his arms and legs, till he begins to have other people like him work for him. He makes animals subservient to
his command, and he begins to dig canals in the land. He begins to plant orchards and cleaving the ground he lays the foundations for tall buildings. He begins to contemplate and work out his problems, and he implements procedures to protect himself from the harmful creatures of the earth. He achieves all this with the permission
and help of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).
1265
•
But what happens is that this poor creature begins to think that he has a share in the ownership of these things and he begins to think of himself as king along with Allah, even though he was well acquainted with
his prior condition. He forgets his previous helplessness, poverty, need and dependence, as though he were never a beggar and totally dependent on Allah, as though it were someone other than him
who depended on Allah to be born without defect, to be clothed, fed, and established on earth. •
Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is “Al-Ghani.” He is rich and you are poor. Whatever you have, is from Him. He does not depend on you, you depend on Him to satisfy your smallest needs. Don’t forget that. Don’t be proud, don’t hoard your blessings, and give charity generously in gratitude to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) well before your death approaches and your charity becomes meaningless. 1266
1267
1268
1269
Roaming Angels Take Salaams
• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah has roaming angels who come and inform me of the blessings that my Ummah invoke on me.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn
Hanbal]
1270
• If you want the Prophet (peace be upon) to know about you personally, ask Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to bless him. It’s a golden opportunity to have yourself mentioned to Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam)!
1271
True Repentance • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Feeling regret is a part
of repentance.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1272
• Repentance is invalid without regret because if there is no regret for having done something wrong, then this implies that the wrongdoer considers it acceptable, as well as alright to do again. • According to Al-Hasan al-Basri true repentance is, “when the servant regrets what has happened and
resolves never to repeat it again.” According to AlKalbi, “It is when the servant asks for forgiveness with his tongue, feels regret in his heart, and restrains his limbs.” [The Purification of the Soul, Compiled from the works of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya, and Abu Hamid alGhazali; Al-Firdous Ltd, London]
1273
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1275
1. This dua was made by Esa (a.s) at the request of his helpers. They requested him to make dua that Allah (swt) send down food from the skies so that they might eat and their hearts can be at ease and be satisfied that Esa (a.s) had spoken regarding his Rabb (Allah swt). When Esa (a.s) saw that their objective was valid he made this dua. (Mariful Quran Vol. 3. P. 267) 1276
1277
Quran Only Approach is Wrong • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “There will come a time, when a man sitting upon his couch is mentioned a hadith and he replies, ‘Between us and you is the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, so what we find
in it to be lawful we take as lawful and what we find in it to be forbidden we take to be forbidden.’ Indeed, what the
Messenger of Allah has forbidden is like what Allah has forbidden.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1278
•
Unfortunately we see this in our time, that people reject well known tenets and rulings of Islam saying that they are (in the hadith and) not in the Quran, while Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says in the Quran: ”And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you from, abstain (from it). And fear Allah. Indeed Allah is severe in punishment.” [Surah AlHashr, Ayat 7]
•
If you hear a man criticizing the ahadith, not accepting them or rejecting any of the ahadith from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), doubt his Islam. He is
indeed attacking the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and his Companions, since we have only come to know of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), His Messenger (pbuh), the Quran, what is good and bad, and of this world and the Hereafter through the ahadith. [“Explanation of the Creed” by Imam Al-Barbahaaree] 1279
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Lessons on Life There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the
youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment. The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.
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Who Overpowers Whom • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The most perfect among the Mumineen in
Emaan are those with the best character and the best among you are those whose character with their wives is best.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
1284
• We learn from this hadith that the highest standard of good character is good treatment to the wife. • Allama Aaloosi (rehmatullah) has related in Tafseer “Rooh ul Ma’aani” that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Those husbands who are merciful are overpowered by their wives,
while those who are hard hearted, who have bad character, overpower their wives.” • This means that the wives start speaking sharply, they become playful towards the husband and display coquetry, but they do maintain and fulfill their rights.
1285
Vault of Fate • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “When any one of you wants to have intercourse with
his wife, let him say, ‘Bismillah, Allahumma jannibna ash-Shaytaan wa jannib ash-Shaytaan ma razaqtanaa.’ Then if it is decreed that they should have a child as a result of
that, the Shaytaan will never be able to harm him.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih] 1286
• The meaning of this Dua is: “In the name of Allah, O Allah, keep the Shaytaan away from us and keep the Shaytaan away from what You may bless us with.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) urged us to seek Allah’s protection from devils at all times. • Some people wonder what the use may be of
making Duas. They say that since everything is preordained and the good and bad written in one’s Taqdeer will come to one anyway, why make Dua? But Taqdeer (Qismet/preordainment) should be understood as a vault, a very big safe deposit box. In that vault is one’s Paradise and Hell, good and bad. When we make Dua we ask
for the good things in the vault to be given to us.
1287
•
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim said to invoke Taqdeer to counter Taqdeer. Thus, if you have an accident, ask Allah for recovery from it. Since Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has kept every good thing stored for us in our safe deposit boxes, He gets angry if we don’t ask Him for any of those good things. To not ask Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) for things is to be ungrateful towards Him.
•
We can understand this from our own experience:
Suppose you gather together all the things your children would love to have. Then you ask your children if they would like to receive these wonderful presents you got for them. Some of your children run to you happily
saying “Yes, please!” and some of your children keep sitting indifferently, saying, “Well, if you got them for us, you’ll give them to us anyway.” Which attitude of your children would you be more pleased with?
•
Ask for the good that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has deposited in the vault for you and ask Him to keep the bad in it away from you. 1288
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Good Planning • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no wisdom equal to good
planning.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
1292
• Although the Messenger of Allah was Allah’s Messenger he planned. Angels came to assist him but after he had planned to the best of his ability with the best resources that he could muster. This is because he had to set a precedent for us. • Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) does not need us to carry out His plans, or to serve His Deen. The reason we work for Allah’s Deen is only to give Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) an excuse to put us in
Jannah. So also for Allah’s pleasure we plan, in order to do our best possible, and thus to show our sincerity.
1293
• Suppose you invite 30 people over for dinner. But you don’t plan a menu, don’t do groceries according to the menu, don’t clean the house, don’t make any seating arrangements and don’t prepare any food. The doorbell rings and your first guest arrives. Will you be considered sincere in your invitation when your guests
find out that you are not prepared to receive them and have no food to serve them? • Sincerity shows in planning, while the outcome
is always in Allah’s Hands. While we plan extensively for our education, careers, and holidays, should we not also plan for getting to Jannah? • To have no plan is to have a plan for failure. What’s your plan? 1294
Finger Dipped In Ocean • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “By Allah, this world in comparison to
the hereafter is nothing but as though one of you dipped his finger in the sea. So ponder how much (of sea water), the finger returns with.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
1295
•
The duration of the Day of Judgment is equal to 50,000 years. The sun will be brought overhead so that it is unbearably hot. People will be drenched in their sweat according to the amount of their sins. Some will
be ankle deep in it, some will be in it up to their ears. In this condition, people will be standing for hundreds of earth years and not even a minute of that day will have gone by. Those who love Allah
(subhana wa ta’ala) in this world will be under the shade of Allah’s Throne on the Day of Judgment – the only shade available that Day. •
That is why Luqman Hakeem advised his son: “Serve
this world according to the time you are going to spend in it, and work for the akhirah according to the time you are going to spend in it.” After we have been standing in the same spot for thousands of years, our
life on earth is going to look like nothing!
1296
• Make a ratio of your time on earth compared to your time on the single Day of Judgment. If you live for a hundred years, it is 100: 50,000. The time to spend each day in the pursuit of dunya comes out to be less than 3 minutes! The rest of the day should be spent preparing for the Day of Judgment. If you were to make a ratio between the time to be spent in dunya compared to the time in akhira, it would be 100 years: infinity. Any number compared to infinity becomes zero.
Effectively, the significance of the duration on dunya becomes zero. 0 minutes, not even 3 minutes! How is it possible that we spend all our time preparing for the akirah?
1297
•
Abdul-Malik LeBlanc writes in "The Bible Led Me To Islam": "During my Christian days.... I often wondered how a person was supposed to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)?....But when I was introduced to Islam
in 1987, and began to read and learn more about this way of life, I found that Islam provided divine guidance from God and Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) by which a person could pray (be in a state of worship) without ceasing, if it was the will of God. Whether waking up, eating, sleeping, putting on clothes, being in the presence of a woman, looking at a woman, going shopping, going to the bathroom, looking in the mirror, traveling, visiting the sick, sitting in a non-religious
meeting, taking a bath, having sexual intercourse with one's wife, yawning, cutting your nails, sneezing, greeting people, talking, hosting guests at home, walking, exercising, fighting, entering my house, praying and many
other acts, Islam and the guidance therein of the Quran, and the acts and sayings of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) provided ways in which I could observe 1 Thessalonians 5:17." 1298
• In other words, our dunya can be spent
working for the akhirah -- at the same time that we fulfill our duties on earth. This can be achieved by fulfilling our roles and responsibilities according to the guidance of Allah (subhana wa ta'ala). Ask yourself, "Am I spending all my time on earth working for the akhirah?"
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Misfortunes Enrich You for Day of Judgement • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allah will record one good deed for him and will remove one bad deed from him.” [Sahih Muslim]
• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Trials will continue to befall the believing man and woman, with regard to themselves, their children and their wealth, until they meet Allah with no sin on them.”[Jami at-Tirmidhi] • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “On the Day of Resurrection, when people who had suffered affliction are given their reward, those who were healthy will wish their skins had been cut to pieces with scissors when they were in the world.” [Jami at-
Tirmidhi]
1303
• Disasters and calamities are a test of the believer’s patience. • Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that
even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, ‘When (will come) the Help of Allah?’ Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!” [Surah al-Baqarah 2:214]
1304
• bn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Grief may be accompanied by that for which a person will be rewarded and praised, so it may be good in that sense, not that grief is good in and of
itself, such as one who feels sad for falling short in religious matters or for calamities that befall the Muslims. In this case a person will be rewarded for what is in his heart of loving good and hating evil, and so on, but grief in itself, if it leads to failure to do that which is enjoined, namely patience, jihad (fighting for Allah’s cause), seeking benefits and
warding off harm, is forbidden, but if the person does not give it up, and it is not recorded as a sin for him then he is fine.” • So the one who wishes that Allah would change his situation without any effort on his part and that of others like him needs to understand this. 1305
•
Al-Qurtubi said: “Tribulation and great hardship will happen until the matter of religion is taken lightly and people will care about nothing but their worldly affairs and how to earn a living. So worship becomes very
important at times of tribulation, as Muslim narrated from Ma’qil ibn Yasar in the marfoo’ report (one attributed to the Prophet): ‘Worshipping at times of tribulation and confusion is like migrating to join me.’” •
Hardships and afflictions erase our bad deeds from our records. Our patience through misfortunes is recorded as good deeds. When Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) wishes to favor us, He helps us with our Record of Deeds in this way, so that when we meet Him we are free of sins (them having been wiped out with misfortunes) and our Record is in good shape. Then its smooth sailing to Paradise, InshaAllah!
•
That is why some of our predecessors used to say, “Had it not been for misfortunes, we would have arrived in the Akhirah completely destitute.” 1306
Mika’eel has not Laughed • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said to Jibreel (alaihis salam): “Why do I never see Mika’eel laugh?” He replied: “Mika’eel has not laughed since the
Fire was created.” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
1307
• The sight of Jahannum and imagining its punishment has taken away the mirth of so great an angel as Mika’eel (alaihis salam). This should be sobering for us all.
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Iblees Doesn’t Tire • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The Shaytaan said, ‘By Your Glory and Majesty, I
will never cease to misguide Your slaves so long as their souls remain in their bodies.’ The Lord said, ‘By My Glory and Majesty, I will continue to forgive them so long as they seek My
forgiveness.’” [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal] 1312
•
Iblees is persistent in doing the evil that he has vowed to do; he never gives up or gets tired. In addition, he has extensive experience in the field of misguidance – millennia of experience. He always uses the same tricks,
yet we continue to fall for them generation after generation. •
The stories in the Quran and hadith are there for us to wizen up and avoid his traps. We should learn from the experiences of those who came before us.
•
It is most heartening though to know that despite our falls, Allah is there to forgive us and help us up again. The way that we behave if someone falls is that instead of helping them up we start throwing stones at them. But Allah is pure of defects and not vengeful. He helps us up again. We just need to recognize that we fell and that we need a hand to get up. Once we realize this and seek Allah’s help and forgiveness, He forgives us and puts us on track again. Alhamdulillah! 1313
Indulge in the Meadows of Paradise • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “When you pass by the meadows of Jannah indulge freely in them!” The Sahabah asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What are the
meadows of Paradise?” He replied: “The circles/gatherings of dhikr [gatherings where Allah Ta’ala is remembered].” [Jami at-Tirmidhi] 1314
• Beneficial knowledge brings us closer to our Creator and Sustainer. Many are the rewards for the seekers and teachers of ilm (beneficial knowledge). This is because it is through beneficial knowledge, knowledge of the reality of this world and knowledge of the Hereafter, that we draw nearer to Allah (subhana wa ta'ala),
which in turn brings us closer to Jannat. • It is a great blessing from Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) when a person is able to see and value the
things of this world as they really are. That is when he or she will be able to utilize their learning to benefit their Akhirah. As the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to, we should also ask Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to show us the reality of things as they really are. 1315
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Exchange Gifts • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Exchange gifts. This will generate mutual feelings of love
and eliminate feelings of animosity and estrangement from your hearts.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
1319
• The Prophet (pbuh) often sent gifts to his illustrious Companions (may Allah be please with them). The Prophet’s Companions (may Allah be please with them) also frequently exchanged presents among themselves. • The exchange of presents augments sentiments of love and creates a soft corner in the heart of the
receiver for the donor. • In the matter of exchanging gifts, always keep within your means. Whatever the status of the receiver, do not think that your gift should necessarily be a costly one. Give according to your means and whatever is easily available. • The real worth of your gift depends on your sincerity and the nature and depth of feelings with which you have presented the gift. It is sincerity, love and devotion that unites hearts. 1320
First to Enter • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The first of those who shall enter Paradise are the people who
do acts of kindnesses." [Al-Tabarani]
1321
• This story comes to us through the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that there was once a prostitute in the tribe of the Bani Israil. She passed by a dog going around a well about to die of thirst. So she took off her shoe and, tying it to her head wrap, lowered it into the well to get some water for the dog. Because of this one act of
kindness, Allah forgave her sins. • This shows us not only Allah’s love for humans and how He loves to forgive us, but also His love for all His creatures. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us that we are rewarded for every act of kindness we do to any creature. Every time a bird eats from your fruit tree you are
rewarded by Allah for that too.
1322
• In today's society though, it seems that kindness is reserved for animals while one's relatives and fellow Muslims are not considered worthy of it. Don't neglect them. • Instead of asking somebody to bring a glass of water for you, bring it for them. This is a kindness. To pay attention to a child's story is a kindness. To
give the elderly your time is a kindness. To share a particular skill you have is a kindness. To wash someone else's dishes is a kindness. To make room for somebody is a kindness. There are hundreds of kindnesses to do. Make it your goal for this week to seek out acts of kindness throughout the day and do them! Every little deed will count on the
Day of Judgment.
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Experience the Sweetness of Eeman • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Sight is a poisonous arrow of the devil. Whosoever, whether male or female, protects himself or herself from evil glances, will be granted a sweet eeman (faith) which will please his/her heart.”
[Al-Tabarani]
1327
•
The heart is like a container that you can keep filling with eeman. But each glance at a non-mahram makes a hole in this container of eeman. Like a bucket full of holes cannot hold water, so also does eeman keep pouring out of the heart of the person who does not restrain his/her glances to what Allah has permitted looking at.
•
The disease of checking out the opposite sex has unfortunately become quite common. Allah calls it an act
of the devil that causes eeman to turn sour. Therefore, if you would like to taste the true sweetness of eeman, you need to guard your glances and not look at what Allah has prohibited.
•
One needs to protect himself/herself from allowing their aurah (parts of the body men and women are required to keep covered and hidden from the eyes of others) to be seen by others. As we would wear armor if physical
arrows were assaulting us, so we should wear concealing clothes to protect ourselves from the poisonous arrows of the Shaytaan. These do not attack our physical body, but they attack our soul and tear holes in our faith. 1328
Pulpits of Pearl • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Some people shall be raised from their graves on the Day of Judgement in a state that their faces will be glowing with radiant light. They shall be seated on pulpits made of pearls. Other people shall envy their elevated state. These dignified people, however, will neither include
Prophets nor Shuhada (martyrs).” The Companions submitted: “O Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam)! Who are these
people? Tell us their distinguishing qualities.” Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) observed: “These are the people who love each other for the sake of Allah only.” [Al-Tabarani]
1329
•
When there is no benefit you wish to obtain from someone, and you love them only because of their devotion to Allah (swt), and because they are devoted to safeguarding Allah’s Deen, then your love of them is “for the sake of Allah.”
•
Those who love others for the sake of Allah (swt) are actually loving Allah. A saying in Urdu goes, “When you love Layla, even her dog becomes dear to you.” So how is it possible that a person be true in their love of Allah, yet not love others who love Allah and are striving in His cause?
•
The greatest sign of love is obedience. When you love someone you want to do whatever pleases him/her. You hate to do what you know your beloved dislikes out of fear of displeasing him/her. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says about the Momineen: “But those of Faith are overflowing in their love for Allah.” [Quran 2:165]
•
Thus, the Momineen are most careful about sticking to Allah’s Shariah – minding His likes and dislikes.
•
Loving for the sake of Allah is to love those Muslims who
ardently strive to please Allah with His obedience. Pulpits of pearl, faces radiant with light, and honor with Allah; these are the rewards for being true in your love of Allah. 1330
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1. This ayah proved that if a person’s minor sins are not forgiven, he will be punished for it as well. (Tafsir Mazhari Vol. 4. P. 283)
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Punishment Withheld from Forbearer • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah will withhold His punishment on the Day of Qiyaamah from one who withholds his anger.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
1335
•
On an occasion an Alim became displeased with his employee and began scolding him with these words, “Why did you commit such a foolish act?” To this he replied, “Forgive me for I have erred since I am a human being after all.” The Alim retorted, “You have committed this error no less than a dozen times, had it been once or twice it could be understood but you have gone way beyond the limit. You keep committing this error, how long do you expect me to tolerate your faults?” Another Alim who was sitting close by whispered in his ears, “Tolerate him as much as you desire to be tolerated on the Day of Qiyaamah.”
•
Therefore, one should forgive in proportion to the forgiveness one anticipates for oneself. Do not say, “How much must I
tolerate?” Keep on forgiving without measure. •
We should remember that people’s intellect is not all at one level. There are those whose faculties are deficient. Therefore, deal with people according to the level of their intellect. Do
not have the same expectation from each of them. In spite of being aware of others’ limitations people still say, “He understands fully well but is merely doing this to irritate me.” Is this form of suspicion permissible? [Peace of Mind by Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar]
1336
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The Tale of Two Frogs A group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, going about their froggy business, when two of them fell into a deep pit. All of the other frogs gathered around the pit to see what could be done to
help their companions. When they saw how deep the pit was, the rest of the dismayed group agreed that it was hopeless and told the two frogs in the pit that they should prepare themselves for their fate,
because they were as good as dead. Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump with all of their might. Some of the frogs shouted into the pit that it was hopeless, and that the two frogs wouldn't be in that situation if they had been more careful, more obedient to the froggy rules, and more responsible. 1339
The other frogs continued sorrowfully shouting that they should save their energy and give up, since they were already as good as dead. The two frogs continued jumping as hard as they could, and after several hours of desperate effort were quite weary. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to the calls of his fellows. Spent and disheartened, he quietly resolved himself to his fate, lay down at the bottom of the pit, and died as the others looked on in helpless grief. The other frog continued to jump with every ounce of energy he had, although his body was wracked with pain and he was completely exhausted. His companions began a new, yelling for him to accept his fate, stop the pain and just die. The weary frog
jumped harder and harder and - wonder of wonders! Finally leapt so high that he sprang from the pit.
1340
Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his miraculous freedom and then gathering around him asked, "Why did you continue jumping when we told you it was impossible?" Reading their lips, the astonished frog explained to them that he was deaf, and that when he saw their gestures and shouting, he thought they were
cheering him on. What he had perceived as encouragement inspired him to try harder and to succeed against all odds. This simple story contains a powerful lesson. Your
encouraging words can lift someone up and help him or her make it through the day. Your destructive words can cause deep wounds; they may be the weapons that destroy someone's desire to continue trying - or even
their life. Your destructive, careless word can diminish someone in the eyes of others, destroy their influence and have a lasting impact on the way others respond to them.
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Revenge • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Musa (alaihis salam) asked Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), ‘My
Lord! Which one is the dearest to You among Your creatures?’ Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) said, ‘The one who has the power to take revenge yet forgives.’” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
1343
• To forgive is a divine attribute. Nobody is more powerful than Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and able to exact retribution, yet no one is more forbearing and forgiving than Him. • If somebody came to my house, started insulting me, misusing my property, and disregarding my feelings, how long would I allow them to stay? This is how we behave with regard to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). We deny Him, insult Him, disregard His injunctions, all the while living on
His planet, yet we don’t hear that “so-and-so fell off the earth today.” Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) puts up with us, giving us time and a chance to change.
1344
•
He who desires to take revenge is entitled to, without exceeding what was done to him. If he is powerless to take revenge in his life he may do so on the Day of Judgement. On that Day each person will get the good
deeds of the person who did them an injustice or owed them anything (be it good behavior). If the oppressor has no good deeds left to give, then the bad deeds of the oppressed will get loaded onto him, in proportion to what he owed them. •
It is one thing to not take revenge in life because one is powerless to do so. It takes a character of much greater magnanimity to forgive when one has the power to exact revenge. Since Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is ever willing to overlook our faults and forgive us if we repent, to become beloved to Him we need to practice
the same in our relationships with His creatures. To err is human, but to forgive … is divine.
1345
Steep Mountain-Climbing • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “In front of you is a difficult ascent, which those
who are heavily laden cannot get over.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
1346
• Life is described here as a steep mountain we have to climb over. It is hard enough to climb with just the necessary supplies in a backpack. However, he/she who tries to climb it with two heavy suitcases in hand, in addition to the backpack, will not be able to reach the top. They may well die before they are successful in their
mission. •
Why is it important to climb high? Because only the successful mountain climbers will enter Jannah.
• What is the luggage that is weighing you down? It is your unnecessary involvement in the matters of this world, the things that will not count in your favor when your deeds are weighed in the Balance on the Day of Judgement. 1347
•
There are difficulties and many stages one has to pass before entering Jannah. i.e. Death, the grave, resurrection and the terrors of the Day of Qiyamah. Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) likened these to
ascending a mountain as a person encounters difficulties when attempting such an arduous task. •
Those who live simply and own less, will have less to account for, thereby making their task much easier.
•
The following translation of Surah Balad ayaat describe some aspects of this ascent: “But he made no haste on the Ascent (path that is steep). Ah, what will convey unto you what the Ascent is! (It is) to free a slave, and to feed in the day of hunger an orphan near of kin, or some poor indigent (down) in the dust, and to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance (constancy, self-restraint) and exhort one another to compassion.” [90:11-17]
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On the Most Evil • Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Islam will wear out as embroidery on a garment wears out, until no one will know what fasting, prayer, (pilgrimage) rites and charity are. The Quran will
disappear in one night, and not one verse of it will be left on earth. And there will be some people left, old men and old women who will say, ‘We saw our fathers saying these words: la ilaha illa Allah, so we say them too.’” “Silah asked Hudhayfah, ‘What will saying la ilaha illa Allah do for them when they do not know what prayer, fasting, (pilgrimage) rites and charity
are?’ Hudhayfah ignored him; then Silah repeated his question three times, and each time Hudhayfah ignored him. Finally he answered, ‘O Silah, it will save them from Hell,’ and said it three times.” [Sunan ibn Majah] 1352
• This indicates that in the last days, knowledge will be taken from the people, and even the Quran will disappear from the Mushafs and from
people's hearts. People will be left without knowledge. Only old people will tell them that they used to hear people saying la ilaha illa Allah; and they will repeat it to feel close to Allah. So it will give them some blessing, even if they do not have any good deeds or beneficial knowledge. Knowledge will be taken away from men and ignorance will increase during the last days. Ignorance and misguidance will increase until the end of time, as in the hadith of the Prophet
(pbuh): “The Hour will not come upon anyone who says, 'Allah, Allah'; it will only come upon the most evil of men.” 1353
Friends of Allah • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah Most High says, ‘He who is hostile to a friend (Wali) of Mine I declare war against. My slave approaches Me with nothing more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory for him, and My slave keeps drawing nearer to Me with voluntary works until I love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he seizes, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give to him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely protect
him.’” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 1354
•
Allah’s friends are those who are constant and sincere in obedience to Him. A friend (Wali) of Allah is one who is close to Him because of his devotion to Him, through obeying His commands and shunning the acts which he
has forbidden. Allah declares war against those who harass people because of their Islam. Allah says that He will fight such people Himself. And whoever such a thing should happen to, should expect only the worst
possible things to happen to him or her. •
This hadith also tells us that the obligatory deeds (Faraid) are the most beloved to Allah. Nothing makes Allah happier than performance of Faraid and keeping away from the forbidden deeds (Haraam). This is what makes a person a friend of Allah’s. We should also keep the performance of obligatory (Fard) and recommended (Sunnah/Nafl) deeds in perspective. It is said that the recommended deed amounts to but one-seventieth of the value of an obligatory deed. [Reliance of the Traveller by Ahmad ibn Naqib Al-Misri] 1355
•
Thus, whoever draws near to Allah through what is obligatory, and then through the recommended deeds, Allah draws him nearer to Himself and elevates him from the level of true faith (Iman) to the level of
perfection of faith (Ihsan). The consequence of this is the preservation of the individual’s whole person, so that he forsakes selfish desires and is wholly absorbed in obedience. •
This hadith is also a metaphor for Allah’s help and assistance. By Allah becoming someone’s hearing or sight or hand what is meant is that Allah helps the Momin to perceive what He wants him to perceive and do through his limbs what He wants him to do.
•
When a Momin becomes a friend of Allah’s, Allah grants the Momin what he asks for. This happened to many of the early Muslims, and Allah protects such a person from whatever he fears. Whoever draws near to Allah through the above will not have his duas rejected. 1356
1357
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1359
Fear of Allah • Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “A man who had never done a pious deed said to his family members, ‘When I die burn me to ashes and divide the ashes into two parts. Scatter one
of them on land and the other in the ocean. By Allah! If Allah gets hold over this body, He will punish it as severely as He may not have punished anyone else.’ When he died, his family members obeyed his instructions. Allah commanded the land to gather his ashes and it collected every particle of his ashes on it. And He commanded the ocean and it too gathered all
particles even from its depths. (Then He gave it life and speech and) He asked him, ‘Why did you do that?’ He said, ‘My Lord! Fear of You!’ So Allah forgave him.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
1360
•
This hadith highlights the importance of having fear of Allah. The man had done no good deed throughout his life despite Allah’s blessings on him, but at the time of his death the events of his life flashed before his eyes
and made him so fearful of Allah’s punishment that he instructed his family members to burn his body and scatter his ashes over land and sea in the hope that Allah would not be able to put his body together again
to punish him. •
The man made a gross misjudgment of Allah’s attributes and supposed that by treating his body in this way he would be able to defeat Allah’s plans to revive him. Allah, who has created life out of nothing, is fully capable of gathering scattered particles in the expanse of the universe and reviving the dead. However, Allah forgave the man because his wrong approach had been prompted by fear of Him and punishment at His hands. 1361
•
Thus, having the fear of Allah is a noble and valuable asset. Allah says in the Quran, “But as for him who feared the standing before his Lord and restrained his soul from caprices, surely the Garden shall be his
abode.” [79:40-41] •
This hadith also teaches us never to despair of the mercy of Allah Most High. We should hope that He will forgive everyone who makes a sincere repentance and seeks forgiveness. A believer must maintain two balanced approaches; that of fear and hope – fear of being punished and hope for His mercy. It is not correct to lean on any one approach alone. As a bird with one wing heavier than the other cannot fly so also having a disbalance in fear and hope will not allow a person to be a successful Muslim. An extremity of fear makes one too despondent to do good deeds, while over dependence on hope makes one neglect piety.
1362
Five Pillars • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said: “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no God except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger,
the establishment of the prayer, the giving of Zakah, the fast of Ramadan and the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
1363
• A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, tell me what Allah requires of me as regards fasting.” He answered: “The month of Ramadan.” The man asked: “Is there any other (fast)?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered: “No, unless you do so voluntarily.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
• The edifice of Islam is built on five pillars. The fasts of Ramadhan are one of the pillars that support the structure of Islam. The whole Muslim nation agrees that the fast of Ramadan is obligatory. It is one of the pillars of Islam, and if one disputes this, he cannot be called a Muslim.
1364
1365
1366
1367
Free to Believe • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah does not compel belief and leaves the people free
to believe or disbelieve.” [Sahih Muslim]
1368
• Winners carefully choose their beliefs whereas losers adopt them from others. “Supreme success” and the “greatest success” (as defined by Allah in the Quran) is admittance into Jannah. • Just as a person cannot be compelled to try to get admission into an excellent university, nobody can be forced into having the set of beliefs (and
resulting actions) to get into Jannah either. There must be sufficient motivation in the individual himself/herself to gain admission. • What we choose to believe or disbelieve is up to us. But the consequences have been clearly spelt out.
1369
No Body Hair in Jannah • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “The people of Jannah will enter Jannah hairless, looking as if their eyes are ringed with kohl, aged thirty-three.” [Jami atTirmidhi]
1370
• One of the aspects of beauty of the people of Jannah is that they will have no body hair. Nobody has to make any effort to keep themselves clean - its all taken care of in advance! Think how much time it will save us and what pains we are spared once we make it to Paradise InshaAllah. • Our eyes will look like they are anointed with kohl. No need for make-up, its all naturally beautiful!
• Each person will enter Jannah aged thrity-three, the age of strength, vitality and youth.
1371
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1373
1374
Final Prophet • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said: “My likeness among the prophets is as a man who, having built a house and put the finishing touches on it and
made it seemly, yet left one place without a brick. When anyone entered it and saw this, he would exclaim, ‘How excellent it is, but for
the place of this brick.’ Now, I am the place of that brick: through me the line of the prophets (Allah bless them and give them peace) has
been brought to completion.” [Sahih alBukhari] 1375
• Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the last in a long succession of prophets, that Allah sent to mankind over the millennia. Anyone claiming to be a prophet or messenger after him is a fraud, misled and misleading. Since the last prophet has come, we can deduce that we are in the final stages of life on earth.
• Since no prophets are to come after Muhammad (peace be upon him), Allah has taken it upon himself to guard the final revelation from being tampered with. It will remain in its original form till the Blowing of the Trumpet.
1376
Noblest Thoughts • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) went out to a circle of his Companions and said, ‘What is it that has caused you to sit together?’ They said, ‘We sat down to remember Allah and praise Him for He has guided us to Islam and been gracious to us.’ He (pbuh) said, ‘By Allah, is that the only thing that made you sit together?’ They said, ‘By Allah, we sat down for that reason alone.’ He (pbuh) said, ‘I did not make you swear out of any suspicion of you, but
Jibreel came to me and reported to me that Allah Almighty is boasting about you to the angels.’” [Sahih Muslim] 1377
• Imagine! Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) boasting about us! Us? All praise belongs to Him alone. It is His graciousness that He consider us worth talking about, let alone boasting of. • This boasting on the part of Allah Almighty is an indication of the nobility of Dhikr in His sight. The Dhikr that the Companions were engaged in, that caused Allah’s boasting, was mention of Allah’s favors on them and gratitude towards Him for being guided to Islam. These are the
noblest thoughts and feelings a human being can have.
1378
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1381
Old Dress • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whosoever puts on a new dress and has means, should give
away his old dress to the poor.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]
1382
• The Prophet (peace be upon him) guided us in all matters of life. A Muslim’s wardrobe is limited because they care about their fellow human beings, for the sake of Allah’s happiness. So when they get a new dress they should give away one of their old dresses to the poor. This is a way of recycling usable material and also taking care of
the needs of the needy. • As with all deeds, the intention should be to seek the pleasure of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) rather
than humanitarianism, taking care of the environment, or any other motive. Allah’s laws and recommendations already take care of people, their environment and, in fact, all creatures. It is our Maker and Cherisher we should seek to please. 1383
• When oil rigs are set up, the trillions spent are not for the useful by-product we call Vaseline. It is oil for which the expenditure is incurred, and petroleum jelly is just a useful by-product. So also, when we follow Allah’s laws and recommendations, the thing of real value is Allah’s Pleasure, while the resulting benefits to
humans and other creatures is the useful byproduct.
1384
False Advertising • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Avoid swearing falsely in order to sell your goods.
Apparently, it appears to be promoting your business, but in fact it lets your business down and damages the goodwill of your business.” [Sahih Muslim]
1385
• The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us everything of use to us, including business ethics. He told us how false advertising - making incorrect claims about the product we want to sell - hurts the business. Even if it appears to be increasing sales, it is damaging in the long run. • Does this mean that if I am willing to take on long
term loss for short term gain, I am free to do so? No, because false advertising is still lying and lying leads to the fire of Jahannum.
1386
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1. This dua will be made by the people of “the heights” (between Jannah and Jahannum) when their faces will be turned towards the fire of Jahannum. The meaning of the dua is that “O Allah do not include us
among the dwellers of Jahannum who are all oppressors.” (Mariful Quran Vol. 3. P. 564)
1389
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First Ummah to Enter Jannah • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “We are the last (Ummah to appear), but we will be the first on the Day of Resurrection. We will be the first of mankind to enter Jannah.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
1391
• The Muslim Ummah will be the first nation to enter Jannah. This is because they followed Allah’s commands most closely, in particular the command by which He has distinguished them and which is the basis of their excellence. • “You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for (the good of) mankind: you
enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and you believe in Allah. Now if the followers of earlier revelation had attained to (this kind of) faith, it would have been for their own good; (but only few) among them are believers, while most of them are iniquitous.” [Quran: Surah Al-e-Imran, Ayat 110]
1392
• Therefore, encouraging people to do good deeds and trying to prevent them from doing evil deeds, while believing truly in Allah, His names and attributes, is what distinguishes Muslims from other nations. It is what makes them worthy of entering Jannah before other nations. It is not the job of a clergy to bring people closer to Allah, but
every Muslim’s job to work in his/her own capacity to connect people with Allah and His commands. • Allah does not group people on the basis of race, color or ethnicity. People are either His followers or the followers of Shaitaan; even though Shaitaan promises nothing but lies while Allah promises
Jannah. Therefore, it is not a particular race or ethnicity that will enter Jannah but those most obedient to Allah’s commands. 1393
1394
1395
The Power of Istighfar This story about "Istighfar" is from the life of Imam Ahmed Bin Hanbal, who is considered as a renowned scholar of Islam and a famous theologian. Imam Ahmed is also considered to be the founder of the Hanbali school of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and is one of the most celebrated Sunni theologians, often
referred to as the "Sheikh ul-Islam" or the "Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah." During his old age, while Imam Ahmed was traveling, he stopped by a town. After the prayers, he wanted to stay for the night in the masjid yard because he didn't know anyone in the town. Owing to his humility, he hadn't introduced himself to anyone thinking that if he did, he would be welcomed by many people.
1396
The Power of Istighfar‌ Failing to recognize Ahmed bin Hanbal, the caretaker of the mosque refused to let him stay in the mosque. As Imam Ahmed was quite old, the caretaker had to drag him out of the mosque. On seeing this, a baker from a nearby place felt pity for this man (Imam Ahmed) and offered to be the host to him for the night. During his stay with the baker, Imam Ahmed observed that the baker
would constantly recite Istighfar (seek forgiveness from Allah). Imam Ahmed asked the baker if the constant practice of saying Istighfar had any effect on him. The baker responded by telling Imam Ahmed that Allah had
accepted all of his duas (supplications), except one. When he asked him what dua was it that hadn't been accepted, the baker replied that he had been asking Allah to provide him the privilege to meet the famous scholar
Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal. 1397
The Power of Istighfar‌ On this, Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal said that Allah had not only listened to his dua but had dragged him onto
his (the baker's) doorsteps. [Summarized from Al Jumuah magazine, vol 19, issue 7]
This story is a reminder of the power of saying Istighfar (seeking forgiveness) frequently.
1398
1399
Fifteen Traits of the Doomed • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “If my Ummah bears fifteen traits, tribulation will befall it.”
Someone asked, “What are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “When any gain is shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor; when a trust becomes a means of making a profit; when paying Zakat becomes a burden; when a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly whilst shunning his father; when voices are raised in the mosques; when the
leader of a people is the worst of them; when people treat a man with respect because they fear some evil he may do; when much wine is drunk; when men wear silk; when female singers and musical instruments become popular; when the last ones of this Ummah curse the first ones then let them expect a red wind, or the earth to swallow them, or to be transformed into animals.” [Jami atTirmidhi]
1400
• This hadith lists some of the evils that will befall the Ummah in its last days. Because of our committing these sins we will deserve to be punished. It is scary to see how many of these sins are now rampant amongst Muslims. • The first sin mentioned is that the wealthy will keep wealth among themselves exclusively, not letting it circulate and benefit the poor. Look at current tax laws and you will see this to be true. Another manifestation of this sin is the invitation of rich relatives to celebrations but not poor ones. This is also a way of keeping good things among the rich only, as it excludes the poor from even
benefiting from a meal.
1401
•
When people hold certain positions but only do their job when they are bribed, this amounts to using a trust to make a profit. Holding a position of responsibility is a trust/amanat, but we see politicians, government
servants and many others, instead bent on profiteering. Another example of using a trust to make a profit is the practice of banks loaning out to others on interest the money that people keep as safekeeping with them. •
The third trait mentioned in this hadith is that zakat will become a burden. This is also evident today. How many people happily give zakat, despite it being a purification of wealth and source of great reward with Allah ?
•
A man obeying his wife in preference to his mother is also a sin. This is provided that neither of them is asking him to do something haraam or that which compromises any other’s rights. There is no obedience if that obedience entails disobedience of Allah’s prescribed rules and laws. 1402
•
Unfortunately, we also see among Muslims today that friends take precedence over family, although rights through kinship are highly stressed in Islam. We also see people raising their voices in mosques in
argumentation and quarrels. The worst of a people being the leader of that nation also appears to be the case in many Muslim majority countries around the world. Consequently, people are afraid of the evil of
their leaders and despite their wickedness thus treat them with respect. •
As for the last four traits: Many members of the Muslim Ummah are gripped in the vice of drinking alcohol; many don’t think much of the sin of men wearing silk; female singers and music are entrenched in the popular culture of Muslims; and some deviant sects also engage in the repulsive sin of bad mouthing the first generation of Muslims.
•
We need to seriously repent and ask Allah to save us from the punishments that befall the sinful. 1403
Family Counts in Sadaqah • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “What a Muslim spends on his family, for seeking the pleasure of Allah, is also counted as charity.” [Sahih alBukhari]
1404
• Allah advises man to first be kind to himself and to the people in his home, then to his larger circle of relatives, and then to all human beings.
• When a man provides for his wife, children, parents and any other dependents, he is worshipping Allah by obeying Him. If his intention is to fulfill the responsibilities Allah has assigned to him, he gains the reward of performing good deeds, by paying for his family’s food, clothes, housing, medicine, etc. • Allah has forbidden both miserliness and extravagance (wasteful spending). We should spend in a balanced manner, keeping well away
from these two extremes.
1405
1406
1407
1408
Forty Women to One Men • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "A time will come when a man will go about with alms from his
gold and will not find anyone to receive it. One man will be seen being followed by forty women dependant upon him on account of the scarcity of men and excess of women." [Sahih Muslim]
1409
• This hadith reveals two of the prophecies of the Prophet (pbuh) which have not been fulfilled yet. One is that wealth will be abundant and the other is that females will greatly exceed males in number. This may happen due to wars, when more males will be killed. It might be that the birth rate of females exceeds that of males. Or it may be due to any other reason. As a result of pollution with oestrogen like compounds in Britain's rivers, genetically male fish in the
rivers have been found to be physically feminized in large numbers. SubhanAllah, when fitnah appears in society, nothing remains safe and everything is affected!
1410
Fasting Recompensed Without Measure • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Every good deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied between ten and seven hundred times, but Allah says,
‘Except for fasting, because it is for Me and I will give the reward for it.’” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
1411
• Among the actions which will be multiplied beyond measure, to an extent known only to the One Who gives the reward, is fasting. • The reason that the one who fasts will be given reward without measure, is that fasting requires Sabr (patience), and those who are patient will be given reward without measure. Allah says in the
Quran: “Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without measure.” [Surah AzZumar: Ayat 10] • Imaam Qurtubi said: “The scholars said, ‘Every reward will be measured and weighed out, except (the reward for) fasting, which will be poured out and heaped up.’” [Tafseer al-Qurtubi]
1412
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1415
Farewell Advice • Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "O people, your wives have certain rights over
you and you have certain rights over them. Treat them well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers." [Jami atTirmidhi]
1416
• Fair dealings and good behavior is necessary towards everyone, but the Prophet (pbuh), mercy for all mankind, emphasized it especially towards women. A man is rewarded for every morsel of food
that he puts into his wife's mouth. The best sadaqah is that which is spent on one's family and kindness to the wife is an aspect of faith. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "Among the believers who show most perfect faith are those who have the best disposition and are kindest to their families." [Jami at-Tirmidhi]
• Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet's wife, is one of the most famous women in Islamic history. She was gifted with outstanding intelligence and memory and is considered to be one of the most reliable narrators of ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). 1417
Misled by Debaters after Guidance • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “After receiving guidance no community went astray and did not deviate from the path it was following, except when debaters
turned them away from it.” [Jami atTirmidhi]
1418
• On account of their tongues, debaters do not stay within limits. They keep talking, feeling conceited and strutting along. For this group, the import of their words is of primary importance, while truth takes second place. They are responsible for their own misguidance as well as the misguidance of their victims.
• Such debaters may be among our families, colleagues or friends. They are very prevalent on mass media, on T.V., radio, in the print media and “scholarly” circles. Their slickness makes many people slip. • Each person should take care to avoid the gatherings and spell-casting talk of such people. We need to be very vigilant because, while they will shoulder blame for misguiding us, we will still be punished for allowing ourselves to be misguided by them. 1419
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1422
Oath on Patience and Begging • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “There are three men about whom I can take an oath. No man’s wealth can be reduced by charity. Any man who shows patience in the face of oppression, Allah honors him. And a man who opens the door to begging, Allah opens
on him the door to poverty and want.” [Sunan ibn Majah] 1423
• It often happens that with the people nearest and dearest to us we are least forgiving. Somebody says something harsh and Shaitaan immediately jumps to our side telling us to throw a brick in exchange for a stone. He incites us saying that unless we crush the other person in retaliation, we will never get any respect. • But this is not the formula for honor given by our beloved Prophet (pbuh). He told us to forbear the personal insults we receive if we desire honor.
• It is sad that we are willing to show forbearance when Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is insulted, and patience when Muhammad (peace be upon him) is maligned, but quick to react when the lowly persons of ourselves are treated contemptuously.
1424
• It is against the honor of a Muslim to ask of others – let alone beg. This hadith tells us that begging brings us no good anyway. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) guarantees that person poverty who stretches his hand out in front of others instead of Allah. • If you want anything pray and ask Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) for it. He is the source of everything anyway. Teach your children also to ask from Allah, rather than from you. If it is
written for them, Allah will put it in the heart of the person through whom it is to reach them.
1425
Marry If You Can, Otherwise Fast • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever among you can afford it, let him get married, for it is more effective in lowering the gaze and guarding chastity. And whoever
cannot afford it, then let him fast, for it will be restraint for him.” [Sunan anNasai]
1426
•
The Prophet (pbuh) recommended that Muslims get married. It is against the teachings of Islam to have the financial ability to get married but choose to stay single.
•
There is a specific code of conduct while in this world that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has outlined for those who want to spend eternity as they please in Jannah.
One of its requirements is to be careful with where one looks and guard oneself from looking at the opposite gender (except one’s spouse). What the eye sees, the limbs follow to. To look at forbidden things is the first step in the wrong direction. •
Being married helps to guard one’s gaze and remain within the boundaries of Islam. If a person is not able
to get married for some reason, then they should fast. Fasting helps to guard one’s chastity.
1427
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Fifty Thousand Books of Account • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was asked about the deed on account of which most people will enter Paradise. He (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Fear of Allah
and good manners.” [Jami atTirmidhi]
1431
•
Adjust your accounts with everybody. Account will be taken of you on the Day of Resurrection, and of your dealings with each and every person you encountered in life.
•
A pious Muslim said: “I saw a merchant in a dream and asked him, ‘What treatment has Allah meted out to you?’ He replied, ‘Fifty thousand books of accounts have been opened before me.’ I asked, ‘Are all these records of sins.’ He replied, ‘You will find one record for each person you have dealt with in the world. All have been recorded in these books of accounts.’” [Ihya Ulum Id-Din]
•
Each person you come across in life equals one book of accountability. We don’t just have monetary transactions with people. Our books of account will have our conduct with people recorded in them, each word, each favor and each injury.
•
Think of how many people you’ve come across in life. Estimate how many books of accountability you already have. Try to keep the awareness of your mutual book in mind every time you are in the presence of another human being. 1432
Modesty before Allah • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Be modest before Allah as it is proper to be modest.” The Sahabah (radi Allahu anhum) said: “We are modest before Allah, and for this we thank Him.” The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “This
is not modesty. The modesty that should be before Allah demands that you keep your head and all parts safe from falsehood, keep your belly and your food safe from forbidden things, and remember the condition of death and that of the grave; and he who wants to love the life of the Hereafter, should give up the embellishments and grandeur of worldly life, and should prefer the
Hereafter to the world. He who has done so has as if fulfilled the right of being modest before Allah.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi] 1433
•
We try to display our best conduct and behavior in the presence of those whom we consider great and whom we want to please. Before them we speak only as much as necessary. Every step that we take before them is
with caution and fear of their disapproval. •
A Muslim whose religion teaches him that he is never away from the sight of Allah, because he is in His presence day and night, is more awed by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) than he is by important people and more careful not to displease Him than he is cautious about displeasing important people. He is, therefore, more careful to obey Him than he is concerned about obeying the people important in his life.
•
If a person conducts his life with the consciousness that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is watching him, and if he
hates to be lax and defective in matters concerning Allah, then he has fulfilled the right of being modest before Allah. 1434
1435
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1437
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Greetings • A man asked the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam), "What Islamic traits are the best?" The Prophet
(peace be upon him) replied, "Feed the people, and greet those whom you know and those whom you do not know." [Sahih al-Bukhari]
1439
• One of the minor signs of the Day of Judgment is that people will only give salaam to the people that they know. [Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal]
• Nowadays we see that salaam is not considered the right of every Muslim. It used to be that salaam was given to any Muslim, whether one
knew them or not. In fact, if you offer salaams to strangers today, they might look at you funny, trying to figure out if they know you.
Nevertheless, let us make an effort to revive this sunnah for the love of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and as a practice of one of the best traits of
Islam.
1440
Miskeen • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The Miskeen (poor person) is not the one for whom a date-
fruit or two, or a morsel or two (of food) is sufficient, but the Miskeen is he who does not (beg or) ask the people (for anything) or show his poverty at all. Recite if you wish, (Allah’s statement), ‘…They do not beg of people at all…’ (Quran 2:273).”
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
1441
• One of the categories of people entitled to receive Zakat is “the Miskeen.” This hadith defines who a Miskeen is. It is not someone who is obviously poor, or who begs of people, but someone who is ashamed to let people know of his need and poverty. Such people can be recognized by their faces and by our sensitivity. Out of self-respect
they do not ask others to help them but suffer in silence. They are especially deserving of our help.
1442
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1444
1. This dua was made by Shuaib (a.s) when his nation refused to accept the truth. Shuaib (a.s) turned to Allah (swt) making dua. (Mariful Qur’an Vol. 3. P. 267)
2. “In reality Shuaib (a.s) made dua for the destruction of the rejectors from amongst his nation. Allah (swt) accepted this dua and destroyed the nation by a great tremor.”
1445
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Gift or Bribe • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) once sent somebody to collect zakat from a certain region. When the man returned, he handed some of the zakat over and kept some for himself saying that he had received it as a gift from the people. Allah’s Apostle then ascended his pulpit and addressed everybody. In it he said: “I employ some men from among you for some job which Allah has placed in my charge, and then one of
you comes to me and says, ‘This (amount) is for you and this is a gift given to me.’ Why doesn't he stay at the house of his father or the house of his mother and see
whether he is given gifts. By Allah whoever takes anything unlawfully will bring it on the Day of Resurrection by carrying it over his neck.” [Sahih alBukhari]
1447
• Giving or taking bribes is at the root of corruption. Islam clearly states that both the giver and the receiver of a bribe end up in Jahannum
(Hell). But how is one to recognize that he or she is involved in this practice? In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) describes a simple test
that each person can perform to check themselves, when receiving favors while serving in a particular position. They should ask
themselves whether what they receive is something they would be ‘gifted’ had they been sitting at home, i.e. not serving in that position. If the “gift” you receive is because of your office, so that you can use your position to do the gift-giver a favor, then this is a misuse of authority. 1448
1449
1450
The Pious Man and the Shopkeeper There lived a pious man all by himself, who spent most of his time in praying, fasting and praising Allah. Almost all his waking hours were utilized in meditation and devotions. He was very happy with his spiritual progress. No wicked thoughts came to his mind and no evil temptations entered his heart. One night, he dreamt a rather disturbing dream. He saw that a shopkeeper in the town was far superior to him in spirituality and that he must go to him to learn the basics of
true spiritual life. In the morning, the pious man went in search of the shopkeeper. He found him busy with his customers, selling goods and collecting money with a cheerful face. He sat there
in a corner of the shop and watched the shopkeeper carefully. No signs of any spiritual life at all, he said to himself. His dream could not be true. But then he saw the shopkeeper disappear to pray his Salah. When he returned, he was busy dealing with money matters again. 1451
The shopkeeper noticed the pious man sitting in the corner and asked:
"As Salamu Alaikum, would you like something, brother?" "Wa Alaikum As Salam. Oh! No! No!" said the pious man. "I don't want to buy anything, but I want to ask you a question." He then related his dream. "Well, that is very simple to explain," said the shopkeeper, "but you will have to do something for me before I answer your question." "I will do anything for you," replied the pious man. "All right! Take this saucer; there is some mercury in it. Go to the other end of the street and come back fast within half an hour. If the
mercury falls out of the saucer, you will hear nothing from me. There you go now.“ The pious man took the saucer and started running. The mercury nearly wobbled out of the saucer. He saved it just in time and slowed down. Then he remembered he had to return within half an hour, so he started walking at a fast pace. At long last he returned puffing and panting. "Here is your mercury, safe and sound," he told the shopkeeper. "Now tell me the true interpretation of my dream." The shopkeeper looked at the pious man's weary condition and asked
him: "Well, friend, how many times did you remember Allah while you were going from this end of the street to the other?" 1452
"Remember Allah!" exclaimed the pious man. "I did not remember Him at all. I was so worried about the mercury in the saucer." "But I do remember Him all the time," said the shopkeeper. "When I am doing my business, I am also carrying mercury in a saucer. I am fair, honest and kind
to my customers. I never forget Allah Ta'ala in my dealings with other men.“ "Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the remembrance of Allah (with heart and tongue) nor from
performing As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah) nor from giving the Zakaah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection). That Allah may reward them according to the
best of their deeds and add even more for them out of His Grace. And Allah provides without measure to whom He wills" [Al Quran, Surah an-Noor 24:37-38] 1453
1454
Focus on Yourself • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said: "O you who have entered Islam with your tongues but whose hearts faith has not entered: do not slander people,
and do not ferret out people's shameful points. Whoever searches out the shameful points of his brother, Allah will search out
his shameful points, and if Allah searches out a person's shameful points, be sure that He will disgrace him even if he should remain in the middle of his house." [Sunan Abu Dawood] 1455
• 1)
This hadith teaches us a number of things: It points to the difference between being a Muslim and being a Momin. A person who has embraced Islam but not reformed his heart and inner self
through it, is called a Muslim but not a Momin. 2)
One characteristic that differentiates a Muslim from a Momin is that a Muslim may be on the look out for people's hidden flaws and shameful secrets: but a Momin would never waste his or her time in such a disgraceful activity. This is because a Momin knows that in the Final Reckoning they will be asked about their own faults and not those of others.
3)
The punishment for someone who tries to find flaws in others is that Allah will surely disgrace them by making their shameful deeds public. These may be
things we considered done and hidden forever. But if Allah chooses to disgrace somebody, there is nowhere they can hide to escape the wretchedness of disgrace. 1456
• We waste so much time looking for and discussing the faults of others. Allah says, "That is a nation which has already passed away: there awaits it whatever it has earned, while you will have what you have earned. You will not be questioned about what they have been doing." [Quran 2:141]
Focus on that which is your foremost responsibility and in your control. Yourself!
1457
Good In Every Affair • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his, and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer: For if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (Allah), thus there is good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (enduring it patiently), there is
good for him in it.” [Sahih Muslim]
1458
• A Muslim is thus truly blessed, regardless of the circumstances of his/her life. A non-Muslim considers himself fortunate only if he is healthy, wealthy, happy and more. But a Muslim is lucky all the time. This is because he/she is accruing reward for Jannah whether they are healthy or terminally ill, prosperous or needy, relaxing in
palaces or rotting in jails. This is indeed a unique favor of Allah to his pious servants.
1459
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1461
1462
Four Signs of A Hypocrite • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever has (the following) four characteristics will be a pure hypocrite: If he speaks, he tells a lie; if he gives a promise, he breaks it; if he makes a covenant he proves treacherous; and if he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil, insulting manner (unjust). And whoever has one of these
characteristics, has one characteristic of a hypocrite unless he gives it up.” [Sahih alBukhari] 1463
• Make a check list of all un-Momin like traits that you find within yourself. At the end of each day check which shortcoming you succumbed to. Give yourself marks. See how long it takes you to achieve full marks, i.e. you display only Momin (believer vs. Munafiq/hypocrite) like characteristics that day. Then keep this up. Having
a visual check list and a grading system helps.
1464
Overlooking the Faults of Muslims • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim in this world, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and in the Hereafter.”
[Sahih Muslim]
1465
• It is a sign of noble character to overlook the mistakes of our Muslim brothers and sisters. As we err, they err. As we would like to be forgiven and have our deficiencies concealed, we should forgive and conceal their deficiencies. • This is relevant to those faults of a Muslim which pertain to his self. This does not apply where the rights of other people are involved. For example, you will conceal the fact that a person overeats, but you will not stay quiet when that same person
behaves dishonestly with public funds.
1466
1467
1468
1469
Gone to Ruin • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "When a man says, 'The people have gone to ruin,' he is the
most ruined of all." [Sahih Muslim]
1470
• Imam Nawawi explains that this hadith means that a person who continually finds faults with people and mentions their failings is the most ruined of all. He becomes worse than they are because of the sin he commits in disparaging and attacking them, which may also lead to conceitedness and seeing himself as better than
they. • Scholars concur that the condemnation only applies to someone who says the like of this out of contempt for people, considering them inferior and himself superior, despising the way they are because of his ignorance of the divine wisdom in Allah's creating them. But if one says it out of
sadness at seeing one's own religious failings and those of others, there is no harm in it.
1471
Muddy Puddle • Aisha (radi Allahu anha) narrated: “A man asked
permission to see the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam). He said, ‘Let him come in. What an evil man of the tribe he is!’ Or said, ‘What an evil brother of the tribe he is.’ But when he entered, the Prophet (pbuh) spoke to him gently, in a polite manner. I said to him, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! You said what you said, then you spoke to him in a very gentle and polite manner?’ The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘The worst people to Allah are those whom the people leave (undisturbed) to save themselves from their dirty language.’” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 1472
• What will happen to you if you throw stones at a muddy puddle? The mud will splash you. • Similarly, there are people who you save yourself from, keeping a distance, and if you must pass close by you does so with as little provocation as possible, for nothing can be gained by engaging with them. These people are hated by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) – the people whose dirty language and vicious talk one saves oneself from
as much as possible.
1473
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Good Morning • Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said, "When one of you sleeps, the Shaitan ties three knots at the back of his head and says for each knot: have a long night, so slumber. When you wake up and mention Allah, one of these knots is
untied. When you perform ablution, another knot is untied; and when you establish prayer, all of the knots are untied,
and you become alert and pleasant. Otherwise, you become wicked hearted and lazy.� [Sahih al-Bukhari]
1477
• So if you want to have a really good day, its not coffee that will keep you alert or antidepressants that will keep you in a good mood. What you need to do is wake up, take Allah's name, do wudhu and pray before morning arrives. Have a great day!
1478
Meaningful Words • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said: “Allah likes sneezing and dislikes yawning, so if someone sneezes and then praises Allah (saying Alhamdu-lillah),
then it is obligatory on every Muslim who heard him to say: ‘May Allah be merciful to you (Yar-hamukallah).’ But as regards yawning, it is from Shaitaan, so one must try his best to stop it as much as possible; if one says ‘Haa’ when yawning, Shaitaan will laugh at him.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
1479
• When a Muslim says “Alhamdu-lillah” upon sneezing, it becomes incumbent on those Muslims who hear him to say “Yar-hamukallah” in response. This is the right of one Muslim on another. Instead of saying “Bless you,” “Gesundheit,” or anything else, it is better to say that which pleases Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and
is a source of Hasanaat for oneself. • This hadith also tells us to suppress our yawns and not make sounds when yawning. Whatever
we do in order to obey Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will be put as a good deed on The Scale on the Day of Judgement when our deeds will be weighed to determine our future.
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Extinguish Anger With Water • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Anger comes from the devil and the devil was created from fire. Fire is but extinguished with water; so if one of
you gets angry, he should perform ablution.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]
1484
• When a fire breaks out, water is used to extinguish it. Since anger is like fire, using water will cool your temper. Do Wudhu. • To summarize the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), when assaulted with anger: 1.
Say "Audhu billahi minash-shaytan nir-rajeem.“
2.
If you are standing, sit. If the anger fails to subside, lie down.
3.
Remain silent.
4.
Make Wudhu.
5.
Pray two Rakaat Nafl.
6.
Remember to be merciful to Allah’s creation if you desire Him to be merciful towards you and
continue to have Him overlook and forgive your faults.
1485
Go Out and Get It! • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said: "Seek out that which benefits you, seek help only from Allah and never say you can't do it. If any adversity comes to you
do not say: 'If I had only acted in such-andsuch a way, it would have been such-andsuch;' but instead, say: 'Allah has decreed (it)
and what He willed, He has done,' for verily, (the word) ‘if’ opens the way for the work of Satan." [Sahih Muslim]
1486
• Through this hadith the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) tells us to: 1)
Seek the beneficial.
2)
Ask Allah for help.
3)
Be optimistic. Nothing is impossible if Allah wills it for you.
4)
Don’t cry over spilt milk.
5)
Trust Allah in what He has willed for you.
•
Time is like a river . . . You cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow has passed and will never pass again. If there is something that will benefit you, make every effort and go after it! Seek it out! There is no failure, only
lessons.
1487
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1490
Grazing Around the Edges • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi
wa sallam) said: “The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear and between the two are doubtful matters that many people do not
know about. Thus, he who avoids these doubtful matters certainly clears himself in regard to his religion and honor. But he who
falls into the doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful: like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing
therein and Allah's sanctuary is His prohibitions.” [Sahih Muslim] 1491
• The haraam matters are like a private ground, going into which we have been forbidden. It looks beautiful, but as soon as one sets foot on it, he/she falls into the deepest quicksand. In order to be safe, we should try to stay as far away from the boundaries of this forbidden land as we can. This means that those matters we are not sure about;
we should stay clear of. One may find several matters that lie in the grey area and are not clearly halal or haraam. The safety of one's eeman and akhirah is in avoiding them.
1492
Most Severely Tried • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam) was asked which people suffered the greatest affliction. He replied: “The prophets, then those who come next to them. A man is afflicted in keeping his religion. If he is firm in his religion his trial is severe, but if there is weakness in his religion it is made light for him. A man is continuously tried with an affliction till
he walks on the earth having no sin.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 1493
•
Aasia was crucified by Firawn. The People of the Ditch dug trenches out, filled them with fire, and then threw believers alive into them. The beautician of Firawn’s daughter and her children were thrown into fire.
Zakariya (alaihis salam)’s body was cut in two by a saw. Yahya (alaihis salam) was killed for his head to be presented to a dancer. In their eyes, they crucified Eesa (alaihis salam). •
Many attempts were made on the life of Muhammad (pbuh). Bilal (radi Allahu anhu), his Sahabi, was dragged by a rope tied around his neck on burning hot sand. Khabbab bin Arat (radi Allahu anhu) was weighed down on burning coals so that the fat from his skin would sizzle on the coals. Sumayya (radi Allahu anha) was martyred by being repeatedly stabbed by a
spear. Habeeb bin Zaid Ansari (radi Allahu anhu) was killed by having pieces of his body chopped off bit by bit. The list of Muslims tried is long and grows with each century. 1494
•
All scholars have unanimously agreed that patience (Sabr) is obligatory. However, higher than patience is Rida -acceptance of and satisfaction with Allah’s decree and judgement. Rida with Allah’s Al-Qadar means that there is
no looking back, no moment of regret or feeling sorry. Only Allah decides and what He wills He does. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) pours tranquility (Sakeena) on the people who display Rida in excruciatingly difficult
circumstances wherein they are helpless. Angels bring good news to them and show them their places in Jannah. •
When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saw the family of Yasir bin Amir (radi Allahu anhu) who had been chained,
whipped till blood flowed, and bodies burnt by torches, he wept, and said: “Yasir's family, be patient! Your reward will be Paradise!” •
When news of Habib bin Zaid Ansari’s death reached his
mother, she simply said, “I bore him for these days. I ask God to reward him. As a child, he pledged loyalty to the Prophet on the night of Aqaba. As an adult, he fulfilled his pledge.” 1495
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1. In this dua, there is an indication to the fact that if Allah (swt) does not wish and will, then man’s courage and hope will be of no use. Therefore dua is being made for firmness and steadfastness.
Because it’s only steadfastness, patience and firmness which can make a person victorious over one’s opponents. (Mariful Quran Vol. 4. P. 37)
1498