David’s Heiress

by Salman Dia-Eddine

:::

Me and running don’t always see eye to eye. Some days it hurts more than others. But it doesn’t mean I don’t do it. I deal with it and I keep running because not everything that is good for you always feels good for you.”

- Lance Armstrong.

:::

This is a story for Muslim women, about a young woman of their own, named Sarah.

Do you know her?

To you, she’s just another Muslimah. She’s of average height and weight. Maybe you’ve seen her in class. Or at the office. Or at the masjid. Maybe in the mall.

She’s does her part in the community. She’s probably active in the MSA, or maybe not. I don’t know for sure. But you’ve seen her there often. Sometimes, she pitches in at the masjid. Helps little kids learn to read the Qur’an or cleans up the floor after the Ramadan dinner. Sometimes, she helps out a friend or an entire family in a pinch – freely and willingly – with no expectation of return. Sometimes, she helps out by writing articles, or blogs, or posts about issues affecting Muslims today. At other times, she’ll lend a hand in organizing an event raising local or even regional awareness about important social issues.

Of course, she’s human. Sometimes she gets tired, but can only sleep for a few hours at most. Other times she’ll be out cold for ten hours at a time, prancing around in dreamland with whatever version of Brad Pitt she fancies. Or maybe its Clooney. Omar Shareef. Shahrukh Khan. Amr Diab. Who knows. Maybe her mom.

She tries her best to keep her eeman decently high. And she does better on that score than she gives herself credit for. She hauls her weight around the house. Even though she might get into disagreements with family members, she’ll still do her fair share of work without being vindictive. Yeah, like many others, her parents also have high expectations of her, to which she doesn’t always measure up. She’s clueless as to how much her parents appreciate her and make dua for her, but it doesn’t matter. The angels know, and God knows. She herself will know too, one Day.

Yes, she makes mistakes, and yes she trips every now and then. But she gets back up, her resolve undiminished. Powered by that modest bit of taqwa, her conscience kicks into auto-correct mode and she glides back on course. She silently asks God for strength, and so it is delivered. She asks Him for the patience to endure gracefully, and so it is delivered. She asks Him to help her keep that torch lit ever so brightly, and so it is delivered.

Its there in her heart blazing the way for her spirit and tongue to follow. It’s there in her mind’s eye, giving her the pre-emptive foresight to overcome those pesky mountains in her way. It’s that determined sparkle you see in her eyes, it’s the potent juice which recharges her battery, and it’s what illuminates the strong ice that her confident steps walk upon.

And although she doesn’t carry her grandfather David’s sling, his blood runs through her veins like the torrential waters of the Niagara going over the edge of the precipice. His unflinching courage and determination make her legs become oaks more firmly rooted in certainty than the massive monoliths of Redwood yore. His legendary aim is as native to her in whatever she does as the sand that blows across the Sahara.

Unbeknownst to her, Sarah’s reputation has preceded her, and robbed the Goliaths of their sleep. She has hope from God, and they have none. She will stand, and they will fall.

…

Sarah is you.

…

::: AFTERWORD :::

In early December 2008, I was on the phone with that sterling champion of justice, the lawyer Dennis Edney. We were discussing a public event that had taken place a few days prior at the University of Toronto, and at McMaster University. Dennis and other speakers had been invited to speak on issues and challenges pertaining to social justice, about detainees in Canada and abroad for whom they were legal counsel, and to motivate the packed auditorium to stand up for the rule of law, fairness, and equality.

During the conversation, he expressed his admiration specifically for the young Muslim women who had worked so hard in bringing those events to life. He remarked about how proud and delighted he would be if such calibre of a woman were to become his daughter-in-law. When I asked him if he would be willing to be quoted on that, he agreed readily and sent me the following email – quoted here verbatim:

Dear Sol;

There is not much more that I can add than what I earlier stated.

I was greatly impressed by the young Muslim women who arranged and participated in my speaking engagements at the U of T and McMasters. Their approach in presenting the message of social justice for all was a tribute to their leadership and professionalism. I believe we can all learn from their example.

I had mentioned these young women represented the best of womanhood in that they exuded intelligence, a strong sense of identity, purpose and dignity. These are all the hallmarks of true leadership. We have a great need for such leadership in this day and age. I can only hope there example will be a catalyst for young Muslim males to follow.

Had my son been associated with any one of these women, I would have been well pleased at his choice.

I will always be available to assist in any way I can.

Dennis

So I write this for Sarah to tell her to keep her eyes on the ultimate prize. That sparkling castle on 4600 Firdaus Lane, the laughter of the cherubs drifting across the clouds, the sweet cool waters of al-Kauthar, and the fresh sunshine of His Eternal Pleasure on her heart and soul. Everything else along the way is just gravy.

Sarah, keep going. This is that last mile, that challenging 12th rep. Kick in those afterburners, slam that pedal to the floor, and keep doing whatever it is that you were doing for His sake. This isn’t the first time you and your kind have stepped up to the plate. This isn’t the first time you’ve rallied the team when it’s down and overcome the opposing lead to take home the Cup. While the guys were simply aiming for left field, I saw you look straight at the Sun and told it to open wide, and I saw you belt one straight out of the stratosphere.

Out of our rib you were made, a fortified pillar you have become, and no man shall succeed without you at his side. Hidden behind that polite nod and the simple reply of “jazakiyallahu khayran” is a massive ocean of admiration and dua that you know not of.

But the angels know. And God knows.

And on the Day it counts most, you will know too.

:::

“The reward of every deed is known, except for the reward of patience, which will be like heavy rain.” – Sulayman ibn Qasim

My sincere thanks go out to Saima for her assistance in giving shape to my thoughts. May God reward her. Ameen

Salman Dia-Eddine

How to Paint Your Most Ideal Lfe

Advice by Sheikh Muhammad Alshareef

How to paint your ideal life:

Take out a pen and paper and at the top write: “If Allah were to give me anything in this world and they next, ANYTHING, what would I ask for?” There is no limit, keep writing everything you could EVER want.

Then, write 4 categories on a new paper: “Spiritual / Personal / Financial-Material / Contribution”

And under each heading, write down 3 or 4 of the things you are COMMITTED to working to achieve. The things you want the most. And be specific as to the date you are going to achieve them by. And what specifically will be achieved.

Then, take this list and make it your du’aa list. Made du’aa for these 12 things every day, all the time, in sujood, in qiyaam, all the time.

And, bi tawfeeqillah, it’ll be yours!

Seeking His Protection

bismAllah allathee la yadduru ma’ ismihi shay’
fil-ardi wala fis-samaa’, wa Huwa
as-Samee’ al-’Aleem

‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

“No slave of Allah says in the morning every day and the evening every night, ‘In the name of Allah by whose name nothing in the earth or the heaven can be harmed. He is the Hearing, the Knowing*,’ (bismAllah allathee la yadduru ma’ ismihi shay’ fil-ardi wala fis-samaa’, wa Huwa as-Samee’ al-’Aleem) three times without that ensuring that nothing will harm him.”

[Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

*Alternate translation into English: “In the name of Allah with those name nothing is harmed on earth nor in the heavens and He is The All-Seeing, The All-Knowing.” [via makedua.com]

A Man Named Rashed

A Man Named Rashed

This is a true story about a man named Rashed. He tells his story as follows…

I was not more than thirty years old when my wife gave birth to my first child. I still remember that night.

I had stayed out all night long with my friends, as was my habit. It was a night filled with useless talk, and worse, with backbiting, gossiping, and making fun of people. I was mostly the one who made people laugh; I would mock others and my friends would laugh and laugh. I remember on that night that I’d made them laugh a lot. I had an amazing ability to imitate others – I could change the sound of my voice until I sounded exactly like the person I was mocking. No one was safe from my biting mockery, even my friends; some people started avoiding me just to be safe from my tongue. I remember on that night, I had made fun of a blind man who I’d seen begging in the market. What was worse, I had put my foot out in front him – he tripped and fell, and started turning his head around, not knowing what to say.

I went back to my house, late as usual, and I found my wife waiting for me. She was in a terrible state, and said in a quivering voice, “Rashed… where were you?”

“Where would I be, on Mars?” I said sarcastically, “With my friends of course.”

She was visibly exhausted, and holding back tears, she said, “Rashed, I’m so tired. It seems the baby is going to come soon.” A silent tear fell on her cheek.

I felt that I had neglected my wife. I should have taken care of her and not stayed out so much all those nights… especially since she was in her ninth month. I quickly took her to the hospital; she went into the delivery room, and suffered through long hours of pain.

I waited patiently for her to give birth… but her delivery was difficult, and I waited a long time until I got tired. So I went home and left my phone number with the hospital so they could call with the good news. An hour later, they called me to congratulate me on the birth of Salem. I went to the hospital immediately. As soon as they saw me, they asked me to go see the doctor who had overlooked my wife’s delivery.

“What doctor?” I cried out, “I just want to see my son Salem!”

“First go see the doctor,” they said.

I went to the doctor, and she started talking to me about trials, and about being satisfied with Allah’s decree. Then she said, “Your son has a serious deformity in his eyes, and it seems that he has no vision.” I lowered my head while I fought back tears… I remembered that blind man begging in the market who I’d tripped and made others laugh at.

Subhan Allah, you get what you give! I stayed brooding quietly for a while… I didn’t know what to say. Then I remembered by wife and son. I thanked the doctor for her kindness, and went to go see my wife. My wife wasn’t sad. She believed in the decree of Allah… she was content… How often had she advised me to stop mocking people! “Don’t backbite people,” she always used to repeat… We left the hospital, and Salem came with us.

In reality, I didn’t pay much attention to him. I pretended that he wasn’t in the house with us. When he started crying loudly, I’d escape to the living room to sleep there. My wife took good care of him, and loved him a lot. As for myself, I didn’t hate him, but I couldn’t love him either.

Salem grew. He started to crawl, and had a strange way of crawling. When he was almost one year old, he started trying to walk, and we discovered that he was crippled. I felt like he was an even greater burden on me. After him, my wife gave birth to Umar and Khaled. The years passed, and Salem grew, and his brothers grew. I never liked to sit at home, I was always out with my friends… in reality, I was like a plaything at their disposal [entertaining them whenever they wanted].

My wife never gave up on my reform. She always made du’aa for my guidance. She never got angry with my reckless behavior, but she would get really sad if she saw me neglecting Salem and paying attention to the rest of his brothers. Salem grew, and my worries grew with him. I didn’t mind when my wife asked to enroll him in a special school for the handicapped.

I didn’t really feel the passing of the years. My days were all the same. Work and sleep and food and staying out with friends. One Friday, I woke up at 11 am. This was early for me. I was invited to a gathering, so I got dressed and perfumed, and was about to go out. I passed by our living room, and was startled by the sight of Salem – he was sobbing! This was the first time I had noticed Salem crying since he was a baby. Ten years had passed, and I hadn’t paid attention to him. I tried to ignore him now, but I couldn’t take it… I heard him calling out to his mother while I was in the room. I turned towards him, and went closer. “Salem! Why are you crying?” I asked.

When he heard my voice, he stopped crying. Then when he realized how close I was, he started feeling around him with his small hands. What was wrong with him? I discovered that he was trying to move away from me! It was as if he was saying, “Now, you’ve decided to notice me? Where have you been for the last ten years?” I followed him… he had gone into his room. At first, he refused to tell me why he’d been crying. I tried to be gentle with him… Salem started to tell me why he’d been crying, while I listened and trembled.

Do you know what the reason was?! His brother Umar, the one who used to take him to the masjid, was late. And because it was Jumu’ah prayer, Salem was afraid he wouldn’t find a place in the first row. He called out to Umar… and he called out to his mother… but nobody answered, so he cried. I sat there looking at the tears flowing from his blind eyes. I couldn’t bear the rest of his words. I put my hand over his mouth and said, “Is this why you were crying, Salem!”

“Yes,” he said.

I forgot about my friends, I forgot about the gathering, and I said, “Don’t be sad, Salem. Do you know who’s going to take you to the masjid today?”

“Umar, of course,” he said, “… but he’s always late.”

“No,” I said, “I’m going to take you.”

Salem was shocked… he couldn’t believe it. He thought I was mocking him. His tears came and he started crying. I wiped his tears with my hand and then took hold of his hand. I wanted to take him to the masjid by car. He refused and said, “The masjid is near… I want to walk there.” Yes, by Allah, he said this to me.

I couldn’t remember when the last time I had entered the masjid was, but it was the first time I felt fear and regret for what I’d neglected in the long years that had passed. The masjid was filled with worshippers, but I still found a place for Salem in the first row. We listened to the Jumu’ah khutbah together, and he prayed next to me. But really, I was the one praying next to him.

After the prayer, Salem asked me for a musHaf. I was surprised! How was he going to read when he was blind? I almost ignored his request, but I decided to humor him out of fear of hurting his feelings. I passed him a musHaf. He asked me to open the musHaf to Surat al-Kahf. I started flipping through the pages and looking through the index until I found it. He took the musHaf from me, put it in front of him, and started reading the Surah… with his eyes closed… ya Allah! He had the whole Surah memorized.

I was ashamed of myself. I picked up a musHaf… I felt my limbs tremble… I read and I read. I asked Allah to forgive me and to guide me. I couldn’t take it… I started crying like a child. There were still some people in the masjid praying sunnah… I was embarrassed by their presence, so I tried to hold my tears. My crying turned into whimpering and long, sobbing breaths. The only thing I felt was a small hand reaching out to my face, and then wiping the tears away. It was Salem! I pulled him to my chest… I looked at him. I said to myself… you’re not the blind one, but I am, for having drifted after immoral people who were pulling me to hellfire. We went back home. My wife was extremely worried about Salem, but her worry turned into tears [of joy] when she found out I had prayed Jumu’ah with Salem.

From that day on, I never missed the congregational prayer in the masjid. I left my bad friends… and I made righteous friends among people I met at the masjid. I tasted the sweetness of iman with them. I learned things from them that distracted me from this world. I never missed out on gatherings of remembrance [halaqas], or on the witr prayer. I recited the entire Qur’an, several times, in one month. I moistened my tongue with the remembrance of Allah, that He might forgive my backbiting and mocking of the people. I felt closer to my family. The looks of fear and pity that had occupied my wife’s eyes disappeared. A smile now never parted from the face of my son Salem. Anyone who saw him would have felt that he owned the world and everything in it. I praised and thanked Allah a lot for His blessings.

One day, my righteous friends decided to go to a far away location for da’wah. I hesitated about going. I prayed istikharah, and consulted with my wife. I thought she would refuse… but the opposite happened! She was extremely happy, and even encouraged me… because in the past, she had seen me traveling without consulting her, for the purpose of sin and evil. I went to Salem, and told him I would be traveling. With tears, he wrapped me up in his small arms…

I was away from home for three and a half months. In that period, whenever I got a chance, I called my wife and talked to my children. I missed them so much… and oh, how I missed Salem! I wanted to hear his voice… he was the only one who hadn’t talked to me since I’d traveled. He was either at school or at the masjid whenever I called them.

Whenever I would tell my wife how much I missed him, she would laugh happily, joyfully, except for the last time I called her. I didn’t hear her expected laugh. Her voice changed. I said to her, “Give my salam to Salem,” and she said, “Insha’Allah,” and was quiet.

At last, I went back home. I knocked on the door. I hoped that it was Salem who would open up for me, but was surprised to find my son Khaled, who was not more than four years old. I picked him up in my arms while he squealed, “Baba! Baba!” I don’t know why my heart tensed when I entered the house.

I sought refuge in Allah from the accursed shaytan… I approached my wife… her face was different. As if she was pretending to be happy. I inspected her closely then said, “What’s wrong with you?” “Nothing,” she said. Suddenly, I remembered Salem. “Where’s Salem?” I asked. She lowered her head. She didn’t answer. Hot tears fell on her cheeks. “Salem! Where’s Salem?” I cried out.

At that moment, I only heard the sound of my son Khaled talking in his own way, saying, “Baba… Thalem went to pawadise… with Allah…”

My wife couldn’t take it. She broke down crying. She almost fell to the floor, and left the room. Later, I found out that Salem had contracted a fever two weeks before I’d returned, so my wife took him to the hospital… the fever got more and more severe, and didn’t leave him… until his soul left his body…

And if this earth closes in on you in spite of its vastness, and your soul closes is on you because of what it’s carrying… call out, “Oh Allah!” If solutions run out, and paths are constricted, and ropes are cut off, and your hopes are no more… call out, “Oh Allah.” Allah wished to guide Salem’s father on the hands of Salem, before Salem’s death. How merciful is Allah!

Your Heart is the Pillar of Your Worship

by ‘Abdullah ‘Azzam (may Allah have Mercy upon him)

“…the heart is the machine that drives all acts of worship. It is what moves the entire body! As long as the heart is alive, then the limbs will be alive, and the soul will open itself up to worship. However, if the heart becomes diseased, then worship will become too heavy on the soul, leading to it eventually disliking and hating – and we seek refuge with Allah from this – worship. Because of this, Allah – the Glorified and Exalted – said, regarding the prayer:

{“…and truly, it is extremely heavy and hard except on those who are submissive…”} [al-Baqarah; 45]

The prayer is heavy, because one’s legs and hands are not what get up for the prayer. What gets up for the prayer are the heart and the soul.

{“Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for the prayer, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.”} [an-Nisa'; 142]

Because of this, it is the heart that stands up for worship. The limbs are simply slaves of this heart, carrying out what it commands them. If the heart is alive, then the soul will be alive, and worship will become beloved and sweetened to the hearts and the souls, and they will open up for it.

However, if the heart becomes diseased, then worship becomes too heavy on it. The heart is like the digestive system: right now, the most beloved thing to you is meat. However, if you develop an ulcer somewhere in your digestive system, then the meat – along with its fat and oil – becomes the most hated thing to it, since it is diseased. Sweets are also something that are beloved to the soul. For example, if you were fasting right now and were to break your fast on some desserts, then your soul would become satisfied with that, right? However, if one were to be stricken with diabetes, then he would not be able to handle these sugary foods, even if they were beloved to him.

The heart is like this: it must be strong so that it can handle worship that is strong. The stronger your heart becomes, then throw as much worship upon it as you wish. You would get up to pray at night, and you would cherish this prayer and consider sleep to be your enemy:

{“Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope…”} [as-Sajdah; 16]

He begins to forsake it because an enmity develops between him and his bed. He prays behind the imam, and he says to himself: “If only he would make the prayer longer,” so that he would increase in his opening up to this worship, and his tasting of its sweetness.

At times, I would pray a normal prayer with the people behind me, so I would elongate the prayer. The youth would then come to me and say (the hadith): “Whoever leads the people in prayer should go easy on them,” – the youth! And there was an old man behind me who was between 90 and 100 years of age – his face filled with light – and he would say to me: “Keep making the prayer long and do not answer them.” A man of 90 years getting pleasure out of a long prayer, and a youth of 20, who probably practices karate and judo, cannot handle the same prayer.

Why?

If he went to the soccer field and spent two hours playing there without becoming bored, then why would he become bored from hearing the Qur’an for five minutes? The difference between a short prayer and a long prayer is simply five minutes, so why does he become bored from these five minutes of Qur’an, yet he does not become bored from two hours of soccer? Why does he not get bored from standing for two hours staring at an inflated piece of leather, his heart attached to it?

Because, what stands up to pray is the heart, and what stands up for sports are simply the body and muscles.”

[From a lecture given by 'Abdullah 'Azzam on June 15, 1988 entitled 'The True Preparation,' found in the collection 'at-Tarbiyyah al-Jihadiyyah wal-Bina''; 1/220]

Source.

امرأة بالحرم المكي

قصة امراة في الحرم المكي

كنت في الحرم المكي.. في قسم النساء.. وإذا بامرأة تطرق على كتفي.. تردد بلكنة أعجمية: يا حاجة.. يا حاجة..
التفت إليها.. فإذا هي امرأة متوسطة السن.. غلب على ظني أنها تركية..
سلمت عليّ.. ووقعت في قلبي محبتها.. سبحان الله.. الأرواح جنود مجندة…

كانت تريد أن تقول شيئاً.. تحاول استجماع كلماتها.. أشارت إلى المصحف الذي كنت أحمله… ثم قالت بعربية مكسرة: أنت تقرأ في قرآن؟.. قلت: نعم..
وإذ بالمرأة يحمر وجهها.. وتمتلئ عيناها بالدموع.. قد هالني منظرها.. بدأت في البكاء…!!!

قلت لها: ما بك؟؟.. قالت بصوت مخنوق وهي تنظر بخجل:أنا ما أقرأ قرآن.. قلت: لماذا؟؟.. قالت: ما أعرف..!! ومع انتهاء حرف الفاء.. انفجرت باكية…
ظللت أربت على كتفيها وأهدئ من روعها..

قلت: أنت الآن في بيت الله.. اسأليه أن يعلمك.. وأن يعينك على قراءة القرآن..

كفكفت دموعها.. وفي مشهد لن أنساه ما حييت.. رفعت المرأة يديها تدعو قائلة: اللهم افتح قلبي.. اللهم افتح قلبي أقرأ قرآن.. اللهم افتح قلبي أقرأ قرآن..

ثم التفتت إليّ وقالت: أنا أموت وما قرأت قرآن..قلت لها: لا.. إن شاء الله سوف تقرئينه كاملاً وتختمينه مرات ومرات..

سألتها: هل تقرئين الفاتحة؟؟..

فاستبشرت وقالت: نعم..

ثم بدأت ترتل: الحمد لله رب العالمين.. الرحمن الرحيم..

حتى ختمتها.. ثم جلست تعدد قصار السور التي تحفظها..

كنت متعجبة من عربيتها الجيدة إلى حد ما.. وهي تتكلم عن حياتها.. وما تبذله لتعلم القرآن..

وفجأة تغير وجهها وقالت: إذا أنا أموت ما قرأت قرآن.. أنا في نار..!!أنا والله العظيم أسمع شريط.. بس لازم في قراءة.. هذا كلام الله.. كلام الله العظيم..
وبدأت المسكينة تدافع عبراتها وهي تتكلم عن عظمة الله وحق كتابه علينا..

لم أتمالك نفسي من البكاء.. امرأة أعجمية.. في بلاد علمانية… تخشى أن تلقى الله ولم تقرأ كتابه.. منتهى أملها في الحياة أن تختم القرآن..

تبكي.. وتحزن.. وتضيق عليها نفسها.. لأنها لا تستطيع تلاوة كتاب الله..

فما بالنا قد هجرناه؟؟ قد أوتيناه فنسيناه؟؟..

ما بالنا والسبل ميسرة لحفظه وتلاوته وفهمه؟؟

بالله.. على أي شيء تحترق قلوبنا..؟؟ وما الذي يثير مدامعنا ويهيج أحزاننا..؟؟

اللهم إني أسألك بكل اسم هو لك.. أن تجعل القرآن الكريم ربيع قلوبنا.. وجلاء همومنا وأحزاننا.. واجعله حجة لنا لا علينا..

آمين يا رب العالمين…

Shuyookh Need Advice, Too

Shaykhs Need Advice, Too

by Sheikh Yahya Ibrahim

I found myself standing before an audience numbering in the tens of thousands; maybe even hundreds of thousands. Mumbai in November is mildly humid with an acceptable temperature that allows you to perspire but not sweat. The sweat came from the lights, cameras and action.

Shaykh, Shaykh please look into the camera.

Perspire.

Shaykh can we ask you a question, you have so much knowledge?

Sweat.

One of the problems with internet scholarship, convention groupies and seminar murids is the negative effect they inflict upon the heart of the “Shaykh.”  This is not my unique observation. Rather, it is from years of observing, discussing and questioning various lecturers, callers and organisers of Islamic educational conventions, seminars and classes.

People at times forget that the “Shaykh” is an individual who struggles each and every day of their life to worship Allah competently and in fulfillment of the Divine Grace of sacred knowledge that they have been afforded by Ar-Rahman.

Ibn al-Jawzi rahimahullah sat to teach and found more than 10,000 heads looking up at him. So he wept and supplicated to Allah:

“O Allah! If You punish me on the Day of Judgment for my sins, do not let these students of mine witness it. I pray this not to save face, but so that they do not say, ‘The One he called us to is the One who punishes him.”

While in Mumbai as a lecturer for Dr. Zakir Naik’s 2009 Peace Conference, I was blessed to meet Sh. Salah al-Budair, the Imam of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah al-Munawarrah. The Shaykh, may Allah grant him protection and shelter him, would lead us in the fajr prayer at the hotel and then have breakfast with us.  He was always joyful, humble, content with whatever was offered to him and a great listener with refined adaab. I have heard him speak before and listened to his awe-inspiring recitation of the Quran during Taraweeh and Qiyaam.  He is known for his soft heart and ease of weeping.

I took council with other honoured lecturers about how to ask him a sensitive question that I feared may be misunderstood. Abu Ammaar (Yasir Qadhi) said, “Just ask.”

“Ya Shaykh, Allah has honoured you and has bestowed an enormous Grace upon you by granting you the duty and privilege of standing on the very Pulpit of the Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), in his masjid, within sight of his home and burial site, sala Allahu alayhi wa salaam.  You lead the prayers and advise others on his (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) behalf.  Ya Shaykh, how do you prepare yourself for this? How do you prepare your Ikhlas to find the courage to stand where you stand and lead where you lead?”

I can’t fathom the pressure, critical self-assessment, and self-doubt and fear that must be experienced by the Shaykh.

I know from personal experience and through my interaction with numerous students of knowledge and scholars that:

Shaykhs need advice.

Shaykhs need help.

Shaykhs make mistakes.

So-called “Shaykhs” can also be rotten to the core.

Sacred Knowledge and following through with sincere action has always been an eternal, internal struggle of the learned.

Al-Ghazali, al-Ash‘ari, Ibn Taymiyyah…those before them and superior to them in knowledge and those after them have ALL commented on Ikhlas, self-reformation, muhaasabah and Taqwa. In fact the first chapter of any hadeeth manual will begin with the chapter of Ikhlas.

At times we forget the Ikhlas that Allah enjoins upon us and that was exemplified by our humble Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

Knowledge, its acquisition and dissemination was never the aim of the student or the instructor.  ‘Amal – Sincere action, that was the objective.

Imam Muslim narrates that Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) reports that the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said,

“The first amongst mankind to be used as kindle for hell-fire will be an individual who studied [religious] knowledge and taught it and who used to recite (memorise) the Qur’an. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will recognize them. It will be said: ‘And what did you do about them?’ He will say: ‘I studied [religious] knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Qur’an for Your sake.’ It will be said, ‘You have lied – you did but study [religious] knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. And you recited the Qur’an that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then it will be ordered that he be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire…”

Shaykh Salah smiled. Bowed his head down and politely said, “Every level has its Divine assistance. To abstain from that would be Riyaah (showing off).”

Subhan Allah.

Allah provides the Ikhlas that we seek to attain and pray for.  It is Allah who grants us success and only Allah who can turn us away from it.

True Ikhlas is actually intending success and seeking Allah in all that we do.  True Ikhlas is a willingness to challenge ourselves and demonstrate conviction of faith to ourselves and others. True Ikhlas compels us to repent and rise up after our stumbling.

True Ikhlas is not a change in mood or a whimsical period of time. It is consistent, constant.  It is a compass that when abandoned one cannot arrive to salvation.

Later in the day, Shaykh Salah pulled me to the side and said privately, “Every day I pray that Allah take my life rather than allow me to stand in the place of the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) with an overwhelming hypocrisy in my heart.  I pray every night that I not wake if I do not discharge the trust placed upon me.”

We both wept.

[Via MM]

A Word in Passing

by Bint AbdelHamid

I recall them still. They were moments of excitement and transformation during days of innumerable blessings.

Sixteen, my friend and I, and our phone conversations were altered from what they had been just before the start of the month: short now, and to the point, announcing a lecture on television (“it’s on, now, don’t miss it!”), sharing a hadith, recommending a good deed waiting to be done.

We were school girls, racing with ourselves and each other, not content to run alone. Instead, we met on the path, poised, ready to exchange pieces of wisdom and inspiration that might propel us forward. We ran, we paused, we passed them on – like batons in a race – and knew, wherever the batons went, whatever people they reached or work they inspired, good deeds would come.

It’s the first Ramadan I truly remember. And I insist, despite everything good that I recall from that year, that I remember this Ramadan because it’s the first Ramadan I truly began to pray qiyaam.

When I say “pray qiyaam,” I’m not talking about taraweeh in the masjid behind an imam as a child, reveling at being out so late at night, or sitting down with glee after the first four rak’ahs, or even standing up the whole time for a deed I knew was rewarding, but didn’t entirely understand.

I’m talking about qiyaam at home, after the time of taraweeh, alone before Allah, praying despite exhaustion and school the next day, discovering what is meant by the beauty of seclusion and worship and humility before Allah. It was something I could not possibly get enough of, an experience that put life and death and ‘ibaadah into perspective: this is what I was created to do.

Qiyaam, too, was a piece of advice snatched at the end of a telephone conversation, something my friend told me, but almost didn’t –

“Ok, I have to go now,” I said at the end of a call, in a rush to move on.

“Me too —”

“Alright then —”

“Hey, just don’t forget to pray qiyaam. You do pray qiyaam, don’t you?”

“Umm… not really…I’m not sure I know how,” I replied.

In reality, I was already reading Qur’an at a pace I’d never attempted before, spending ten, twenty minutes before sleep engrossed in du’aa, and putting in an effort to make thikr regularly. I wasn’t sure I’d have time for anything extra.

“Please, you have to, it’s really easy. It’s just two rak’ahs. Two short rak’ahs. In the first one, you recite Surat al-A’laa, in the second, Surat al-Kafiroon. Ok? Did you get that?”

“Yeah… I think so…”

“Are you going to do it?”

“Umm… maybe… I’ll try…”

“No, listen. You have to do it tonight, it doesn’t even take five minutes, it’s two short rak’ahs, that’s it. But the reward for it is amazing. You have to, please, please, please.”

That night, or the next – I didn’t know what I was passing up at the time – with the sound of my friend’s pleading voice still encouraging me, I realized I had five minutes to spare. And so I stood up and prayed with the surahs she recommended.

But I realized during the first rak’ah that I hadn’t made du’aa yet that night, and why not take advantage of sujood, with my forehead on the ground and my heart closer to Allah than it could ever be in any other position? I made du’aa in that salah again and again, rising from sujood only to come back down to it in eagerness, making du’aa past the point where I could think of anything to ask for, repeating my pleas, searching for anything that could keep me in that position longer. Long and low, I held my body, pleading with my Lord, not wanting to rise from the sajdah.

I found my only-five-minutes-two-short-rak’has-salah extended. I found that I had more than five minutes to spare. And I found that I was not sparing them, but desperately in need of using them in prayer.

And the next night when I came to pray, I recalled the sweetness of sujood, the sweetness of du’aa and literally waking up hours later to find my prayers answered, the sweetness of standing before Allah… and I intended this time for a longer salah.

I decided to extend my rukoo’ and the other positions of prayer with the thikr of Allah, concentrating on the words instead of just repeating them, emulating the guidance of the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wassalam in doing this, if only with a portion of the time and sincerity that he spent, salla Allahu alayhi wassalam. I stood up to read the longest surah I knew, a surah memorized for a school contest. On that night, after years of participation in them, I suddenly knew what Qur’an contests and Qur’an memorization were all about – they were about this, reciting by heart in the darkness of the night, competing in terms of prayer and salah, our silah and connection with Allah.

Years have now passed since that Ramadan. Still, I think back to those first few days of qiyaam with longing… except that I know, the way to long is not backwards towards those days, but forwards, downwards to the ground that still extends itself as a place of worship, and upwards towards Allah, the Ever-Living.

So in turn, here they are, my words to you in passing:

Pray qiyaam, it’s really easy. It’s just two rak’ahs. Two short rak’ahs. You have to do it tonight, it doesn’t even take five minutes, it’s two short rak’ahs, that’s it. But the reward for it is amazing.

Take these words and run with them to the depths of sujood and nearness to Allah. Take these words and pray qiyaam tonight, this night, and every other night of your life. Take them, and don’t forget – as a racer towards good in this dunya and the akhira – the baton is now in your hand.

Pass it on.

[via MM]

Du’a and its Relationship with Destiny

The following is an excerpt from Sheikh Yasir Qadhi’s book, Du’a: The Weapon of the Believer. It’s specifically about the relationship between du’aa and qadar, but it’s really helpful for understanding the concept of qadar in general.

Du’a and its Relationship with Destiny

 

The topic of du’a and its relationship to destiny (qadr) is a very important one, and one around which much confusion exists. Many people ask: “If everything has already been destined to occur, then of what use is du’a, [since], if Allah has written what I want, I will get it without making du’a, and if it is not written for me, then I will never get it no matter how much du’a I make?”

The response to this question lies in an understanding that the outcome of anything is dependent on the performance of the efforts necessary to procure it. In other words, it has already been decreed, for example, that a seed will give fruit if planted, but this will not occur unless the farmer takes the appropriate efforts in irrigating the crop, maintaining it, protecting the seedling as it grows and ensuring as much as he can that the factors are amendable for the plant to give fruit.

So even though a person believes in the Divine Decree, he must at the same time strive all he can to ensure that the desired goal occurs. So du’a is the means that one uses to achieve the desired goal that one has, and this means in no way contradicts the destiny that has been written for that person.

This stance is clarified by the Prophet’s (salla Allahu alayhi wasallam) hadith reported by Thawban that he (salla Allahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“Nothing increases one’s life-span except good deeds, and nothing repels Divine Decree except du’a. And verily, a person may be deprived of sustenance due to a sin that he does!”

[Narrated by Ibn Majah # 90, and Shaykh al-Albani said in Sahih Ibn Majah (73): "It is authentic without the addition, "And verily..."; see al-Sahihah, # 154."]

In other words, the performance of good deeds is a cause of increasing one’s life span, so if a person puts in the necessary effort, the results will be achieved, and this is also destined. So both the means to achieve a goal and the fulfillment of the goal itself, are already decreed.

If someone were to ask: “How can du’a repel Divine Decree?” we would respond, “The fact that you may be ill has already been decreed by Allah for you, as has the fact that you will ask Allah to cure you of this illness (i.e. both the illness and your asking to cure the illness has been decreed). In a similar manner, a person may be deprived of his sustenance that was decreed for him, since Allah’s eternal knowledge encompassed the fact that this person would perform a sinful deed that would cause the deprivation of his sustenance. All of this, then, is from the decree of Allah, all Glory and Praise be to Him.”

There are a number of ahadith that clarify this point. For example, Mu’adh ibn Jabal reported that the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wassalam) said:

“Caution will be of no benefit against Divine Decree, but du’a benefits all things, whether they come down or not. I therefore advise you to make du’a, O servants of Allah!”

[This hadith is weak. It was narrated by Ahmad, Abu Ya'la, and al-Tabarai in al-Kabir, as has been mentioned in Da'if al-Jami' # 4785.]

So no matter how cautious a person is, he cannot escape what’s written for him, simply because Allah controls everything, and nothing escapes His Knowledge or Power. However, by turning to Allah through du’a, it is possible to avert something that might have been decreed, Salman al-Farsi narrated that the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“Nothing repels Divine Decree except du’a, and nothing increases one’s life-span except good deeds.”

[Authentic, reported by al-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim from Salman, and is in Sahih al-Jami' # 7687.]

This hadith informs us in no uncertain terms that the only way that we can repel some Divine Decree is through the means of du’a. So it is possible that some unpleasant matter has been preordained for us, but only if we do not make du’a to avert it from us. So if du’a is made, then this matter will not occur or be fulfilled, whereas if du’a is left, the misfortune will occur.

Another narration in al-Tirmidhi also supports this. The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“There is no Muslim on the face of the earth that asks Allah for anything except that Allah gives it to him, or averts from him a similar evil, as long as he does not ask for something evil or breaking the ties of kinship.”

[Authentic, narrated by al-Tirmidhi from 'Ubadah ibn Samit, as is mentioned in Sahih al-Jami' # 5637.]

From this narration, the benefits of du’a are made clear, and its value is understood. For not only is a person rewarded for making a du’a, but it is also a cause of repelling an evil that was destined for him, and in obtaining the good that he was expecting.

Ibn Hajr, commenting on the benefits of du’a said: “And the benefit of performing du’a is the attainment of reward by obeying the command (of Allah to make du’a), and also by the attainment of what is asked for, for there is a possibility that the request is pendent on the du’a, since Allah is the Creator of both the effort and result of the effort!” [Fath al-Bari, 11/95.]

Therefore, the proper response to the question posed at the beginning of the chapter is, in the words of Ibn al-Qayyim, as follows:

“The logical consequences of such a reasoning leads to a rejection of all efforts. It can, therefore, be said to a person who holds this view, ‘If the satisfaction of your hunger and thirst has already been destined for you, then it will be fulfilled, whether you eat or not. On the other hand, if it has not been destined for you, it will never occur, whether you eat or not. And, if a son has been destined for you, then you will be granted one, whether you have intercourse with your wife or not. On the other hand, if a son has not been destined for you, then you will never be granted one. In this case, there is no point in you getting married…!’

“Now, will any sane person agree with all of these conclusions?”

[Al-Jawab al-Kafi, Ibn al-Qayyim, p. 13.]

To summarize, then, Divine Decree (qadr) cannot be used as an excuse not to make du’a. For, just as one strives to ensure that one attains worldly needs, of food, drink and family, so too must one strive in one’s religious deeds to attain the desired goal. Du’a is intrinsically related to qadr; in fact, it is part of one’s qadr. Allah has already decreed that a certain matter will be granted to a servant, or an evil averted form him, if he makes du’a, so if he were to leave du’a, then the desired goal would not be reached.

Hence why it was the Sunnah of the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wassalm) to make the following du’a during the witr prayer:

“Bless me in what You have given me. And avert and turn away from me the evil that has been decreed for me, for verily You Decree (all things), and none can decree against you…”

[Reported by al-Tirmidhi (#464), al-Nasa'i (# 1725) and others, with an authentic chain.]

So the Muslim turns to Allah and prays to Him so that any and all evil can be averted form him.

Additionally, it should be remembered that the concept of Divine Decree is one that a human can never fully understand, due to his limited intellect and finite capabilities. The true Muslim does not delve too deeply into the philosophical ramification of Divine Decree. Rather, he accepts all that has occurred to him in the past as having been destined for him, and he strives to obtain what he desires in the future (as long as it is permissible for him). Since he does not know what has been written for him in the future, he expects the best from Allah, and does everything in his power to ensure that what he wants is granted to him. Just like going to work every day will ensure, if Allah wills, that he gets his pay-check at the end of the month, so too does making du’a ensure, if Allah wills, that he achieves his desired goal.

 

A Wise Young Boy

[authenticity?]

Many years ago, during the time of the taabi’een (the generation of Muslims after the Sahabah), Baghdad was a great city of Islam. In fact, it was the capital of the Islamic Empire and because of the great number of scholars who lived there, it was the center of Islamic knowledge. One day, the ruler of Rome at that time sent an envoy to Baghdad with three challenges for the Muslims. When the messenger reached the city, he informed the Khalifah that he had three questions which he challenged the Muslims to answer.

The Khalifah gathered together all the scholars of the city and the Roman messenger climbed upon a high platform and said, “I have come with three questions. If you answer them, then I will leave with you a great amount of wealth which I have brought from the king of Rome.

As for the questions, they were:

‘What was there before Allah?’

‘In which direction does Allah face?’

‘What is Allah engaged in at this moment?’”

The great assembly of people were silent. (Can you think of answers to these questions?) In the midst of these brilliant scholars and students of Islam, there was a man looking on with his young son. “O my dear father! I will answer him and silence him!” said the youth.

So the boy sought the permission of the Khalifah to give the answers and he was given the permission to do so.

The Roman addressed the young Muslim and repeated his first question, “What was there before Allah?”

The boy asked, “Do you know how to count?”

“Yes,” said the man.

“Then count down from ten!” So the Roman counted down, “ten, nine, eight, …” until he reached “one” and he stopped counting.

“But what comes before ‘one’?” asked the boy.

“There is nothing before one- that is it!” said the man. “Well then, if there obviously is nothing before the arithmetic ‘one’, then how do you expect that there should be anything before the ‘One’ who is Absolute truth, All-Eternal, Everlasting the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden?”

Now the man was surprised by this direct answer which he could not dispute.

So he asked, “Then tell me, in which direction is Allah facing?”

“Bring a candle and light it,” said the boy, “and tell me in which direction the flame is facing.”

“But the flame is just light- it spreads in each of the four directions, North, South, East and West. It does not face any one direction only,” said the man in wonderment.

The boy cried, “Then if this physical light spreads in all four directions such that you cannot tell me which way it faces, then what do you expect of the Noor-as-Samawati-wal-’Ard:  Allah – the Light of the Heavens and the Earth!? Light upon Light, Allah faces all directions at all times.”

The Roman was stupefied and astounded that here was a young child answering his challenges in such a way that he could not argue against the proofs.

So, he desperately wanted to try his final question. But before doing so, the boy said, “Wait! You are the one who is asking the questions and I am the one who is giving the answers to these challenges. It is only fair that you should come down to where I am standing and that I should go up where you are right now, in order that the answers may be heard as clearly as the questions.

“This seemed reasonable to the Roman, so he came down from where he was standing and the boy ascended the platform. Then the man repeated his final challenge, “Tell me, what is Allah doing at this moment?” The boy proudly answered, “At this moment, when Allah found upon this high platform a liar and mocker of Islam, He caused him to descend and brought him low. And as for the one who believed in the Oneness of Allah, He raised him up and established the Truth. Every day He exercises (universal) power [55:29].”

The Roman had nothing to say except to leave and return back to his country, defeated. Meanwhile, this young boy grew up to become one of the most famous scholars of Islam. Allah, the Exalted, blessed him with special wisdom and knowledge of the Deen (religion). His name was Abu Hanifah (rahmatullah alayhi- May Allah have mercy on him) and he is known today as Imam Abu Hanifah, the Great Imam and scholar of Islam.

By: Imam Muwaffaq Ibn Ahmad al-Makki
Source: rahmah.net

Inheritance from the Prophet

Inheritance from the Prophet

By Umm Sulaym

Who is richer than the one who inherits from the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam?

Imam Ahmad, the founder of the Hanbali school of thought in Islamic Jurisprudence was once asked, “What is sincerity in seeking knowledge?” And his reply was, “That you desire to remove ignorance from yourself.”

We know that it is the scholars who, while they may have struggled extensively in their intention, are amongst the most sincere worshippers of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Allah testifies to this in the Qur’an in a number of places; most explicitly the ayah in Surah Faatir, where He says, “Indeed, among His servants, it is but the learned who fear Allah,” (35:28).

This is because the best knowledge is knowledge of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and ‘the learned’, as the scholars have agreed (with variation) is referring to those with knowledge of Allah and the religion. Ibn Kathir says that this ayah means “only those who have knowledge truly fear Him as He should be feared, because the more they know about the Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Knowing Who has the most perfect attributes and is described with the most beautiful Names, the more they will fear Him.”

As Ibn Rajab mentions in “Warathat al-Anbiyaa’” (“Heirs of the Prophets”), this knowledge of Allah is followed by knowledge of the pillars of iman and then of the halaal and haraam and one’s obligations, etc. So for the one who learns his religion, will he not be able to worship Allah better than the one with less knowledge? Even in His Book, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says, “Say: Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” (39:9). And our Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “A single knowledgeable believer is harder on Satan than one thousand devout worshippers.” (At-tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

“The scholars are the heirs of the prophets,” as the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned in the hadeeth of Abu Darda’ reported in Musnad Ahmad, at-Timidhi and others, so with such an inheritance, can any worship Allah better than them?

There is no doubt that this status is earned on account of their knowledge and its superiority. This status is not only for the scholars, as the students of the inheritors of the prophets are also share in that inheritance. When Safwan ibn ‘Assal radhia Allahu anhu came to the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam and said, “Yaa RasulAllah, I came to seek knowledge!” The Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Welcome you knowledge seeker! Indeed the angels surround the knowledge seeker with their wings, then they pile on top of each other until they reach the lower heaven out of their love of what he is seeking.”

SubhanAllah, what an honor this is! Wouldn’t any one of us want to be surrounded by the angels in such a way? The ayat and ahadeeth we have mentioned should be sufficient in conveying the importance of knowledge and when we read them and reflect upon them, it should create within us a burning desire to learn, but that desire is often overwhelmed by excuses and barriers projected by our own shortcomings. The Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Seeking knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim.” [Ibn Majah, Albani said it's Sahih].

Would any sensible person suggest that the righteous scholars of this Ummah wasted their time and studied knowledge in too much depth? Only one who is naive and has been deprived of the sweetness of knowledge and its pursuit would suggest such a thing. So it is by the efforts of the scholars that we realize that knowledge is an ocean, and the act of seeking knowledge becomes a continuous obligation.

As we seek Allah’s provision in this dunya, we should also seek it in the akhirah. There are many evidences pertaining to the treasure awaiting the seeker of knowledge in the akhirah. Sufficient is the

hadeeth in Muslim and others, in which the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Any person who goes along a course seeking knowledge, Allah will make for him the path to Jannah easy because of it.”

Beyond the obvious implications of this hadeeth, if we look even deeper, we’ll realize that for the one who seeks knowledge it should lead him to worship Allah better, with more khushoo’ (Consciousness), conviction, and sincerity.

Although two people might pray side by side, the quality of the prayer of the one who doesn’t know the ahadeeth related to the prayer is starkly different from the prayer of the one who does.

In numerous places in the Qur’an, you will find Allah testifying on behalf of knowledge and its people.

Shouldn’t this jumpstart our hearts in anxiousness for knowledge? How then are we still disillusioned into believing the knowledge we have is enough? If from the creation of Allah, the scholars carry the greatest knowledge in both quality and quantity, and they dedicate their lives to the knowledge, and the knowledgeable are those who truly fear Allah, are we better than them, to shun an opportunity to learn our deen and improve in our worship of Allah?

At-Tabaraani reported that Abu Bakrah said that the Prophet salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “You should be a scholar, or a student, or a listener, or a lover of knowledge and scholars, and you should not be the fifth which makes you perish.”

Which one will you be?

Don’t forget to pack these in your backpack when you set out for seeking your treasure of ‘ilm:

1. Always supplicate to Allah, to give you strength and the right knowledge, knowledge that will benefit you in both the worlds, and knowledge that will learn you to a better person.

2. When one seeks knowledge, it should be for the sake of Allah SWT. One should always pray to Allah, to purify his intentions. Gain knowledge to worship and enslave yourselves to Allah- thus, please Allah SWT.

3. Show humility. Remember Allah is The All-Knower of all things. “Know” enough to

“know” that you “know” not much.

4. Gain the fruit of knowledge and wisdom, and not simply knowledge. The fruit is implying it in one’s lives.

5. Respect the one who teaches you, even if you do not agree to him completely. Be polite in asking questions.

6. Do not be among the one who teaches and enjoins good and forbids evil while we, ourselves do not practice it.

7. This one is a must– and perhaps a little to find: Remember the 3 P’s- Persistence, Perseverance and Patience.

[Taken from al-Hadiyah eMagazine]

Rubies and Fire

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari narrated:

“A bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Verily, I love horses. Are there horses in Paradise?” The Prophet answered: “If you enter Paradise, you will be given a two-winged horse made of rubies that will carry you and take you wherever you want to go.”“

['Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahihah'; # 3001]

Abu Hurayrah narrated:

“The Messenger of Allah said: “If there were one hundred thousand or more people in this mosque with one of them being a man from the inhabitants of Hell who took one breath, then this breath of his would cause the entire mosque to burn up along with everyone in it.”“

['Silsilat al-Ahadith as-Sahihah'; # 2509]

Via معالم في الطريق.

عن أبي بكر الصديق رضي الله عنه أنه قال لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:
علمني دعاء أدعو به في صلاتي، قال : قل –

اللهم إني ظلمت نفسي ظلما كثيرا ولا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت فاغفر لي مغفرة من عندك وارحمني إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم

رواه البخاري

10 Tips to Become the Devoted Slave of Allah!

Praise be to Allaah.

We ask Allaah to make us steadfast in adhering to the truth, and to make our hopes come true, and to make us one of those who turn to Him and who know the truth, defend it and adhere to Islam.

it was narrated that Sufyaan al-Thawri said: Faith is not wishes or pretence, rather it is what settles in the heart and is proven by actions.”

Whoever seeks to achieve great things has to stay up at night (worship).

Hence al-Fudayl said: “Your hearts can never taste the sweetness of faith until they shun worldly pleasures.” And he also said, “If you cannot pray qiyaam at night and fast during the day, then know that you are deprived.”

The sincere believer has a heart like a burning coal, hence it was narrated by al-Haakim in his Mustadrak and al-Tabaraani in his Mu’jam with a saheeh isnaad that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Faith wears out in your heart as clothes wear out, so ask Allaah to renew the faith in your hearts.”

The believer’s heart may sometimes feel overwhelmed by clouds of sin. This was portrayed to us by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “There is no heart that does not have clouds like the clouds that cover the moon. When the cloud covers it, it is dark, and when the cloud moves away it shines.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. So the believer’s heart is sometimes covered with a cloud and its light is hidden, and it remains dark and lonely, but if he strives to increase his store of faith and seeks the help of Allaah, that cloud goes away and the light in his heart starts to shine again. Hence one of the salaf said: “It is part of a person’s smartness to c heck on his faith and be aware of what affects it.” It is also part of a person’s smartness “that he recognizes how the Shaytaan whispers to him.”

So he has to come back to faith. If you come back to faith and do as it requires, then you will achieve what you want. To tell you of a basic principle which will let you know when faith is present and when it is not. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi said: “O you who are turned away, O you who are deprived of meeting your loved ones, if you want to know how you stand before the king, then look at how you are spending your time and what work you are assigned to do. How many people stand at the door of the king, but no one enters except the one whom he cares for. Not every heart is fit to draw close, not every heart can be filled with love, not every wind is like the morning breeze.”

If a person want to know how he stands before Allaah and how he stands in relation to His commands and prohibitions, let him look at himself and see what he is preoccupied with. If he is busy with da’wah and with saving people from the Fire, striving to attain Paradise, helping the weak and needy, honouring his parents, then let him rejoice in the fact that he is close to the King of kings, for Allaah does not help anyone to do good except those whom He loves.

But if he is has no interest in da’wah, dislikes the daa’iyahs and does not do good things, if he is preoccupied with this world and its gains, and with gossip and asking too many questions, whilst not doing much or following his whims and desires, let him know that he is far from Allaah and has been deprived of that which will bring him closer to Paradise, because Allaah says in His holy Book (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected ( far away from Allaah’s Mercy).

And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah’s obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah)”

[al-Isra’ 17:18-19]

My brothers and sisters, if you want to have a high position in all kinds of good deeds, to be a devoted slave of Allaah and to honour your parents, and you are seeking Paradise, then you have to do the following:

1 – You have to revive the faith in your heart. Faith is what will bring the Muslim everything he seeks in this world and in the Hereafter. Faith is the key to all goodness and locks the door to all evil. The means of reviving and strengthening faith in one’s heart are many and varied, including doing a lot of acts of worship and righteous deeds.

2 – You must turn to your Lord sincerely, as it says in the report: “If My slave turns to me inwardly and outwardly, I will turn the hearts of My slaves to him with love and mercy.”

Allaah has made worship the ultimate aim and loftiest purpose of man:

“And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)”

[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation of the meaning)]

3 – You should always set your sights on the highest degrees, and make your goal in life to earn the pleasure of Allaah, and strive to attain the victory of Paradise, or to attain the highest Firdaws. You should strive as hard as you can to achieve these lofty aims.

4 – You should follow the example of historical Muslim figures such as the Sahaabah, Taabi’een and righteous forebears (the salaf).

5 – You should make the most of every minute, every moment and every heartbeat to use it in such a way as to increase your faith.

6 – You should try to keep company with righteous people, because the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “A man will follow the religion of his close friend, so let each one of you look at whom he befriends.” Narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnaad. Good friends are one of the best means of helping you to obey Allaah and to avoid sin and error.

7 – Doing a lot of righteous deeds which will bring you happiness in this world and in the Hereafter.

8 – Praying qiyaam al-layl, making du’aa’ in the time just before dawn. The feet of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to swell because of his desire to be a thankful slave, even though Allaah had forgiven his previous and future sins.

9 – Persisting in reading a portion of Qur’aan daily, and other dhikr that helps you to think and ponder the meanings of the Qur’aan.

10 – Striving to spread the word and make da’wah for the sake of Allaah, and working for Islam as much as possible.

If you want to reach the status of devoted slave for which you long, then be as Allaah commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):

“Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”

[al-An’aam 6:162]

Being a devoted slave of Allaah means declaring one’s devotion and belonging to the Lord, which can only be achieved by applying this aayah, so that we are for Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, in all our affairs.

Being a devoted slave of Allaah can only be fully achieved in this manner; it can only be achieved by worshipping Allaah in the fullest sense of the word, which means making our living and dying, and all our movements, for Him alone. So we only speak that which is pleasing to Allaah; we only do that which is pleasing to Allaah; we focus our intention in these words and deeds only on Allaah. Worship should not be reduced to merely raising and lowering our heads at certain times, or giving a few pennies every once in a while, or fasting a few days each year, or moving our lips to say a few words and dhikrs.

Hence the deeds that lead to this status – of being a devoted slave – are innumerable and may take many shapes in all aspects of our lives and the places where we live. This is by the bounty of Allaah towards us and towards all people.

Just look, in every place where you find yourself and every moment that comes to you, for that which will please Him, and what you think He wants to see you doing, and do it. Then you will be a devoted slave.

Finally, we ask Allaah to accept righteous deeds from us, and to gather us in His mercy with the Prophets, siddeeqs, martyrs and righteous, and those are the best of companions.

And Allah knows best!

[Source: islamqa.com]

قال صلى الله عليه و سلم: هلاك أمتي في الكتاب و اللبن

قالوا : يا رسول ما الكتاب و اللبن ؟

قال : يتعلمون القرآن فيتاولونه على غير ما أنزل الله عز و جل ، و يحبون اللبن فيدعون الجماعات و الجمع ، و يبدون

#2778  السلسلة الصحيحة

I went to steal from him, but he stole from me.

THE TRUE TREASURE

(I went to steal from him, but he stole from me.)

A burglar scaled the wall of Maalik bin Dinar’s house one night and easily managed to get inside. Once inside the house, the thief was disappointed to see that there was nothing inside actually worth stealing. The owner of the home was inside at the time, he was busy performing prayer. Realizing that he was not alone, Maalik quickly ended his prayer and turned around to face the thief. Without showing any sign of being shocked or afraid, Maalik calmly extended greetings of peace and then said, “My brother, may Allah forgive you. You entered my home and found nothing that is worth taking, yet I do not want you to leave my home without taking away some benefit.”

He stood up, went to another part of the room, and came back with a jug full of water. He looked into the eyes of the burglar and said, “Make ablution and perform two units of prayer, for if you do so, you will leave my home with a greater treasure than you had initially sought when you entered it.”

Much humbled by Maalik’s manners and words, the thief said, “Yes, that is a generous offer indeed.”

After making ablution and performing two units of prayer, the burglar said, “O Maalik, would you mind if I stayed for a while, for I want to stay to perform two more units of prayer?”

Maalik said, “Stay for whatever amount of prayer Allah decrees for you to perform now.”

The thief ended up spending the entire night at Maalik’s house. He continued to pray until the morning. Then Maalik said, “Leave now and be good.”

But instead of leaving, the thief said, “Would you mind if I stayed here with you today, for I have made an intention to fast the day?”

“Stay as long as you wish,” said Maalik.

The burglar ended up staying for a number of days, praying during the late hours of each night and fasting throughout the duration of each day. When he finally decided to leave, the burglar said, “O Maalik, I have made a firm resolve to repent for my sins and for my former way of life.”

Maalik said, “Indeed, that is in the Hand of Allah.”

The man did mend his ways and began to lead a life of righteousness and obedience to Allah. Later on, He came across another burglar he knew. [His friend] said to him, “Have you found your treasure yet?”

He said, “My brother, what I found is Maalik bin Dinaar. I went to steal from him, but it was he who ended up stealing my heart. I have indeed repented to Allah, and I will remain at the door [of His Mercy and Forgiveness] until I achieve what his obedient, loving slaves have achieved.”

[al-Mawaa'idh wal-Majaalis: 85]

Source: The above is taken from the book “Stories of Repentance” from dar-us-salam publications.

via Blog @ AbdurRahman.org

Anecdotes on the Condemnation of Ghibah

1 – It is reported from al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) that a man said to him: “You have gossiped about me. He (al-Hasan) said: “You have not reached such a position that you can control my Hasanat!” [Translator's Note: The Islamic teaching is that the Hasanat (rewards) of the one who gossips will be awarded to the victim.]

2 – Someone was told: “So-and-so has gossiped about you” – so he sent him a dish of dates, with the message: “I heard that you had given me your Hasanat as a gift, and I want to return the favour; please excuse me for not being able to pay back in full.”

3 – It was reported from Ibn Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: “If I were to gossip about anyone, I would gossip about my parents, for they have more right to my Hasanat.”

4 – Ghibah is the hospitality of the wrongdoer.

5 – From Amr ibn al-As (radhiallahu `anhu); He passed by a dead mule, and said to some of his companions: “It would be better for a man to eat his fill from the meat of this than from the flesh of his fellow-Muslims.” [Sahih al-Targhib at-Tarhib]

6 – A man mentioned something bad about another to his friend. His friend said to him: “Do you go out and fight against the Romans?” He said, “No.” His friend asked: “Do you go out and fight against the Turks?” He said, “No.” The friend said: “The Romans are safe from you, and the Turks are safe from you, but your Muslim brothers are not safe from you!”

7 – If you are unable to do three things, then you must do three (other) things: if you cannot do good, then stop doing evil; if you cannot benefit people, then do not harm them; if you cannot fast, then do not eat the flesh of the people.

8 – The poet said:

“If a man is wise and fears Allah,
This will keep him too busy to concern himself with the faults of others,
Just as the weak and sick person is concerned with his own pain
To think of the pain of others.”

[taken from: http://idealmuslimah.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=582&Itemid=188]

Some Advice and Etiquettes for the Wedding Night

Sheikh Sami al-Majid

The first wedding night is like no other. It is the night where two people embark upon life in a whole new world with its own unique qualities and experiences.

It is a doorway that is being crossed for the first time. The two people are able for the first time to enjoy what has always before been forbidden to them. This new permissibility applies to only one person. For the husband, this person is his wife, his life-partner, the woman who is going to be the mother of his children. Should not this woman deserve to be treated with the utmost care, consideration, and sensitivity from the very first moment?

True, this is not the first experience that this young man will have had in dealing with women. He will have grown up surrounded by his mother, his sisters, and other female relatives. However, though he will have been interacting with these people for many years, that interaction will have had limits placed upon it. There will remain secrets, a world hidden from view.

However, the meeting of a husband and a wife for the first time changes all of that. It is the beginning of a whole new kind of relationship, in many ways deeper and more personal than any other relationship that he will ever have, bringing with it a deluge of unique experiences and considerations. Between the husband and wife, nothing remains hidden. There are no veils and no barriers, and no shameful parts. How could there be, since the husband is a garment for his wife and she is a garment for him. They are to seek comfort and tranquility in one another.

What does the wedding night mean for the husband? It signifies the end of one important stage in life and the beginning of another, one that will assume for the rest of his time on Earth. This means that he should take care to start off this new life correctly, taking every step with the utmost care, deliberation, and patience, and knowing full well the direction in which he wishes to proceed.

The wedding night should be a night filled with tenderness, intimacy, affection, and joy. In that night, the husband should be seeking to establish ties of love and affection with his wife and placate her worries and her fears about the new life she has just embarked upon, so that she feels secure and at peace with him.

There are some etiquettes that have been related to us regarding the wedding night that we wish to remind every newlywed about, that perhaps he will benefit from them:

1. The husband should place his hand upon his wife’s head and offer a supplication for her.

He should place his hand upon the front part of her head at the time when he first starts to approach her or after that. He should mention the name of Allah Almighty and then pray for blessings, and then say the supplication that was taught to us by the Prophet (peace be upon him): “O Allah! I ask of you the good of her and the good of what you have placed in her nature, and I seek refuge with you from the bad in her and the bad that you have placed in her nature.” [ Sunan Abî Dâwûd (2160) Sunan Ibn Mâjah (1918) Mustadrak al-Hâkim (2811) and Sunan al-Bayhaqî (7/148)]

The hadith speaks about taking hold of her forelock upon reciting this supplication. However, there is nothing wrong if the husband abandons some Sunnah practice like that one if he feels it could bring about some negative consequence, like angering his wife or causing her to feel an aversion to him. Such feelings might come about if the woman is unaware of this Sunnah and she misunderstands its intended meaning.

It is not a condition for this supplication that his wife should hear it. There is nothing wrong if the husband recites the supplication in such a manner that it is only audible to him. There is nothing mentioned in the hadîth to indicate that it is preferable to say it loudly.

2. The husband and wife should offer two units of prayer together. This is an established practice of the pious predecessors, as related in the following narrations:

Abû Sa`îd, the freedman of Abû Usayd, said:

I got married while I was a slave, so I invited a number of the Prophet’s Companions, including Ibn Mas`ûd, Abû Dharr, and Hudhayfah. We started to offer prayers and Abû Dharr went forward. They said to him: “Hold up.”

He said: “Is this so?”

They said: “Yes”, whereupon I went forward to lead the prayers, though I was a slave and possession.

They taught me, saying: “When your wife enters upon you, pray two units of prayer, then ask Allah for the good of what has entered upon you and seek his refuge from the bad of it. Then the matter is for you and your wife.” [ Musannaf Ibn Abî Shaybah (17147) and Musannaf `Abd al-Razzâq (3822)]

Shaqîq said:

A man called Abû Jarîr came and said: “I have just married a young lady and I fear that she shall dislike me.”

`Abd Allah b. Mas`ûd said: “Affection is from Allah and dislike is from Satan who wishes to make you dislike what Allah has made lawful to you. So, when she comes to you, bid her pray with you two units of prayer. Then say: ‘O Allah, bless me in my family and bless them in me. O Allah! Bring us together in what you bring together in goodness. And cause us to part, when we part, towards goodness.” [ Musannaf `Abd al-Razzâq (10460-10461), Mu`jam al-Tabarânî al-Awsat (4018) and Mu`jam al-Tabarânî al-Kabîr (9/204) – all of these with authentic chains of transmission]

It is important for us to take heed of the fact that this practice of offering two units of prayer together is not established on the authority of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Consequently, it is not something that we should become stern about putting into practice. Likewise, we should not think to blame anyone who does not do so, as if it was an established and indisputable Sunnah that was being neglected.

The issue is an easy one. If the husband and wife wish to postpone the two units of prayer until later, they may do so. They may wish to spend time together first, speaking, relaxing, and getting to know one another, so she may overcome the fear and shyness that she is likely to feel.

A Good Sale

A good sale:

إن الله اشترى من المؤمنين أنفسهم وأموالهم بأن لهم الجنة

Endless favors:

ولولا فضل الله عليكم ورحمته لاتبعتم الشيطان إلا قليلا

كن في الدنيا كأنك غريب أو عابر سبيل

البخاري

لا يستقيم إيمان عبد حتى يستقيم قلبه ، و لا يستقيم قلبه حتى يستقيم لسانه ، و لا يدخل رجل الجنة لا يأمن جاره بوائقه

السلسلة الصحيحة

ما سئل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم شيئا قط فقال : لا

متفق عليه

Three Gold Nuggets

[DiscoverU email, "News, Tips and Events": 1.14.2009]

News: Alhamdulillah, last night our online fundraiser for Gaza
raised in excess of 150 thousand. We had a competition
between USA, Canada, and the UK, who would donate the most,
and congratulations to the USA. They tripled what Canada
donated.

Tips: All of the speakers mentioned that one of the ways to assist
the Ummah was to develop ourselves. So here are practical tips
to get you started:

a. Start a home business, become an entrepreneur
>> Save taxes, learn discipline, develop your influence muscles.
There is so much a home business can teach you.

b. Join a Karate program (or physical fitness in general)
>> I’ve noticed people who succeed at such programs to consistently
be amongst the most motivated in our society.

c. Make an appointment with your favorite da’wah institute
>> Talk to the main organizer, tell them what you like to do,
and ask how they can use you. Please join. Everyone is needed.

With best wishes to see you succeed at the highest level
- Muhammad Alshareef

Mirror Mirror

At the Texas Dawah Conference, [Sheikh] Yasir Fazaqa was speaking in a lecture called “The Prophetic Art of Criticism.” And in it, he spoke about the following hadith:

From Abu Hurairah radiya Allahu anhu, who said that Allah’s Messenger, salla Allahu alayhi wasallam said:

The believer is a mirror for the believer, and the believers is the brother of the believer. He safeguards his property for him and defends him from behind.

So Sheikh Yasir Fazaqa said, with regards to the “The believer is the mirror for the believer…”:

1. The mirror only reveals the truth; that is, it does not lie to you.

2. The mirror is fair – it does not show you more, nor does it show you less, than what is there.

3. The mirror is silent and not noisy – it shows your image in a good way, not in a bad way.

4. The mirror shows you details. You don’t even need to ask for them, they are already present for you to look at.

5. The mirror image leaves when you leave. It shows you your image for the amount of time required and no more than that. It keeps what you left between you and behind there is no trace left of the image.

The mirror shows you whether you need your hair fixed, your nose blown, your eyelash removed from your eye, and so on…

He really made wonderful points apart from this as well such as the question that he made us all ponder over… “What is your intent behind correcting your brother?” He made sure to engrave that in our minds before leaving and how we should ask ourselves this anytime before we correct/remind/reprehend a Muslim. Really was a wonderful reminder to attend, full of wonderful gems, ma sha’ Allah.

خرج علينا النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يوما فقال : ( عرضت علي الأمم ، فجعل يمر النبي معه الرجل ، والنبي معه الرجلان ، والنبي معه الرهط ، والنبي ليس معه أحد ، ورأيت سوادا كثيرا سد الأفق ، فرجوت أن يكون أمتي ، فقيل : هذا موسى وقومه ، ثم قيل لي : انظر ، فرأيت سوادا كثيرا سد الأفق ، فقيل لي : انظر هكذا وهكذا ، فرأيت سوادا كثيرا سد الأفق ، فقيل : هؤلاء أمتك ، ومع هؤلاء سبعون ألفا يدخلون الجنة بغير حساب ) . فتفرق الناس ولم يبين لهم ، فتذاكر أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقالوا : أما نحن فولدنا في الشرك ، ولكنا آمنا بالله ورسوله ، ولكن هؤلاء هم أبناؤنا ، فبلغ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال : ( هم الذين لا يتطيرون ، ولا يسترقون ، ولا يكتوون ، وعلى ربهم يتوكلون ) . فقام عكاشة بن محصن فقال : أمنهم أنا يا رسول الله ؟ قال : ( نعم ) . فقام آخر فقال : أمنهم أنا ؟ فقال : ( سبقك بها عكاشة) .

[bukhari]