بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
You see people are preparing for the New Year, not sure what excites them about a new year.
A year that has passed by only means that we have lost a year of opportunity to do much good and to do that extra good deed that we had procrastinated, and we are that much closer to our eternal homes. If one dies with Faith in the Oneness of Allah (believer), his abode will eventually be Paradise. He might be punished for a time in Hellfire for his sins but he will eventually get to Paradise. If one dies without Iman (disbeliever), his abode will be Hellfire till eternity.
So, we should be afraid to face what might be coming before the new year that we might not live to see--the punishment of the grave and Hellfire. We should protect ourselves against this. This is the basic meaning of taqwa. We do something to place between ourselves and the wrath of Allah. How do we do this? By running to Allah.
First, we repent to Allah from our slips. Then we start working on our character. Your character is the way that you are. The nature of character is second nature.
For example, you don't have to stop and think before you give or before you help people. When you see an old lady carrying a heavy grocery bag, you immediately help her. When you hear someone is in the hospital, you make du'a for the person and visit the person. When you see a beggar, you reach into your pockets and give. When someone come to your home, you serve what you have in your fridge even if you are saving them for your children. You don't stop to think because your character beats your mind to it.
The weightiest thing that one can bring to the Day of Judgment is not something he did but the way that he was--his character.
"Verily, of the most beloved to you to me and the closest of you to me in the seating of Judgment Day, are the most excellent of you in character." (Tirmidhi)
So, the best good deed you can do now before the new year, is to pick one trait of you that Allah doesn't like and change it--ingratitude into gratitude, arrogance into humility, impatience into patience, greed into charity, pride into humility, anger into calmness, heedless of Allah into mindful of Allah, etc. This is the thing you are going to bring back to Allah. It is the weightiest thing you can busy yourself with--your character.
You can make this drastic change through taqwa and repentance. Through them change takes place. Taqwa is the fuel to make one wants to change and repentance keeps the flame going. If there is no taqwa, there is no impetus for change, and when repentance dies the flame slowly dies with it. You make this change for the sake of Allah. That is why it makes it a great form of worship. You intend to transform your bad character traits for good and better traits for the sake of Allah. You resolve to please Allah and avoid His anger and repenting from your slips. The whole process is for the sake of Allah. As you get closer to this transformed character, the more natural it becomes. Your great reward is the fact that you acquired that character.
"What most enters people into the Garden? Taqwa of Allah and good character." (Ahmad)
"Surely those of taqwa shall be in in the Gardens and Rivers, in an Assembly of Truth, in the Presence of a Sovereign Omnipotent." Qur'an Qamar 54:50-51
People of taqwa will always have Allah to take care of the needs.
"...And those who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things." Qur'an At-Talaq 65:2-3
"And (commanding you): "Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with his wealth, and even with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). To Allah is your return, and He is Able to do all things." Qur'an Hud 11:3-4
"And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden in crowds: until behold, they arrive there; its gates will be opened; and its keepers will say: "Peace be upon you! well have you done
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Your First Step
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Ask Allah for your needs. Allah is the One who fulfills our needs. So, make the whole relationship between you and Allah. If Allah wants you to do something, you do it. Don't worry about people. People cannot add or subtract to anything. So, you put people in the background and you deal with everybody through Allah.
On the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas, Allah be pleased with both father and son, who said : One day I was behind the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said to me: "Young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." (Tirmidhi)
You make your first step towards Allah and then you turn to people. Asking people is just a means because Allah want you to do that. People cannot change a matter that is coming to you. So don't change what you are doing because people don't like it. This takes courage and patience. This courage and patience are fruits of your faith and trust in Allah.
"If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, let believers put their trust." Qur'an AleImran 3:160
May Allah guide us. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Ask Allah for your needs. Allah is the One who fulfills our needs. So, make the whole relationship between you and Allah. If Allah wants you to do something, you do it. Don't worry about people. People cannot add or subtract to anything. So, you put people in the background and you deal with everybody through Allah.
On the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas, Allah be pleased with both father and son, who said : One day I was behind the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said to me: "Young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." (Tirmidhi)
You make your first step towards Allah and then you turn to people. Asking people is just a means because Allah want you to do that. People cannot change a matter that is coming to you. So don't change what you are doing because people don't like it. This takes courage and patience. This courage and patience are fruits of your faith and trust in Allah.
"If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, let believers put their trust." Qur'an AleImran 3:160
May Allah guide us. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The Coolness Of My Eyes
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
There is no act more powerful than praying the five times regular prayer daily--Dhuhr (afternoon), 'Asr (mid-afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), 'Isha (night) and Fajr (dawn). They take the weight of fifty prayers. It is a very potent concentrated medicine to pray these prayers. Prayer is our support and strength, and joy for those people who Allah blessed them in their prayers.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The coolness of my eyes is in the prayer." Prayer is an absolute tranquility and peacefulness. The call to prayer is a comfort to People of Allah. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it." Meaning give the call to prayer.
Praying five times a day is our personal school as long as we keep it for the rest of our lives. We will learn knowledge that we cannot learn from books.
Imagine someone who prays five times a day no matter where they are, no matter what conditions they are in, the prayer will teach him things that books cannot teach. Praying in parking lots, sidewalks, roadside, airports, malls and many other awkward places, would teach him who is more important and whose eyes he care about more. Books cannot teach him that.
Imagine praying five times a day in places where there are the four seasons--summer, fall, winter and spring. It can be quite challenging in the winter when Fajr is very early in the morning and in the summer when 'Isha is very late at night. It requires planning and readjusting your sleep and work schedule in order to pray at their prescribed times. This teaches you an important virtue in our daily lives, flexibility. Books cannot teach you this.
Someone who prays five times a day faithfully under whatever circumstances is not a normal person with Allah. He is a very special person.
"Verily, I am God. There is no god but I: So serve Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise." Qur'an Taha 20:14
"And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship)." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:43
"Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:277
"Those who rehearse the Book of Allah, establish regular Prayer, and spend (in Charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail. For He will pay them their wages, nay, He will give them (even) more out of His Bounty: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service)." Qur'an Fatir 35:29-30
"Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,- those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship)." Qur'an Al-Maeda 5:55
May Allah grant us steadfastness in prayers and the coolness of our eyes in our prayers. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
There is no act more powerful than praying the five times regular prayer daily--Dhuhr (afternoon), 'Asr (mid-afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), 'Isha (night) and Fajr (dawn). They take the weight of fifty prayers. It is a very potent concentrated medicine to pray these prayers. Prayer is our support and strength, and joy for those people who Allah blessed them in their prayers.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The coolness of my eyes is in the prayer." Prayer is an absolute tranquility and peacefulness. The call to prayer is a comfort to People of Allah. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it." Meaning give the call to prayer.
Praying five times a day is our personal school as long as we keep it for the rest of our lives. We will learn knowledge that we cannot learn from books.
Imagine someone who prays five times a day no matter where they are, no matter what conditions they are in, the prayer will teach him things that books cannot teach. Praying in parking lots, sidewalks, roadside, airports, malls and many other awkward places, would teach him who is more important and whose eyes he care about more. Books cannot teach him that.
Imagine praying five times a day in places where there are the four seasons--summer, fall, winter and spring. It can be quite challenging in the winter when Fajr is very early in the morning and in the summer when 'Isha is very late at night. It requires planning and readjusting your sleep and work schedule in order to pray at their prescribed times. This teaches you an important virtue in our daily lives, flexibility. Books cannot teach you this.
Someone who prays five times a day faithfully under whatever circumstances is not a normal person with Allah. He is a very special person.
"Verily, I am God. There is no god but I: So serve Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise." Qur'an Taha 20:14
"And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship)." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:43
"Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:277
"Those who rehearse the Book of Allah, establish regular Prayer, and spend (in Charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail. For He will pay them their wages, nay, He will give them (even) more out of His Bounty: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service)." Qur'an Fatir 35:29-30
"Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,- those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship)." Qur'an Al-Maeda 5:55
May Allah grant us steadfastness in prayers and the coolness of our eyes in our prayers. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, December 27, 2010
A Transformation
بسم اللخ الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
It is important to realize that Islam is for our advantage. It is not a burden that Allah has put on us. If Allah said to do something it is only because He wants us to enter Paradise. These are the best actions for us. They are not something we must do and we will only see the benefits after we die. It is not like that. Our world is only rectified through Islam and our next world's rank is only through this religion. If we understand this, we will love doing what Allah wants us to do.
Allah created us and He didn't leave us to wander alone to figure out things. He sent His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to teach us and to guide us to excellence. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought a program of change. He didn't bring philosophies. He brought things to do. So Islam is our own personal school of change.
No doubt change takes time. So what? Time is the creation of Allah. And success is from Him alone. But you have to take the steps now even a small one. Each step you take you are that much closer to Allah.
It maybe difficult for you to wake up for fajr prayer for example. But you make up the prayer once you wake up. And you try harder tomorrow to wake up for fajr. You fight the nafs and the Shaytan. You might still not able to overcome them tomorrow but you try again the next day, much harder this time, and keep trying until not only you can wake up for fajr, you find yourself waking up for tahajjud. Maybe you like to look at girls. Now you know it is unlawful to do that. Next time when you see a girl passing by, you lower your gaze and turn the other way. You do this until you don't care about looking at girls anymore. Maybe you dress to attract guys or to show off. Now you know that is unlawful. So you tone down your clothing when you go out until you are able to put on a full proper hijab and don't care about what people think of you.
By learning what is obligatory, by trying your best, sometimes falling on your face, praying for forgivness, trying again, you are on the road to Allah. And there is no road other than the road of the obligatory. The most important thing we can do is to learn what is obligatory on us. This is what the scholars of Fiqh has detailed for us. All of us should learn the basics of Islamic law. Once we get the obligatory in place, then comes the recommended. It is not to say that you wait until you have done the obligatory before you do the recommended, but the obligatory is the basis. Without it there is no one going anywhere.
Our religious life flourishes by doing more and more recommended acts, e.g. extra charity, extra prayers, extra fasting, good character, and doing the things that Allah loves. We keep doing them and increase them until we die.
There is no door to excellence other than learning Islam and submitting to Islam. We are talking about a very powerful change, a transformation. Only something powerful from Allah can take us there. It involves doing what is not familiar and doing it whether we like it or not until we enter the realm of "He loves them and they love Him." This is when we have entered the world of closeness to Allah. May Allah give us tawfiq and make us among those who He loves. Ameen.
And Allah knows best.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
It is important to realize that Islam is for our advantage. It is not a burden that Allah has put on us. If Allah said to do something it is only because He wants us to enter Paradise. These are the best actions for us. They are not something we must do and we will only see the benefits after we die. It is not like that. Our world is only rectified through Islam and our next world's rank is only through this religion. If we understand this, we will love doing what Allah wants us to do.
Allah created us and He didn't leave us to wander alone to figure out things. He sent His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to teach us and to guide us to excellence. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought a program of change. He didn't bring philosophies. He brought things to do. So Islam is our own personal school of change.
No doubt change takes time. So what? Time is the creation of Allah. And success is from Him alone. But you have to take the steps now even a small one. Each step you take you are that much closer to Allah.
It maybe difficult for you to wake up for fajr prayer for example. But you make up the prayer once you wake up. And you try harder tomorrow to wake up for fajr. You fight the nafs and the Shaytan. You might still not able to overcome them tomorrow but you try again the next day, much harder this time, and keep trying until not only you can wake up for fajr, you find yourself waking up for tahajjud. Maybe you like to look at girls. Now you know it is unlawful to do that. Next time when you see a girl passing by, you lower your gaze and turn the other way. You do this until you don't care about looking at girls anymore. Maybe you dress to attract guys or to show off. Now you know that is unlawful. So you tone down your clothing when you go out until you are able to put on a full proper hijab and don't care about what people think of you.
By learning what is obligatory, by trying your best, sometimes falling on your face, praying for forgivness, trying again, you are on the road to Allah. And there is no road other than the road of the obligatory. The most important thing we can do is to learn what is obligatory on us. This is what the scholars of Fiqh has detailed for us. All of us should learn the basics of Islamic law. Once we get the obligatory in place, then comes the recommended. It is not to say that you wait until you have done the obligatory before you do the recommended, but the obligatory is the basis. Without it there is no one going anywhere.
Our religious life flourishes by doing more and more recommended acts, e.g. extra charity, extra prayers, extra fasting, good character, and doing the things that Allah loves. We keep doing them and increase them until we die.
There is no door to excellence other than learning Islam and submitting to Islam. We are talking about a very powerful change, a transformation. Only something powerful from Allah can take us there. It involves doing what is not familiar and doing it whether we like it or not until we enter the realm of "He loves them and they love Him." This is when we have entered the world of closeness to Allah. May Allah give us tawfiq and make us among those who He loves. Ameen.
And Allah knows best.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Key To Blissful Life
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When Allah tells us to obey Him and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, -- pray, pay zakat, fast, perform hajj, take care of the orphans, lower our gazes, be kind to our parents, eat halal, cover our nakedness, do certain things certain way, have good character, etc, and to avoid something--alcohol, fornication, etc, He is not trying to burden us or to deprive us of anything but to give us the keys to unlock the greatest bliss in this life.
At the highest level of religious practice is to worship Allah as if you actually see Him. Allah is not a physical body. He is outside of space and time. He is eternal and He is perfect. Seeing Him is not seeing Him as image but it is certitude that is so strong as if you are seeing Him, an awareness that stems from the heart as if you are seeing him.
People of Allah who have reached in such degrees find it difficult to put in words when they describe what this experience really like. Though, mystical poets have beautiful expressions to which they teach these meanings. One described the experience in worship like purity but there is no water, gentleness without breeze, light without fire and being without body. This is something the mind cannot picture but it is an experience. May Allah shows us the key to this level of certitude.
If you cannot worship Allah as if you see Him, then know that He sees you. So pray like that, fast like that, give like that, treat people like that, work like that, do your mundane actions like that. Do whatever you want to do but be aware that Allah sees you. If you have this awareness, you will have a different experience in your life inshaAllah. We ask Allah to give us these meanings.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When Allah tells us to obey Him and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, -- pray, pay zakat, fast, perform hajj, take care of the orphans, lower our gazes, be kind to our parents, eat halal, cover our nakedness, do certain things certain way, have good character, etc, and to avoid something--alcohol, fornication, etc, He is not trying to burden us or to deprive us of anything but to give us the keys to unlock the greatest bliss in this life.
At the highest level of religious practice is to worship Allah as if you actually see Him. Allah is not a physical body. He is outside of space and time. He is eternal and He is perfect. Seeing Him is not seeing Him as image but it is certitude that is so strong as if you are seeing Him, an awareness that stems from the heart as if you are seeing him.
People of Allah who have reached in such degrees find it difficult to put in words when they describe what this experience really like. Though, mystical poets have beautiful expressions to which they teach these meanings. One described the experience in worship like purity but there is no water, gentleness without breeze, light without fire and being without body. This is something the mind cannot picture but it is an experience. May Allah shows us the key to this level of certitude.
If you cannot worship Allah as if you see Him, then know that He sees you. So pray like that, fast like that, give like that, treat people like that, work like that, do your mundane actions like that. Do whatever you want to do but be aware that Allah sees you. If you have this awareness, you will have a different experience in your life inshaAllah. We ask Allah to give us these meanings.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Saturday, December 25, 2010
The Sweetness Of Faith
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
What does it mean that I love someone? Does it mean I am always fighting with them. No, true love entails agreement. There is harmony.
Following the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is harmony. That's what Allah wants. If you do that Allah will love you. Submission is the key to this love.
"Say: "If you do love God, Follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Qur'an AleImran 3:31
A poet said:
You disobey God while declaring love for Him
This is impossible, and a far fetched hope
Had your love been true, you have obeyed
Verily! The lover is obedient to the one he loves.
Love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, makes Iman (Faith) extremely sweet and delicious.
"Whoever possesses the (following) three qualities will have the sweetness of faith (1)The one to whom Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, becomes dearer than anything else;
(2) Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's Sake;
(3) Who hates to revert to kufr (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the Fire." (Bukhari)
All of them return back to love and hate for the sake of Allah, the transformation of values, and Iman will become extremely tasty. If you want to taste the sweetness of Iman, you have to be people of love. Part of this love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is that you are satisfied for what Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, have chosen for you.
"We sent not a messenger, but to be obeyed, in accordance with the will of God. If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked God’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found God indeed Oft-returning, Most Merciful. But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction" Qur'an An-Nisaa 4:64-65
"It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by God and His Messenger to have any option about their decision. If any one disobeys God and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path." Qur'an Al-Ahzab 33:36
Love of God is not only a goal but also a means to the purity of the perfection in Iman, Islam and Ihsan, and it is something Allah has ordered us.
"Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained; the commerce in which you fear a decline: or the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving in His cause; then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and God guides not the rebellious." Qur'an Repentance 9:24
This verse is basically saying that if your love of worldly things is above your love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, watch out! Allah does not grant success to those who do not submit themselves to Him Alone.
May Allah grant us the sweetness of faith. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
What does it mean that I love someone? Does it mean I am always fighting with them. No, true love entails agreement. There is harmony.
Following the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is harmony. That's what Allah wants. If you do that Allah will love you. Submission is the key to this love.
"Say: "If you do love God, Follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Qur'an AleImran 3:31
A poet said:
You disobey God while declaring love for Him
This is impossible, and a far fetched hope
Had your love been true, you have obeyed
Verily! The lover is obedient to the one he loves.
Love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, makes Iman (Faith) extremely sweet and delicious.
"Whoever possesses the (following) three qualities will have the sweetness of faith (1)The one to whom Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, becomes dearer than anything else;
(2) Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's Sake;
(3) Who hates to revert to kufr (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the Fire." (Bukhari)
All of them return back to love and hate for the sake of Allah, the transformation of values, and Iman will become extremely tasty. If you want to taste the sweetness of Iman, you have to be people of love. Part of this love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is that you are satisfied for what Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, have chosen for you.
"We sent not a messenger, but to be obeyed, in accordance with the will of God. If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked God’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found God indeed Oft-returning, Most Merciful. But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction" Qur'an An-Nisaa 4:64-65
"It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by God and His Messenger to have any option about their decision. If any one disobeys God and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path." Qur'an Al-Ahzab 33:36
Love of God is not only a goal but also a means to the purity of the perfection in Iman, Islam and Ihsan, and it is something Allah has ordered us.
"Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained; the commerce in which you fear a decline: or the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving in His cause; then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and God guides not the rebellious." Qur'an Repentance 9:24
This verse is basically saying that if your love of worldly things is above your love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, watch out! Allah does not grant success to those who do not submit themselves to Him Alone.
May Allah grant us the sweetness of faith. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Unseen Reality
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Paradise and Hellfire are real. They are part of the unseen which we must believe. We all want Paradise, the highest Paradise. Nobody wants to go to Hell, the Pit. But because we cannot see Paradise and Hell with our own eyes, we tend to forget about them and about how close we are to the Day when we will be sorted into groups and we will take our seats in our final abodes--Paradise or Hell.
"So those on the Right Hand — how (fortunate) will be those on the Right Hand! (As a respect for them, because they will enter Paradise). And those on the Left Hand — how (unfortunate) will be those on the Left Hand? (As a disgrace for them, because they will enter Hell). And those foremost [(in Islamic Faith of Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds) in the life of this world on the very first call for to embrace Islam,] will be foremost (in Paradise). These will be those nearest (to Allâh). Qur'an al-Waqi'a 56:8-11
Allah mentions and describes Paradise and Hell a lot in the Qur'an. If we read the Qur'an everyday, we will be reminded of this unseen reality everyday.
But most people are too busy thinking about and preparing for their lives on this earth. They don't have time to read and reflect on the verses of the Qur'an. If they did, it would cause them to fear Allah and rush to do good deeds.
You might live for another 100 years, but that day will come, when your good deeds will be cut off and when the door of repentance is closed. You don't know when exactly the Angel of Death will come to take your souls from your body. But the clock is ticking. We should remember this all the time. If we are aware that the clock is ticking then we will make the most of the moments we have on this earth, rushing to do good deeds and falling into line with what Allah has asked us to do. This is not to say we shouldn't work for this life but the work that we do should have the final goal, Paradise, in mind.
The time you are investing for this life should be proportionate to the time you are going to spend in the next life, which is a lot longer than this life. If you are spending more time preparing for your future in this life and little or none for your eternal life in the Hereafter, then you are doing it all opposite!
"This is the Book (Qur'an); in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God, who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them and who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper. Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:2-5
"O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:208
"..and who is more astray than one who follow his own lusts, devoid of guidance from God. for God guides not people given to wrong-doing." Qur'an al-Qasas 28:50
May Allah guide us and strengthen our Iman. May Allah join us all in the highest Paradise. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Paradise and Hellfire are real. They are part of the unseen which we must believe. We all want Paradise, the highest Paradise. Nobody wants to go to Hell, the Pit. But because we cannot see Paradise and Hell with our own eyes, we tend to forget about them and about how close we are to the Day when we will be sorted into groups and we will take our seats in our final abodes--Paradise or Hell.
"So those on the Right Hand — how (fortunate) will be those on the Right Hand! (As a respect for them, because they will enter Paradise). And those on the Left Hand — how (unfortunate) will be those on the Left Hand? (As a disgrace for them, because they will enter Hell). And those foremost [(in Islamic Faith of Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds) in the life of this world on the very first call for to embrace Islam,] will be foremost (in Paradise). These will be those nearest (to Allâh). Qur'an al-Waqi'a 56:8-11
Allah mentions and describes Paradise and Hell a lot in the Qur'an. If we read the Qur'an everyday, we will be reminded of this unseen reality everyday.
But most people are too busy thinking about and preparing for their lives on this earth. They don't have time to read and reflect on the verses of the Qur'an. If they did, it would cause them to fear Allah and rush to do good deeds.
You might live for another 100 years, but that day will come, when your good deeds will be cut off and when the door of repentance is closed. You don't know when exactly the Angel of Death will come to take your souls from your body. But the clock is ticking. We should remember this all the time. If we are aware that the clock is ticking then we will make the most of the moments we have on this earth, rushing to do good deeds and falling into line with what Allah has asked us to do. This is not to say we shouldn't work for this life but the work that we do should have the final goal, Paradise, in mind.
The time you are investing for this life should be proportionate to the time you are going to spend in the next life, which is a lot longer than this life. If you are spending more time preparing for your future in this life and little or none for your eternal life in the Hereafter, then you are doing it all opposite!
"This is the Book (Qur'an); in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God, who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them and who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper. Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:2-5
"O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:208
"..and who is more astray than one who follow his own lusts, devoid of guidance from God. for God guides not people given to wrong-doing." Qur'an al-Qasas 28:50
May Allah guide us and strengthen our Iman. May Allah join us all in the highest Paradise. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Friday, December 17, 2010
Mother's Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Every woman at certain point in her life yearns to be a mother because that is how Allah created her. If somehow she cannot have children, she becomes worried. She prays for Allah to make her able to bear children. When she goes for hajj or umrah, the first thing she asks Allah is for a child. When people go to hajj or umrah, the only thing she asks them to do for her is to make du'a for her so she can have a child. She doesn't mind going through years of painful fertility procedures only to have a child. Even with a successful career and a successful husband who loves her, she feels a void in her life--motherhood.
Her life will change if Allah blesses her with a child. She will spend all day running after this child and spend sleepless nights for this child. When she goes shopping, it is for this child, and nothing for herself. But this struggle and sacrifice seem easy for her. Even when the child has grown up and independent, the mother still caters for him and still worries about him. He is still her focal point. If her child hurts her, no matter how bad and horrible it is, no matter how often, but when the child gives her a hug and say sorry even while she is fuming, her heart melts. Why? Because Allah has put the love of her child in her heart. A mother loves her child whether he is obedient or disobedient, whether he is good or bad. Her love for her child is unconditional.
But Allah loves His creation much more than a mother loves her children. No matter how much someone has strayed from the right path, Allah will forgive him if he sincerely seek His forgiveness.
On the authority of Anas bin Malik, Allah be pleased with him, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: Allah the Almighty said: O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it. (related by Tirmidhi)
We are not free from sins--major, minor, clear and not so clear sins. Even if you broke off a small wood, a size of a toothpick, from a firewood belonging to someone without permission, this is stealing. Stealing is considered a major sin. What if you happened to bring home some pencils from your office and thought of it as nothing? What if you borrowed a book from the masjid's library and let it becomes part of your library at home? This is also called stealing. We don't want to account for any of these sort of things in the Day of Judgment. So, as long as we are alive, sincerely seek forgiveness from Allah much.
May Allah have mercy on us and forgive all our sins. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Every woman at certain point in her life yearns to be a mother because that is how Allah created her. If somehow she cannot have children, she becomes worried. She prays for Allah to make her able to bear children. When she goes for hajj or umrah, the first thing she asks Allah is for a child. When people go to hajj or umrah, the only thing she asks them to do for her is to make du'a for her so she can have a child. She doesn't mind going through years of painful fertility procedures only to have a child. Even with a successful career and a successful husband who loves her, she feels a void in her life--motherhood.
Her life will change if Allah blesses her with a child. She will spend all day running after this child and spend sleepless nights for this child. When she goes shopping, it is for this child, and nothing for herself. But this struggle and sacrifice seem easy for her. Even when the child has grown up and independent, the mother still caters for him and still worries about him. He is still her focal point. If her child hurts her, no matter how bad and horrible it is, no matter how often, but when the child gives her a hug and say sorry even while she is fuming, her heart melts. Why? Because Allah has put the love of her child in her heart. A mother loves her child whether he is obedient or disobedient, whether he is good or bad. Her love for her child is unconditional.
But Allah loves His creation much more than a mother loves her children. No matter how much someone has strayed from the right path, Allah will forgive him if he sincerely seek His forgiveness.
On the authority of Anas bin Malik, Allah be pleased with him, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: Allah the Almighty said: O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it. (related by Tirmidhi)
We are not free from sins--major, minor, clear and not so clear sins. Even if you broke off a small wood, a size of a toothpick, from a firewood belonging to someone without permission, this is stealing. Stealing is considered a major sin. What if you happened to bring home some pencils from your office and thought of it as nothing? What if you borrowed a book from the masjid's library and let it becomes part of your library at home? This is also called stealing. We don't want to account for any of these sort of things in the Day of Judgment. So, as long as we are alive, sincerely seek forgiveness from Allah much.
May Allah have mercy on us and forgive all our sins. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Don't Just Take My Word For It
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We are Muslims not because our parents are Muslims or because Islam makes us feel good. We are Muslims because we independently believe there is the One God, the Creator of the universe, that we are here for an appointed time to serve His cause, and that we shall die and be resurrected and gathered for judgment before we are placed in our final abodes--Paradise or Hell. Knowing what is going to happen to you after you die give your life purpose and you will live it accordingly.
If you haven't come to grip with this reality, read the Qur'an and contemplate on the meaning of the verses. Don't take people's words alone because understanding the verses first hand give you certainty and this make a whole lot of difference in your practice. InshaAllah.
"This is a Book (the Qur'an) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember." Qur'an Sad 38:29
The heavens and the earth, the night and day, are some of the symbols and reminders of the glorious majesty of the Creator and His goodness to man.
"Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding." Qur'an AleImran 3:190
"Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): 'Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.'" Qur'an AleImran 3:191
"He it is Who has appointed for you the night that you may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily, in this are Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who listen (i.e. those who think deeply)." Qur'an Yunus 10:67
"'Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) find any helpers. 'Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace) calling to Faith: ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die (in the state of righteousness) along with Al-Abrar (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism). 'Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break (Your) Promise.' So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), 'Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another, so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will expiate from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards.'" Qur'an AleImran 3:191-195
May Allah makes us among the people of deep understanding and among the good-doers, and admits us into the highest Paradise. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We are Muslims not because our parents are Muslims or because Islam makes us feel good. We are Muslims because we independently believe there is the One God, the Creator of the universe, that we are here for an appointed time to serve His cause, and that we shall die and be resurrected and gathered for judgment before we are placed in our final abodes--Paradise or Hell. Knowing what is going to happen to you after you die give your life purpose and you will live it accordingly.
If you haven't come to grip with this reality, read the Qur'an and contemplate on the meaning of the verses. Don't take people's words alone because understanding the verses first hand give you certainty and this make a whole lot of difference in your practice. InshaAllah.
"This is a Book (the Qur'an) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember." Qur'an Sad 38:29
The heavens and the earth, the night and day, are some of the symbols and reminders of the glorious majesty of the Creator and His goodness to man.
"Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding." Qur'an AleImran 3:190
"Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): 'Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.'" Qur'an AleImran 3:191
"He it is Who has appointed for you the night that you may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily, in this are Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who listen (i.e. those who think deeply)." Qur'an Yunus 10:67
"'Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) find any helpers. 'Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace) calling to Faith: ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die (in the state of righteousness) along with Al-Abrar (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism). 'Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break (Your) Promise.' So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), 'Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another, so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will expiate from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards.'" Qur'an AleImran 3:191-195
May Allah makes us among the people of deep understanding and among the good-doers, and admits us into the highest Paradise. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
It Is About Being A Muslim
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We are reminded to fast on 10th of Muharram, day of 'Ashura. which is this Thursday inshaAllah. Although it is not obligatory, it is good to fast on this day. Fasting on this day has great merits. We are told that fasting the day of `Ashura' expiates the sins of the previous year.
Ibn `Abbas, Allah be pleased with them both, used to say that we should fast on two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish community. (At-Tirmidhi)
As Muslims, we should know the virtuous days and occasions in Islam so we can take advantage of these blessed occasions and days of Islam. We should rush to follow the sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, as a means to drawing closer to Allah.
Fasting on this day(s)or any other day or any other worship is not only about doing it, but it is about being a Muslim--submitting your whole body and soul to Allah.
Only when we are with Allah that we will experience tranquility and glow in our lives inshaAllah. Whether we are struck with riches or with poverty, whether we are on top of the world or at the bottom of the world, we find peace in our hearts. This is when we live our lives as Muslims, submitting to the will of Allah, for every breathe we take.
"Nay,whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:112
May Allah accept your worship and forgive all your sins. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We are reminded to fast on 10th of Muharram, day of 'Ashura. which is this Thursday inshaAllah. Although it is not obligatory, it is good to fast on this day. Fasting on this day has great merits. We are told that fasting the day of `Ashura' expiates the sins of the previous year.
Ibn `Abbas, Allah be pleased with them both, used to say that we should fast on two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish community. (At-Tirmidhi)
As Muslims, we should know the virtuous days and occasions in Islam so we can take advantage of these blessed occasions and days of Islam. We should rush to follow the sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, as a means to drawing closer to Allah.
Fasting on this day(s)or any other day or any other worship is not only about doing it, but it is about being a Muslim--submitting your whole body and soul to Allah.
Only when we are with Allah that we will experience tranquility and glow in our lives inshaAllah. Whether we are struck with riches or with poverty, whether we are on top of the world or at the bottom of the world, we find peace in our hearts. This is when we live our lives as Muslims, submitting to the will of Allah, for every breathe we take.
"Nay,whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:112
May Allah accept your worship and forgive all your sins. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, December 13, 2010
Facebook Fitnah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Most of us have facebook. Some have more than one accounts. We have to fear Allah when we open our facebook. It should only be used for da'wah and other Islamic purposes, and to show people how to do things that can help them in this life.
You must let Islam govern your conduct on facebook. Otherwise facebook can become a major fitnah for you and the society. You either have something beneficial to do on facebook or you must not go there!
You don't need profile images of you (man and woman, in niqab or not) on facebook either. That is a fitnah in of itself.
You are inviting fitnah and spreading evil if you allow people to send post of half-naked people to your facebook because other people can see as well. Remove these people from your facebook. Delete their posts and images if you have them and know of them. They are doing more harm than good to our souls.
For woman, don't be conversing with man on facebook (or other chat rooms) and for man, don't be conversing with woman on facebook (or other chat rooms). This is extremely dangerous! Love can ignite within moments. Shaytan will try to find some words that appear to be seductive and attractive to you or to the other person and the fitnah begins. Everything you have will be out the window--your marriage (if you are married), your iman, your piety, etc.
You chat with your wives or your husbands. For man you don't chat with other people's wives or other people's daughters, and for woman, you don't chat with other people's husbands or other people's sons. If you don't have a spouse to chat with, go get married, if you can. Islam has made it easy for man or woman to be together--through marriage. There are Islamic rules that govern this process of finding a spouse and getting married which are all for your benefit. Follow them. Don't let shaytan get in your way.
There is no flirting or dating, on the internet or otherwise. You must follow the Islamic etiquette in gender interaction, and that includes your interaction in cyberspace with the opposite sex.
May Allah protect us from the trials of this world and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
related article:
Grab The Opportunity To Meet The King
Don't Look, Don't Touch
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Most of us have facebook. Some have more than one accounts. We have to fear Allah when we open our facebook. It should only be used for da'wah and other Islamic purposes, and to show people how to do things that can help them in this life.
You must let Islam govern your conduct on facebook. Otherwise facebook can become a major fitnah for you and the society. You either have something beneficial to do on facebook or you must not go there!
You don't need profile images of you (man and woman, in niqab or not) on facebook either. That is a fitnah in of itself.
You are inviting fitnah and spreading evil if you allow people to send post of half-naked people to your facebook because other people can see as well. Remove these people from your facebook. Delete their posts and images if you have them and know of them. They are doing more harm than good to our souls.
For woman, don't be conversing with man on facebook (or other chat rooms) and for man, don't be conversing with woman on facebook (or other chat rooms). This is extremely dangerous! Love can ignite within moments. Shaytan will try to find some words that appear to be seductive and attractive to you or to the other person and the fitnah begins. Everything you have will be out the window--your marriage (if you are married), your iman, your piety, etc.
You chat with your wives or your husbands. For man you don't chat with other people's wives or other people's daughters, and for woman, you don't chat with other people's husbands or other people's sons. If you don't have a spouse to chat with, go get married, if you can. Islam has made it easy for man or woman to be together--through marriage. There are Islamic rules that govern this process of finding a spouse and getting married which are all for your benefit. Follow them. Don't let shaytan get in your way.
There is no flirting or dating, on the internet or otherwise. You must follow the Islamic etiquette in gender interaction, and that includes your interaction in cyberspace with the opposite sex.
May Allah protect us from the trials of this world and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
related article:
Grab The Opportunity To Meet The King
Don't Look, Don't Touch
Friday, December 10, 2010
Count Your Blessings
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
If you don't have to carry bricks and concrete blocks, or clean streets to earn a few hundred dollars a month, but you are making a few hundred dollars an hour like some lawyers and doctors, or you have a successful business or a good job, don't think that it is your intelligence and your degrees that enable you to have a successful job. This is a test for you. How many intelligent people are without a paying job? How many PhD's and engineers are without a job? Many!
If you are not grateful to Allah, if you don't thank Allah profusely, if you are not generous to your family, if you don't spend some of your money on the poor, if you become arrogant or proud, you fail the test. Allah can make you lose everything. It is easy for Him. He could send you a sickness that you become unable to work. As a result, you lose your job, your life savings and investments, perhaps your so called friends, and maybe your marriage. You were somebody yesterday and today you are nobody! This is His warning for you. You should know that you should quickly turn to Allah and ask for His forgiveness.
Allah's grant of certain gifts to some and His withholding of certain gifts from others, are themselves Signs (trial or warnings) to people of faith and understanding.
"See they not that Allah enlarges the provision and restricts it, to whomsoever He pleases? Verily in that are Signs for those who believe. So give what is due to kindred, the needy, and the wayfarer. That is best for those who seek Allah's Countenance, and it is they who will prosper." Qur'an Ar-Room 30:37-38
May Allah forgive us and make us among those He is well pleased with. May Allah grant us His Noble Countenance. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
If you don't have to carry bricks and concrete blocks, or clean streets to earn a few hundred dollars a month, but you are making a few hundred dollars an hour like some lawyers and doctors, or you have a successful business or a good job, don't think that it is your intelligence and your degrees that enable you to have a successful job. This is a test for you. How many intelligent people are without a paying job? How many PhD's and engineers are without a job? Many!
If you are not grateful to Allah, if you don't thank Allah profusely, if you are not generous to your family, if you don't spend some of your money on the poor, if you become arrogant or proud, you fail the test. Allah can make you lose everything. It is easy for Him. He could send you a sickness that you become unable to work. As a result, you lose your job, your life savings and investments, perhaps your so called friends, and maybe your marriage. You were somebody yesterday and today you are nobody! This is His warning for you. You should know that you should quickly turn to Allah and ask for His forgiveness.
Allah's grant of certain gifts to some and His withholding of certain gifts from others, are themselves Signs (trial or warnings) to people of faith and understanding.
"See they not that Allah enlarges the provision and restricts it, to whomsoever He pleases? Verily in that are Signs for those who believe. So give what is due to kindred, the needy, and the wayfarer. That is best for those who seek Allah's Countenance, and it is they who will prosper." Qur'an Ar-Room 30:37-38
May Allah forgive us and make us among those He is well pleased with. May Allah grant us His Noble Countenance. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Understanding Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that that you are well.
For most people, their understanding of love is an abstract feeling that they have in the hearts but no consequence. Love should be a feeling and an action. It is not a lip service, not a claim of how you feel. When you love somebody, you would put them in high esteem, think about them a lot, you would sacrifice yourself for them. If you are confronted with a situation between your interest and the interest of the person you claim you love, that is a test whether you love that person or not. If you put your interest first, then your love is nothing but a claim.
If you love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, you would send lots of blessings (salawat) upon him him everyday.
"Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'O you who believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.'" Qur'an Ahzab 33:56
You would sacrifice your desires, your ego, your time, your energy and your wealth to act upon his teachings. If he tells you "pray the way you see me pray", if he tells you to eat from lawful income, if he tells you to cover your body a certain way, if he tells you to guard your tongue, if he tells you to lower your gaze, if he tells you to treat your women well and be kind to them, if he tells you not to get angry, if he tells you to help the orphan and needy, you would do it. You don't find excuses or convince yourself not to do it.
You would consider his sunnah more important than your comfort or your image. When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked you to do something in a hadith you would be willing to do it. You won't say, "Oh! it is just sunnah, I don't have to do it!" You will try your hardest to follow his sunnah. You should not just think sunnah as the the outward sunnah but also how he lived his life. And you do as much to emulate him because you love him.
Why should we love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace? Because when we love him, we will naturally follow him. Ultimately, we want Allah to love us and forgive our sins. Allah tells us in the Qur'an how we can have this.
Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. Muhammad), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers...Qur'an AleImram 3:31-32
May Allah increase our love for His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that that you are well.
For most people, their understanding of love is an abstract feeling that they have in the hearts but no consequence. Love should be a feeling and an action. It is not a lip service, not a claim of how you feel. When you love somebody, you would put them in high esteem, think about them a lot, you would sacrifice yourself for them. If you are confronted with a situation between your interest and the interest of the person you claim you love, that is a test whether you love that person or not. If you put your interest first, then your love is nothing but a claim.
If you love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, you would send lots of blessings (salawat) upon him him everyday.
"Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'O you who believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.'" Qur'an Ahzab 33:56
You would sacrifice your desires, your ego, your time, your energy and your wealth to act upon his teachings. If he tells you "pray the way you see me pray", if he tells you to eat from lawful income, if he tells you to cover your body a certain way, if he tells you to guard your tongue, if he tells you to lower your gaze, if he tells you to treat your women well and be kind to them, if he tells you not to get angry, if he tells you to help the orphan and needy, you would do it. You don't find excuses or convince yourself not to do it.
You would consider his sunnah more important than your comfort or your image. When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked you to do something in a hadith you would be willing to do it. You won't say, "Oh! it is just sunnah, I don't have to do it!" You will try your hardest to follow his sunnah. You should not just think sunnah as the the outward sunnah but also how he lived his life. And you do as much to emulate him because you love him.
Why should we love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace? Because when we love him, we will naturally follow him. Ultimately, we want Allah to love us and forgive our sins. Allah tells us in the Qur'an how we can have this.
Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. Muhammad), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers...Qur'an AleImram 3:31-32
May Allah increase our love for His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, December 6, 2010
Overflowing With Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah has not only created men, but "made their joints strong", i.e. given men the power and strength to withstand the temptations of evil and stand firmly on the right.
"It is We Who created them, and We have made their joints strong; but, when We will, We can substitute the like of them by a complete change." Qur'an Al-Insan 76:28
But some people misuse their powers or willfully disobey Allah's law. They reject, or at least put away the thought of a Hereafter, a Day that will be difficult, for the easy pleasures of a fleeting life.
"Verily, man is ungrateful to his Lord; And to that he bears witness (by his deeds); And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth. Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth (all mankind is resurrected)?" Qur'an Al-Adiyat 100:8
And Allah knows best.
May Allah make us among those who are overflowing with their love for Allah. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah has not only created men, but "made their joints strong", i.e. given men the power and strength to withstand the temptations of evil and stand firmly on the right.
"It is We Who created them, and We have made their joints strong; but, when We will, We can substitute the like of them by a complete change." Qur'an Al-Insan 76:28
But some people misuse their powers or willfully disobey Allah's law. They reject, or at least put away the thought of a Hereafter, a Day that will be difficult, for the easy pleasures of a fleeting life.
"Verily, man is ungrateful to his Lord; And to that he bears witness (by his deeds); And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth. Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth (all mankind is resurrected)?" Qur'an Al-Adiyat 100:8
And Allah knows best.
May Allah make us among those who are overflowing with their love for Allah. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Saturday, December 4, 2010
What Happen To Our Children?!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
In today's society, more often than not we see children who, by cultural standards of 20-30 years ago, are utterly rude to their parents. Back then, our parents would only need to raise their eyebrows or make a quick stare at us and we immediately understood what it meant and immediately correct our behavior. Those behaviors which our parents found unacceptable or detestable are considered benign or non-issue (and some even think it is funny) in many households today.
How much things have deteriorated in the last few decades and have become worse and worse! You see little and big bosses running around, raising their voices like the bray of a donkey, telling their parents what to do! Indeed, one of the signs of the Hour is that children will become so ill-mannered and insolent towards their parents that they treat their parents as though they are their slaves. May Allah save us from this calamity. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.
The solution is simple but implementation is not as simple. Granted. It all goes back to our Islam. Do we want to follow Allah's guidance or what everybody else are doing? We have to consciously put our best effort to live Islam if we want good in this life and the next. The result of our efforts is for Allah to determine. But we have to do what we must because each individual, each generation, and each people is responsible for its own good deeds or misdeeds.
What values are we instilling in our children? What are we telling our children when we ourselves are not kind to our parents? What examples are we setting for our children when we hardly visit our parents, when we don't bring them over, when we don't eat with them often, when we don't sit with them much, when we don't call our parents much, when we don't hug our parents much, when they live in the pits and you live in a nice comfy home? If you cannot appreciate your parents' sacrifices for bringing you to this world, look at your own kids, how you struggle for them, and if you don't have kids, look at your neighbor's or friend's kids, how their parents struggle for them.
If we were to spend a few moments reflecting on the sacrifices that our parents have made for us from the time we were a little clot until we become this beautiful butterfly, we cannot but dearly love our parents and feel how selfish we have been towards them. Why can't you make them feel like a butterfly?
If you have a wonderful relationship with your parents, that's a good sign, but I reckon it is still not enough. Good parents never ask for anything back from their children. They are satisfied with whatever little that their children give. They are not selfish--they only want all good to come to their children. But you can do more for them. There is never enough good that someone can do for their parents.
To begin, you should always ask Allah to forgive and have mercy on your parents--you do this much, at least 5 times a day after each prescribed prayers, and whenever they come to your mind. You ask Allah that He be pleased with you.
If your parents are still alive, the next best gift for them is your regular companionship with them. Remember, you were hanging on them when you were little and they did not push you away. If you don't have parents anymore, don't despair, you can do these good deeds to their sisters, brothers and their good friends who are still alive.
Seriously, we need to show good examples to our children in our treatment of our parents (and our elders for that matter) even if our children are still small, because they see, they look and they learn fast. Before you know it they start talking back to you and before your next blink, they start yelling at you!
"We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as You may approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to You and truly do I bow (to You) in Islam. Such are they from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and pass by their ill deeds: (They shall be) among the Companions of the Garden: a promise! of truth, which was made to them (in this life)."
"But (there is one)who says to his parents, "Fie on you! Do you hold out the promise to me that I shall be raised up, even though generations have passed before me (without rising again)?" And they two seek God’s aid, (and rebuke the son): "Woe to you! Have faith! for the promise of God is true." But he says, "This is nothing but tales of the ancients! Such are they against whom is proved the sentence among the previous generations of Jinns and men, that have passed away; for they will be (utterly) lost."
"And to all are (assigned) degrees according to the deeds which they (have done), and in order that (God) may recompense their deeds, and no injustice be done to them."
Qur'an al-Ahqaf 46:15-19
And Allah knows best.
May Allah forgive us and our parents and bestow His Grace and Mercy on us and our parents. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
In today's society, more often than not we see children who, by cultural standards of 20-30 years ago, are utterly rude to their parents. Back then, our parents would only need to raise their eyebrows or make a quick stare at us and we immediately understood what it meant and immediately correct our behavior. Those behaviors which our parents found unacceptable or detestable are considered benign or non-issue (and some even think it is funny) in many households today.
How much things have deteriorated in the last few decades and have become worse and worse! You see little and big bosses running around, raising their voices like the bray of a donkey, telling their parents what to do! Indeed, one of the signs of the Hour is that children will become so ill-mannered and insolent towards their parents that they treat their parents as though they are their slaves. May Allah save us from this calamity. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.
The solution is simple but implementation is not as simple. Granted. It all goes back to our Islam. Do we want to follow Allah's guidance or what everybody else are doing? We have to consciously put our best effort to live Islam if we want good in this life and the next. The result of our efforts is for Allah to determine. But we have to do what we must because each individual, each generation, and each people is responsible for its own good deeds or misdeeds.
What values are we instilling in our children? What are we telling our children when we ourselves are not kind to our parents? What examples are we setting for our children when we hardly visit our parents, when we don't bring them over, when we don't eat with them often, when we don't sit with them much, when we don't call our parents much, when we don't hug our parents much, when they live in the pits and you live in a nice comfy home? If you cannot appreciate your parents' sacrifices for bringing you to this world, look at your own kids, how you struggle for them, and if you don't have kids, look at your neighbor's or friend's kids, how their parents struggle for them.
If we were to spend a few moments reflecting on the sacrifices that our parents have made for us from the time we were a little clot until we become this beautiful butterfly, we cannot but dearly love our parents and feel how selfish we have been towards them. Why can't you make them feel like a butterfly?
If you have a wonderful relationship with your parents, that's a good sign, but I reckon it is still not enough. Good parents never ask for anything back from their children. They are satisfied with whatever little that their children give. They are not selfish--they only want all good to come to their children. But you can do more for them. There is never enough good that someone can do for their parents.
To begin, you should always ask Allah to forgive and have mercy on your parents--you do this much, at least 5 times a day after each prescribed prayers, and whenever they come to your mind. You ask Allah that He be pleased with you.
If your parents are still alive, the next best gift for them is your regular companionship with them. Remember, you were hanging on them when you were little and they did not push you away. If you don't have parents anymore, don't despair, you can do these good deeds to their sisters, brothers and their good friends who are still alive.
Seriously, we need to show good examples to our children in our treatment of our parents (and our elders for that matter) even if our children are still small, because they see, they look and they learn fast. Before you know it they start talking back to you and before your next blink, they start yelling at you!
"We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as You may approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to You and truly do I bow (to You) in Islam. Such are they from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and pass by their ill deeds: (They shall be) among the Companions of the Garden: a promise! of truth, which was made to them (in this life)."
"But (there is one)who says to his parents, "Fie on you! Do you hold out the promise to me that I shall be raised up, even though generations have passed before me (without rising again)?" And they two seek God’s aid, (and rebuke the son): "Woe to you! Have faith! for the promise of God is true." But he says, "This is nothing but tales of the ancients! Such are they against whom is proved the sentence among the previous generations of Jinns and men, that have passed away; for they will be (utterly) lost."
"And to all are (assigned) degrees according to the deeds which they (have done), and in order that (God) may recompense their deeds, and no injustice be done to them."
Qur'an al-Ahqaf 46:15-19
And Allah knows best.
May Allah forgive us and our parents and bestow His Grace and Mercy on us and our parents. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Thursday, December 2, 2010
What Better Love Than Allah's Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We acquire closeness to Allah by worshiping Him. We obey Him and we don't disobey Him.
We wake up in the morning for prayer, eat from lawful income and lawful food, dress appropriately and cover our nakedness, observe the rules of Allah in social interactions and transacting, avoid interest/riba, tell the truth, avoid backbiting, pay zakat, etc. We struggle. This is difficult for many.
We continue to struggle to do extra worship such as performing the night vigil prayer, praying much sunnah prayers such as the ones before and after the prescribed prayers (Dhuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr) and dhuha prayer, reciting plenty of Qur'an, performing sunnah fasting--Mondays, Thursdays and other recommended days, give charity, and performing other supererogatory worship. This is extremely difficult for most people.
But we must struggle against our self, forcing it to worship Allah even though it is difficult because we want Allah to love us. There is no better love than His love.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Allah said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. (related by Bukhari)
May Allah help us draw closer to Him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We acquire closeness to Allah by worshiping Him. We obey Him and we don't disobey Him.
We wake up in the morning for prayer, eat from lawful income and lawful food, dress appropriately and cover our nakedness, observe the rules of Allah in social interactions and transacting, avoid interest/riba, tell the truth, avoid backbiting, pay zakat, etc. We struggle. This is difficult for many.
We continue to struggle to do extra worship such as performing the night vigil prayer, praying much sunnah prayers such as the ones before and after the prescribed prayers (Dhuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr) and dhuha prayer, reciting plenty of Qur'an, performing sunnah fasting--Mondays, Thursdays and other recommended days, give charity, and performing other supererogatory worship. This is extremely difficult for most people.
But we must struggle against our self, forcing it to worship Allah even though it is difficult because we want Allah to love us. There is no better love than His love.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Allah said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. (related by Bukhari)
May Allah help us draw closer to Him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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