بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We named things that have value to us. We don't name particle of dust or insects. Things are elevated through their names and if something is given many names, it shows that this matter is extremely exalted and also it gives you different angles to look and understand this named being.
For example, the Qur'an has many names--Al-Qur'an, Al-Kitab, Al-Tanzil, Al-Furqan, Al-Dhikr. Something that is magnified and extremely elevated might have multiple names. This shows the multiple points of perfection within which you view the named.
Allah has many Names through which we know Him. He is not showing all His Names to everyone. Some He shows to a particular person. Some He keeps to Himself. This is not unique in the Shari'ah that Allah hides something of virtue so we might exhaust effort in finding it. For example, Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power in Ramadhan) is hidden from us so we might exhaust ourselves of finding it. The blessed hour on Friday when du'as are answered are hidden so we might exhaust ourselves in finding it. All of the Names of Allah are not all listed so people might read, contemplate, know these Names and search for them. The hadith in the Tirmidhi version listed 99 Names of Allah. This is the common list of 99 Names of Allah that commentators comment on. But the hadith does not mean Allah has only 99 Names. But they are beautiful windows to know Allah in general.
The knowledge of Allah is why we are here. It is why Allah breathed the soul of life into each and everyone of us. Allah sent an angel to the wombs of our mothers when we were four months into our conception and it breathed into it a spirit of life. The spirit that was breathed into us is a secret of Allah.
"And they ask you concerning the Ruh (the Spirit); Say: "The Ruh (the Spirit): is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little." Qur'an Al-Isra' 17:85
The soul, which is a tremendous mystery of the mysteries of the universe, the soul which can be elevated to the ranks to be truly dear to Allah, this soul was only created to worship Allah.
Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated: "Worshiping Allah means knowing Allah."
So the only spirit within our bodies, it is only here so that we might know Allah and we know Him through Allah's Names. Those who don't know Him and those who don't remember Him, have only miseries because they have turned away from that very reason they are walking on this earth.
Allah's beautiful Names are limitless perfection. If you learn something is perfect would you just be satisfied with knowing it? Allah is beyond our imaginations but Allah has described Himself with words which, in our limited way, we are able to emulate. In emulating the meanings we are drawing ourselves close to Allah.
Allah expects us to strive towards perfection and beauty and there is no perfection or beauty except in His Names. So our perfection and our beauty is to strive to emulate His Names, not merely just knowing the names and their meanings and that Allah has them because what this means your ears work and you know some Arabic. It is not simply a case of memorizing the Names either. Where is the rank? Children can do that. But we should really be deeply certain that Allah is characterized by these Names. We should look for deep veneration and feel in awe of these Names--how great is the Al-Ghafur, Al-Wahhab, Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim, Al-Wadud, and so on. This awe necessarily drives you to be like them and venerate them.
Anything opposite from Allah's Names is not perfection. Beauty is in these Names and anything opposite of these Names is not beauty. Excellence is in these Names and anything opposite of these Names is not excellence. Someone who knows this, how could he not want to have a share in this real perfection, excellence and beauty. Someone who doesn't want this is because he is ignorant or because his heart is filled with something else and this knowledge has not settled in him.
"The one looking at the Attributes of Allah must have a heart devoid of wanting other than Allah, for knowledge is the seed of longing." (Ghazali)
Knowledge is the seed of longing. When we learn about Allah's Names, this is the seed through which will grow the tree for longing of Allah and this longing will bring about action but if we plant this seed and there is no soil in the heart, the seed will get blown away and nothing will happen. So it is a very important that we look for deep certitude and veneration, followed by striving to acquire what is acquirable of Allah's Attributes.
"Verily Allah has ninety nine Names, one hundered except one; whoever encompasses them enters Paradise." (Bukhari)
"Verily, Allah Most High, has 99 Names; whoever encompasses them enters Paradise. He is Allah, the One who there is no god but He, Al-Rahman, Al-Rahim, Al-Malik, AlQuddus, Al-Salam, Al-Mu'min Al-Muhaymin, Al-'Aziz, Al-Jabbar, Al-Mutakabbir, Al-Khaliq, Al-Bari', Al-Musawwir, Al-Ghaffar, Al-Qahhar, Al-Wahhab, Al-Razzaq, Al-Fattah, Al-'Alim, Al-Qabid, Al-Basit, Al-Khafid, Al-Rafi', Al-Mu'izz, Al-Mudhill, As-Sami', Al-Basir, Al-Hakam, Al-'Adl, Al-Latif, Al-Khabir, Al-Halim, Al-'Azim, Al-Ghafur, Ash-Shakur, Al-'Ali, Al-Kabir, Al-Hafiz, Al-Muqit, Al-Hasib, Al-Jalil, Al-Karim, Al-Raqib, Al-Mujib, Al-Wasi', Al-Hakim, Al-Wadud, Al-Majíd, Al-Ba'ith, Ash-Shahid, Al-Haqq, Al-Wakil, Al-Qawiyy, Al-Matin, Al-Wáli, Al-Hamid, Al-Muhsi, Al-Mubdi, Al-Mu'id, Al-Muhyi, Al-Mumit, Al-Hayy, Al-Qayyum, Al-Wajid, Al-Májid, Al-Wahid, Al-Ahad, As-Samad, Al-Qadir, Al-Muqtadir, Al-Muqaddim, Al-Mu'akhkhir, Al-Awwal, Al-Akhir, Al-Zahir, Al-Batin, Al-Walí, Al-Muta'ali, Al-Barr, At-Tawwib, Al-Muntaqim, Al-Afu, Al-Ra'uf, Malik al-Mulk, Dhul-Jalali Wal-Ikram, Al-Muqsit, Al-Jami, Al-Ghani, Al-Mughni, Al-Mani', Ad-Darr, An-Nafi', An-Nur, Al-Hadi, Al-Badi, Al-Baqi, Al-Warith, Al-Rashid, As-Sabur" (Tirmidhi)
May Allah teach us the knowledge of Him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Worship Allah As If You See Him
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends,
I pray that you are well.
This world is about Allah's handiwork. The universe is Allah's mirror through which the Beauty and Perfection of Allah is reflected. So whoever wants to look to Allah, then look at the mirror through which Allah's Attributes are reflected.
People of Allah see Allah in the universe. When they look at the rain, they don't merely see water falling from the sky, they see Al-Razzaq who has determined the provisions for His creation. When they see the clouds being gently pushed along the sky to the destined place, they see Al-Latif, the Subtle, the Gentle, the Kind. They see that no one can stop these clouds. They see Al-Qawiyy who is unstoppable. They see the clouds going to where they are needed and giving what it is needed to bring forth life after the earth was dead and they see Al-Khabir, Al-Alim, Al-Hakim. So they see all these beautiful traits.
For these people, it is not hard for them to reach a station where they worship Allah as if they see Him, which the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned is excellence in religion--to worship Allah as if you see Him.
These are the people who sees Allah in everything. His Names and Attributes are the keys to it. Someone like that, it is hard to imagine getting depressed and getting stressed. Someone like that they take whatever life gives them and look to Allah in everything.
Iman Ahmad said, "My happiest day is the day when I wake up and there is absolutely nothing. Why? Because these were the days that I completely rely on Allah." There is a sweetness in relying on Allah completely which nothing else can match. Many of the scholars had statement like that. These are truly the scholars.
May Allah guide us to excellence in worship and bring us 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.
This world is about Allah's handiwork. The universe is Allah's mirror through which the Beauty and Perfection of Allah is reflected. So whoever wants to look to Allah, then look at the mirror through which Allah's Attributes are reflected.
People of Allah see Allah in the universe. When they look at the rain, they don't merely see water falling from the sky, they see Al-Razzaq who has determined the provisions for His creation. When they see the clouds being gently pushed along the sky to the destined place, they see Al-Latif, the Subtle, the Gentle, the Kind. They see that no one can stop these clouds. They see Al-Qawiyy who is unstoppable. They see the clouds going to where they are needed and giving what it is needed to bring forth life after the earth was dead and they see Al-Khabir, Al-Alim, Al-Hakim. So they see all these beautiful traits.
For these people, it is not hard for them to reach a station where they worship Allah as if they see Him, which the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned is excellence in religion--to worship Allah as if you see Him.
These are the people who sees Allah in everything. His Names and Attributes are the keys to it. Someone like that, it is hard to imagine getting depressed and getting stressed. Someone like that they take whatever life gives them and look to Allah in everything.
Iman Ahmad said, "My happiest day is the day when I wake up and there is absolutely nothing. Why? Because these were the days that I completely rely on Allah." There is a sweetness in relying on Allah completely which nothing else can match. Many of the scholars had statement like that. These are truly the scholars.
May Allah guide us to excellence in worship and bring us closer to Him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
It Is Not Your Money
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends,
I pray that you are well.
Our relationship with food is something we can't live without. But once we take in the food, it produces waste within our body. If we don't release it, we get weak or we get sick and it can become poison in our body and we can die from it. So the food is a wonderful thing as long as we take the benefit of it and release the waste of it. Otherwise, we are harmed by not having it or by keeping all of it.
Money is like food. Without money, we basically can't live. We can't shop for anything. But at the same time if we hoard money, a meaning of filth spreads to that money. If we were to keep all that money, that meaning of filth will spread throughout the money and poison it. This poisoning is the lack of blessing inside this money. So someone might spend but no blessing in what he is spending. He might have a lot of money but the money will vanish one day. He buys food but the food doesn't nourish the way it is meant to nourish. Everything is poisoned by the money that bought it--food, clothes, cars, house, and so on.
How do you purify all of these? It is by releasing the waste from your money. This is the meaning of zakat. Money need to be purified by taking an amount out and giving it away and the rest of money is purified. By spending in zakat, it physically decreases the money you have, but in reality it hugely increases your money. Because now the rest of the money has worth and has purity. So everything that you bought with that money will have blessing. There is blessing in the food you eat, in the clothes you wear, in the house you live in, in the car you drive, and your du'as are answered.
The giving in charity and zakat, in particular, shows that you are honest in the claim to faith to Islam and in the claim that you believe in the Unseen.
ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَۛ فِيهِۛ هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (٢) ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ (٣)
"This is the Book; 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." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:2-3
The fact that you spend of your money in charity and zakat, it is a proof that you are true when you say La illaha illa Allah Muhammad Rasul Allah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace.) It is a proof that you are a believer. It is a sign of your honesty and genuineness in your claim of Faith.
Islam views poverty as a problem and it has to be solved. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Poverty is almost akin to disbelief." Why?
Because when a person experiences extreme poverty it can drive him to criminal act. We can see in any country where the economics aren't working, there are many crimes--murder, theft, mugging and insecurity. When people have insecurity, character might collapse in that society and it also can sometimes lead to people to utter words of disbelief. Poverty takes a person out of his shell that we put over ourselves--educated, intelligent, cultured and civilized. Poverty will strip us off the shell quicker than we might expect.
This is a du'a of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, which conjoins poverty and disbelief.
اللّهُـمَّ إِنّـي أَعـوذُبِكَ مِنَ الْكُـفر ، وَالفَـقْر ، وَأَعـوذُبِكَ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر ، لا إلهَ إلاّ أَنْـتَ
"O Allah , I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty and I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is none worthy of worship but You."
In the earlier days of Islam, the early Qur'anic revelation didn't deal with detail rulings. They dealt in belief, character, morals and next life. They weren't heavy in legal rulings. The rulings came later in the Madinan phase of the Prophet's mission, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Yet in the earlier days of Islam, this is a religion that does not tolerate the neglect of the poor.
In Surah Muddaththir (Scholars said this was the second revelation to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace), we were being told that not feeding the indigent is a reason to go to Hell.
فِى جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ (٤٠) عَنِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ (٤١) مَا سَلَڪَكُمۡ فِى سَقَرَ (٤٢) قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ (٤٣) وَلَمۡ نَكُ نُطۡعِمُ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ (٤٤)
'(They will be) in Gardens (of Delight): and will ask, Of the Sinners: "What led you into Hell-Fire?" They will say: "We were not of those who prayed;" "Nor were we of those who fed the indigent;"...' Qur'an 74:40-44
It is a serious crime for those who would not urging the feeding of the poor.
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ (٣٠) ثُمَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ (٣١) ثُمَّ فِى سِلۡسِلَةٍ۬ ذَرۡعُهَا سَبۡعُونَ ذِرَاعً۬ا فَٱسۡلُكُوهُ (٣٢) إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ (٣٣) وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِ
'(The stern command will say): "Seize him and fetter him; Then throw him in the blazing Fire. "Then fasten him with a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits! "Verily, He used not to believe in Allah, the Most Great,And urged not on the feeding of the poor' Qur'an Haaqqa 69:30-34
In this early Makkan surah, even without any fix commandment to pay zakat, it was known that any righteous person would always has a share of his wealth for the poor.
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِہِمۡ دَآٮِٕمُونَ (٢٣) وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ حَقٌّ۬ مَّعۡلُومٌ۬ (٢٤) لِّلسَّآٮِٕلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ (٢٥)
"Those who remain constant in their Salat (prayers); And those in whose wealth there is a recognized right, For the beggar who asks, and for the unlucky who has lost his property and wealth, (and his means of living has been straitened);" Qur'an Al-Maarij 70:23-25
When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, moved to Madina and the commandments of Islam were organized into this very heavily legislative period of the Madinan phase of the Prophet's mission, the zakat was legislated. In the beginning Makkan phase, there was a general injunction to taking care of the poor and then, in the Madinan phase, there was an obligatory structured payment of zakat that was made a pillar of this entire religion.
Ibn Mas'ud, Allah be pleased with him, said, "We were told to pray and give zakat, he who does not give zakat has no prayer"
If we do a quick survey of where zakat is mentioned in the Qur'an, we get a feeling that those who don't pay zakat, he is not differentiated from the trait of an idolator.
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۟ بَشَرٌ۬ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمۡ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ فَٱسۡتَقِيمُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُۗ وَوَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ (٦) ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ كَـٰفِرُونَ (٧)
"Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace): 'I am but a man like you: It is revealed to me that your God is One God. So stand true to Him, and ask for His Forgiveness.' And woe to those who join gods with God--Those who don't give zakat, and who even deny the Hereafter" Qur'an Fussilat 41:6-7
If he doesn't pay zakat happily, then he is no different than the hypocrite.
وَمَا مَنَعَهُمۡ أَن تُقۡبَلَ مِنۡہُمۡ نَفَقَـٰتُهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَنَّهُمۡ ڪَفَرُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا يَأۡتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِلَّا وَهُمۡ ڪُسَالَىٰ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمۡ كَـٰرِهُونَ
"And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace); and that they came not to As-Salat (the prayer) except in a lazy state; and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly." Qur'an At-Tawba 9:54
How do we deserve the Mercy of Allah if we don't give charity and zakat?
وَٱڪۡتُبۡ لَنَا فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً۬ وَفِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَۚ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَشَآءُۖ وَرَحۡمَتِى وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬ۚ فَسَأَكۡتُبُہَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ
"And ordain for us that which is good, in this life and in the Hereafter: for we have turned unto Thee." He said: "With My punishment I visit whom I will; but My mercy extend to all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and give zakat, and those who believe in Our signs;" Qur'an Al-Araf 7:156
How do we get victory on the earth if we don't give zakat and establish zakat? The traits of those who Allah will give real physical supremacy, these are the people who give zakat and establish zakat if given the power.
ٱلَّذِينَ أُخۡرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِم بِغَيۡرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُۗ وَلَوۡلَا دَفۡعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعۡضَہُم بِبَعۡضٍ۬ لَّهُدِّمَتۡ صَوَٲمِعُ وَبِيَعٌ۬ وَصَلَوَٲتٌ۬ وَمَسَـٰجِدُ يُذۡڪَرُ فِيہَا ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ ڪَثِيرً۬اۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ ۥۤۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ (٤٠) ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَأَمَرُواْ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَنَهَوۡاْ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡأُمُورِ (٤١)
"...God will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily God is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will). (They are) those who, if We establish them in the land, establish regular prayer and give zakat, enjoin the right and forbid wrong: with God rests the end (and decision) of (all) affairs." Qur'an Al-Hajj 22:40-41
Zakat and charity are means for a person to rise above materialism. It is a spending when you do it regularly, you help yourself get away from this idea that I have to have everything in my pocket. Zakat is a cure for greed and a means to prosperity.
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ يُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمۡ حَاجَةً۬ مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِہِمۡ
"But those who before them, had homes (in Madīna) and had adopted the Faith,- show their affection to such as came to them for refuge, and entertain no desire in their hearts for things given to the (latter), but give them preference over themselves, even though poverty was their (own lot). And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls,- they are the ones that achieve prosperity." Qur'an Al-Hashr 59:9
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Watch out for greed. The people before you were only destroyed by greed. It commanded them to be stingy so they were stingy. It commanded them to cut relations so they cut them. It commanded them to wickedness so they were wicked." (Ahmad)
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Destructive traits are three: greed that is obeyed, passions that are followed, and the pride of a man with himself." (Ahmad)
So zakat is a purification of these destructive traits that Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, have warned us of.
خُذۡ مِنۡ أَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ صَدَقَةً۬ تُطَهِّرُهُمۡ وَتُزَكِّيہِم بِہَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌ۬ لَّهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
"Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and invoke Allah for them. Verily! Your invocations are a source of security for them, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower." Qur'an At-Tawba 9:103
"All the good deeds are contained in 2 categories: venerating the command of Allah and showing compassion to the slaves of Allah." Imam Razi
All injunctions of Islam will return back to this meaning. Zakat has both: we exalt the command of Allah by following His rulings carefully and diligently; we show compassion to the people because the whole worship in total is taking care of the slaves of Allah who are in need.
We, as a community of Muslims, are obliged to alleviate the suffering of those who are in need. You might say, "How can I be obliged to take care of the hunger, this is my money?" No, it is not your money, it is Allah's money. You are merely an agent. So listen to what He says when He tells you what to do with His money.
لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡغَنِىُّ ٱلۡحَمِيدُ
"To Allah belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. Verily, Allah, He is Al-Ghanî (Rich, Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise" Qur'an Luqman 31:26.
Note: Haram wealth is not purified by zakat and must be gotten rid of. This is wealth from, for example, money from interest payment, money received in court judgments for which you lied, money taken from people that are not yours, unlawful gains, money from violating contract with people, wages from cheating on your time sheet, and so on. This money is intrinsically filthy and the paying of zakat will not purify the filth and the poison in this money. The poison is intrinsic and will remain poison in one's life, food, clothes, etc.
May Allah provide us lawful income and save us from poverty and disbelief. 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.
Our relationship with food is something we can't live without. But once we take in the food, it produces waste within our body. If we don't release it, we get weak or we get sick and it can become poison in our body and we can die from it. So the food is a wonderful thing as long as we take the benefit of it and release the waste of it. Otherwise, we are harmed by not having it or by keeping all of it.
Money is like food. Without money, we basically can't live. We can't shop for anything. But at the same time if we hoard money, a meaning of filth spreads to that money. If we were to keep all that money, that meaning of filth will spread throughout the money and poison it. This poisoning is the lack of blessing inside this money. So someone might spend but no blessing in what he is spending. He might have a lot of money but the money will vanish one day. He buys food but the food doesn't nourish the way it is meant to nourish. Everything is poisoned by the money that bought it--food, clothes, cars, house, and so on.
How do you purify all of these? It is by releasing the waste from your money. This is the meaning of zakat. Money need to be purified by taking an amount out and giving it away and the rest of money is purified. By spending in zakat, it physically decreases the money you have, but in reality it hugely increases your money. Because now the rest of the money has worth and has purity. So everything that you bought with that money will have blessing. There is blessing in the food you eat, in the clothes you wear, in the house you live in, in the car you drive, and your du'as are answered.
The giving in charity and zakat, in particular, shows that you are honest in the claim to faith to Islam and in the claim that you believe in the Unseen.
ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَۛ فِيهِۛ هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (٢) ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ (٣)
"This is the Book; 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." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:2-3
The fact that you spend of your money in charity and zakat, it is a proof that you are true when you say La illaha illa Allah Muhammad Rasul Allah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace.) It is a proof that you are a believer. It is a sign of your honesty and genuineness in your claim of Faith.
Islam views poverty as a problem and it has to be solved. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Poverty is almost akin to disbelief." Why?
Because when a person experiences extreme poverty it can drive him to criminal act. We can see in any country where the economics aren't working, there are many crimes--murder, theft, mugging and insecurity. When people have insecurity, character might collapse in that society and it also can sometimes lead to people to utter words of disbelief. Poverty takes a person out of his shell that we put over ourselves--educated, intelligent, cultured and civilized. Poverty will strip us off the shell quicker than we might expect.
This is a du'a of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, which conjoins poverty and disbelief.
اللّهُـمَّ إِنّـي أَعـوذُبِكَ مِنَ الْكُـفر ، وَالفَـقْر ، وَأَعـوذُبِكَ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر ، لا إلهَ إلاّ أَنْـتَ
"O Allah , I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty and I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is none worthy of worship but You."
In the earlier days of Islam, the early Qur'anic revelation didn't deal with detail rulings. They dealt in belief, character, morals and next life. They weren't heavy in legal rulings. The rulings came later in the Madinan phase of the Prophet's mission, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Yet in the earlier days of Islam, this is a religion that does not tolerate the neglect of the poor.
In Surah Muddaththir (Scholars said this was the second revelation to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace), we were being told that not feeding the indigent is a reason to go to Hell.
فِى جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ (٤٠) عَنِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ (٤١) مَا سَلَڪَكُمۡ فِى سَقَرَ (٤٢) قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ (٤٣) وَلَمۡ نَكُ نُطۡعِمُ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ (٤٤)
'(They will be) in Gardens (of Delight): and will ask, Of the Sinners: "What led you into Hell-Fire?" They will say: "We were not of those who prayed;" "Nor were we of those who fed the indigent;"...' Qur'an 74:40-44
It is a serious crime for those who would not urging the feeding of the poor.
خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ (٣٠) ثُمَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ (٣١) ثُمَّ فِى سِلۡسِلَةٍ۬ ذَرۡعُهَا سَبۡعُونَ ذِرَاعً۬ا فَٱسۡلُكُوهُ (٣٢) إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ (٣٣) وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِ
'(The stern command will say): "Seize him and fetter him; Then throw him in the blazing Fire. "Then fasten him with a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits! "Verily, He used not to believe in Allah, the Most Great,And urged not on the feeding of the poor' Qur'an Haaqqa 69:30-34
In this early Makkan surah, even without any fix commandment to pay zakat, it was known that any righteous person would always has a share of his wealth for the poor.
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِہِمۡ دَآٮِٕمُونَ (٢٣) وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ حَقٌّ۬ مَّعۡلُومٌ۬ (٢٤) لِّلسَّآٮِٕلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ (٢٥)
"Those who remain constant in their Salat (prayers); And those in whose wealth there is a recognized right, For the beggar who asks, and for the unlucky who has lost his property and wealth, (and his means of living has been straitened);" Qur'an Al-Maarij 70:23-25
When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, moved to Madina and the commandments of Islam were organized into this very heavily legislative period of the Madinan phase of the Prophet's mission, the zakat was legislated. In the beginning Makkan phase, there was a general injunction to taking care of the poor and then, in the Madinan phase, there was an obligatory structured payment of zakat that was made a pillar of this entire religion.
Ibn Mas'ud, Allah be pleased with him, said, "We were told to pray and give zakat, he who does not give zakat has no prayer"
If we do a quick survey of where zakat is mentioned in the Qur'an, we get a feeling that those who don't pay zakat, he is not differentiated from the trait of an idolator.
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۟ بَشَرٌ۬ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمۡ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ فَٱسۡتَقِيمُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُۗ وَوَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ (٦) ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ كَـٰفِرُونَ (٧)
"Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace): 'I am but a man like you: It is revealed to me that your God is One God. So stand true to Him, and ask for His Forgiveness.' And woe to those who join gods with God--Those who don't give zakat, and who even deny the Hereafter" Qur'an Fussilat 41:6-7
If he doesn't pay zakat happily, then he is no different than the hypocrite.
وَمَا مَنَعَهُمۡ أَن تُقۡبَلَ مِنۡہُمۡ نَفَقَـٰتُهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَنَّهُمۡ ڪَفَرُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا يَأۡتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِلَّا وَهُمۡ ڪُسَالَىٰ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمۡ كَـٰرِهُونَ
"And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace); and that they came not to As-Salat (the prayer) except in a lazy state; and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly." Qur'an At-Tawba 9:54
How do we deserve the Mercy of Allah if we don't give charity and zakat?
وَٱڪۡتُبۡ لَنَا فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً۬ وَفِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَۚ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَشَآءُۖ وَرَحۡمَتِى وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬ۚ فَسَأَكۡتُبُہَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ
"And ordain for us that which is good, in this life and in the Hereafter: for we have turned unto Thee." He said: "With My punishment I visit whom I will; but My mercy extend to all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and give zakat, and those who believe in Our signs;" Qur'an Al-Araf 7:156
How do we get victory on the earth if we don't give zakat and establish zakat? The traits of those who Allah will give real physical supremacy, these are the people who give zakat and establish zakat if given the power.
ٱلَّذِينَ أُخۡرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِم بِغَيۡرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُۗ وَلَوۡلَا دَفۡعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعۡضَہُم بِبَعۡضٍ۬ لَّهُدِّمَتۡ صَوَٲمِعُ وَبِيَعٌ۬ وَصَلَوَٲتٌ۬ وَمَسَـٰجِدُ يُذۡڪَرُ فِيہَا ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ ڪَثِيرً۬اۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ ۥۤۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ (٤٠) ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَأَمَرُواْ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَنَهَوۡاْ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡأُمُورِ (٤١)
"...God will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily God is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will). (They are) those who, if We establish them in the land, establish regular prayer and give zakat, enjoin the right and forbid wrong: with God rests the end (and decision) of (all) affairs." Qur'an Al-Hajj 22:40-41
Zakat and charity are means for a person to rise above materialism. It is a spending when you do it regularly, you help yourself get away from this idea that I have to have everything in my pocket. Zakat is a cure for greed and a means to prosperity.
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ يُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمۡ حَاجَةً۬ مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِہِمۡ
"But those who before them, had homes (in Madīna) and had adopted the Faith,- show their affection to such as came to them for refuge, and entertain no desire in their hearts for things given to the (latter), but give them preference over themselves, even though poverty was their (own lot). And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls,- they are the ones that achieve prosperity." Qur'an Al-Hashr 59:9
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Watch out for greed. The people before you were only destroyed by greed. It commanded them to be stingy so they were stingy. It commanded them to cut relations so they cut them. It commanded them to wickedness so they were wicked." (Ahmad)
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Destructive traits are three: greed that is obeyed, passions that are followed, and the pride of a man with himself." (Ahmad)
So zakat is a purification of these destructive traits that Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, have warned us of.
خُذۡ مِنۡ أَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ صَدَقَةً۬ تُطَهِّرُهُمۡ وَتُزَكِّيہِم بِہَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌ۬ لَّهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
"Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and invoke Allah for them. Verily! Your invocations are a source of security for them, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower." Qur'an At-Tawba 9:103
"All the good deeds are contained in 2 categories: venerating the command of Allah and showing compassion to the slaves of Allah." Imam Razi
All injunctions of Islam will return back to this meaning. Zakat has both: we exalt the command of Allah by following His rulings carefully and diligently; we show compassion to the people because the whole worship in total is taking care of the slaves of Allah who are in need.
We, as a community of Muslims, are obliged to alleviate the suffering of those who are in need. You might say, "How can I be obliged to take care of the hunger, this is my money?" No, it is not your money, it is Allah's money. You are merely an agent. So listen to what He says when He tells you what to do with His money.
لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡغَنِىُّ ٱلۡحَمِيدُ
"To Allah belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. Verily, Allah, He is Al-Ghanî (Rich, Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise" Qur'an Luqman 31:26.
Note: Haram wealth is not purified by zakat and must be gotten rid of. This is wealth from, for example, money from interest payment, money received in court judgments for which you lied, money taken from people that are not yours, unlawful gains, money from violating contract with people, wages from cheating on your time sheet, and so on. This money is intrinsically filthy and the paying of zakat will not purify the filth and the poison in this money. The poison is intrinsic and will remain poison in one's life, food, clothes, etc.
May Allah provide us lawful income and save us from poverty and disbelief. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, March 28, 2011
Fasting is for Me
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Fasting in Ramadhan is one of the pillars of Islam. Pillars are supports and is no slight matter. Imagine someone who neither fasts, nor prays, nor pay zakat, nor perform hajj (while able), he is living in a house without pillars. In other words, he is being suspended in mid air and the gravity will send him crashing down. At this point he can only hope for the Mercy of Allah.
"O you who believe; fasting has prescribed on you as it was prescribed on those before you - haply you will be Godfearing." Qur'an 2:183
Fasting is so important that it is as if it is a part of belief itself. Fasting is not new to Islam. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, told us that the best fasting is the fasting of his brother, Prophet Dawood, Allah grant him peace, who fasted on every alternate day.
Allah gives us a reason for fasting, "haply you will be Godfearing." Fasting is an act of self control/restraint from which a person is meant to acquire a state which is of the most and emphasized of human state--a state of being conscious of your Lord and wary of disobeying Him in one's action. So Allah says, hopefully you will acquire this act.
All the acts of worship have an outer reality which test our slavehood to Allah. The outer reality always feeds and gives the fruits which is the inner reality.
The person who is fasting should avoid all kinds of unlawful actions, such as gossiping, backbiting, tale-bearing, slandering, lying, cheating, duping, hating, nursing grudge, keeping malice, hurting people, obscenity, etc, otherwise his reward may all be lost.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“It may be that a fasting person gets nothing from his fast except hunger.” (Ibn Majah)
“When any of you is fasting, let him not commit sin…”
"He who does not leave lying and ignorance and acting by it then Allah has no need for him to leave his food and drink." Ibn Majah
"How many a faster has no share of his fasting save hunger and how many a person who stands the night in prayer has no share of his prayer except sleeplessness." Al-Nasa'i
"Fasting is for Me. And it is I who shall reward it." (Bukhari) When the Generous One says this, it is a tremendous reward, something you cannot imagine. Only Allah knows the extent of his reward and how much his good deeds will be multiplied.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Every deed of the son of Adam will be rewarded between ten and seven hundred fold. Allah said: ‘Except fasting, for it is for Me and I shall reward for it’”
This is like the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning.”
(Qur'an Al-Zumar 39:10)
The words “Fasting is for Me” are sufficient to indicate the superiority of fasting over all other acts of worship. (Al-Nasaa’i)
So, while every Muslim adult must observe fasting in Ramadhan, we are losing out on this tremendous reward if we only fast in Ramadhan and neglect to do some sunnah fasting, such as on Mondays, Thursdays, the white days (13th, 14th, 15th of Hijri months), the days in the months of Sha'ban and Zulhijjah, and many more days which are spread out throughout the year.
One should try to pick up a few days a month to begin with and as one progresses one may increase the number of days of sunnah fasting. Fasting is a tremendous act of worship and one should aspire to do more of it. InshaAllah, there will be a time in your life that you will be able to reach the fasting of Prophet Dawood, Allah grant him peace. Make that intention and ask Allah to help you and give you tawfiq. And Allah alone gives success.
May Allah give you tawfiq. 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.
Fasting in Ramadhan is one of the pillars of Islam. Pillars are supports and is no slight matter. Imagine someone who neither fasts, nor prays, nor pay zakat, nor perform hajj (while able), he is living in a house without pillars. In other words, he is being suspended in mid air and the gravity will send him crashing down. At this point he can only hope for the Mercy of Allah.
"O you who believe; fasting has prescribed on you as it was prescribed on those before you - haply you will be Godfearing." Qur'an 2:183
Fasting is so important that it is as if it is a part of belief itself. Fasting is not new to Islam. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, told us that the best fasting is the fasting of his brother, Prophet Dawood, Allah grant him peace, who fasted on every alternate day.
Allah gives us a reason for fasting, "haply you will be Godfearing." Fasting is an act of self control/restraint from which a person is meant to acquire a state which is of the most and emphasized of human state--a state of being conscious of your Lord and wary of disobeying Him in one's action. So Allah says, hopefully you will acquire this act.
All the acts of worship have an outer reality which test our slavehood to Allah. The outer reality always feeds and gives the fruits which is the inner reality.
The person who is fasting should avoid all kinds of unlawful actions, such as gossiping, backbiting, tale-bearing, slandering, lying, cheating, duping, hating, nursing grudge, keeping malice, hurting people, obscenity, etc, otherwise his reward may all be lost.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“It may be that a fasting person gets nothing from his fast except hunger.” (Ibn Majah)
“When any of you is fasting, let him not commit sin…”
"He who does not leave lying and ignorance and acting by it then Allah has no need for him to leave his food and drink." Ibn Majah
"How many a faster has no share of his fasting save hunger and how many a person who stands the night in prayer has no share of his prayer except sleeplessness." Al-Nasa'i
"Fasting is for Me. And it is I who shall reward it." (Bukhari) When the Generous One says this, it is a tremendous reward, something you cannot imagine. Only Allah knows the extent of his reward and how much his good deeds will be multiplied.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Every deed of the son of Adam will be rewarded between ten and seven hundred fold. Allah said: ‘Except fasting, for it is for Me and I shall reward for it’”
This is like the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning.”
(Qur'an Al-Zumar 39:10)
The words “Fasting is for Me” are sufficient to indicate the superiority of fasting over all other acts of worship. (Al-Nasaa’i)
So, while every Muslim adult must observe fasting in Ramadhan, we are losing out on this tremendous reward if we only fast in Ramadhan and neglect to do some sunnah fasting, such as on Mondays, Thursdays, the white days (13th, 14th, 15th of Hijri months), the days in the months of Sha'ban and Zulhijjah, and many more days which are spread out throughout the year.
One should try to pick up a few days a month to begin with and as one progresses one may increase the number of days of sunnah fasting. Fasting is a tremendous act of worship and one should aspire to do more of it. InshaAllah, there will be a time in your life that you will be able to reach the fasting of Prophet Dawood, Allah grant him peace. Make that intention and ask Allah to help you and give you tawfiq. And Allah alone gives success.
May Allah give you tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Prayer, Our Haven
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Prayer (Salaat) is of the greatest obligation in Islam.
إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَـٰبً۬ا مَّوۡقُوتً۬ا
"...Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at appointed time." Qur'an An-Nisa 4:103
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Islam is built on five." [(1)Testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the Messenger of Allah, 2)Perform prayers, 3)Give zakaah, 4)Fast in Ramadhan, and 5)Perform hajj to the House if you are able to do so]
These five acts are the foundations of the building of Islam. If these five acts are flimsy then we can't hope much for the survival and the strength of the building which we are building upon these foundations. The greatest of these foundations is the prayer.
Everyone knows Muslims pray five times a day. This is the basic thing people know about Islam.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, "What is the best of works?" He replied, "Prayer at its times." (Bukhari)
"The five prayers and Friday to Friday are expiation of whatever happens between them, as long as one avoids the major sins." (Muslim)
Of the major sins a person can commit in his life is neglecting the prayer and neglecting the times of the prayer.
The prayer itself is the most powerful of the act of worship in Islam. Suffice us to know that Allah commands us to pray five times a day. It is the most central act of worship to us. We do hajj once in a lifetime to purify ourselves; we fast Ramadhan once a year to purify ourselves but with the prayer, we can't go a day without doing it at least five times. This is to help keep us going and to keep us going towards our Lord. This tells us that we need the prayer. Allah does not need our prayers. Allah ordains upon us to make sure that we keep praying at times which are spread out throughout the day so we keep afloat, keep connected, keep aware of our Lord. Without the prayers we become distant; we become cut off; we become lost.
We are in need and we are poor. Prayer is what Allah bless us with to enrich us. As for Allah, He is free of need of everything which He ever created.
Of the great wonders of prayer is that Allah didn't obliged it upon us on earth. Allah obliged it upon us when the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in heaven on the night of the Isra' (the ascension). It is an act whoever stays with it, it becomes his haven which he retreats to throughout his day. It becomes his support and his comfort.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "O Bilal! Comfort us with it (call to prayer)." So we can go back to our haven.
Prayer is of the most powerful of spiritual works for he who maintains it throughout his life, whether healthy or sick; traveling or staying at home; studying or having exams; watching kids or entertaining guests; shopping or working; or in cold temperature or hot weather; it will leave its mark on the person.
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَٲعُونَ (٨) وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٲتِہِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ (٩) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡوَٲرِثُونَ (١٠) ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلۡفِرۡدَوۡسَ هُمۡ فِيہَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (١١)
"...And those who strictly guard their prayers, these are indeed the inheritors, who shall inherit the Firdaus (Paradise). They shall dwell therein forever." Qur'an A-Mu'minun 23:9-11
May Allah make us steadfast with 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.
Prayer (Salaat) is of the greatest obligation in Islam.
إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَـٰبً۬ا مَّوۡقُوتً۬ا
"...Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at appointed time." Qur'an An-Nisa 4:103
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Islam is built on five." [(1)Testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the Messenger of Allah, 2)Perform prayers, 3)Give zakaah, 4)Fast in Ramadhan, and 5)Perform hajj to the House if you are able to do so]
These five acts are the foundations of the building of Islam. If these five acts are flimsy then we can't hope much for the survival and the strength of the building which we are building upon these foundations. The greatest of these foundations is the prayer.
Everyone knows Muslims pray five times a day. This is the basic thing people know about Islam.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, "What is the best of works?" He replied, "Prayer at its times." (Bukhari)
"The five prayers and Friday to Friday are expiation of whatever happens between them, as long as one avoids the major sins." (Muslim)
Of the major sins a person can commit in his life is neglecting the prayer and neglecting the times of the prayer.
The prayer itself is the most powerful of the act of worship in Islam. Suffice us to know that Allah commands us to pray five times a day. It is the most central act of worship to us. We do hajj once in a lifetime to purify ourselves; we fast Ramadhan once a year to purify ourselves but with the prayer, we can't go a day without doing it at least five times. This is to help keep us going and to keep us going towards our Lord. This tells us that we need the prayer. Allah does not need our prayers. Allah ordains upon us to make sure that we keep praying at times which are spread out throughout the day so we keep afloat, keep connected, keep aware of our Lord. Without the prayers we become distant; we become cut off; we become lost.
We are in need and we are poor. Prayer is what Allah bless us with to enrich us. As for Allah, He is free of need of everything which He ever created.
Of the great wonders of prayer is that Allah didn't obliged it upon us on earth. Allah obliged it upon us when the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was in heaven on the night of the Isra' (the ascension). It is an act whoever stays with it, it becomes his haven which he retreats to throughout his day. It becomes his support and his comfort.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "O Bilal! Comfort us with it (call to prayer)." So we can go back to our haven.
Prayer is of the most powerful of spiritual works for he who maintains it throughout his life, whether healthy or sick; traveling or staying at home; studying or having exams; watching kids or entertaining guests; shopping or working; or in cold temperature or hot weather; it will leave its mark on the person.
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَٲعُونَ (٨) وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٲتِہِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ (٩) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡوَٲرِثُونَ (١٠) ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلۡفِرۡدَوۡسَ هُمۡ فِيہَا خَـٰلِدُونَ (١١)
"...And those who strictly guard their prayers, these are indeed the inheritors, who shall inherit the Firdaus (Paradise). They shall dwell therein forever." Qur'an A-Mu'minun 23:9-11
May Allah make us steadfast with our prayers. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, March 24, 2011
I Am A Muslim Because...
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Islam is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is the Messenger of Allah, to perform prayers, to give zakat, to fast in Ramadhan, and to perform hajj to the House if you are able to do so.”
Every Muslim know this. These are the five pillars of Islam which are the most important outward acts of Islam. This does not mean they are the only part of our religion. But if we take care of these five things, we improve our spiritual being as well as fulfilling the rights of the poor. People won't be so hungry to force them to steal or cheat or revolt against their governments.
While we are busy with the affairs of people across the ocean, we should not forget about the people in our local communities. Your own communities should be your top priority. Don't close your eyes to those battered wives and their children. Don't close your eyes to those struggling single mothers and their children. Don't forget the youths. Bring the youths to the masjid--create programs for them.
There are more mosques around us than 20 years ago, many activist-oriented people and organizations and many Islamic conventions/seminars. But unfortunately there are more problems in the Muslim communities than 20 years ago. Why? Because we talk a lot and not much action.
We should ask ourselves. Am I a Muslim because my mom and dad happen to be Muslims, or am I a Muslim because of something cultural or because it feels good, or am I a Muslim because I believe in Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I want to seek the pleasure of Allah.
If we truly believe in Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and are seeking the pleasure of Allah, then we should refocus ourselves.
May Allah increase our iman. 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.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Islam is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is the Messenger of Allah, to perform prayers, to give zakat, to fast in Ramadhan, and to perform hajj to the House if you are able to do so.”
Every Muslim know this. These are the five pillars of Islam which are the most important outward acts of Islam. This does not mean they are the only part of our religion. But if we take care of these five things, we improve our spiritual being as well as fulfilling the rights of the poor. People won't be so hungry to force them to steal or cheat or revolt against their governments.
While we are busy with the affairs of people across the ocean, we should not forget about the people in our local communities. Your own communities should be your top priority. Don't close your eyes to those battered wives and their children. Don't close your eyes to those struggling single mothers and their children. Don't forget the youths. Bring the youths to the masjid--create programs for them.
There are more mosques around us than 20 years ago, many activist-oriented people and organizations and many Islamic conventions/seminars. But unfortunately there are more problems in the Muslim communities than 20 years ago. Why? Because we talk a lot and not much action.
We should ask ourselves. Am I a Muslim because my mom and dad happen to be Muslims, or am I a Muslim because of something cultural or because it feels good, or am I a Muslim because I believe in Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I want to seek the pleasure of Allah.
If we truly believe in Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and are seeking the pleasure of Allah, then we should refocus ourselves.
May Allah increase our iman. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Call Of Prayer (Adhan)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it (adhan)."
But how many times people keep missing out on realizing this comfort because they keep talking while the adhan was being called. When the adhan is being called, we should immediately stop what we are doing, free ourselves from the world, and enjoy the comfort which Allah is sending our way.
The adhan has to be answered. It is a very strong sunnah to respond to the adhan. It is answered in two ways. It is answered with one's tongue and with one's foot. Answering with one's tongue is repeating and replying to what the Mu'aththin said. How do you answer with your foot? It is by listening to what the adhan is saying--come to pray. So the real answer is that you leave your place and perform wudu', and pray. Both of these answers should be observed.
Men should go to the mosque to pray and if they cannot go to the mosque for some reason, they should exert themselves to pray in a group. If he is at work, establish a group prayer with co-workers, and if at home, establish a group prayer with his spouse or people in the house.
Adhan is also a great dhikr (remembrance of Allah) in Islam. Adhan is recommended many times in the life of a Muslim. For example, it is recommended to give adhan to a newborn in the ear of the newborn. It is recommended to give adhan to someone in distress or someone whose character has gone wrong, or to bring calm to situation. When there is a fire, when someone is lost or after traveling, it is recommended to give the adhan as well. Adhan has its own particular barakah which can be felt when it is performed during the recommended situation.
Adhan is a dhikr in harmony. The Mu'aththin is the leader, when he pauses in between, then we, the people, repeat after him (except when he comes in the middle of the adhan.)
الله أكبر
Allahu Akbar - four times
(Allah is the greatest)
**Listener repeats
أشهد لا اله إلا الله
Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lah - two times
(I bear witness that there is no god but Allah)
**Listener repeats
أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله
Ash hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah - two times
(I bear witness that Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is Allah's Messenger)
**Listener repeats
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ
Hayya 'ala-salahh - two times
(Hasten to prayers)
**Listener says--"la hawla wala quwwata illa billah" (there is no might and power except by Allah)
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاح
Hayya 'ala 'l-falah - two times
(Hasten to salvation/ultimate success)
**Listener says--"la hawla wala quwwata illa billah" (there is no might and power except with Allah)
الصلاة خير من النوم
Assalatu khayrun min annawum -- two times for Fajr prayer adhan only
(Prayer is better than sleep)
**Listener says: sadaqta wa barikta
الله أكبر
Allahu Akbar - two times
(Allah is greater than any description)
**Listener repeats
لا إله إلا الله
La ilaha illal lah - two times
(There is no god but Allah)
**Listener repeats
After replying to the call of the Mu'aththin, you should recite the du'a after adhan:
"اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّداً الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَاماً مَحْمُوداً الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ، [إَنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ].
Allaahumma Rabba haathihid-da 'watit-taammati wassalaatil-qaa'imati, 'aati Muhammadanil-waseelata walfadheelata, wab 'ath-hu maqaamam-mahmoodanil-lathee wa'adtahu, ['innaka laa tukhliful-mee'aad]
O Allah , Lord of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad the intercession and favor, and raise him to the honored station You have promised him, [verily You do not neglect promises].
On the authority of Jabar bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah's peace be upon him, said, "Whoever says,'O Allah, Owner of this perfect call and Owner of this prayer to be performed, bestow upon Muhammad al waseelah (a station in Paradise) and al fadeelah (a rank above the rest of creation) and send him upon a raised platform which you have promised him. Verily, You never fail in Your Promise', he will have my intercession on the Day of Judgment".
Adhan is among the strong symbols of Islam. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, reported to have said, "Any jinn, human, or thing that hears the voice of the Mu'aththin will bear witness for him in the Day of Judgment. So the giving of the call of prayer is a great act of worship. It is recommended that the Mu'aththin be righteous. He is calling people to prayer, so he should be a role model. It is also recommended that he is knowledgeable in the sunnahs related to the adhan and its times, in a state of ritual impurity, and face the Qibla.
May Allah grant you success in this life and the next. 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.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it (adhan)."
But how many times people keep missing out on realizing this comfort because they keep talking while the adhan was being called. When the adhan is being called, we should immediately stop what we are doing, free ourselves from the world, and enjoy the comfort which Allah is sending our way.
The adhan has to be answered. It is a very strong sunnah to respond to the adhan. It is answered in two ways. It is answered with one's tongue and with one's foot. Answering with one's tongue is repeating and replying to what the Mu'aththin said. How do you answer with your foot? It is by listening to what the adhan is saying--come to pray. So the real answer is that you leave your place and perform wudu', and pray. Both of these answers should be observed.
Men should go to the mosque to pray and if they cannot go to the mosque for some reason, they should exert themselves to pray in a group. If he is at work, establish a group prayer with co-workers, and if at home, establish a group prayer with his spouse or people in the house.
Adhan is also a great dhikr (remembrance of Allah) in Islam. Adhan is recommended many times in the life of a Muslim. For example, it is recommended to give adhan to a newborn in the ear of the newborn. It is recommended to give adhan to someone in distress or someone whose character has gone wrong, or to bring calm to situation. When there is a fire, when someone is lost or after traveling, it is recommended to give the adhan as well. Adhan has its own particular barakah which can be felt when it is performed during the recommended situation.
Adhan is a dhikr in harmony. The Mu'aththin is the leader, when he pauses in between, then we, the people, repeat after him (except when he comes in the middle of the adhan.)
الله أكبر
Allahu Akbar - four times
(Allah is the greatest)
**Listener repeats
أشهد لا اله إلا الله
Ash hadu an la ilaha illal lah - two times
(I bear witness that there is no god but Allah)
**Listener repeats
أشهد أن محمدا رسول الله
Ash hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah - two times
(I bear witness that Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is Allah's Messenger)
**Listener repeats
حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ
Hayya 'ala-salahh - two times
(Hasten to prayers)
**Listener says--"la hawla wala quwwata illa billah" (there is no might and power except by Allah)
حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاح
Hayya 'ala 'l-falah - two times
(Hasten to salvation/ultimate success)
**Listener says--"la hawla wala quwwata illa billah" (there is no might and power except with Allah)
الصلاة خير من النوم
Assalatu khayrun min annawum -- two times for Fajr prayer adhan only
(Prayer is better than sleep)
**Listener says: sadaqta wa barikta
الله أكبر
Allahu Akbar - two times
(Allah is greater than any description)
**Listener repeats
لا إله إلا الله
La ilaha illal lah - two times
(There is no god but Allah)
**Listener repeats
After replying to the call of the Mu'aththin, you should recite the du'a after adhan:
"اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ، وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّداً الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَاماً مَحْمُوداً الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ، [إَنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ].
Allaahumma Rabba haathihid-da 'watit-taammati wassalaatil-qaa'imati, 'aati Muhammadanil-waseelata walfadheelata, wab 'ath-hu maqaamam-mahmoodanil-lathee wa'adtahu, ['innaka laa tukhliful-mee'aad]
O Allah , Lord of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad the intercession and favor, and raise him to the honored station You have promised him, [verily You do not neglect promises].
On the authority of Jabar bin Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah's peace be upon him, said, "Whoever says,'O Allah, Owner of this perfect call and Owner of this prayer to be performed, bestow upon Muhammad al waseelah (a station in Paradise) and al fadeelah (a rank above the rest of creation) and send him upon a raised platform which you have promised him. Verily, You never fail in Your Promise', he will have my intercession on the Day of Judgment".
Adhan is among the strong symbols of Islam. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, reported to have said, "Any jinn, human, or thing that hears the voice of the Mu'aththin will bear witness for him in the Day of Judgment. So the giving of the call of prayer is a great act of worship. It is recommended that the Mu'aththin be righteous. He is calling people to prayer, so he should be a role model. It is also recommended that he is knowledgeable in the sunnahs related to the adhan and its times, in a state of ritual impurity, and face the Qibla.
May Allah grant you success in this life and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, March 21, 2011
Looking At Faults
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Someone who wants to become strong, they would start an intensive exercise program and weight lifting. The training is difficult but were it not for the effort that he puts in to conquer a physical weakness within himself, he would not become strong.
If we look at the faults that lie within us as opportunity to draw closer to Allah, then when people point out our faults, we should be happy, instead of angry, because Allah has shown us another avenue to draw closer to Him. When Allah reveals a particular fault to you, it is as though He is saying, "Here you go, this is how you come close to Me." It is as though Allah is inviting you to Him. And what should you do? You roll up your sleeves and conquer this fault. This is how we progress towards Allah. It requires a lot of effort but as my acupuncturist said, no pain no gain.
Take for example Qur'an memorization, many of us couldn't be bothered with it. It is the heedlessness, negativity, ingratitude, arrogance, laziness, etc that are within us that raise the white flag surrendering to the enemies before the battle begins. If you sit in the musalla with 20 people, chances are, most of them have not memorized the entire Qur'an or even read the entire Qur'an. If you ask them why don't they start memorizing the Qur'an, they will give you various reasons for their anticipated defeat. Like weight lifting, there is nothing between you and success except your lack of resolve and sincerity. If you have resolve, determination and sincerity, you will be successful.
Tawfiq (success) is from Allah alone and He loves the good-doers.
May Allah give us tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
P.S. If you want to memorize Qur'an view the video: Golden Advices From An Illuminated Heart
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Someone who wants to become strong, they would start an intensive exercise program and weight lifting. The training is difficult but were it not for the effort that he puts in to conquer a physical weakness within himself, he would not become strong.
If we look at the faults that lie within us as opportunity to draw closer to Allah, then when people point out our faults, we should be happy, instead of angry, because Allah has shown us another avenue to draw closer to Him. When Allah reveals a particular fault to you, it is as though He is saying, "Here you go, this is how you come close to Me." It is as though Allah is inviting you to Him. And what should you do? You roll up your sleeves and conquer this fault. This is how we progress towards Allah. It requires a lot of effort but as my acupuncturist said, no pain no gain.
Take for example Qur'an memorization, many of us couldn't be bothered with it. It is the heedlessness, negativity, ingratitude, arrogance, laziness, etc that are within us that raise the white flag surrendering to the enemies before the battle begins. If you sit in the musalla with 20 people, chances are, most of them have not memorized the entire Qur'an or even read the entire Qur'an. If you ask them why don't they start memorizing the Qur'an, they will give you various reasons for their anticipated defeat. Like weight lifting, there is nothing between you and success except your lack of resolve and sincerity. If you have resolve, determination and sincerity, you will be successful.
Tawfiq (success) is from Allah alone and He loves the good-doers.
May Allah give us tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
P.S. If you want to memorize Qur'an view the video: Golden Advices From An Illuminated Heart
Sunday, March 20, 2011
A Way To Paradise
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends,
I pray that you are well.
Most people don't make decisions by what is right or wrong. They are swayed by their desires.
For example, someone who is informed that it is not permissible to smoke, when he examines the fact, there will be something inside him that wants to make the fact seem like it is not unlawful to smoke. Someone who goes to work, and it is difficult for him to get a break to go to Friday prayer, he looks for something to justify to himself that it is not obligatory to perform the Friday prayer.
We do this a lot especially in matters of religion. Why? Because we want comfort and ease. This is our constant struggle against our desires and each time you conquer one desire, there is another one you have to fight against. It is a never ending battle.
The test of Dajjal at the end of time, people will want things to be so true. Even the fact that the Dajjal has one eye staring at them and even when he says he is god, they will find a way to justify that he is god, but not the true believers. A true believer, not a liar, is someone who puts his own desires to the wayside. He asks himself "What does Allah want me to do?" and he says "Whatever Allah wants me to do, that is what I do even if it is difficult."
Religion is difficult. Don't be fooled by people who say religion is easy. Allah did not create us to lie on the beach or beside a swimming pool and sip lemonade and get a sun tan, or to ski and conquer the steep run, or to go on a leisure cruise and watch the dancers or have fine dining, or to watch people running after balls and kicking/throwing balls. This is not a way to Paradise.
Paradise is surrounded by disliked things. In order to get to Paradise you have to do things that are unpleasant. And the Hellfire is surrounded by desires. It is very easy to do the things that lead to the Fire. May Allah keep us away from those things that could take us to the Fire. 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.
Most people don't make decisions by what is right or wrong. They are swayed by their desires.
For example, someone who is informed that it is not permissible to smoke, when he examines the fact, there will be something inside him that wants to make the fact seem like it is not unlawful to smoke. Someone who goes to work, and it is difficult for him to get a break to go to Friday prayer, he looks for something to justify to himself that it is not obligatory to perform the Friday prayer.
We do this a lot especially in matters of religion. Why? Because we want comfort and ease. This is our constant struggle against our desires and each time you conquer one desire, there is another one you have to fight against. It is a never ending battle.
The test of Dajjal at the end of time, people will want things to be so true. Even the fact that the Dajjal has one eye staring at them and even when he says he is god, they will find a way to justify that he is god, but not the true believers. A true believer, not a liar, is someone who puts his own desires to the wayside. He asks himself "What does Allah want me to do?" and he says "Whatever Allah wants me to do, that is what I do even if it is difficult."
Religion is difficult. Don't be fooled by people who say religion is easy. Allah did not create us to lie on the beach or beside a swimming pool and sip lemonade and get a sun tan, or to ski and conquer the steep run, or to go on a leisure cruise and watch the dancers or have fine dining, or to watch people running after balls and kicking/throwing balls. This is not a way to Paradise.
Paradise is surrounded by disliked things. In order to get to Paradise you have to do things that are unpleasant. And the Hellfire is surrounded by desires. It is very easy to do the things that lead to the Fire. May Allah keep us away from those things that could take us to the Fire. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
What Are We?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah is the Creator of everything. He is in control of everything. What are we? Nothing. Today one might be in control of a whole army, tomorrow the army might be in control of him. Today you might have something great and wonderful, tomorrow you might lose it. Allah is Al-Qahhar. He has the perfect power and not powerless over anything. Allah is Malikul Mulk. He is the One who controls the dominion and gives the dominion to whoever He wills.
When somebody feels powerful, or have self-importance or arrogance, this keeps him from realizing that Allah is the One who is in control, that Allah is significant and that Allah is powerful. But when he realizes that he is needy then he realizes that Allah is All Powerful, in control of everything.
Realizing your abasement, e.g. when you put your forehead on the ground during prayers, this will aid you to realize Allah's Power and Majesty. Slavehood and Lordhood go together. When one realizes one's slavehood, one realizes Allah's Lordhood.
When somebody follows the Shari'ah, he is inculcating slavehood. Remember Allah until His Attribute takes you out of your attribute. Remember He is Powerful, you are not. Remember He is Majestic, you are not. You have nothing to feel important, you have nothing to be arrogant about but you have everything to be humble about.
So when you see people on the street, you give salaams. You don't wait for people to give salaams first. Serve people and you don't wait for people to serve you. Help people and you don't wait for people to help you. You don't expect things from people but you expect yourself to give to people. By doing this repeatedly, perhaps by pretending to be humble, then humility works its way into the heart. And tawfiq is from Allah alone.
May Allah give us tawfiq. 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.
Allah is the Creator of everything. He is in control of everything. What are we? Nothing. Today one might be in control of a whole army, tomorrow the army might be in control of him. Today you might have something great and wonderful, tomorrow you might lose it. Allah is Al-Qahhar. He has the perfect power and not powerless over anything. Allah is Malikul Mulk. He is the One who controls the dominion and gives the dominion to whoever He wills.
When somebody feels powerful, or have self-importance or arrogance, this keeps him from realizing that Allah is the One who is in control, that Allah is significant and that Allah is powerful. But when he realizes that he is needy then he realizes that Allah is All Powerful, in control of everything.
Realizing your abasement, e.g. when you put your forehead on the ground during prayers, this will aid you to realize Allah's Power and Majesty. Slavehood and Lordhood go together. When one realizes one's slavehood, one realizes Allah's Lordhood.
When somebody follows the Shari'ah, he is inculcating slavehood. Remember Allah until His Attribute takes you out of your attribute. Remember He is Powerful, you are not. Remember He is Majestic, you are not. You have nothing to feel important, you have nothing to be arrogant about but you have everything to be humble about.
So when you see people on the street, you give salaams. You don't wait for people to give salaams first. Serve people and you don't wait for people to serve you. Help people and you don't wait for people to help you. You don't expect things from people but you expect yourself to give to people. By doing this repeatedly, perhaps by pretending to be humble, then humility works its way into the heart. And tawfiq is from Allah alone.
May Allah give us tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Thanking Yourself
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When somebody needed help, we lent a helping hand. We responded to fundraising events for masjid projects and so on. We gave to Tsunami emergency appeal, Middle East and North Africa emergency appeal, Pakistan flood emergency appeal, Haiti earthquake emergency appeal, and so on. Then we felt good about ourselves that we helped people out in time of need. What a wonderful thing that we have done! This is thanking yourself and self admiration and this is blameworthy.
You helping others is a right that is due to Allah. Allah has placed you in a position to give while others in a position to take. Allah has given you knowledge and He didn't give somebody else knowledge. Allah has given you wealth which He didn't give somebody else wealth. He sent earthquakes, flood, fires and Tsunami's to certain areas and protected you from these disasters. He sent peace to your part of the world and turmoil and bloodshed to other parts of the world. So you have a responsibility to use what He has given you to help people out and you should thank Him for keeping you and your family and your belongings safe. Tomorrow the tables might turn.
People of ihsan, when they help somebody out they think of Allah. He realizes that Allah gave him the tawfiq to help others and so he thanks Allah for blessing him with that action. He doesn't thank himself. His action was not motivated by anything except to please Allah and to give back the rights that Allah has over him.
May Allah enable us to focus on Him when we give. 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.
When somebody needed help, we lent a helping hand. We responded to fundraising events for masjid projects and so on. We gave to Tsunami emergency appeal, Middle East and North Africa emergency appeal, Pakistan flood emergency appeal, Haiti earthquake emergency appeal, and so on. Then we felt good about ourselves that we helped people out in time of need. What a wonderful thing that we have done! This is thanking yourself and self admiration and this is blameworthy.
You helping others is a right that is due to Allah. Allah has placed you in a position to give while others in a position to take. Allah has given you knowledge and He didn't give somebody else knowledge. Allah has given you wealth which He didn't give somebody else wealth. He sent earthquakes, flood, fires and Tsunami's to certain areas and protected you from these disasters. He sent peace to your part of the world and turmoil and bloodshed to other parts of the world. So you have a responsibility to use what He has given you to help people out and you should thank Him for keeping you and your family and your belongings safe. Tomorrow the tables might turn.
People of ihsan, when they help somebody out they think of Allah. He realizes that Allah gave him the tawfiq to help others and so he thanks Allah for blessing him with that action. He doesn't thank himself. His action was not motivated by anything except to please Allah and to give back the rights that Allah has over him.
May Allah enable us to focus on Him when we give. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Neither too Little Nor too Much
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 enough and you are worrying about where the next meal is going to come from, your worrying will distract you from Allah. You can't focus during prayer. You can't join the congregational prayer at the masjid. You can't pray with your family at home. You can't take your children to the masjid. You can't read the Qur'an. You can't learn your religion. You are busy running around trying to earn a living. You are too worried about where the next meal is going to come from to focus some time in the remembrance of Allah.
On the other hand, if you are a billionaire, then all of the things that you could do with the billion dollars will distract you from Allah because all the pleasures of the world will open up to you.
Among the greatest of your blessings is that Allah gives you just enough to live, neither too little nor too much.
If you have sufficient enough to relieve yourself of the worries of where your next meal is going to come, you have a comfortable life. The thing that is facilitated by a comfortable life is free time. Free time gives you the freedom to devote yourself to Allah. This is what you should do--devote yourself to Allah. You should not be distracted by the never ending chase behind the world. If you do that, it is showing ingratitude for the blessing that Allah has given you.
When you see as a blessing, you show gratitude to Allah. You use the blessing to draw closer to Allah.
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ
"And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): 'If you are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you; But if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed.'" Qur'an Ibrahim 14:7
"We bestowed (in the past) Wisdom on Luqman: 'Show (your) gratitude to God." Any who is (so) grateful does so to the profit of his own soul: but if any is ungrateful, verily God is free of all wants, Worthy of all praise.'" Qur'an Luqman 31:12 (It is said that Luqman belonged to a humble station in life, being a slave or a carpenter, and that he refused worldly power and a kingdom.)
May Allah give you success. 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 enough and you are worrying about where the next meal is going to come from, your worrying will distract you from Allah. You can't focus during prayer. You can't join the congregational prayer at the masjid. You can't pray with your family at home. You can't take your children to the masjid. You can't read the Qur'an. You can't learn your religion. You are busy running around trying to earn a living. You are too worried about where the next meal is going to come from to focus some time in the remembrance of Allah.
On the other hand, if you are a billionaire, then all of the things that you could do with the billion dollars will distract you from Allah because all the pleasures of the world will open up to you.
Among the greatest of your blessings is that Allah gives you just enough to live, neither too little nor too much.
If you have sufficient enough to relieve yourself of the worries of where your next meal is going to come, you have a comfortable life. The thing that is facilitated by a comfortable life is free time. Free time gives you the freedom to devote yourself to Allah. This is what you should do--devote yourself to Allah. You should not be distracted by the never ending chase behind the world. If you do that, it is showing ingratitude for the blessing that Allah has given you.
When you see as a blessing, you show gratitude to Allah. You use the blessing to draw closer to Allah.
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ
"And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): 'If you are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you; But if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed.'" Qur'an Ibrahim 14:7
"We bestowed (in the past) Wisdom on Luqman: 'Show (your) gratitude to God." Any who is (so) grateful does so to the profit of his own soul: but if any is ungrateful, verily God is free of all wants, Worthy of all praise.'" Qur'an Luqman 31:12 (It is said that Luqman belonged to a humble station in life, being a slave or a carpenter, and that he refused worldly power and a kingdom.)
May Allah give you success. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Is Not Allah Sufficient?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
If someone had a special connection with the President of the country, then he won't be worried or afraid to go out and about the country because he knows the President will take care of him by virtue of this special connection.
How would it be if you had a special connection with Allah? People might revolt against the President and when he is gone, so too your connection. But Allah, He is All Powerful. No creature can take away your special connection with Allah. So, is not Allah sufficient for you?
أَلَيۡسَ ٱللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبۡدَهُ ۥۖ وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦۚ وَمَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ ۥ مِنۡ هَادٍ۬
"Is not Allah sufficient for His slave? But they try to frighten you with other (gods) besides Him! for such as God leaves to stray, there can be no guide." Qur'an Az-Zumar 39:36
On top of that Allah is not unaware of what you are doing.
وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ
"...And God is not unaware of what they do." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:74
Allah knows everything about us, where we are, what will happen to us in the future. Allah knows our needs because we are His slaves and Allah loves His slaves.
If we realized this and it enters deep into our hearts, it has consequences. We will find Allah enough for all the protection we need, all the rest and peace we crave for, and all the happiness we can imagine. When we make du'a to Allah, it is to express our neediness of our Lord. We don't think that Allah is not going to take care of us unless we remind Him and we don't think that Allah will not know what to do unless we remind Him. The only one reminded is someone who is able to forget and the only one apprised is someone who is able to neglect. Allah does not forget and He does not neglect.
May Allah make us realize His Majesty and make our hearts only for Him. Ameen. Please keep 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 someone had a special connection with the President of the country, then he won't be worried or afraid to go out and about the country because he knows the President will take care of him by virtue of this special connection.
How would it be if you had a special connection with Allah? People might revolt against the President and when he is gone, so too your connection. But Allah, He is All Powerful. No creature can take away your special connection with Allah. So, is not Allah sufficient for you?
أَلَيۡسَ ٱللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبۡدَهُ ۥۖ وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦۚ وَمَن يُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ ۥ مِنۡ هَادٍ۬
"Is not Allah sufficient for His slave? But they try to frighten you with other (gods) besides Him! for such as God leaves to stray, there can be no guide." Qur'an Az-Zumar 39:36
On top of that Allah is not unaware of what you are doing.
وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ
"...And God is not unaware of what they do." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:74
Allah knows everything about us, where we are, what will happen to us in the future. Allah knows our needs because we are His slaves and Allah loves His slaves.
If we realized this and it enters deep into our hearts, it has consequences. We will find Allah enough for all the protection we need, all the rest and peace we crave for, and all the happiness we can imagine. When we make du'a to Allah, it is to express our neediness of our Lord. We don't think that Allah is not going to take care of us unless we remind Him and we don't think that Allah will not know what to do unless we remind Him. The only one reminded is someone who is able to forget and the only one apprised is someone who is able to neglect. Allah does not forget and He does not neglect.
May Allah make us realize His Majesty and make our hearts only for Him. Ameen. Please keep us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Internet Menace
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Is there anything you can't do on the internet? You can do practically everything-- playing games, looking at bad pictures, finding information, learning and teaching, shopping for things, finding old high school friends or lost cousins, finding spouse (and some shopping for spouse), getting married and so on. The possibilities are endless!
Everyday millions of people log on to the internet and enter a world of the wonderful and crazy, a world of information, intrusion and seduction. At the beginning it makes it easy and convenient to get in touch with people you know but new things keep popping up which prey upon the weak faith and the ignorant. Many people, adults and children, religious and non religious alike, have fallen into the great menace of this great invention of the 20th century.
Allah is always aware, not a moment He is not aware. He is Al-Raqib, the Ever Watchful. Whoever knows that He is the Raqib, over everything, and that He observes us in everything (our hearts, our minds, our fingers--what they are typing, our eyes--what they are looking, our ears--what they are hearing, our emails, Facebooks, our computer monitors, YouTubes and the like), we will be fearful and ashamed with all the things we do in private; we will be fearful to look at anything that we are not allowed to; we will be fearful to browse aimlessly and waste our time on the internet; we will be ashamed to have that dirty or evil thoughts while surfing on the internet.
In short, we will be fearful the moment we turn on that computer. Have you ever gone on the computer and searched something and something else, that’s bad and inappropriate pops up? Or you are on Youtube and bad images popped up? Did you look the other way or you kept looking, overwhelmed with curiosity? And has it occurred to you that your children are exposed to these things as well and they too might have looked, curious? Astaghfirullah Al-Adhim.
A man was asked, "What does a man use to lower his gaze away from the unlawful?" He answered, "His knowledge that seeing of the Real is prior to his seeing that forbidden thing."
Allah is present and watching everything. He is not absent. We cannot hide from Him. Everything is recorded. Not an ant small of good or bad is left out. One day we are going to face Him and be taken to task. He is Al-Hasib, the One who takes into account.
ثُمَّ رُدُّوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَوْلَىٰهُمُ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ ٱلْحَٰسِبِينَ
"Then are men returned to God, their protector, the (only) reality: Is not His the command, and He is the swiftest in taking account." Qur'an Cattle 62:135
So we should watch what we do all the time. Be the raqib over our limbs, our souls, our hearts and our innermost being in everything. Even when you are praying, fasting or giving charity, you should watch your motives and make sure you are doing them to please your Lord, not to please your ego. Use everything your Lord gives you to draw near to Him, not take you away from Him.
وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًۢا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
"And God will not mislead a people after He has guided them, in order that He may make clear to them what to fear (and avoid)- for God has knowledge of all things. To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and He takes it. Except for Him you have no protector nor helper." Qur'an Repentance 9:115-116
Watch over those you are instructed to watch over of your family and the like, for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said we are all shepherds and each one of us will be asked about our own flock.
May Allah protect us from the internet menace and help us lower our gazes away from what He forbids. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
Related archived articles:
The Most Loved and Hated Places By Allah
Raising Children To Know Allah
Sowing The Seeds
Facebook Fitnah
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Is there anything you can't do on the internet? You can do practically everything-- playing games, looking at bad pictures, finding information, learning and teaching, shopping for things, finding old high school friends or lost cousins, finding spouse (and some shopping for spouse), getting married and so on. The possibilities are endless!
Everyday millions of people log on to the internet and enter a world of the wonderful and crazy, a world of information, intrusion and seduction. At the beginning it makes it easy and convenient to get in touch with people you know but new things keep popping up which prey upon the weak faith and the ignorant. Many people, adults and children, religious and non religious alike, have fallen into the great menace of this great invention of the 20th century.
Allah is always aware, not a moment He is not aware. He is Al-Raqib, the Ever Watchful. Whoever knows that He is the Raqib, over everything, and that He observes us in everything (our hearts, our minds, our fingers--what they are typing, our eyes--what they are looking, our ears--what they are hearing, our emails, Facebooks, our computer monitors, YouTubes and the like), we will be fearful and ashamed with all the things we do in private; we will be fearful to look at anything that we are not allowed to; we will be fearful to browse aimlessly and waste our time on the internet; we will be ashamed to have that dirty or evil thoughts while surfing on the internet.
In short, we will be fearful the moment we turn on that computer. Have you ever gone on the computer and searched something and something else, that’s bad and inappropriate pops up? Or you are on Youtube and bad images popped up? Did you look the other way or you kept looking, overwhelmed with curiosity? And has it occurred to you that your children are exposed to these things as well and they too might have looked, curious? Astaghfirullah Al-Adhim.
A man was asked, "What does a man use to lower his gaze away from the unlawful?" He answered, "His knowledge that seeing of the Real is prior to his seeing that forbidden thing."
Allah is present and watching everything. He is not absent. We cannot hide from Him. Everything is recorded. Not an ant small of good or bad is left out. One day we are going to face Him and be taken to task. He is Al-Hasib, the One who takes into account.
ثُمَّ رُدُّوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَوْلَىٰهُمُ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ أَلَا لَهُ ٱلْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ ٱلْحَٰسِبِينَ
"Then are men returned to God, their protector, the (only) reality: Is not His the command, and He is the swiftest in taking account." Qur'an Cattle 62:135
So we should watch what we do all the time. Be the raqib over our limbs, our souls, our hearts and our innermost being in everything. Even when you are praying, fasting or giving charity, you should watch your motives and make sure you are doing them to please your Lord, not to please your ego. Use everything your Lord gives you to draw near to Him, not take you away from Him.
وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًۢا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
"And God will not mislead a people after He has guided them, in order that He may make clear to them what to fear (and avoid)- for God has knowledge of all things. To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and He takes it. Except for Him you have no protector nor helper." Qur'an Repentance 9:115-116
Watch over those you are instructed to watch over of your family and the like, for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said we are all shepherds and each one of us will be asked about our own flock.
May Allah protect us from the internet menace and help us lower our gazes away from what He forbids. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
Related archived articles:
The Most Loved and Hated Places By Allah
Raising Children To Know Allah
Sowing The Seeds
Facebook Fitnah
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Do No Evil, And Excel In Goodness
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah shows mercy to whomever He wills. You can't break your way to Allah. You can't break down the wall to Allah. If Allah chooses someone for His mercy, it is not because of who you are, it is because of how good Allah is.
يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
"For His Mercy He specially chooses whom He pleases; for Allah is the Lord of bounties unbounded."
(Qur'an AleImran 3:74)
Allah tells us His mercy is near to those who excel in goodness and He does not like those who do mischief on this earth. So fear Him and do not do anything which would not be pleasing to Him, and constantly turn to Him and call upon Him with humility and earnestness.
When we call upon Allah, we must avoid any arrogance or show or any vanity of requests or words. If excess is condemned in all things, it is especially worthy of condemnation when we go humbly before our Lord, the Omnipotent, Who knows all.
ٱدْعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًۭا وَخُفْيَةً ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
"Call on your Lord with humility and in private: for God loves not those who trespass beyond bounds. Do no mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts.) Verily the Mercy of Allah is near to those who excel in goodness."
(Qur'an Al-'Araf 7:55-56)
May Allah rain His Mercy on the Ummah of Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace. 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.
Allah shows mercy to whomever He wills. You can't break your way to Allah. You can't break down the wall to Allah. If Allah chooses someone for His mercy, it is not because of who you are, it is because of how good Allah is.
يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
"For His Mercy He specially chooses whom He pleases; for Allah is the Lord of bounties unbounded."
(Qur'an AleImran 3:74)
Allah tells us His mercy is near to those who excel in goodness and He does not like those who do mischief on this earth. So fear Him and do not do anything which would not be pleasing to Him, and constantly turn to Him and call upon Him with humility and earnestness.
When we call upon Allah, we must avoid any arrogance or show or any vanity of requests or words. If excess is condemned in all things, it is especially worthy of condemnation when we go humbly before our Lord, the Omnipotent, Who knows all.
ٱدْعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًۭا وَخُفْيَةً ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
"Call on your Lord with humility and in private: for God loves not those who trespass beyond bounds. Do no mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts.) Verily the Mercy of Allah is near to those who excel in goodness."
(Qur'an Al-'Araf 7:55-56)
May Allah rain His Mercy on the Ummah of Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Friday, March 11, 2011
Who Is More Worthy Of Striving More Than Me
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah puts some people forward to obedience and worship and puts others back through His will. He is the Muqqadim and the Mu'akhkhir. He is the One who specifies everything in its time and rank. Whoever knows that Allah is the Muqqadim and the Mu'akkhhir is not safe with his state and does not feel despair of His Lord in any of his states.
The means to acquire to be in front is taking the steps to be in front, striving in worship and obedience.
A man was seen striving and was asked about it. He said, "Who is more worthy of striving more than me, and I am desirous of being caught up to the righteous and the the great among the early community."
Our connection with these Names is to constantly turn to Allah to put us forward in the army of the forerunners and not put us back with the destroyed in the lowest of the low. Our realization of these Names is constantly striving to put forward what pleases the Lord and put our self back from what does not please Him. We do not look down upon people for tomorrow you might be them and they might be you. The wheel is still spinning. We strive to help people to move forward and that will keep you forward.
Hope in the taqdim, beware the ta'khir.
Allah’s decree works without fail. If He were to punish for every wrong or shortcoming, not a single living creature on earth would escape punishment. But in His infinite mercy and forgiveness, He gives respite. He provides time for repentance. If the repentance is forthcoming, Allah’s Mercy is forthcoming without fail. If not, the punishment comes inevitably on the expiration of the Term. The sinner cannot anticipate it by an insolent challenge, nor can he delay it when the time arrives. Let him not think that the respite given him may mean that he can do what he likes, and that he can escape from the consequences.
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ سَاعَةًۭ ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
"And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment)."
(Qur'an The Bee 16:61)
May Allah put us forward. 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.
Allah puts some people forward to obedience and worship and puts others back through His will. He is the Muqqadim and the Mu'akhkhir. He is the One who specifies everything in its time and rank. Whoever knows that Allah is the Muqqadim and the Mu'akkhhir is not safe with his state and does not feel despair of His Lord in any of his states.
The means to acquire to be in front is taking the steps to be in front, striving in worship and obedience.
A man was seen striving and was asked about it. He said, "Who is more worthy of striving more than me, and I am desirous of being caught up to the righteous and the the great among the early community."
Our connection with these Names is to constantly turn to Allah to put us forward in the army of the forerunners and not put us back with the destroyed in the lowest of the low. Our realization of these Names is constantly striving to put forward what pleases the Lord and put our self back from what does not please Him. We do not look down upon people for tomorrow you might be them and they might be you. The wheel is still spinning. We strive to help people to move forward and that will keep you forward.
Hope in the taqdim, beware the ta'khir.
Allah’s decree works without fail. If He were to punish for every wrong or shortcoming, not a single living creature on earth would escape punishment. But in His infinite mercy and forgiveness, He gives respite. He provides time for repentance. If the repentance is forthcoming, Allah’s Mercy is forthcoming without fail. If not, the punishment comes inevitably on the expiration of the Term. The sinner cannot anticipate it by an insolent challenge, nor can he delay it when the time arrives. Let him not think that the respite given him may mean that he can do what he likes, and that he can escape from the consequences.
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ سَاعَةًۭ ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
"And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment)."
(Qur'an The Bee 16:61)
May Allah put us forward. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Filled To The Brim
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Nur is the One who brings darkness to the light of existence. He shone on it and it came to existence. Just like when you are in darkness you don't know what's there, An-Nur is the One who make things exist. He is the source of all existence.
He illuminates the horizon with the sun and the moon and the hearts with all types of knowledge. So An-Nur is the One who guides to the light of knowledge.
So, whoever who wants the heart to be filled with the light of knowledge, turn to the Nur and ask for increase.
The light of the hearts is the real life through it any difficulties become bearable. Seek an increase of this light, until one sees the light--the light of guidance and the light of certainty.
Sometimes Allah sends light to the heart but the heart is filled to the brim with other things and so it can't receive the light. We have to struggle to rid of the gunk in our hearts. That include turning away from factors which influence darkness so the heart can receive the light.
ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌۭ دُرِّىٌّۭ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍۢ مُّبَٰرَكَةٍۢ زَيْتُونَةٍۢ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍۢ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍۢ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌۭ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍۢ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the West, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! God does guide whom He will to His Light: God does set forth Parables for men: and God does know all things.
Qur'an An-Nur 24:35
May Allah shine us with His Light. 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.
The Nur is the One who brings darkness to the light of existence. He shone on it and it came to existence. Just like when you are in darkness you don't know what's there, An-Nur is the One who make things exist. He is the source of all existence.
He illuminates the horizon with the sun and the moon and the hearts with all types of knowledge. So An-Nur is the One who guides to the light of knowledge.
So, whoever who wants the heart to be filled with the light of knowledge, turn to the Nur and ask for increase.
The light of the hearts is the real life through it any difficulties become bearable. Seek an increase of this light, until one sees the light--the light of guidance and the light of certainty.
Sometimes Allah sends light to the heart but the heart is filled to the brim with other things and so it can't receive the light. We have to struggle to rid of the gunk in our hearts. That include turning away from factors which influence darkness so the heart can receive the light.
ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌۭ دُرِّىٌّۭ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍۢ مُّبَٰرَكَةٍۢ زَيْتُونَةٍۢ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍۢ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍۢ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌۭ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍۢ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ
God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The Parable of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the West, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! God does guide whom He will to His Light: God does set forth Parables for men: and God does know all things.
Qur'an An-Nur 24:35
May Allah shine us with His Light. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
What Is It For Me?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (١) ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ (٢) لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ (٣) وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ ڪُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (٤)
Say: He is God, the One and Only
God, the Eternal, Absolute
He begets not, nor was He begotten
And there is none like unto Him.
(Qur'an Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4)
We could be doing good works for a week, a month, a year, or even 50 years, but we don't know if all that prayers, that fasting, that charity and that other good works are accepted by the One, the Samad, the One Whom all creatures need. We don't know if anything is in the box until we get both feet in Jannah (Paradise.)
We are to return to Allah with sincerity (ikhlas). Allah is our hope and everything else are empty life forms. We want to please Allah and not preoccupied with His creation. In order to please Allah, we should not have any other goal or destination except Allah. The world is in your hands and not in your hearts.
Allah is All Generous and He loves generosity. Generosity is to give Allah what is due to Him, but we never can. You rush when you do wudu' (ablution)...water is cold! I have to get back to work! I have to go back to sleep! But Allah still keeps your tap running. When you hear a sister needs help or a place to stay, no one help (except the church). But Allah keeps your roof over your head and your tap is still running. When disasters happen, you don't do anything to alleviate the pain of your fellow humans--it is not in my backyard! When your neighbors are fighting for human rights and against oppression, you look the other way and run. That little voice always asking, "What is it for me?" Rather next time tell that ungrateful little voice, "What is it for Allah?"
Qur'an is the word of Allah. For someone whose heart is alone, focus on what He is saying, not just repeating the words without understanding what He is saying.
May Allah put in our hearts the love for 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.
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (١) ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ (٢) لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ (٣) وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ ڪُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (٤)
Say: He is God, the One and Only
God, the Eternal, Absolute
He begets not, nor was He begotten
And there is none like unto Him.
(Qur'an Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4)
We could be doing good works for a week, a month, a year, or even 50 years, but we don't know if all that prayers, that fasting, that charity and that other good works are accepted by the One, the Samad, the One Whom all creatures need. We don't know if anything is in the box until we get both feet in Jannah (Paradise.)
We are to return to Allah with sincerity (ikhlas). Allah is our hope and everything else are empty life forms. We want to please Allah and not preoccupied with His creation. In order to please Allah, we should not have any other goal or destination except Allah. The world is in your hands and not in your hearts.
Allah is All Generous and He loves generosity. Generosity is to give Allah what is due to Him, but we never can. You rush when you do wudu' (ablution)...water is cold! I have to get back to work! I have to go back to sleep! But Allah still keeps your tap running. When you hear a sister needs help or a place to stay, no one help (except the church). But Allah keeps your roof over your head and your tap is still running. When disasters happen, you don't do anything to alleviate the pain of your fellow humans--it is not in my backyard! When your neighbors are fighting for human rights and against oppression, you look the other way and run. That little voice always asking, "What is it for me?" Rather next time tell that ungrateful little voice, "What is it for Allah?"
Qur'an is the word of Allah. For someone whose heart is alone, focus on what He is saying, not just repeating the words without understanding what He is saying.
May Allah put in our hearts the love for Him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Grab The Guidance
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah guides His slaves through commands and tawfiq.
Allah's commands in the Qur'an as well as on the tongue of His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, meaning pray, fast, pay zakat, perform hajj, give charity, lower your gaze, be kind to your parents, be good to your neighbor, have no relation with the opposite sex except through marriage, cover your nakedness/put on your hijab, don't backbite, don't cheat, don't hurt people, have good manners/character, and so on, all of them, are for our advantage, for our goodness and well being. They all bring back benefit to us. They are not against us.
Allah's commands are guidance. We should be grabbing onto Allah's commands like the farmers grabbing onto the ripened crops or the harvest, not shying away from them, not wasting them, and not feeling burdened by them. If we ignore or refuse to follow the commands, we are essentially refusing to be guided and when famine comes, we will starve to death.
Allah also guides His slaves through tawfiq. Tawfiq is when Allah blesses someone the ability to do what is right. Some described tawfiq as God given success. Tawfiq is only mentioned once in the Qur'an on the tongue of Prophet Shu'aib, peace be upon him.
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ
"...and my success (in my task) can only come from Allah. In Him I trust, and unto Him I return to." (Qur'an Hud 11:88)
Tawfiq is a tremendous gift. Tremendous matters are not dished to everyone. It is rare. Whoever Allah gives this tawfiq, he relies on Him and He blesses him in all his endeavors.
Allah's guidance come from His infinite wisdom and knowledge. So we should seek and acquire the sacred knowledge in order that we be guided and be the guide for others. There are some people who Allah cloaks them in the cloak of guidance and everything about them is guidance, and they guide people to Allah.
A very important aspect of guidance is good character to fellow men.
It was reported that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Great glad tidings for the one who spent the night a pilgrim and awakened a warrior." There was a person with many dependents to support but that didn't ruin his character. He went to work laughing and he returned from work laughing and said "I am from them and they are from me."
The closest people to Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the Day of Judgment, is the one with good character.
The sign of the guided is the one who no matter comes except he flees to Allah with it. No issue is raised except he hastens to Allah for solution. The key to this is the Istikhara prayer (prayer of guidance).
We ask Allah for His tawfiq and excellent ending. 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.
Allah guides His slaves through commands and tawfiq.
Allah's commands in the Qur'an as well as on the tongue of His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, meaning pray, fast, pay zakat, perform hajj, give charity, lower your gaze, be kind to your parents, be good to your neighbor, have no relation with the opposite sex except through marriage, cover your nakedness/put on your hijab, don't backbite, don't cheat, don't hurt people, have good manners/character, and so on, all of them, are for our advantage, for our goodness and well being. They all bring back benefit to us. They are not against us.
Allah's commands are guidance. We should be grabbing onto Allah's commands like the farmers grabbing onto the ripened crops or the harvest, not shying away from them, not wasting them, and not feeling burdened by them. If we ignore or refuse to follow the commands, we are essentially refusing to be guided and when famine comes, we will starve to death.
Allah also guides His slaves through tawfiq. Tawfiq is when Allah blesses someone the ability to do what is right. Some described tawfiq as God given success. Tawfiq is only mentioned once in the Qur'an on the tongue of Prophet Shu'aib, peace be upon him.
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ
"...and my success (in my task) can only come from Allah. In Him I trust, and unto Him I return to." (Qur'an Hud 11:88)
Tawfiq is a tremendous gift. Tremendous matters are not dished to everyone. It is rare. Whoever Allah gives this tawfiq, he relies on Him and He blesses him in all his endeavors.
Allah's guidance come from His infinite wisdom and knowledge. So we should seek and acquire the sacred knowledge in order that we be guided and be the guide for others. There are some people who Allah cloaks them in the cloak of guidance and everything about them is guidance, and they guide people to Allah.
A very important aspect of guidance is good character to fellow men.
It was reported that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Great glad tidings for the one who spent the night a pilgrim and awakened a warrior." There was a person with many dependents to support but that didn't ruin his character. He went to work laughing and he returned from work laughing and said "I am from them and they are from me."
The closest people to Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the Day of Judgment, is the one with good character.
The sign of the guided is the one who no matter comes except he flees to Allah with it. No issue is raised except he hastens to Allah for solution. The key to this is the Istikhara prayer (prayer of guidance).
We ask Allah for His tawfiq and excellent ending. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, March 7, 2011
Allah Took Them By The Hand
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Whoever Allah wills, He picks up that person and takes him by the hand, and in a very short time he becomes the elite on the planet. Whoever Allah puts barakah (blessing) into his age, Allah put barakah to his time. He will realize in a very short space of time tremendous matters.
Allah chose for Prophet Nuh, peace be upon him, that he preached for 950 years. After all that time he was preaching only a few followed him and the rest were destroyed and his children flourished on the earth.
Allah chose for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, that he preached for 23 years, after which he was victorious and His religion spread in the lands, and he is the Prophet till end of time.
What is the means and how do we acquire the means for Allah to take us by the hand?
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Allah the Almighty said:
I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.
Allah relates a wonderful story in the Qur'an about the Companions of the cave. There were a group of young man who despite the difficulty of their age and bad influence, they came towards Allah. The youths hid in the cave, but they trusted in Allah, and made over their whole case to Him in prayer. Allah received them graciously and made them a sign for all of time.
إِذْ أَوَى ٱلْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةًۭ وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًۭا
"Behold, the youths betook themselves to the Cave: they said, 'Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Yourself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way!'" Qur'an al-Kahf 18:10
Then they apparently fell asleep and knew nothing of what was happening in the world outside.
نَّحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُم بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَٰهُمْ هُدًۭى
وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا۟ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَن نَّدْعُوَا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَٰهًۭا ۖ لَّقَدْ قُلْنَآ إِذًۭا شَطَطًا
"We relate to you their story in truth: they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We advanced them in guidance. We gave strength to their hearts: Behold, they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him: if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity!" Qur'an al-Kahf 18:13-14
وَإِذِ ٱعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَأْوُۥٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًۭا
"When you turn away from them and the things they worship other than God, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease." Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:16
All these indicate that if the slave takes the steps towards Allah, Allah takes him by the hand. As well, we have to turn away from bad influences and factors which influence darkness in our lives.
Allah guides whoever He wills and whomever He chooses to guide he is guided to tremendous good. The means to achieve that is by taking steps towards Allah, asking Him, and being impoverish before His kindness.
And whoever Allah wills, He leads them astray. What is the method for someone to lead astray? It is taking steps away from Allah.
May Allah bestow mercy on us from Himself and take us by the hand. 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.
Whoever Allah wills, He picks up that person and takes him by the hand, and in a very short time he becomes the elite on the planet. Whoever Allah puts barakah (blessing) into his age, Allah put barakah to his time. He will realize in a very short space of time tremendous matters.
Allah chose for Prophet Nuh, peace be upon him, that he preached for 950 years. After all that time he was preaching only a few followed him and the rest were destroyed and his children flourished on the earth.
Allah chose for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, that he preached for 23 years, after which he was victorious and His religion spread in the lands, and he is the Prophet till end of time.
What is the means and how do we acquire the means for Allah to take us by the hand?
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Allah the Almighty said:
I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.
Allah relates a wonderful story in the Qur'an about the Companions of the cave. There were a group of young man who despite the difficulty of their age and bad influence, they came towards Allah. The youths hid in the cave, but they trusted in Allah, and made over their whole case to Him in prayer. Allah received them graciously and made them a sign for all of time.
إِذْ أَوَى ٱلْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةًۭ وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًۭا
"Behold, the youths betook themselves to the Cave: they said, 'Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Yourself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way!'" Qur'an al-Kahf 18:10
Then they apparently fell asleep and knew nothing of what was happening in the world outside.
نَّحْنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ نَبَأَهُم بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَٰهُمْ هُدًۭى
وَرَبَطْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ إِذْ قَامُوا۟ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَن نَّدْعُوَا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ إِلَٰهًۭا ۖ لَّقَدْ قُلْنَآ إِذًۭا شَطَطًا
"We relate to you their story in truth: they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We advanced them in guidance. We gave strength to their hearts: Behold, they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any god other than Him: if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity!" Qur'an al-Kahf 18:13-14
وَإِذِ ٱعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَأْوُۥٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًۭا
"When you turn away from them and the things they worship other than God, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease." Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:16
All these indicate that if the slave takes the steps towards Allah, Allah takes him by the hand. As well, we have to turn away from bad influences and factors which influence darkness in our lives.
Allah guides whoever He wills and whomever He chooses to guide he is guided to tremendous good. The means to achieve that is by taking steps towards Allah, asking Him, and being impoverish before His kindness.
And whoever Allah wills, He leads them astray. What is the method for someone to lead astray? It is taking steps away from Allah.
May Allah bestow mercy on us from Himself and take us by the hand. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Saturday, March 5, 2011
We Are Drowning In His Kindness
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Praise be to God, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds. Qur'an Al-Fatiha 1:2
وَهُوَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلْأُولَىٰ وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۖ وَلَهُ ٱلْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
"And He is God. There is no god but He. To Him be praise, at the first and at the last: for Him is the Command, and to Him shall ye (all) be brought back." Qur'an The Story 28:70
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ
ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًۭا وَقُعُودًۭا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَٰطِلًۭا سُبْحَٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
"Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding,- Men who celebrate the praises of God, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (With the thought): "Our Lord! not for naught Hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire." Qur'an AleImran 2:190-191
Allah is the only One who knows Allah. He praises Himself and He praises the believers. He made the believers really special. He call them the best of creatures and that is His kindness to them.
Our praise of Him is His blessing to us. So every praise we do is His kindness to us. We are drowning in His kindness.
If you don't know who you are praising then you are not really praising. If we are ignorant about Allah, we haven't really praising Him because we don't know what we are saying. That is why we should learn the Names of Allah and we learn to interact with His Names and to see the Names. The more we learn about Allah, the truer our praise of Him really is.
When we see the Names we become extremely humble before the Named and that is how we approach gratitude and slavehood to Allah. When we praised Him, our praise is a great praise with respect to us because it is praised from the knowledge of the One being praised, and we only do it out of our slavehood to Him not because that really is His praise. No praise is fitting for Him except for His praise for Himself. As for the one ignorant of Him then his praise suffers.
وَٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
And Praise to God, the Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds. Qur'an As-Saffat 37:182
And Allah knows best. Please keep 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.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
Praise be to God, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds. Qur'an Al-Fatiha 1:2
وَهُوَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلْأُولَىٰ وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۖ وَلَهُ ٱلْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
"And He is God. There is no god but He. To Him be praise, at the first and at the last: for Him is the Command, and to Him shall ye (all) be brought back." Qur'an The Story 28:70
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ
ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًۭا وَقُعُودًۭا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَٰطِلًۭا سُبْحَٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
"Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding,- Men who celebrate the praises of God, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (With the thought): "Our Lord! not for naught Hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire." Qur'an AleImran 2:190-191
Allah is the only One who knows Allah. He praises Himself and He praises the believers. He made the believers really special. He call them the best of creatures and that is His kindness to them.
Our praise of Him is His blessing to us. So every praise we do is His kindness to us. We are drowning in His kindness.
If you don't know who you are praising then you are not really praising. If we are ignorant about Allah, we haven't really praising Him because we don't know what we are saying. That is why we should learn the Names of Allah and we learn to interact with His Names and to see the Names. The more we learn about Allah, the truer our praise of Him really is.
When we see the Names we become extremely humble before the Named and that is how we approach gratitude and slavehood to Allah. When we praised Him, our praise is a great praise with respect to us because it is praised from the knowledge of the One being praised, and we only do it out of our slavehood to Him not because that really is His praise. No praise is fitting for Him except for His praise for Himself. As for the one ignorant of Him then his praise suffers.
وَٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
And Praise to God, the Lord and Cherisher of the Worlds. Qur'an As-Saffat 37:182
And Allah knows best. Please keep us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
A True Inheritance
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Everything is vanishing and going back to Allah. Nothing here is for us except temporarily.
Allah Most High says:
وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ نُحْىِۦ وَنُمِيتُ وَنَحْنُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ
And verily, it is We Who give life, and Who give death: it is We Who remain inheritors (after all else passes away). Qur'an Hijr 15:23
So how could we be content with something that is not really ours? We should only find our contentment in Allah.
A true inheritance is what the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, has left behind which the soul of it all is the knowledge of the Creator. This is essence of Islam. The one who inherits the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in words, in states and in character, he is the total and perfect inheritor.
We turn to Allah to make us inheritors of the Prophets and the elect and make us an inheritor of the Paradise of knowledge and pleasures.
رَبِّ هَبْ لِى حُكْمًۭا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ وَٱجْعَل لِّى لِسَانَ صِدْقٍۢ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرِينَ
وَٱجْعَلْنِى مِن وَرَثَةِ جَنَّةِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
"O my Lord! bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous; Grant me honorable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest (generations); And make me one of the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss." Qur'an Shu'araa 26:83-85
Ameen
Please don't forget us in your night prayer. 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.
Everything is vanishing and going back to Allah. Nothing here is for us except temporarily.
Allah Most High says:
وَإِنَّا لَنَحْنُ نُحْىِۦ وَنُمِيتُ وَنَحْنُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ
And verily, it is We Who give life, and Who give death: it is We Who remain inheritors (after all else passes away). Qur'an Hijr 15:23
So how could we be content with something that is not really ours? We should only find our contentment in Allah.
A true inheritance is what the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, has left behind which the soul of it all is the knowledge of the Creator. This is essence of Islam. The one who inherits the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in words, in states and in character, he is the total and perfect inheritor.
We turn to Allah to make us inheritors of the Prophets and the elect and make us an inheritor of the Paradise of knowledge and pleasures.
رَبِّ هَبْ لِى حُكْمًۭا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ وَٱجْعَل لِّى لِسَانَ صِدْقٍۢ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرِينَ
وَٱجْعَلْنِى مِن وَرَثَةِ جَنَّةِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ
"O my Lord! bestow wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous; Grant me honorable mention on the tongue of truth among the latest (generations); And make me one of the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss." Qur'an Shu'araa 26:83-85
Ameen
Please don't forget us in your night prayer. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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