Mr. Google And Facebook Village

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Raising children to be good people, good citizens, good children, good spouses, good parents, good...is a mighty task! We no longer have that village where our grandparents/parents used to grow up in, where righteous and pious uncles/aunties would help their parents teach them good manners and virtues.

Instead we have the village of Mr. Google and Facebook (and the like), which have opened an onslaught of windows of not necessarily good things from which our children, as well as the unwary, learn and get advice.

Does this mean our children are finished? No, of course not, inshaAllah. There is still hope. We can create a village for them, starting with you as its first inhabitant.

If we teach our children not to be selfish, 90% of the job is done.

Start by living this famous hadith ourselves as we are their foremost examples:

None of you truly believes (in Allah and in His religion) until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.

[Bukhari and Muslim]

The idea is that we love for other Muslims what we love for ourselves. We should care for and help one another. Loving goodness for others is part of loving them. We love good things for them as much as we love those things for ourselves. We wish other Muslims to be better than us in worshiping and manners and at the same time we strive to be better than what we are now. We treat them the way we want them to treat us. We are merciful and compassionate in our treatment of others.

Part of good treatment of others is excusing them and giving them fair chances. For example, if a person commits a mistake, then we should find excuses for them and not jump to conclusions. There are many ways to excuse others who did mistakes, so we can live together peacefully and avoid confrontations. If they commit a sin then we love for them that they leave the sinful act. We advise them out of our love for them. We should choose the best words in our conversation. Good words can bring happiness to people's heart and can avoid confrontations and quarrels.

Allah says,

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ وَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا

O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.

[Qur'an Al-Ahzab 33:70]

وَقُل لِّعِبَادِى يَقُولُوا۟ ٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ كَانَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا

And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.

[Qur'an Al-Isra' 17:53]

So this is where we start building the village for our children to raise our grandchildren and so on.

We each have a role to play and there are changes to be made. We cannot aimlessly go through lives today the same way as yesterday, this year the same way as last year or 5 or 10 years ago. If each one of us understand our role and make a change, our children will have a huge and peaceful village to grow up in, in no time.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the early Muslims and the Companions, Allah be very pleased with them all, suffered persecutions and many trying times and fought selflessly in battles just so Allah's words can come to us. We should learn and apply them in our lives.

May Allah grant us a righteous community and tawfiq to the highest station. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Rejection Sensitivity Syndrome

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

In ways, big and small, we all face rejection everyday of our lives. It's the way the social universe operates. People let us down and we, too, let people down. And yet, when it happens to us, we tend to take it very personally and often enough, very hard.

As Muslims, we are to present the highest example of good morality and manners. As long as we maintain firm faith and discipline, we will have self respect.

There is a crucial difference between self-respect and self-esteem.

Self-esteem is how we value ourselves; it is how we perceive our value to the world and how valuable we think we are to others. High self-esteem is a good opinion of yourself and low self-esteem is a bad opinion of yourself. Possessing little self-regard can lead people to become depressed, feel rejected, to fall short of their potential, or to tolerate abusive situations and relationships. Too much self-love, on the other hand, results in an off-putting sense of entitlement and an inability to learn from failures, i.e. one can become arrogant.

Self-respect, on the other hand, may hold the key to achieving the peace of mind we seek. This self-respect is not contingent on success because there are always failures to contend with. Neither is it a result of comparing ourselves with others because there is always someone better. Self-respect is a quality through which a person learns to respect himself so that he does not stoop to anything low.

To esteem anything is to evaluate it positively and hold it in high regard, but evaluation gets us into trouble because while we sometimes win, we also sometimes lose. To respect something, on the other hand, is to accept it.

"A very high percentage of negative events are related to the feeling that someone else doesn't value a relationship as much as you do," says Duke University psychologist Mark Leary.

In marriage, those are the sore feelings that accompany such thoughts as, "My husband is watching TV (or on Facebook) when he should be paying attention to me!" or "I have been working all day but my wife didn't even come to the door to greet me!"

As bad as it is to complain about your marriage to outsiders, it is just as destructive to suffer in silence. Nothing gets accomplished when people play the martyr, and by withholding your true feelings, you also risk building up a wall of resentment that is tough to break down.

The fix is simple — say what you feel. If you think nothing can ever be different, it is a problem in itself. So set aside a time to talk when both of you are relaxed and open (in other words, not when one of you is nodding off or hurrying to get dinner ready), and present the situation as a puzzle for the two of you to solve together, such as, "We seem very busy lately. How about we go out to our favorite zabiha restaurant for dinner tonight?"

For some things you can go with a subtler approach. For example, start praising your spouse every time he/she made a small change you wanted, like when he puts his dirty socks into the hamper instead of on the floor, or when she greets you at the door when you come home from work.

May Allah grant us tawfiq and bless our families. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Marriage: Yo-Yo's Playland

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Marriage is not a playground but many marriages have turned into Yo-Yo's playlands. Much of the cause of marital crisis, and crisis of Muslims in this century for that matter, is due to the decline and loss of good manners and virtues.

A good definition of a person of good manners and virtues--One who is sincerely conscious of one's responsibilities towards Allah, understands and fulfills one's obligations towards oneself and others with justice and consistently strives to improve every aspects of oneself towards perfection (ihsan).

Do we see our behavior fit into this definition? If not, we should learn and change. We want to get close to perfection in all aspects of our lives because we want to be beloved to Allah, and this includes marriage.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When the servant marries, then he has completed half of the deen. Then let him fear Allah (Taqwa) with regard to the remaining half."

Marriage is half of the religion because it tests the key quality that make you beloved to Allah--i.e. your sincerity in seeking the pleasure of Allah. Make your ultimate intention in your marriage to seek the pleasure of Allah, and give everybody their due in all circumstances and this is Islamic justice.

Deal with your spouse on the basis of good character.

Don't betray trusts but deepen the trust. This requires one being true and honest to one another, give each other the benefit of the doubt, have good opinion of each other, excuse not accuse, and not pry excessively into the affairs of the other.

Know how to communicate. Say good or remain silent. Don't say anything that would corrode trust.

Be a good listener. Your spouse should feel comfortable telling you about his/her weaknesses or failures without you getting angry or hastening to judgments against him/her. The sign that you have a good relationship with your spouse is that you are able to listen and respond in accordance to what is in the best interest of your relationship in a manner to safeguard the rights and interests of all concerned.

If you fight, fight fair. Don't disagree with anger, accusations, insults or harshness, rather control your anger and discuss. Focus on what can be corrected going forward instead of on what the other did wrong. If emotion is running high, defer the discussion until you and your spouse are in a beter emotional state.

Be a garment for one another.

Allah says,

....هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ ...

...They are garments for you and you are the same for them...

[Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:187]

Cover each other's mistakes, protect each other and do good for one another. Be proactive in fulfilling the needs of your spouse. Try not to say "wait" too many times. It does give a negative impact on the relationship.

Be a team. Do not impose your aspirations on your spouse but rather work together at arriving at a common goal.

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا ﴿٧٤﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُجْزَوْنَ ٱلْغُرْفَةَ بِمَا صَبَرُوا۟ وَيُلَقَّوْنَ فِيهَا تَحِيَّةً وَسَلَـٰمًا ﴿٧٥﴾ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ حَسُنَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا ﴿٧٦

And those who say, "Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous." (74) Those will be awarded the Chamber for what they patiently endured, and they will be received therein with greetings and [words of] peace. (75) Abiding eternally therein. Good is the settlement and residence. (76)

[Qur'an Al-Furqan 25:74-76]

May Allah grant us from our spouses and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

A Wake Up Call

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We want our children to be good vis a vis righteousness, and pray for us when we are dead. But you cannot pick righteous children from a hat when you want to. You have to raise them that way and you have to be their good role model.

So, look at yourself--how do you apply the Shari'ah in your life? Do you follow the Sunnah? If you are not applying the Shari'ah and following the Sunnah or just partially doing so and wishy washy with it, don't be surprise if your children turn out ugly and by the same token, don't get angry at them when they don't pray or not nice to you. It should be a wake up call for you and time to change yourself. Allah is giving you another opportunity to change.

لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّـهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَـٰهَدُوا۟ ۖ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ﴿١٧٧

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. (177)

[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:177]

May Allah help us raise our children well and be their great role models and may Allah make us and our children His best servants and surround us with righteous companions. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazkallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

The Power of intelligence

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We spend a lot of time doing things that don't benefit us in the next world. Part of the problem is ignorance and part of it is heedlessness.

People are willing to go through a lot to get a degree or finish law school or medical school--they are even willing to borrow 10s or 100s of thousands of dollars to pay for it and spend another 20-40 years to pay off the loans, but when it comes to the religion, you have to find all kinds of ways to get people to learn their deen and they can't pay even 50 dollars to learn their fard 'ain (personally obligatory knowledge).

It is no wonder we see the Muslim Ummah is in the state that we are, oppressed and preyed upon.

We should be in the forefront to make contribution to our societies, but it should never be at the expense of our religion.

Another aspect of this is that a lot of our leisure time is spent not in the remembrance of the Creator and engaging our minds, but in staring at tubes and monitors, whether it be watching TV, playing computer games or watching Youtube, or changing ringtones, etc. People hardly read anymore and reciting the Qur'an daily is not normal to many Muslim households, even though 'Read' was the first revelation given to our Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace (Qur'an Al-Alaq 96:1). This has been replaced by the internet, media and technology fascination.

Humans have done a lot of things, very fascinating things--but remember only Allah is the One who brings something from non-existence to existence. No matter what anyone does, he can never bring something from non-existence to existence. We can manipulate genes and we can talk with people in different time zones as if they are across the room, but this only shows the amazing thing about Allah's creation--the humans, and it shows the power of intelligence, the creation of Allah. Intelligent people when they don't know something, they research, they ask, and they learn and they were able to come up with all those fascinating things, whereas non-intelligent people when they don't know something, they either turn off or rely on someone to come and tell them.

Think how perfect our creation is. When you walk outside, the wind does not knock you over or the rain does not go through your body like sponges or the scorching heat does not fry your brains or intestines. You can walk, run and stand upright or bend your limbs to bow or prostrate. This is the manifestation of Allah as the Creator. He created humans in the best form.

We are required to reflect upon creation. There is a lot of benefit in doing so. Like anything else, we can't receive the benefit of exercise, for example, by listening to people talking about exercise or by watching people doing exercise, you are have to do the exercise yourself to receive the fruits of it. You have to reflect to receive the benefit of the reflection.

Don't waste your intelligence with things that don't benefit you in this life and in your next life. Use it to complement our nature (fitrah) and to please Allah, not to be untrue to it and displease Allah.

May Allah guide the Muslim Ummah. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Showing Mercy To A Cat

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Islam has made a reward for showing mercy to Allah's living creatures.

An unchaste woman was rewarded Paradise by showing mercy to a thirsty dog. Allah showed her His mercy and pardoned her because of that.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A prostitute was forgiven by Allah, because, passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with her head-cover she drew out some water for it. So, Allah forgave her because of that." (Bukhari]

It has been narrated that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a cat in his home which came to a vessel of water and wanting to drink from it, but the water was too high for the cat. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, came and inclined the vessel and brought the water near to the mouth of the cat so that it could drink. Some of the Companions saw that and said, "O Messenger of Allah, you treat this animal like this?" How great is this mercy and his tenderness.

Mistreatment of Allah's living creatures can take one to Hell.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger." Allah's Apostle further said, "(Allah knows best) Allah said (to the woman), 'You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth.'" [Bukhari and Muslim]

Once Abu Masud Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, was beating his slave when he heard a voice behind him say, "Abu Masud! Allah has more power and control over you than you have over this slave." Abu Masud turned and saw that it was Allah's Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said, "O Allah's Messenger! I free this slave for the pleasure of Allah." The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, "If you had not done so, the fire of Hell would have touched you."

May Allah make our hearts tender and save us from Hellfire. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Our adorable little Kitty

High Alert For Muslims

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

It should anger us when someone insult the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, but our reaction towards people should be just and according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. It is never justifiable to kill people who insulted you or your loved ones, let alone those who didn't, like the US Ambassador to Libya and the other Americans--pretty sure they have nothing to do with the movie.

Those people who made the movie may have insulted the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. I can't say for sure because I didn't see the movie, and I don't plan to watch it either. It would be a waste of time, even watching the trailer. Even if it is true, it is not from the teachings of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to jump up and down over it. This behavior only hurts you and your religion.

People who constantly attack the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, may have already been cursed by Allah in this dunya as well as in the next world. They are like corpses--how can they see the noble characteristics of our Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Many Muslims, too, are corpses. They hear but they don't act. Some don't pray and if they pray they don't want to learn how to pray properly, some don't care whether they eat halal or haram -- they eat where non-Muslims eat, they eat what non-Muslims eat, and some think if they say bismillah, it makes it all halal. Many lie, cheat and break promises habitually. They are not good to their neighbors. They don't take care of their families. They beat their women. Many Muslim women don't even want to wear hijab and if they wear hijab they don't bother to wear hijab properly. Many, many more Muslims, are Muslims in name only. They drink, womanize, gamble, steal, never recite Qur'an, and so on. There are those who don't even pay attention to Ramadhan or Eid. In short, Muslims, themselves have done a lot of damage to the image of Islam by their own actions and inactions and subsequently the image of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Remember, those people are insulting the person of the Messenger of Allah because they produced the movie but we are insulting the Messenger of Allah by not following what he brought from Allah. Who is worse?

This incident is a high alert for all of us to straighten out our own acts from A-Z so people may show respect to the person who taught us, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

We, as Muslims, have much work to do to bring our own hearts to life, and then to help resuscitate other Muslims by helping them to know the person and teachings of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

May Allah grant us tawfiq and raise us to the ranks of the truthful. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Killing: A Trial Of The Century

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

There has been more human killing just in this past century than anytime before. One rocket launched, it can wipe out the entire village/town and devastate people's lives down to many generations.

Killing is one of the gravest sin that anybody can commit. You don't want to meet Allah with somebody's blood on your hands.

The situation in some parts of the Muslim world are getting out of control. Things happen and can only get worse.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, foretold that before the Hour, ignorance will descent, killings become widespread.

There is a direct relationship between decrease in religious knowledge and killing. By learning knowlegde one guards themselves from being caught in the spiral.

When knowledge decreases, people get greedy. Fitan (trials) come naturally when knowledge is gone, and greed appears. When ignorance sets in, things spin out of control. People do crazy things.

Narrated Hudhayfah:
I asked: Apostle of Allah, will there be evil after this good?
He replied: There will be trial (fitnah) and evil. I asked: Apostle of Allah, will there be good after this evil?
He replied: Learn the Book of Allah, Hudhayfah, and adhere to its contents. He said it three times.
I asked: Apostle of Allah, will there be good after this evil?
He replied: An illusory truce and a community with specks in its eye.
I asked: Apostle of Allah, what do you mean by an illusory community?
He replied: The hearts of the people will not return to their former condition.
I asked: Apostle of Allah, will there be evil after this good?
He replied: There will be wrong belief which will blind and deafen men to the truth in which there will be summoners at the gates of Hell. If you, Hudhayfah, die adhering to a stump, it will be better for you than following any of them. (Abu Dawood)

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, foretold that there will be fitan in which the one who is sitting during them is better than the one who is standing, the one who is standing during them is better than the one who is walking, and the one who is walking during them is better than the one who is running.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

Before you there will be commotions like pieces of a dark night in which a man will be a believer in the morning and an disbeliever in the evening. He who sits during them will be better than he who gets up, and he who gets up during them is better than he who walks, and he who walks during them is better than he who runs. They (the people) said: What do you order us to do? He replied: Keep to your houses.

Even if you are swept by the tide, you don't be part of the violence. Shut your doors. The fourth righteous caliph of Islam, Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, was an example. He was assassinated him in his home while reciting Qur'an. His blood fell on the mushaf (hardcopy of the Qur'an). He passed his test. Will we?

After 911, many Muslims lost their faith and found it difficult to do what Allah tells them to do.

One day the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked his companions, "Do you see what I see?" They replied, "No". He said, "Verily I see fitan falling on your homes like rain."

Fitan (trials) will continue to surge like the waves of the ocean.

How do we prepare ourselves from the fitan? Remember Allah, be an agent of good, rush to do good, remain steadfast, recite the Qur'an, smile at somebody, have a good family and learn religious knowledge. You don't sell your religion for the comfort and a piece of the world. You don't take off your hijab or shave your beard.

The point of learning religion is to increase in faith and become a strong believer.

As long as you are on the right side, remain steadfast and holding on to the ropes of Islam, you will be fine, inshaAllah.

May Allah protect us from fitans and increase our Iman and make us die in Iman. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

The Prophet Of Mercy

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Will you be eager to destroy your enemy if you have the power? Learn from the wisdom and character of the Prophet of Mercy, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

It was known as the Year of Sorrow. First, the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, lost his beloved wife Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her. She was, from all people, the best supporter he had. Soon afterwards, his uncle Abu Talib died. As the head of the Prophet’s clan, he was the only person who was able to give him protection from the rest of the tribe of Quraysh. Abu Talib loved his nephew intensely, and it pained the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, all the more that his uncle died a disbeliever.

The death, in the same year, of the Prophet’s wife Khadîjah and his uncle Abu Talib magnified the Prophet’s sorrows and doubled his feelings of estrangement and alienation and filled his heart with pain. Moreover, it left him and his followers politically isolated in Makkah, without support.

The tribe of Quraysh seized this opportunity to increase their abuses and tightened their grips on the Muslims. Abu Lahab succeeded Abu Talib as the leader of the Prophet’s clan Banu Hashim, and he harbored the most bitter hatred for Islam and the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. He used to go up to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, during the pilgrimage and in the marketplace and throw dirt and stones upon him, calling him a Sabian and a liar and warning people against following him.

Makkah became unbearable. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, had to seek support from outside of Makkah. He, Allah bless him and grant him peace, (along with his freed slave, Zayd, may Allah be please with him) headed for the neighboring town of Ta’if. He invited the people of Ta'if to Islam but he was received with humiliation by the adults, who also got their children to pelt rocks at the Messenger of Allah so heavily that he bled profusely so much that his feet became stuck to his shoes by the drying blood.

When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was outside the city walls, he almost collapsed. They went a short distance outside of the town and stopped in a vineyard that belonged to two Makkans who were there at the time.

The owners of the vineyard had seen how he had been persecuted in Makkah and on this occasion they felt some sympathy toward their fellow citizen. They had his wounds dressed, and let him rest until he felt strong enough to resume his journey across the rough terrain between Ta’if and Makkah. It was there that he had the famous encounter with the Angel of the mountains.

The Angel was ready to turn the mount of Ta'if upside down (which would be a complete destruction of the people of Ta'if) if that was the wish of the beloved of Allah.

Rather he made du'a for them.

O Allah, please consider my weakness, my shortage of means, and the little esteem that people have of me. Oh, most Merciful Allah, You are the Lord of the oppressed, and You are my Lord. To whom would You leave my fate? To a stranger who insults me? Or to an enemy who dominates me? Would I that You have no wrath against me, Your pleasure alone is my objective. Under the light of Your faith which illuminates all darkness and on which this world and the other depend, I take my refuge. I pray that I may not become the object of Your wrath and anger. To You alone belongs the right to blame and to chastise until Your pleasure is met. There is neither power nor strength except in You.

[Tabari]

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, the wife of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, when she asked him: “Was there ever a day that was worse for you than the Battle of Uhud?”

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied:

Your tribe (Quraysh) had troubled me a lot, and the most severe of this trouble was on the day of 'Aqaba when I presented myself to Ibn `Abd Yalâyil b. `Abd Kulâl and he did not respond to my request. So I departed, overwhelmed with sorrow, and proceeded on, without rest until I found myself at Qarn al-Tha`âlib where I lifted my head towards the sky to see a cloud shading me unexpectedly. I looked up and saw within it Gabriel. He called me saying: “Allah has heard what your people have been saying to you, and how they have disputed you. Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.”

The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said: “O Muhammad! Order what you wish. If you like, I will cause the two mountains to fall upon them.”

I said: “No, for I hope that Allah will bring forth from their progeny people who will worship Allah Alone, and none besides Him.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

In spite of the catastrophe and hardships faced in this journey and the sorrow that not a single body embraced Islam, the heart of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was full of love and glorification of Allah, Mighty and Majestic.

While returning from Ta’if the Holy Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said; “Why should I pray for the destruction of these people? I do hope that their posterity will certainly be among the believers in the One Allah.” [Muslim]

Later in the Prophet's mission, the people of Ta'if became Muslim. The conversion is worthy of notice. This tribe, which had proved hostile to the new faith, was noted among the Arabs for its idolatrous priesthood. A small detachment under Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, was sent to reduce them to obedience and to destroy their idols. The prince of the tribe was Adi, the son of the famous Hatim, whose generosity was spoken of all over Arabia. On the approach of the Muslim force, Adi fled to Syria, leaving his sister with his principal clansmen, to fall into the hands of the Muslims. These were conducted by Ali with every sign of respect and sympathy to Madinah.

When the daughter of Hatim came before the Prophet,Allah bless him and grant him peace, she addressed him in the following words: "Messenger of Allah, my father is dead; my brother, my only relation fled into the mountains on the approach of the Muslims. I cannot ransom myself; I count on your generosity for my deliverance. My father was an illustrious man, the prince of his tribe, a man who ransomed prisoners, protected the honor of women, fed the poor, consoled the afflicted, and was deaf to no appeal."

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied: "Your father had the virtues of a true Muslim; if it were permitted to invoke the mercy of Allah on any whose life was passed in idolatry, I would pray to Allah for mercy for the soul of Hatim." Then, addressing the Muslims around him, he said: 'The daughter of Hatim is free, her father was a generous and humane man; Allah loves and rewards the merciful." With the daughter of Hatim, all her people were set at liberty.

She proceeded to Syria and related to her brother the generosity of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Adi, touched by gratitude, hastened to Madinah, where he was kindly received by the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. He professed Islam and returned to his people and persuaded them to abandon idolatry. They all submitted and became devoted Muslims.

May Allah Almighty guide the Ummah and bring peace to the world. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Examine Our Mercy

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Having mercy is among the excellent qualities of Islam, which take one towards the broad path of uprightness until they prepare the possessor of the qualities for the greatest generosity.

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "A bedouin came to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked, "Do you kiss your children? We do not kiss them.' The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Can I put mercy in your hearts after Allah has removed it from them?'"

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, kissed Hasan ibn 'Ali while al-Aqra' ibn Habis at-Tamimi was sitting with him. Al-Aqra' observed, 'I have ten children and I have not kissed any of them.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, looked at him and said, 'Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.'"

Mercy is not removed except from someone who is to be damned. If mercy is placed in the heart, it produces meanings of kindness, gentleness, goodness, tenderness and avidness to benefit others and concern for the humanity. The heart containing mercy produces gentleness of speech and kindness in dealing with others. The merciful person is more concern to benefit others than himself.

The one who is merciful to Allah's servant for Allah’s sake, Allah is merciful to him. This person will have a great portion of the Mercy of Allah, Al-Rahman, because recompense is in accordance to a work.

We should examine our mercy towards the young and the old, specifically towards the weak, the poor, the needy, the sick, the handicapped and those who are inflicted with calamities.

If mercy is stirred up in our hearts, it produces an avidness to give happiness to the hearts of people. We will be keen and will race and vie others to give happiness to the hearts of those who are around us, and hope that their Creator will give us happiness during our lifetime, time of death and after death.

In some traditions, someone who met his Muslim brother with some type of goodness, it was an obligation upon Allah, figuratively, to give him happiness on the Day of Resurrection. No believer gives happiness to another believer except that Allah creates from that happiness an angel that comforts him in the grave and walks with him through the various events of the Day of Judgment until that angel causes him to enter Paradise. The angel will ask him in the grave, "Do you know me?" ... "I am the happiness that you gave to so-and-so on such-and-such day."

Avidness in striving to give happiness to people, to be sensitive to people's feelings and to avoid hurting people, is a quality from the quality of Islam that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought to us.

Indeed, the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the exemplar. Allah says,

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds. (Qur'an Anbiya' 21:107)

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the most sublime example of giving happiness to the believer. Someone who sat with the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, would think that he was the most honorable of all people to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. This is because the one who sat with him would see his kindness and beautiful method of giving happiness to the heart of those around him, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

The one who would draw near to Allah, do so by fulfilling the needs of Muslims and do so with truthfulness and sincerity. His heart is full of the meaning of what he said. His intentions continue to be better than his actions. He wished he had done more and he did what he could that is within his power.

This is the quality of our being truthful in mercy--our avidness to give happiness to the hearts of the believers. As opposed to that of a hypocrite who perform work but the intention was evil and if the work is evil, the intention is worse.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "On the Day of Judgment the dearest and closest to me, as regards my company, will be those persons who will bear the best moral character. Those among you, who talk with affectation and are given to boasting, will be the most repugnant to me and farthest from me on the Day of Judgment." [Tirmidhi]

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The best of you is the one who is best to his family and I am the best of you to my family." [Tirmidhi]

May the Most Generous of the generous bless us with the quality of mercy such that we have a large portion of His Mercy. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

A Tremendous Character

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Whatever we know of the character and habits of the beloved Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is not merely information or a collection, but to place them in our hearts so we may love him more and are motivated to follow his examples and his teachings, out of love of our Lord.

Allah Almighty says,

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّـهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٣١

Say: 'If you love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you, and forgive you your sins; Allah is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.'

[Qur'an AleImran 3:31]

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤

And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted (standard of) character. (4)

[Qur'an Al-Qalam 68:4]

لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٢٨

There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful. (128)

[Qur'an At-Tawba 9:128]

The beloved Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was more shy and modest than a virgin girl. If he did not like something (he may not say so) but he could see the effect of disliking on his face.

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri (RA): The Prophet was more shy than a virgin in her separate room. And if he saw a thing which he disliked, we would recognize that (feeling) in his face. [Bukhari]

Narrated Abu Said (RA): The Prophet was shier than a veiled girl. [Bukhari]

Allah Almighty says,

... إِنَّ ذَٰلِكُمْ كَانَ يُؤْذِى ٱلنَّبِىَّ فَيَسْتَحْىِۦ مِنكُمْ ۖ وَٱللَّـهُ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ...

...Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth...

[Qur'an Al-Ahzab 33:52]

The shyness was in personal matters but not in the teaching and preaching Islam.

According to Anas (RA): The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, never lost temper nor curse/swear. If he didn't like something, he would say, "What is the matter with him ? Let there be dust on his forehead" which is of no harm. If this meant prostration in the prayer then it is a prayer for reform for the person.

According to Abu Hurayrah (RA): Once the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked to curse the polytheists. He replied, "I'm not sent to curse but only as a merciful (to all nations)" (Muslim).

According to Anas (RA): I was eight years of age when I became the Prophet's servant and served him for 10 years. He never rebuked me even when I broke or damaged something. If his family said something strong, then he would tell them leave it & to forget about it. Whatever Allah has destined will happen".

According to Aisha (RA): "The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to tie knots and repair his shoes, sow his clothes, and do all such household works just like an average person among you does". And he said, "he was one of the human beings (who did not live like a boss or lord at home). He would check for lice on his clothes (that they may not have come from someone else). He would milk the goat, do other household works as well as his personal work". [Tirmidhi]

When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, retired to his home, he would divide his stay there in three parts: one for worshipping Allah, one for his family, and one for himself. The last part he used to spend with his special Companions so that the general public could benefit through them. Here, He favored with his company the (more) knowledgeable and pious, and spent his time with them according to their religious ranks and needs (that could be one or two or more). He spent his time with them and kept them occupied in such things as were good for them and the Muslim community, for example inquiring (and learning) the Islamic law or giving suitable and pertinent information. Everybody went there to learn and seek guidance. This was his special "majlis" or audience at his residence. Hussain (RA) then asked his father (RA) concerning the Prophet's behaviors (when outside the home) among his companions. Ali (RA) told, the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was always polite, kind and merciful. People did not quarrel among themselves before him. When somebody talked to him, he would listen quietly until completion. He exercised patience when a rude or bad-mannered strange asked or said something. He did not stop a conversation so long as it did not exceed the limits (of Shari'ah). Otherwise, he would change the topic or stop him or leave the scene. (Shama'il At-Tirmidhi).

According to Aisha (RA): The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, never beat (or battered) anyone, neither a women nor a servant. But the war of defense was an exception. He never took revenge and always forgave those who caused him trouble or harm. But when an Islamic law was broken (or "Haram" was committed) then he would do justice and give punishment according to law (or Shari'ah). [Muslim].

According to Anas (RA): Whenever the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, shook hands with someone he would not pull out his hands until the other person did so. And he would not remove his attention from a person unless he did so (first). When he sat in a row, he did not put his legs beyond others. And he was not seen extending his legs in front of anyone. [Tirmidhi]

May Allah Almighty increase our love for His beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and resurrect us with him and enter us into the highest Paradise with him. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Ameen.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Secrets To Staying Young

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

There are only two secrets to staying young--being happy and achieving success.

Being happy has nothing to do with having worldly things. Happiness is a sweetness that Allah Almighty places in people's heart. Happiness comes about when you have a purpose in life. And that purpose is closeness to Allah. Seek the good in this life. By that it means seek those things which facilitates for us the eternal good of the next life.

Achieving success: Only Allah Almighty gives success. So to achieve success, you have to do what Allah wants, not what you want. Our guide is the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

Qur'an is the key to success but very few people understand this. Qur'an gives us purpose, strength and guidance to lead our lives on this earth according to what our Creator wants. What the Creator wants us to do is for our own benefit. Those who are upon the guidance from the Lord are the successful ones.

Allah says,

الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٤﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٥

Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, (3) And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. (4) Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful. (5)

[Qur'an 2:1-5]

Everybody think that they have a life because they are busy doing things but we have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it. There is a big difference between the living and the dead--the one who remembers Allah and the one who does not.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

The difference between the one who makes dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and the one who doesn't make dhikr is like the difference between the living and the dead.

[Bukhari]

It is mandatory that we grow older.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

Allah has not created a disease except that He has created a cure for it; except for a single disease: old age.

[Tirmidhi]

But growing up is optional.

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are 20 and lie in bed for a full year and don't pray and don't fast and don't take care of your obligations, you will turn 21. If you are 80 and lie in bed for a full year and never pray and never fast and neglect your responsibilities, you will turn 81.

The idea of growing up is by always finding the opportunity to change and transform. Yet, people are afraid of change. They don't want to grow up. But everything will change eventually. It always does, even if things aren't changing. Our children change--just yesterday, it seems, they were this bundle of joy from the hospital, and now we are holding their bundle of joy. We, eventually will turn back into dust in our graves. That's the way life goes. But believers know they will one day be brought before Allah to be judged about everything they did in this life and every single action will be displayed to them.

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ ٱلنَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا۟ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُۥ ﴿٧﴾ وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُۥ ﴿٨

That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds. (6) So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, (7) And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it. (8)

[Qur'an Al-Zalzala/The Earthquake 99:6-8]

You always pound on the door of opportunity that Allah opens for you and you always look for every opportunity to please Allah. Don't be afraid of living Islam, which could be a complete change for you, but Islam does not come to take your freedom away but to shine your life and put light on your face.

So we have to make the choice--to change or not to change. If things aren't working for you, change. We need to put the religion into action. The old people usually don't have regrets for what they did, but rather they regret for things they did not do. So, don't wait till you are 81 to repent, pray, fast, go to hajj and so on. You might not live to that age.

Seize the moment. Take advantage of the five before five. Take advantage of the five before five. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; and your health, before you fall sick; and your richness, before you become poor; and your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.

[Hakim]

Stay young and follow the straight path.

May Allah grant us good health and righteous deeds and make us die in La ilaha illa Allah إله إلا الله‎,لا (there is no god except Allah). Ameen.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Your Last Chance To Be Good

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

This worldly life is a preparation for the eternal life after death. But those who deny it become slaves of their lusts and desires. Such persons realize their folly only at the time of their death and wish to be given a further chance in the world but in vain.

Their miserable state at the time of death, and the horror of the Day of Judgment, and the eternal bliss guaranteed to the sincere believers, are clearly mentioned in the following verses of the Qur'an:

حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرْجِعُونِ ﴿٩٩﴾ لَعَلِّىٓ أَعْمَلُ صَـٰلِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّآ ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآئِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَآئِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ﴿١٠٠﴾ فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ فَلَآ أَنسَابَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلَا يَتَسَآءَلُونَ ﴿١٠١﴾ فَمَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٠٢﴾ وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فِى جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿١٠٣﴾ تَلْفَحُ وُجُوهَهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ وَهُمْ فِيهَا كَـٰلِحُونَ ﴿١٠٤

[For such is the state of the disbelievers], until, when death comes to one of them, he says, "My Lord, send me back (99) That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind." No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected. (100) So when the Horn is blown, no relationship will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another. (101) And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] - it is they who are the successful. (102) But those whose scales are light - those are the ones who have lost their souls, [being] in Hell, abiding eternally. (103) The Fire will sear their faces, and they therein will have taut smiles. (104)

(Qur'an Al-Mu'minun 23:99-104]

We all know that we are not going to live forever and most people are afraid to die. They don't want even want to think about it or talk about it, let alone prepare for it. It could be their desire to live and that they don't want to lose their families and loved ones, their friends, their status, or simply fear of the unknown. After all death is a sad thing and the idea of being alone 6 feet underground is not a fun prospect. Who knows?

We can't deny that death is real and a conscious human being would find it hard to believe that when you die, you are gone, to be food for the worms. What happened to the tyrants and those who created and spread corruption on earth?

Surely, God is just. He will punish the tyrants, whose crimes are beyond count, having tortured and killed hundreds, thousands or millions of innocent people, created great corruption in society, etc., because man's life span is very short in this world and because numerous individuals are affected by one’s actions, adequate punishments and rewards are not possible in this life. There has to be life after death.

The Day of Judgment must come and that Allah will decide the fate of each soul according to his record of deeds:

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَا تَأْتِينَا ٱلسَّاعَةُ ۖ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّى لَتَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ ۖ لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَآ أَصْغَرُ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٣﴾ لِّيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴿٤﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ سَعَوْ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِنَا مُعَـٰجِزِينَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مِّن رِّجْزٍ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٥﴾

But those who disbelieve say, "The Hour will not come to us." Say, "Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [Allah is] the Knower of the unseen." Not absent from Him is an atom's weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register - (3) That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision. (4) But those who strive against Our verses [seeking] to cause failure - for them will be a painful punishment of foul nature. (5)

[Qur'an Saba 34:3-5]

The Day of Resurrection will be the Day when Allah’s attributes of Justice and Mercy will be in full manifestation. Allah will shower His mercy on those who suffered for His sake in the worldly life, believing that an eternal bliss was awaiting them. But those who abused His bounties, caring nothing for the life to come, will be in the most miserable state.

أَفَمَن وَعَدْنَـٰهُ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا فَهُوَ لَـٰقِيهِ كَمَن مَّتَّعْنَـٰهُ مَتَـٰعَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ هُوَ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْضَرِينَ ﴿٦١

Then is he whom We have promised a good promise which he will obtain like he for whom We provided enjoyment of worldly life [but] then he is, on the Day of Resurrection, among those presented [for punishment in Hell]? (61)

[Qur'an Al-Qasas 28:61]

وَقَالُوا۟ مَا هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَآ إِلَّا ٱلدَّهْرُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ ﴿٢٤﴾ وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ مَّا كَانَ حُجَّتَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ ٱئْتُوا۟ بِـَٔابَآئِنَآ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ﴿٢٥﴾ قُلِ ٱللَّـهُ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يَجْمَعُكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٢٦

And they say, "There is not but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us except time." And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming. (24) And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, "Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful." (25) Say, "Allah causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt, but most of the people do not know."

(26) [Qur'an Al-Jathiya 45:24-26]

May Allah guide us to the straight path and grant us an excellent ending, and give victory to the Muslims. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

The Road To Allah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

In a hadith Qudsi, Allah has said:

Whosoever shows enmity to a wali (friend) of Mine, then I have declared war against him. And My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved to Me than the religious duties I have obligated upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to me with nawafil (supererogatory) deeds until I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.

[Bukhari]

The path to Allah is knowledge, practice and state. This hadith tells us if we want to acquire this high rank of being a friend of Allah, then learn what Allah has obligated upon us and practice it. There is no way to bypass this. There is nothing else you can do that will take you to Allah more than this distance of doing what is obligatory. You can give charity until you are left with nothing, you can pray until your legs break, but you are going aimlessly if you don't know your obligatory duties, or if you know them but you don't practice them. For example, neglecting one's duties towards one's parents or towards one's child(ren).

Many of us (adults) know we have to be dutiful and kind to our parents, but how many of us can say we are respectful, humble and merciful towards our parents, or how many of us even call or visit our parents or invite them to eat with us regularly? How many single mothers out there are without any financial support from the father of their children and live on welfare?

If you want to take the road to Allah, it is one road. It is the road of the obligatory. Everything that Allah makes obligatory on us, are His favorite actions and those are what He wants us to do. It is not that Allah wants to make our life difficult but because Allah wants us to enter Paradise.

By the very fact that Allah commands us to pray five times a day, fast in Ramadhan, give zakat, perform hajj (when able) and fulfill the rights of others, is in effect Allah orders us to enter Paradise.

Ibn Ata'ila said, "Allah, He obliged on you to enter Paradise."

So, the most important thing we should be doing is to learn what is obligatory, then do them properly. Then comes the recommended. It does not mean that we wait until we have done all the obligatory before we do the recommended, but the obligatory is the basis. Without it, we are not going anywhere. The flourishing of a person's religious life is by doing more and more what is recommended. For example, giving extra charity, performing extra prayers, be of good character with people, and doing as many good deeds that Allah loves.

The 40 hadiths collection of Imam Nawawi show us the principal acts that Allah loves. So it behooves everyone to learn these and start putting them into practice.

May Allah grant us tawfiq (success). Ameen.

Please don't forget us in yoru night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Enslaved To Lusts and Desires

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Following lusts and desires is the cause of misguidance, not that the Truth is not clear. People who disbelieve, it is not because after they have learned about Islam and find it does not make sense, but really it has to do with their lusts and desires. They don't want to acknowledge Islam because it goes against what they want. Lust is the enemy for man. Man choose kufr (disbelief) against Iman (Faith).

Only human being is capable of doing what harms him. Somebody who is enslaved to his lusts and desires, who is more astray than him? Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

فَإِن لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ ۚ وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ اللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٥٠

But if they do not respond to you - then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (50)

(Qur'an Al-Qasas 28:50)

Lust-based existence is not a happy one. It is more like a compulsive drug addict. He cannot stay away from drugs. It does not mean that he is happy. This is because it is grounded by ingratitude because the person prefer the blessings over the Bestower. The person is ignorant because he prefers the temporal over the infinite. This is our enemy in our journey in reaching the true station of man and the closeness to Allah.

The vision of the religion of Islam, as a whole, is a journey that each individual person goes through. Your destination is a high level of Iman and closeness to Allah.

The perfect Iman is that one has a desire for what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ love which is so intense, and a repulsion for what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ hate. That is why the greatest acts of Iman is loving and hating for the sake of Allah.

It is not possible for someone to overcome his own desires and replace them with what Allah loves without love itself unless he is a person of love. True love entails agreement. There is harmony.

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّـهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٣١

Say (O Muhammad ﷺ to mankind): "If you (really) love AllAh then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

[Qur'an AleImran 3:31]

Following the Prophet ﷺ is harmony. This is what Allah wants. The fact that love really exists, it is shown by someone falling into line with what Allah has asked to happen. If you do that, Allah will love you. Submission is the key to this love.

Three traits, whoever has them enjoys the sweetness of Iman: that Allah and His Messenger ﷺ are more beloved to him than other than them, that he loves another person, only doing so for the sake for Allah, and that he detest to return to disbelief just as he dislikes to be thrown into a fire. [Bukhari]

There is a sweetness in Iman. If you want to taste the sweetness, you have to be people of love. Loving what Allah loves and hating what Allah hates is the true mark of the highest Iman and sweetness. The greatest kufr (disbelief) is the opposite of this.

Part of this love of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ is that you are satisfied for what they have chosen for you. If you hate what Allah loves, you are ruined.

The Companions were the greatest role models of the religion based on true love. There were many incidents where they were intensely against something and when the Prophet ﷺ said not to do it, they transformed. Their very values transformed just upon they heard it from the Prophet ﷺ. This is true Iman.

True Iman is not that God must conform to our values, whatever they might have of what our purpose is. Rather, true Iman is we listen and we obey, we don't dictate. This is the way of Allah's messengers.

آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ۚ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿٢٨٥

The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (285)

[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:285]

The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ (may Allah be pleased with them) summarized this in the most amazing way. They give up lands for the sake of others. They were people who prefer others over themselves although they were in dire poverty. Even in moment of death they prefer each other over themselves. This is called their lust have conformed with what the Prophet ﷺ has brought to the highest degree. The result is that Allah made the world crumbled before them. Allah put blessings in everything they did, whether in war or in peace. As a group they are amazing. That is why they are the most blissful people in this life and the next.

By the lust, not necessarily the devil, but the nafs, our propensity for desires within us. These things hold us back. The religion of Islam shows us an easy steps on how to overcome that.

May Allah protect our Iman and guide us and the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Don't Lag Behind

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We should always be prepared for the inevitable--our death. Death is prepared for with good deeds. The one who dies has his actions cut off and his hopes lost.

Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with both father and son) used to say:

In the evening do not expect [to live until] the morning, and in the morning do not expect [to live until] the evening. Take [advantage of] your health before times of sickness, and [take advantage of] your life before your death. [Bukhari]

Don't postpone till the morning good actions that can be performed at night, but hasten towards doing good actions. Similarly, when we wake up in the morning, don't postpone our good actions till evening.

We should take advantage of our good health, and strive to do our utmost, fearing the onset of sickness which may prevent us from good actions.

The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to encourage his Companions upon making do with little from worldly possessions and said:

Remain in the world as though you are a stranger, or a passing traveler.

If you are busy with collecting worldly possessions, you will lag behind, and your excess baggage will only make it difficult for your travel to Allah.

There will be a time we will spend a long time under the ground, unable to perform any action and unable to remember Allah. So upon us is to hasten to good actions while we are still capable of doing them.

May Allah forgive us and guide us and our families to what pleases Him. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Avoiding Misguidance And Destruction

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The act of obeying Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the most important act for us to be concerned about in our lives. The substance what we need to be obeying in order to reach the high level of Paradise and save us from the pits of Hell is in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

Holding fast to the Qur'an and the Sunnah and acting upon the guidance is the way out of misguidance. Every act of ours there is a ruling from Allah and we need to know this ruling and apply it so we be of those who obey and not of those who disobey.

You can't assume that since you pray and you fast in Ramadhan, you are going to make it to Paradise. You might make it to Paradise, out of Allah's mercy, but this is not guaranteed. You cannot just read the Qur'an and the Hadith books and think you know what Allah wants you to do. You may be praying for 20 years all wrong because you never learn how to pray from someone who knows.

Most of us, when we look at a giant tree, we see a big trunk with branches and leaves. We might marvel at beauty of the tree, but a very skilled carpenter sees more--he sees a hand crafted masterpiece or an ornate furniture because he is trained in carpentry and has the tools and experience.

So we want to learn our religion from Muslim scholars to avoid misguidance and destruction. Books cannot substitute Muslim scholars.

Who are the Muslim scholars?

The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, and they have assumed their role in conveying the Message of Islam and calling people to the religion Islam.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, for the Prophets do not leave behind any dinars or dirhams (i.e., wealth), but they leave behind knowledge. Whoever receives this knowledge receives abundant good fortune.

[Tirmidhi]

Allah wills good for the scholars. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

Whoever Allah wishes good for, He enables him to understand the religion properly.

[Bukhari]

They are the people who truly fear Allah.

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ وَالدَّوَابِّ وَالْأَنْعَامِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ كَذَٰلِكَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّـهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ ﴿٢٨

And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving. (28)

[Qur'an Fatir 35:28]

The honor of the scholars is tremendous. The Lord has made them witnesses to the greatest of truths and has mentioned their testimony alongside His own and that of His angels.

شَهِدَ اللَّـهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ ۚ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿١٨

Allah bears witness that La ilaaha illa huwa (none has the right to be worshiped but He) -- and the angels, and men possessed of knowledge -- upholding justice; La ilaaha illa huwa (none has the right to be worshiped but He), the All-mighty, the All-wise.

[Qur'an AleImran 3:18]
Allah has raised their status in this world and the next.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللَّـهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُوا فَانشُزُوا يَرْفَعِ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجَاتٍ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١١

O you who have believed, when you are told, "Space yourselves" in assemblies, then make space; Allah will make space for you. And when you are told, "Arise," then arise; Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do. (11)

[Qur'an al-Mujadila 58:11]
They are the most knowledgeable of people about evil and what leads to it, so they warn people of it.

ثُمَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُخْزِيهِمْ وَيَقُولُ أَيْنَ شُرَكَائِيَ الَّذِينَ كُنتُمْ تُشَاقُّونَ فِيهِمْ ۚ قَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ إِنَّ الْخِزْيَ الْيَوْمَ وَالسُّوءَ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٢٧

Then on the Day of Resurrection He will disgrace them and say, "Where are My 'partners' for whom you used to oppose [the believers]?" Those who were given knowledge will say, "Indeed disgrace, this Day, and evil are upon the disbelievers"

[Qur'an An-Nahl 16:27]

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ اللَّـهِ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَلَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الصَّابِرُونَ ﴿٨٠

But those who had been given knowledge said, "Woe to you! The reward of Allah is better for he who believes and does righteousness. And none are granted it except the patient." (80)

[Qur'an al-Qasas 28:80]

Our salvation is connected to the presence of scholars. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas said,

I heard the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, Allah does not take knowledge away by taking it away from people's (hearts); He takes knowledge away by taking away the scholars (i.e., when scholars die), and when there is not one scholar left, the people will turn to ignorant leaders who, when they are consulted, will give fatwas without knowledge. They are misguided and they misguide others.'

[Bukhari]

Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "People need knowledge more than they need food and drink, because they need food and drink two or three times a day, but they need knowledge all the time." Thus the loss of scholars is a great calamity, "...because the death of the entire tribe is less serious than the death of one scholar."

We ask Allah to preserve our scholars and guide the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace. We ask Allah to forgive our scholars who have left us, have mercy on them, make their graves wide and fill with light, and admit them to a place of honor in the Day of Resurrection.

May Allah guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom He has bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked His anger or of those who are astray.

Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Dressed And Naked

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We, human beings, must distinguish ourselves from animals by decent and disciplined behavior and by covering our bodies. But how many of us take this life with the seriousness it deserves and have the kind of shyness of that of a virgin girl?

If you walk around with tight/form fitting clothing or tight pants/jeans (even if you have your head cover) or see through or scanty clothing, almost naked, what do you think you are doing to men around you? Do you think they don't look and don't start imagining things? You are definitely opening the doors to Shaytan. Don't be mistaken that tight clothing is enough to cover your nakedness--it only covers your skin but people can see the shape of certain parts or all of your body that you must not show. Are you not amazed at husbands who allow their wives to walk around in public with their shapes or skin up to their thighs showing? Do they not have the sense of jealousy towards other men who can see what is supposed to be exclusively for them?

Women may not look at men for the same reason as men look at women, but men also must be modest in their clothing and appearance. Being too religious looking can also be a problem because some women are very much attracted to religious men. Tight pants/jeans and showing the shape of certain parts or all of your body or showing chest hair is not modest. Picture a man wearing a tank top and shorts (even if he wears the shorts up to below the knees), walking with his wife who is in full hijab (perhaps all black and with niqab), under the hot sun. Don't you see this as strange? Even though this man has enough to cover his nakedness in Shari'ah, but what is stopping him from covering beyond the limits by wearing long sleeves shirt and loose long pants--he should give her moral support by covering more. If the woman is strong enough to endure the discomfort of the heat and the sweat, the man should be chivalrous and strong enough to cover his whole body. After all, men are protectors and maintainers of women as described in the Qur'an.

الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّـهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ

Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allâh has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means.

[Qur'an An-Nisa 4:34]

Women are tests for men and men are tests for women, not because they are bad necessarily but because we are created to have this physical attraction for the opposite gender. Both men and women thus have a duty to help each other from transgressing the limits of Allah by covering themselves properly.

Allah lays down the principle of the law of modesty. Modesty is not just for women but also for men.

وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَائِهِنَّ أَوْ آبَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَائِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَاءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي إِخْوَانِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِي أَخَوَاتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَائِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُنَّ أَوِ التَّابِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُولِي الْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ أَوِ الطِّفْلِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا عَلَىٰ عَوْرَاتِ النِّسَاءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١

Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. (30) And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. (31)

[Qur'an An-Nur 24:30]

Abu Hurayrah, Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

There are two categories among the people of the Fire that I have not seen: a people who have whips like the tails of cattle with which they beat people, and women who are both dressed and naked, who are deviant and make others deviant. Their heads resemble the humps of Bactrian camels. They will not enter the Garden nor even smell its scent, and its scent can be discerned at such-and-such a distance.

[Muslim]

The meaning of "dressed" is having Allah's blessing and "naked" is lacking thankfulness for it. It is said that it means that they cover part of their body and expose part of it to display their beauty. It is said that they wear thin garments which show the body, "Deviant" means that they decline to obey Allah and what they are commanded to guard. "Making others deviant" means that they teach others to behave like them. It is said that "deviant" actually means to walk in a conceited manner, swinging the shoulders. It is also said that it refers to hairstyle used by prostitutes. "Their heads resemble the humps of Bactrian camels" refers to making them large by turbans and the like."

May Allah save us from the trials of this life and the next. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
related archives:
Hijab and Covering Nakedness Properly
Where Are The Chivalrous Men?