In Pursuit of Happiness

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 happiness in this life?

Anything of this world that you derive pleasure from is not happiness. When the thing is gone, or you have become used to it, or something new replaces it, the pleasure for it is gone.

That's why you have to keep buying new toys for your kids to keep them "happy" because the old toys are not making them happy anymore. That's why some people change phones, even though the old phones work because it gives them a flickering taste of "happiness." That's why the hospitality industry is the world's fastest growing industry. Why? Because some people are easily bored and burned out being in the same place - they need a change - a change of scenery - a change of environment. It makes them "happy" to see new places, stay in 5-star hotels and eat out. That's why some people wish for a son or a daughter and it gives them moments of "happiness" at the news of their wish came true but some years later they would wish that the son/daughter had never been born. That's why some parents want their children to be doctors, lawyers or engineers, and have high degrees, "in pursuit of their happiness" but to find out later that their children are not happy in their jobs and marriages. That's why some people were so eager to get married in pursuit of happiness and before too long felt stuck with the wrong choice or ended up with a nasty divorce. These are some of the realities of life and there are many many more examples you can think of and reflect upon in which you may have derived pleasure in but lost it. So where is the happiness in all these things?

Remember, these things (wealth, money, children, status, power, fame, degrees, business, friends, food, etc.), including happiness are created things. These things cannot give you happiness. If you go after these things you are bound to be disappointed. Happiness in and of itself is a deceptive pleasure. It will lead you to utter loss and depression which will take you to a failed and bitter end.

اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا ۖ وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ ۚ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ ﴿٢٠

Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion. (20)

[Qur'an Al-Hadid 57:20]

الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا ﴿٤٦

Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope. (46)

[Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:20]

Everything on this earth has its appointed time. Anything that has been created will come to an end, except for the One who created all of creation, Allah, Al-Baqi. The real pursuit is for the Creator – the Creator of happiness – and not the feeling of happiness itself, for finding the Creator of it all will provide happiness. So seek Allah, the Everlasting Sovereign, and you will gain the abundance of His creation. Seeking Allah, the Creator, will lead you to a never-ending felicity called happiness.

May Allah grant us closeness to Him and happiness in this life and the next. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Cry

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Actually, we all should cry. When you cry, you don't cry about losing something of this world--your job, your house, your money, your wife/husband, your children--but about losing the opportunity to do good for the next world.

The biggest cry is when you see the ummah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is deteriorating, and we are deteriorating. Religion is on the wayside for many and ignorance is rampant. This affects us all collectively.

Umm Ayman Barakah, Allah be pleased with her, the only person who knew the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, from his birth until his death. She was the first person to hold the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in her arms when he was born and the only person who was with him when his mother died. Her devotion to the religion of Islam was strong and unshakable. She tied her well-being to that of Islam. During a visit from the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, he asked: "Ya Ummi! Are you well?" and she would reply: "I am well, O Messenger of Allah so long as Islam is." After the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, had died, Umm Ayman would often be found with tears in her eyes. She was asked by Abu Bakr and Omar, Allah be pleased with them, "Why are you crying?" and she replied: "By Allah, I knew that the Messenger of Allah would die but I cry now because the revelation from on high has come to an end for us." (and Abu Bakr and Omar wept along when they heard this).

You see thousands of people going to occasional Islamic knowledge-based events but once the event is over, the knowledge disappears. You see hardly any people come to the masjids and in most cases, it is always the same people who come to the masjids and the same few who volunteer their time and contribute money to keep the masjids open.

We forget and some don't know that the first thing that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, did when he entered an area was to build a masjid for people to congregate in worship and provide a place where knowledge can be acquired. The masjid An-Nabawi in Madinah for example, was not only a place of worship but also a center of learning and it was there many great early scholars were produced whose knowledge we benefit until today. Many of the old masjids were built with this concept. For example, the Islamic University of Al-Azhar was part of the masjid Al-Azhar until 1961 following the Egyptian revolution of 1952, although the masjid continues to provide regular Islamic classes taught by various scholars. When you enter the masjid, you can feel a sense of tranquility. It is true what we were told by the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) who said, "When a group of people assemble for the remembrance of Allah, the angels surround them (with their wings), (Allah's) mercy envelops them, Sakinah, or tranquillity descends upon them and Allah makes a mention of them before those who are near Him." [Muslim].

Many of our mosques today are pretty quiet because not many people frequent them and so no activities take place or maybe people don't frequent them because there are no activities. For most of the time, the masjids are locked.

Allah already set some activities for us to follow everyday--the five daily prayers and the Friday prayer. Especially for a resident man, it is obligatory to perform the Jum'ah prayer (with a few exceptions) and it is important for man to pray at the masjid. The wisdom behind this is obvious. This is the best place for men, as leaders of women and children, to pray together and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and work together to strengthen the community. Busy is not an excuse to abandon prayers at the masjid. Remember, if you walk to Allah, Allah will come running to you.

When calamity strikes or something happen that you don't like, perhaps it is a wake up call, perhaps it is begging you to do something positive, perhaps it is to strengthen your iman, perhaps it is to raise your rank with Allah. Regardless, it is the most suitable for you and you should be grateful that it is happening. Make du'a, evaluate the situation and take the means to change the situation.

We have plenty of opportunities to do good for this world and the next eternal world--all for our own well-being. Grab it while you can. For starters, find a masjid and build and support the congregation. Don't be the one who cause division among Muslims. Keep learning and improving your worship and foster good relationship with others. Rush to do more and better each day, starting now. Tomorrow may not come. Don't be satisfied with where you are. There is always a better prayer, better fasting, better charity, better recitation of the Book of Allah, better character, better leader, better parents, better spouse, better child, better neighbor, better student, better teacher and so on.

May Allah grant us tawfiq and unite the Muslims and bring back the honor to the Muslims and make us die in Islam. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Know Your Enemy

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Our worst enemy is shaytaan, but we don’t all know how to fight him.

إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لِلْإِنسَانِ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٥ ...

...Indeed Satan, to man, is a manifest enemy. (5)

[Qur'an Yusuf 12:5]

Literally, the word shaytaan means rebellious. It describes someone who is disrespectful and who seeks to divert people away from the obedience of Allah, whether he or she be jinn or human. In general, this term refers to Iblees, who is from the jinn and thus created from fire.

The All Wise has decreed that our father, Adam alayhissalaam, should be tested and that the children of Adam should be tested as well. To this end He determined that shaytaan should remain alive. In turn, if we struggle against shaytaan, we can achieve ranks we could never reach without shaytaan’s existence.

Allah al-Musawwir (the Fashioner) gave shaytaan the ability to flow through our body in a way we can’t understand. Allah’s Messenger salalaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that shaytaan flows through the sons of Adam like blood.sShaytaan can reach your heart and mind, whispering or tempting you to listen to or to look at haram (forbidden/unlawful) things or to commit immoral actions. This is called waswaas.

Shaytaan can do no more than calling you to misguidance and make it look attractive to you. So it is up to you whether or not you respond to his call.

The isti’adhah (or ta’awudh), A’udhu billaahi minash-shaytaanir-rajeem, is one of the most powerful tools given to us by Allah to fight shaytaan. It means seeking refuge in Allah from the accursed shaytaan.

It is actually a command from Allah,

وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّـهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٠٠

And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing. (200)

[Qur'an al-A'raf 7:200]

Therefore, isti’adhah is a dhikr, a du'a and our weapon against shaytaan. Most of us go wrong by just saying it without thinking. To seek refuge in a truly productive way, you have to seek refuge repeatedly until the waswaas goes away.

Ibn al-Jawzi (rahimahullah) said, Know that the likeness of Iblees with one who is pious is like a man who is sitting with food and meat in front of him, and a dog comes near him. He tells it, ‘Get away!’ and it goes. Then it comes to another man who is weak in faith and every time he tries to shoo the dog away, it does not go. The former is like a pious man whom the shaytan approaches, and his dhikr is enough to banish him; the latter is like the one who is weak in faith; the Shaytan does not leave him because of his weakness of faith. We seek refuge with Allah from the shaytan.

So if you want to save yourself from the shaytaan and his waswaas, you have to work on strengthening your iman (faith) and with your heart and soul seeking the protection of your Lord, and turning to Him completely.

Stay away from situations that can land you into trouble very quickly -- TV, social websites/media (Facebook etc), music, youtube, too much news, computer games, backbiting sittings, mixed gender gatherings or locations, anger attacks, not waking up for Fajr prayer, sleep after Fajr, abandoning the Qur'an, staying away from Islamic study circle, not enthusiastic about seeking sacred knowledge, bickering, lying, bad company, and many more. Just look into your own life and decide.

If you recite the isti'adhah, but you don’t change the situation, location or position you are in and if your faith is weak, shaytaan won’t give up. Couple the isti’adhah with action. For example, the Prophet salalaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, advised us to make wudu' (ablution) if under the spell of anger, and Allah orders us to lower our gaze if it has mistakenly fallen.

If you feel that in spite of reciting the isti'adhah, your waswasa is not going away, then keep repeating it. You have to keep attacking him. Or move to another situation or location, e.g. get off the internet or turn off the TV and start reciting the Qur’an or do something else--clean the bathroom, mow the lawn, call your mom or a relative who you haven't talked with for ages, bake something for your neighbor, etc. If you are under the spell of anger, go and make wudu' immediately.

Shaytaan loves to cause dissension among humans, especially between husband and wife. And he likes to steal from our salah (prayer) and our Quran reading by whispering to us so we can’t concentrate and enjoy our prayer or benefit from the message of the Qur'an.

Next time before you stand in prayer or start reciting the Quran, say: A’udhu billaahi minash-shaytaanir-rajeem begging for Allah’s protection, completely turning your heart and body to your Lord, making Him the center of it all, so that you can truly absorb His Speech while reciting them.

Shaytaan is here to stay. You can't kill him. You can't convince him to stop attacking you. You can't give da'awah to him and you can't convert him. He is extremely smart and experienced in misguiding people since the time of Adam. The more he feels that the seeds of goodness are growing in your heart, the more he strives to corrupt your heart. Beware of his many tricks.

Every day iblees conducts a meeting and plans the worst possible actions that can be taken against humans. So we have to shield ourselves from the incumbent attacks with strong iman and use the weapon Allah which has given us, while turning completely towards Allah for help.

Verily the plotting of shaytaan is weak. If we take Allah’s refuge wholeheartedly and couple it with action, shaytaan stands no chance.

May Allah make us of those who seek refuge in Him sincerely and strengthen us through our isti’adhah and may He aid us in defeating the shaytaan in our daily lives. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

It's All In Your Head

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We choose how we view the world around us. The world is filled with thorns and flowers, and we each decide which to embrace. You can lament over the thorns or you can be excited for the flowers but if you are grateful for what is in front of you, that is the key to increase and success.

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ

And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.' " (7)

[Qur'an Ibrahim 14:7]

It's all in your head...that is the way we see things is determined by how we act. But what we see as good may not necessarily good with Allah and what we see as bad may not necessarily bad with Allah. Allah determines what is good and what is bad, what is good for us and what is bad for us. Our job is to follow the guidance.

وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٧٣

And indeed, your Lord is full of bounty for the people, but most of them do not show gratitude. (73)

[Qur'an An-Naml 27:73]

May Allah make us His grateful servants and increase us in all good. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Stick to the Group

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Allah Almighty orders,

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا

And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided...

[Qur'an AleImran 3:103]

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُوا وَاخْتَلَفُوا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ ۚ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٠٥

And do not be like the ones who became divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them. And those will have a great punishment. (105)

[Qur'an AleImran 3:105]

وَلِلَّـهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ وَإِلَى اللَّـهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ ﴿١٠٩﴾ كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ ۗ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم ۚ مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ ﴿١١٠

To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And to Allah will [all] matters be returned. (109) You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient. (110)

[Qur'an AleImran 3:109-110]

لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ ﴿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]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ ﴿١١٩

O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are true. (119)

[Qur'an At-Tawba 9:119]

The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said,

Indeed Allah is pleased with three things: That you worship Allah alone without associating any partner along with Him; that you hold fast altogether to the Rope of Allah and not to become split-up; and that you give sincere advise to whomever Allah put in charge of your affairs.

[Muslim, Ahmad]

Violating Allah's commands has dreadful consequences. There are many warnings and examples in the Qur'an on this matter.

Every society have good people and bad people and the diseased people will misinterpret the Qur'an to pursue their diseased agenda. That's why we should stick to the group "for the devil is with the solitary one and further away from two." If there is a new idea, check with the scholars of guidance before embracing it.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "My nation does not unite on misguidance. If you see differences, then stick to the vast majority."

May Allah save us from disobedience and guide us and the entire Ummah on the straight path. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

We are Tests for Each Other

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

When we look at a fellow Muslim, we should look to him/her with eyes that have been removed of any wax, any dirt and any filth, and there is nothing but pure regard and pure wanting the best for the person--not envy, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, looking down, suspicion, selfishness, merciless, prejudice or bias.

What we have to work on is that our heart has a deep concern, not absent from Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace), for the Muslims (the elite or the common folks, the young or the old, etc) expressed in appropriate way of these two ways--obligatory and supererogatory.

Somebody who is satisfied with his prayers, his zakah and charity, his fasting and his hajj but have no concern for those around him, is surely in loss, as in the words of Qur'an in Surah Al 'Asr,

وَالْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ ﴿٣

By time, man is surely in loss except for those who believe and exhort each other to the truth and exhort of each other to patience.

[Qur'an Al 'Asr 103]

People who have no concern for those around them will not exhort them and so they are in loss.

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

'Religion is naseehah (sincere well wishing.)' We said 'To whom?' He, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said 'To Allah and His Book, and His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.'

(related by Muslim)

Naseeha is an act of worship which frames one's attitude to everything. It is very weighty in situation when one is not able to physically do anything.

Naseeha to Allah is correct belief in the Oneness of Allah and sincere intention in worshiping Him. Obligatory naseeha to Allah is extreme concern from the person to follow the love of Allah in performing what Allah obliged and avoiding what He forbade. Supererogatory naseeha is preferring love for Allah over love for oneself. This is hallmark of this naseeha. The attention you give to Allah is greater than attention you give to yourself.

Naseeha to Allah's Book is believing in it and practicing what is in it. It is extreme love of the Book and veneration of its rank as it is the Speech of the Creator, extreme desire in understanding it, extreme care in contemplating it, pausing when reciting it in search of meanings of what his Master wishes for him to understand from it. It's just not reciting the Book, but it is loving the Book. It's not just studying the Book but having a concern and desire to contemplate and learn the meanings of the Book from it.

Naseeha to the Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is confirming the Prophethood and completely obeying him in what he ordered and forbade. Naseeha to the Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is helping him in both in his life and after his death, following and spreading his Sunnah, searching for his character and manners, venerating his matters, anger and turning away from those who seek religion other than his Sunnah, anger of those who squander it out of preferring this life, love for those who have relation with him (through marriage, hijrah, support or companionship), deep concern to have everything that has to do with him.

Naseeha to the common folks is guiding them to what is in their best interests, guiding them towards that which will correct their affairs of both this life and the next, and helping them in that, protecting them from harm, to love for them what one loves for himself, to hate for them what one hates for himself, compassionate to them, show mercy to their youngsters, venerate their elders, feel sadness for their sadness, and joy for their joy.

Naseeha to the Imam of the Muslims--the rulers and the scholars, is by loving their righteousness, praying for their righteousness, and loving the Ummah to be gathered under them.

If people who are learned are not shown respect by the people, no good can ever come to those people. The scholars should be shown respect--listen to the scholars and encourage Muslims to listen to the scholars. Another aspect is reminding these scholars of their responsibility and reminding them of taqwa (Godfearingness) and not to sell the religion of Allah for a paltry price.

Our attitude to the rulers is not the attitude of competition. Some Muslims have this idea whoever is ruling is necessarily evil and their mission is to unearth all of the ruler's faults, to spite them, to pray against them and many other things. What is useful for the Muslims is to pray for them that Allah makes them firm on the truth and to want the best for them because if the rulers are rightly guided their affairs are rightly guided. The rulers are in need of our naseeha because through them is the betterment of our position because Allah put them in the powerful position. Too much negative talk and not much positive action is not going to get us anywhere. Muslims should unite and do something positive instead of constant discord in everything.

The way we should look at rulers is not any different than we look at other people. In Islam we don't just care about social justice but we also care about orderliness.

When we go on a trip, we have a leader so we can keep on track and get to do all that was planned--hajj for example. In marriage, we have a leader and Allah put the man as the leader. He might not the best husband. In a masjid, we have the imam, Parents are leaders for their children. This is the order of life. There has to be orderliness to avoid chaos because progress does not happen in chaos.

How do we react when the leader is not the best or up to par? We show deference and respect to these people out of obedience to Allah, not because they are worthy or because they are not worthy. This is how we achieve our reward and ranks with Allah. We have own accounting to do with Allah in the end.

In a household, the wife maybe intelligent and the husband may be the opposite. This is a test for the man and the woman. Orderliness entails that the woman achieves her means not through insulting the husband and if there is a difference, which is strong, that she gives deference at the end of the day to what the husband has chosen. Otherwise there is chaos in the household. Power struggles do not bring good with them. If the husband is wrong or bad but the wife fulfills her obligations to him out of subservient to Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, the wife wins the pleasure of Allah for being patient with this man. Remember the wife of one of the most evil and wicked human being on the face of the earth (Fir'aun) and her rank with Allah.

Sometimes Allah tests us with people over us who are not worthy to be over us. As Muslims we live in this world for the next world. The orderliness of Islam has given us roles and we are to fulfill those roles no matter how difficult they are for the sake of Allah. This is our means to serve Allah to make it to the next life safe.

Sometimes it is the other way around--the leader is leading a useless bunch. They don't understand orderliness. They constantly fight and bicker and making his role extremely difficult. His test is to put up with that and to steer the ship despite the fact that the crew is useless.

All of us are tests for each other. A man with a bad wife and a woman with a bad husband. Parents with bad children and children with bad parents. Our road to Allah is by observing the orderliness that Allah has ordained. In the family--by wife respecting the husband whatever or whoever he might be, children respecting the parents, congregation respecting the Imam, the country respecting the ruler. The opposite of this is chaos, strife and civil war. We interact with Allah through interacting with these people and our means to draw close to Him.

May Allah guide us and draw us closer to Him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Convey, Even An Ayah (Verse)

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

When you read or hear a verse (ayah) of the Qur'an, you should think and ponder as to why Allah reminded you of this ayah today. You are not reading a newspaper that you get the news and you are done with it.

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿٢٩

[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded. (29)

[Qur'an Sad 38:29]

The verse you recite is not about the Quraysh of Makkah, it is not about the hypocrites of Madinah, it's not about Fir'aun/Bani Israil, it is not about the non-believers, it's not about the battles...it is about you. How are you going to react to the ayah? What are you going to do? It is talking to you. The Qur'an is talking to you live. Take every verse as if it is directed to you at that moment. So you interact with the One who revealed it.

In order to do that, you must have complete focus when you recite the Qur'an (especially in prayers)--with your eyes (don't look at anything else), ears (don't listen to anything else), body (don't fidget), brain (don't think about anything else), heart (don't be attached to anything else).

Have hope when you read the verses of mercy of Allah, have fear of Allah when you read the verses of punishment, and so on.

Each verse demands something from us. To fulfill it, start by asking Allah. If you are reading the verse that talks about good treatment of parents (e.g. in Al-Isra' 17:23-34), for example, evaluate yourself...have you been good to your parents? When was the last time you ask your parents how they were doing? When was the last time you talk to your parents in a humble voice? Even if you think you are nice to your parents, you can be nicer. Plan to call them after you finish reciting the Qur'an and if they are living with you (or you are living with them), plan to get them a glass of milk or give them a big hug or do something to show your gratitude towards them, and ask Allah to enable you to be good to them and to have mercy on them.

Make a plan for next day or next week to recite more Qur'an and learn Qur'an. Remember if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. If you don't plan to read/learn Qur'an, you plan not to read/learn Qur'an.

Spread the message. You don't need to have a high level of knowledge to convey the message of Islam.

`Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`As (may Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

Convey from me even an Ayah of the Quran; relate traditions from Banu Israel, and there is no restriction on that; but he who deliberately forges a lie against me let him have his abode in Hell.

[Bukhari]

But it is essential that the caller have knowledge of that to which he is calling people. Calling out of ignorance or calling based on emotion is not permissible.

There are many areas in the Qur'an we can act upon immediately -- such as relationship with Allah, dhikr, following the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, preparing for the death and the Hereafter, worship, good treatment to parents, maintain ties, da'wah, commanding good and forbidding evil. When it comes to rulings of fiqh issues, you should consult a scholar before you implement it or mention it to others.

May Allah guide us on the straight path and grant us tawfiq to the highest station. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam.

Calling Humanity 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.

The point of jihad is not the sword, but is calling humanity to Allah. This is daawah (spreading the words of Allah, making the Truth known.) Daawah is to present the case to people in a way that is clear and to let them make the choice.

Allah orders with instructions. He has given people the ability to process and execute the commandments, and given the choice whether they want to comply or to oppose. If there is no choice, there is no reward and there is no punishment. We have been put here for a test. This test only works if we affirm our choice. So depriving people of a choice is not daawah.

There are many great concerns in the world we live in and there are things on this earth that have no solution to. Not all of us are able to address the concerns except we hate them in our hearts. We must have, in our hearts, a deep nasiha (sincere concern) to Islam, that we care about Islam and we want Islam to spread on the earth.

On the authority of Abu Ruqayya Tameem ibn Aus ad-Daaree (radi Allahu anhu) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

'The Deen (religion) is nasiha'. We said 'To whom?' He said 'To Allah and His Book, and His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.'

(Muslim)

We should want people to understand what Islam is. This could be done through whatever means are available to us.

Do jihad against ourselves. Learn the 40 hadith of Iman Nawwawi and practice them in our lives. Be good to our neighbors, maintain relations, help the poor, the needy, the weak and the oppressed--this is the main concern of the spread of Islam and the concern of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. And for that, the Companions lay down their lives and for that, the Companions died in distant lands, not for a desire of political domination and not for a desire of ruling the earth for the sake of the earth. Their nasiha is for Islam and for humanity.

Allah Almighty says,

تِلْكَ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا ۚ وَٱلْعَـٰقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٨٣

That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous. (83)

[Qur'an Al-Qasas 28:83]

We love for humanity what we love for ourselves.

On the authority of Abu Hamzah Anas bin Maalik (Allah be pleased with him) - the servant of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) - that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said :

None of you [truly] believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.

(Bukhari and Muslim)

There is no joy without Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) in our hearts. It is not conceivable that anything can be happy without Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace.) It is not conceivable that anything can be enjoyable if we don't have Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace.) How can we say we love people and we don’t want them to know about Islam?

Love in Islam is wanting the best for others, not selfish emotions so people keep liking us. That is called hypocrisy, not love. May Allah protect us from hypocrisy.

The best jihad is not with the sword. It is with the tongue. Daawah is to give people choice. Daawah is to be gentle. There is no greater tyrant than Fir'aun and there is no tougher man than Prophet Musa alayhissalaam, but Allah sent Prophet Musa to speak to Fir'aun with very gentle words. There is no cursing and harsh words to show toughness in daawah.

A video of a speech by a great Egyptian scholar,Shaykh Mohamed Metwally El Shaarawy to former Egyptian President who just escaped an assasination attempt.

May Allah guide our leaders and grant us tawfiq. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Humanity

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

There is no end to the magnificence and horror in the human drama. Across the continents, humanity rises to every challenge, sinks to any depth. We cherish each heartbeat and murder at will. We admire nature, yet destroy the environment.

Allah has inscribed goodness in everything. The Almighty has enjoined excellence (Ihsan) in everything. Ihsan means mastery, perfection and beautification in legislated actions (in performing obligations, in leaving prohibitions, in dealing with people by observing points of etiquette, giving people their due rights, and so on) Everything we do, we must strive to do them in the best way possible.

An example of excellence that is enjoined upon us is on slaughtering animals. What is the point to be kind and merciful to an animal which is going to die anyway? The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, taught us that even when you have decided to take an animal's life, be excellent with it to the last moments of its life.

If that is the right of an animal that is about to be killed, what do you think the rights of animals that are alive? What about humans that are alive?

In a capital punishment, a murderer is killed in the most painless and quickest way. A judge determines the most painless and quickest way to kill this person. No one, not even the heir of the victim, has the authority to kill this person except by order of a competent court.

Likewise, an animal to be slaughtered must be shown kindness down to the last moments of its life.

--gentleness in driving the animal to the place of slaughter.
--sharpen the blade, so that before it knows what's happening, before its mind can sense the pain, we already severed the tubes. This is the way to hasten its journey onwards and minimize its pain
--cut the arteries well because that is going to speed the exit of its souls
--hide the blade. You don't want the sheep to even see you have a knife in your hand
--hide it from the other animals, so they are not given some sort of trauma
--face the the qiblah (direction of prayer) which brings to heart the sacredness that Allah has enabled us to eat its meat. Allah could have forbidden it to us.
--mention the Name of Allah so that it become halal (lawful) to us
--leave the animal until it is totally still because there is still some life and some sensation. We don't skin the animal until it has stopped moving.
--intend drawing close to Allah by partaking on the halal and we become grateful for what Allah has blessed us with.

On the authority of Abu Ya’la Shaddad bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

Verily Allah has prescribed ihsan (proficiency, perfection) in all things. So if you kill then kill well; and if you slaughter, then slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.

It was related by Muslim.

عَنْ أَبِي يَعْلَى شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: "إنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ، وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ".
رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ [رقم:1955].

Videos of Islamic Slaughter

Mercy Halal Slaughter Part 1

Mercy Halal Slaughter Part 2

Mercy Halal Slaughter Part2b

May Allah guide us to excellence. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Global Problem

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We are in this world like a prisoner striving to save our necks. In this world we are trying to buy our freedom from Hell. There are dues we must pay during our lifetime. If we don't pay them in this life, Hell is where we will be thrown into. May Allah save us from Hellfire.

We are not safe from anything until we meet Allah. The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were all concerned with this global problem. They were concerned about "how do I save myself from the anger of Allah and how do I win the pleasure of Allah?" They didn't ask the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, on tricks to make more money but rather they asked "How do I go to Paradise?"

On the authority of Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:

I said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and will keep me away from the Hellfire.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “You have asked me about a great matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah makes it easy: worship Allah, without associating any partners with Him; establish the prayer; pay the zakat; fast in Ramadhan; and make the pilgrimage to the House.”

Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Shall I not guide you towards the means of goodness? Fasting is a shield; charity wipes away sin as water extinguishes fire; and the praying of a man in the depths of the night.”

Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recited: “[Those] who forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (charity in Allah’s cause) out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.” [as-Sajdah, 16-17]

Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Shall I not inform you of the head of the matter, its pillar and its peak?” I said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is the prayer and its peak is jihad.”

Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Shall I not tell you of the foundation of all of that?” I said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” So he took hold of his tongue and said, “Restrain this.” I said, “O Prophet of Allah, will we be taken to account for what we say with it?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Muadh! Is there anything that throws people into the Hellfire upon their faces — or: on their noses — except the harvests of their tongues?”

It was related by at-Tirmidhi, who said it was a good and sound hadeeth.


عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قُلْت يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! أَخْبِرْنِي بِعَمَلٍ يُدْخِلُنِي الْجَنَّةَ وَيُبَاعِدْنِي مِنْ النَّارِ، قَالَ: "لَقَدْ سَأَلْت عَنْ عَظِيمٍ، وَإِنَّهُ لَيَسِيرٌ عَلَى مَنْ يَسَّرَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ: تَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِهِ شَيْئًا، وَتُقِيمُ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِي الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومُ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَلَا أَدُلُّك عَلَى أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ؟ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ، وَالصَّدَقَةُ تُطْفِئُ الْخَطِيئَةَ كَمَا يُطْفِئُ الْمَاءُ النَّارَ، وَصَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ، ثُمَّ تَلَا: " تَتَجَافَى جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ " حَتَّى بَلَغَ "يَعْمَلُونَ"،[ 32 سورة السجدة / الأيتان : 16 و 17 ] ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَلَا أُخْبِرُك بِرَأْسِ الْأَمْرِ وَعَمُودِهِ وَذُرْوَةِ سَنَامِهِ؟ قُلْت: بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: رَأْسُ الْأَمْرِ الْإِسْلَامُ، وَعَمُودُهُ الصَّلَاةُ، وَذُرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَلَا أُخْبِرُك بِمَلَاكِ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ؟ فقُلْت: بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ! فَأَخَذَ بِلِسَانِهِ وَقَالَ: كُفَّ عَلَيْك هَذَا. قُلْت: يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّا لَمُؤَاخَذُونَ بِمَا نَتَكَلَّمُ بِهِ؟ فَقَالَ: ثَكِلَتْك أُمُّك وَهَلْ يَكُبُّ النَّاسَ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ -أَوْ قَالَ عَلَى مَنَاخِرِهِمْ- إلَّا حَصَائِدُ أَلْسِنَتِهِمْ؟!" .
رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ [رقم:2616] وَقَالَ: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ.

May Allah make it easy for us to perform acts that are pleasing to Him and avoid those acts that displeasing to Him, and save us from His anger and Hellfire. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Provision For Our Journey

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We can't reach Allah without patience. We need patience to endure the hardships and matters we dislike. We need patience to control our desires and avoid temptations. We need patience to do what is right. Patience is like provision for our journey to Allah.

There is never too much patience. In fact, you never graduate from the school of patience. There is always something there happening in our lives to teach us patience and more patience. (If you want to learn patience, come to Egypt.)

We need patience to continue our journey. Those who are patient, Allah reward them without measure. Patience is the key to felicity.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱصْبِرُوا۟ وَصَابِرُوا۟ وَرَابِطُوا۟ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٢٠٠

O you who have believed, be patient, and vie you in patience; be steadfast; fear God; haply so you will prosper. (200)

[Qur'an AleImran 3:200]

Everything we see and hear happening, remember, Allah is in control of everything. Nothing moves and nothing remains still without Allah's Will. If we are certain of this and remember this, whatever happens, we won't choke over what is happening.

Keep our focus. Keep our whole being towards Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Everyone else, everything else, including works, are peripherals. Take the means, in accordance with the teachings of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to better and change the situation--this is doing our part as Allah's slaves. The One who is in control will change it and make it better, if He so wills, at His own time. It is all up Him, it's His prerogative.

Seek His help for everything. Nothing is difficult through Allah, and nothing is easy through ourselves. And Allah loves our asking Him and Allah loves our turning to Him.

Allah is all we have. Anything besides Allah is a veil from Him. Make Allah our one and only goal, direction and desire, and the veils will start coming down one by one. Accept whatever comes and be content with it. Say, Alhamdulillah. Once we do that, our life will become easier and peaceful, inshaAllah.

يَـٰٓأَيَّتُہَا ٱلنَّفۡسُ ٱلۡمُطۡمَٮِٕنَّةُ (٢٧) ٱرۡجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً۬ مَّرۡضِيَّةً۬ (٢٨) فَٱدۡخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى (٢٩) وَٱدۡخُلِى جَنَّتِى (٣٠

(It will be said to the pious — believers of Islamic Monothesim): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! (27) "Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! (28) "Enter you, then, among My (honored) slaves, (29) "And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

[Qur'an Al-Fajr 89:27-30]

We ask Allah to make our journey easy and save us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next. We ask Allah to guide the leaders and oppressors, and give beautiful patience and aid to the oppressed. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Killing Ignorance

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Muadh ibn Al-Jumuh and his brother, Muawwadh, were very young Ansari teens of Madina. They had not met the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, but they wanted to kill Abu Jahl because they heard from their mother that Abu Jahl had abused and cursed the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. On the day of the battle of Badr, they asked the great companion, Abdur Rahman bin Auf, if he knew Abu Jahl so they could kill him.

Narrated Abdur−Rahman bin Auf:

While I was standing in the row on the day (of the battle) of Badr, I looked to my right and my left and saw two young Ansari boys, and I wished I had been stronger than they. One of them called my attention saying, "O Uncle! Do you know Abu Jahl?" I said, "Yes, What do you want from him, O my nephew?" He said, "I have been informed that he abuses Allah's Apostle. By Him in Whose Hands my life is, if I should see him, then my body will not leave his body till either of us meet his fate." I was astonished at that talk. Then the other boy called my attention saying the same as the other had said. After a while I saw Abu Jahl walking amongst the people. I said (to the boys), "Look! This is the man you asked me about." So, both of them attacked him with their swords and struck him to death...

[Bukhari]

Who were their parents? Their father was Amr bin Al-Jumuh and their mother was Hind.

The extent of Amr's love and devotion to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was shown during the time of the Battle of Uhud, which occured after the Battle of Badr. Amr saw his three sons (Muadh, Muawwadh and Khallad) preparing for the battle. He resolved to go out with them to wage jihad under the banner of the Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. The youths, however, were all against their father carrying out his resolve. He was already quite old and was extremely weak.

“Father,” they said, “surely God has excused you. So why do you take this burden on yourself?”

The old man became quite angry and went straight away to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to complain about his sons: “O Rasulullah! My sons here want to keep me away from this source of goodness arguing that I am old and decrepit. By Allah, I long to attain Paradise this way even though I am old and infirm.”

“Let him,” said the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to his sons. “Perhaps Allah, the Mighty and the Great, will grant him martyrdom.”

Soon it was time to go out to battle. Amr bade farewell to his wife, Hind, turned to the qiblah and prayed: “O Lord, grant me martyrdom and don’t send me back to my family with my hopes dashed.” He set out in the company of his three sons and a large contingent from his tribe, the Banu Salamah.

As the battle raged, Amr could be seen moving in the front ranks, jumping on his good leg (his other leg was partially lame), and shouting, “I desire Paradise, I desire Paradise.”

His son Khallad remained closely behind him and they both fought courageously in defense of the Prophet while many other Muslims deserted in pursuit of booty. Father and son fell on the battlefield and died within moments of each other.

There was a rumor that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was killed at the battle in Uhud. News came to Hind that her son and her husband were martyred. She asked about the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Again she was told about her husband's and her son's martyrdom. And again she asked about the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, as if she didn't hear the news of her martyred family members. When they said that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was alive, only then she could hear what the people said about her husband and sons, and she said inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (to Allah we belong and to Him is our return).

They were the parents of Muadh, Muawwadh and Khallad, the three righteous children of Ansar.

To love Allah is to follow His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, as 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]

The Companions had great love for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, because they knew him. They would sacrifice their lives for him. We can see their selfless love for him in the stories of the Companions.

Righteous children don't come from thin air. They don't become righteous with "I hope my children become righteous" or by giving them all the best electronics and technology or sending them to the best Islamic schools/colleges, but you don't follow the sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

A Child Drawing Showing Mercy--A Mosque Comforting A Neighboring Church

Righteous children come from good role models. Our job, as parents, are to be our children's good role models. We need to be like Amr and his wife, Hind. Their example is not about killing the disbelievers but it is about the love of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and killing the Abu Jahl (the father of ignorance) in us and in them, which is the ignorance of the person and the ignorance of the teachings of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

It is very important to fill the hearts of our children with the love of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, because without that love, they cannot taste the sweetness of this faith and they cannot become an ardent worshipper of the One who created them and is sustaining them.

But it can be very difficult to do this without mutual support of both partners in marriage who should live by the sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the guidance of Islam. Our deeds are of value when proceed from love, love of Allah Most High. And that love translates in our actions of following His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, supporting and protecting the Shari'ah.

Therefore, we should fix our relationship with Allah by marrying for Allah, and raising our children to love Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. One should teach one's children to choose a good spouse, the mother/father for their children so their children can have the best environment to grow up in, learning about their Creator and their responsibilities in life.

It is also vitally important for our children to have the right friends. It is not enough to have the right father and the right mother, we have to make sure that our children have the right friends, those who love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and protecting what he brought.

For those who are thinking about marriage, they should think ahead when choosing a spouse. One should choose someone with good character, merciful to Allah's creatures (humans, animals, etc.) and Godfearing.

Accompanying bad people and sitting with them corrupts the hearts. Accompanying the righteous, the righteous scholars and the people of khayr (good) brings the hearts to life.

Remember Allah Almighty says,

ٱلْخَبِيثَـٰتُ لِلْخَبِيثِينَ وَٱلْخَبِيثُونَ لِلْخَبِيثَـٰتِ ۖ وَٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتُ لِلطَّيِّبِينَ وَٱلطَّيِّبُونَ لِلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مُبَرَّءُونَ مِمَّا يَقُولُونَ ۖ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴿٢٦

Corrupt women for corrupt men, and corrupt men for corrupt women; good women for good men, and good men for good women -- these are declared quit of what they say; theirs shall be forgiveness and generous provision.

[Qur'an An-Nur 24:26]

May Allah increase us in the love of Him and His beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and grant us righteous companions/neighbors, and make us and our children righteous and His obedient servants. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaaam

Not Afraid To Die

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Some people are not afraid to die because they are drunk with the elixir of immortality and there are many like that around us. They think that the angel of death will never squeeze their souls out of their bodies. They are totally unaware of the punishment that awaits them in their graves. They are clueless of the terror of the Day, the Day that everyone will have to bear his burden and no one will be able to bear the burden of another person's sins. They forget that they will pass through the Siraat (the Bridge in the Day of Judgment) with the intense Fire of Hell underneath them.

Death is a fact that none can escape, yet people go after the treasures of the world and heedless of God.

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَـٰمًا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّـهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ﴿٢٠

Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion. (20)

[Quran Al-Hadid 57:20]

The Most Wise did not create you to gratify your base desires and passions, nor did He create you for fun, amusement, eating, drinking, sleeping, or having sex.

Allah Almighty says,

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴿٥٦

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

[Qur'an Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]

Some people are not afraid to die because they have faith in the Merciful Lord. They love to meet their Lord and their Lord loves to meet them.

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

"Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him. Whoever dislikes to meet Allah, Allah dislikes to meet him.” Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) or one of his wives said, “But we dislike death,” he replied, “That’s not the point; rather, the believer when death comes to him, he is given the great good news of Allah’s pleasure and generosity, and there is nothing more beloved to him that what is ahead of him, so he loves meeting Allah and Allah loves meeting him. The disbeliever when death comes to him is given the great news of Allah’s punishment and chastisement, and there is nothing more disliked to him that what is ahead of him so he dislikes meeting Allah, and Allah dislikes meeting him.”

[Bukhari]

He, Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said, “Death is a gift for the believer.”

May Allah grant us an excellent ending at the highest of iman and make our meeting with Him the best of meetings, and resurrect us with His beloved Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and his righteous companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and enter us into the highest Paradise without reckoning, and grant us His Noble Countenance. Ameen.

Please keep making du'as for Egypt. Ameen.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Amazing

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Amazing is the person who believes in destiny, then how could he despair.

Amazing is the person who believes that Allah is the sponsor of all in their sustenance, still, why would he consume
himself in striving for more than he needs and in achieving what is redundant.

Amazing is the person who believes in death yet, how could he remain all happy.

Amazing is the person who believes in the reckoning of the Hereafter yet, how could he afford to be heedless.

Amazing is the person who knows the world and its vicissitudes yet, how could he sit relaxed about it.

May Allah guide us and the Ummah of the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Ameen.

Please keep your du'as for our brethren. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Wronging People

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

People have rights on us and society have rights on us. We have to be acutely aware of this. If we don't we will suffer tremendously. Wronging someone is a serious matter and could take one to the Fire.

On the Day of Judgment, we will be put face to face with those we have wronged intentionally or unintentionally. People are greedy and needy creatures and they will be less inclined to forgive you because they will be able to benefit from your wronging them in this life by taking good deeds away from you and giving their sins to you.

Abu Hurayra reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, asked,

“Do you know who the bankrupt are?” They said, “The one without money or goods is bankrupt.” So the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The bankrupt are those from my nation who come on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, fasting, and charity, but comes also insulting, slandering, consuming wealth, shedding blood, and beating others. They will each be given from his good deeds; if his good deeds run out before the score is settled, their bad deeds will be cast upon him, then he will be thrown into the Hellfire.”

[Muslim]

This person didn't know the rights of people on his tongue--he insulted them. He didn't know the right of people's property--he unlawfully took other's property. He didn't know the right of people to be treated with good conduct--he beat them or he killed them. If he knew about them, then he must not have cared about them. So he will suffer tremendously. His prayers, his fasting and his zakah and all his good deeds will not help him whatsoever.

Bankruptcy in this life is unpleasant but you can recover from this hardship and someone might be able to help you to stand back on your feet again. Bankruptcy on the Day of Judgment is completely different. Accounts have to be settled. Wealth, power, intelligence or knowledge will not be helpful unless they were used properly during one’s life time. No one can buy good deeds or rewards on the Day of Judgment because none is for sale, and no one, not even your own mother, will lend or give you even a single good deed on the Day of Judgment. On that day each person is concerned with his/her own affairs and salvation.

Allah Almighty says,

يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ ﴿٣٤﴾ وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ ﴿٣٥﴾ وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ ﴿٣٦﴾ لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ ﴿٣٧

On that Day man shall run from his own brother, and from his mother and father, and from his wife and his children. Each one of them, on that Day, will have enough concern of his own to make him indifferent to the others.

[Qur'an Abasa 80:34]

The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

A Muslim is the one the Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hands.

[Bukhari and Muslim]

He, Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said,

None of you truly believe until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself.

[Bukhari]

We should be far away from wronging people. As a scholar advised, it is better to be wronged than to be a wrong-doer. This means that if you ever at a point in your life where if you do something you might be wronging someone and if you don't do something, they might be wronging you, then let them wrong you. You don't want the burden of bankruptcy in the Day of Judgment.

We don't want to end up bankrupt in the Day of Judgment. If we owe anyone money, time, an apology, or anything else we should do our best to settle our accounts while still alive before we are taken into account in the next life.

May Allah make it easy for our limbs to worship Him and protect us from Hellfire. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Don't Refuse Allah's Mercy

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 Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿١﴾ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٢﴾ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿٣

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. (1) [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds - (2) The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful, (3)

[Qur'an Al-Fatiha 1-3]

قَالَ هَلْ آمَنُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا كَمَا أَمِنتُكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَخِيهِ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ فَاللَّـهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ ﴿٦٤

...But Allah is the best guardian, and He is the most merciful of the merciful. (64)

[Qur'an Yusuf 12:64]

He is the most merciful of those who show mercy. This is the basis of His dealing with us. He is gently caring His servants. He is Al-Halim (The Forbearing One). He gives us a lot of slack. But He is also Al-Qadir, the Most Powerful. He has complete Power. So be careful. Just because He gives you slack, that doesn't mean that you become slack. He could wipe us out at an instant and there is nothing that can stop Him. His mercy should not make you lax but appreciate His greatness. So be careful don't exceed your bounds in testing Allah's mercy.

Be aware of Allah.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ ﴿٥

Indeed, from Allah nothing is hidden in the earth nor in the heaven. (5)

[Qur'an AleImran 3:5]

He is with you wherever you may be and knows whatever you may be doing. Be conscious of death. Know that Allah is Most Powerful and Majestic. Be conscious of the Day that every soul will see all that he did presented before him, whether good or bad.

قُلْ إِن تُخْفُوا مَا فِي صُدُورِكُمْ أَوْ تُبْدُوهُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّـهُ ۗ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿٢٩
يَوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُّحْضَرًا وَمَا عَمِلَتْ مِن سُوءٍ تَوَدُّ لَوْ أَنَّ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَهُ أَمَدًا بَعِيدًا ۗ وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّـهُ نَفْسَهُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ رَءُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ ﴿٣٠﴾ قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّـهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٣١﴾ قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَالرَّسُولَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٣٢

Say, "Whether you conceal what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it. And He knows that which is in the heavens and that which is on the earth. And Allah is over all things competent. (29) The Day every soul will find what it has done of good present [before it] and what it has done of evil, it will wish that between itself and that [evil] was a great distance. And Allah warns you of Himself, and Allah is Kind to [His] servants." (30) Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (31) Say, "Obey Allah and the Messenger." But if they turn away - then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers. (32)

[Qur'an AleImran 3:29-32]

If you sin, turn back to Allah. He will open His door of repentance for you. He is Al-Ghaffur, Ar-Rahim.

Hell is the greatest gift for the creation. The fact that there is Hell, we rush to Heaven, if we take heed, and pushes us to guard against it.

Paradise is prepared for us. All you have to do is accept it and show up at the door. Acceptance is in this life only. How do you accept it? It is to embrace the Prophetic ways, the way of ease, the way of beauty and the way of excellence. Even if it is wasn't for Paradise, it is worth following the Messenger of beauty, Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Allah wants to love you. He is raining down His mercy on us all. You just have to put out your bucket and gather Allah's good. If you refused, it is you who refused by turning away from Him. Why do you do that? Turn back and walk on the footsteps of His beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Allah does not love the wrongdoers.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "All my nation will enter the Paradise except those who refuse.” The companions asked, “O Rasulullah! Who would refuse?” He, Allah bless him and grant him peace, then said, “Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys me has indeed refused (to go to Paradise).” (Bukhari)

Why do we strive to pray 5 times a day, stick to the halal, avoid the haram (prohibitions), fulfill the rights of others and do the good? Because we want to seek Allah to accept the gifts of eternal lasting good and the contentment of this life and the next. This is Allah's mercy. Don't refuse Allah's mercy.

May Allah grant us success to walk on the footsteps of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and resurrect us with the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and enter us into Jannah with him. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Iman (Faith) and Lusts

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Our religion leads to a human transformation where your very desires have transformed. Iman (faith) should take us there but if you are not transformed, there is a problem somewhere. There is some sort of hidden hypocrisy, something internal that contradicts with our Iman, a barrier to a blissful life. If that something is not there, this is where Iman takes us to.

Following lusts is the cause of misguidance. Lust makes you turn against your own ideals. Lust-based existence is not a happy one. It is more like the compulsive addict or alcoholic who can't stay away from the addictive substance. He knows what harms him but he uses/consumes it anyway, causing destruction to himself. Smokers know that smoking is bad for them and that the second hand smoke can kill people around them, but they still smoke cigarettes. A man believes in preserving his family but there is a beautiful woman who he cannot resist his lust. Muslims believe riba (interest) is haram but some cannot resist dealing with riba because of their lusts for things. And someone with a basic knowledge of Islam knows that human killing will plunge one into the Hellfire, but you hear people killing and killing succumbing to their lusts for power. Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab knew for a fact that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought the Truth but it only stayed in their minds and not in the hearts. So, in most cases, it is not that people don't know, but they don't have the conviction.

Lust-based existence is founded by ingratitude because one prefers the blessings over the Giver of the blessings, and by ignorance because one prefers what is temporal (life of this world) over permanent (life of the hereafter).

Lusts are gods worship on earth (said Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with father and son) and the lustful one is devoid of guidance from Allah.

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّـهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾ وَقَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلَّا الدَّهْرُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم بِذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ ۖ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ ﴿٢٤

Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded? (23) 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)

[Qur'an Al-Jathiya 45:23-24]

Narrated by 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn 'As that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "None of you believes until his desires are in accordance with what I have brought."

The real and high belief is not attained until one's desires are in accordance with the religion. If you are following your lusts, this does not mean you give up the religion, but you have to work harder. The hadith is urging us to take a retrospective look into ourselves. Perfection and the bliss of perfection is still in front of us.

إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي ﴿١٤﴾ إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ آتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ ﴿١٥﴾ فَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنْهَا مَن لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ فَتَرْدَىٰ ﴿١٦

Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. (14) Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost conceal it - so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives. (15) So do not let one avert you from it who does not believe in it and follows his desire, for you [then] would perish. (16)

[Qur'an Ta-Ha 20:14-16]

فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَاتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَوَاتِ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا ﴿٥٩﴾ إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَأُولَـٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا ﴿٦٠

But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil - (59) Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all. (60)

[Qur'an Maryam 19:59-60]

Change does not occur by doing what you want but by doing what Allah wants. You should have the feeling of repulsion of what Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, hate, and you should have the desire for what Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, love.

Allah is ordering us and making things obligatory means Allah is ordering and obliging us to enter Paradise. The fact that someone is praying 5 times daily for the rest of his life, fasting, doing hajj and paying zakat, he is not going to be the same person after that. All these, if done sincerely for the sake of Allah, restrain unacceptable and outrageous behavior.

اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ ۖ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّـهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ ﴿٤٥

Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do. (45)

[Qur'an Al-Ankabut 29:45]

May Allah make us steadfast in our worship, purify our hearts and nourish our hearts with His remembrance. Ameen

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Where to Find Happiness?

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Everybody wants happiness. But you can't find happiness without faith. You certainly can't buy happiness.

Happiness is a sweetness that Allah places in people's heart that has nothing to do with worldly gains and power. How many wealthy people with houses that dazzle the eyes, but they can't sleep at night thinking about how to amass more wealth and afraid to lose their wealth? How many powerful people, despite strong body guards around them and a whole army backing are not at peace, worrying about losing their power?

But those who have firm faith, who put their trust in Allah, who are grateful to God for everything, despite calamities afflicting them, despite injustice inflicting them, despite horror facing them or about to face them, despite evil plots against them, find happiness in life and bring happiness to others around them.

So don't have to look at things or other people for your happiness. Look to the One. Ask Him for that sweetness and be patient.

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿١٨٦

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. (186)

[Qur'an Al-Baqara 2:186]

The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said the best of faith is to bring happiness to heart of another.

May Allah bring happiness and tranquility to the hearts of the Muslims. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Don't Leave Ramadhan

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Eid Mubarak to your and your loved ones. كل عام وانتم بخير May Allah accept your fasting, prayer, charity, and all your good deeds.

Ramadhan came and gone or about to leave us in a few hours. But our Ramadhan worship should not end here or drastically decrease with the end of Ramadhan. Our worship continues until we die and it should improve as days go by. Today's worship should be better than yesterday's. It cannot be the same as 20 years ago, or we have surely missed out on the optimal.

Ramadhan was our training ground. Don't let the training go to waste.

You stood many hours for Taraweeh and qiyamu lail in Ramadhan, and that was a good month long practice indeed. So you should not have much problem performing extra prayers and waking up for tahajjud every night from now on.

You recited and listened to a lot of Qur'an in Ramadhan. Don't stop doing this. Recite the Qur'an regularly and listen attentively to Qur'an everyday. It is recommended to complete reciting the entire Qur'an at least every 30 or 40 days. If you haven't studied the Qur'an with a qualified teacher, you should plan to do so as soon as possible. Reciting Qur'an the correct way is the way of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. It is incumbent upon every Muslim to learn how to recite the Qur'an properly in order to recite the verses correctly, especially during prayer.

You had self restraint in Ramadhan. You held yourself from food and drink during the day and you eat little at night because your stomach has shrunk. Don't expand it by eating beyond your fill during this Eid celebration and forward. Some of you quit smoking in Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah. You have more patience in Ramadhan. Don't let your nafs take you back to your bad old habits before Ramadhan and avoid the unlawful.

You were very generous and charitable, not just with your money but also with your heart. You gave sadaqatul fitr, zakat and extra charity, and you forgave a lot of people. Continue to give charity all throughout the year and before you go to sleep, forgive those who have wronged you and ask Allah for their forgiveness.

It is Sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to fast 6 days in Shawwal, Mondays, Thursdays, three white days of each lunar month, the day of Arafah, the first 10 days of Zulhijjah, Ashura, and most of Sha'ban and Muharram.

Fast regularly throughout the year and that will keep you in training, starting with fasting the 6 days Shawwal fasting (beginning 2nd day of Eid). Yes, all those Eid food and many Eid open houses and invitations sound like it is going to be difficult to fast when everyone is celebrating, but try it. Allah will make it easy for you.

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Prophet, صلى الله عليه و سلم, 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.
You can always accept evening invitations.

The Prophet, صلى الله عليه و سلم, said:

Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and he follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he has fasted the whole year.

The Prophet, صلى الله عليه و سلم, said:

Whoever fasts Ramadhan and follows it up with six from Shawwal, it is as though he has fasted all of time, because each day is equivalent to ten days. Whoever performs a good deed, he will have ten like it.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said:

The most beloved action to Allah is that which is most consistent.

We don't limit our fasting and certain acts of good deed in Ramadhan only. If we are consistent with our fasting and doing other good deed, not only this is a sign of the acceptance of one’s Ramadan fasts and good deed because a sign of Allah’s acceptance of a good deed is to be granted the success to perform similar good deeds, with consistency, this is a sign of one's commitment to continue in worship and submission to Allah, willingly, and not merely out of duty and obligation.

The recipe to gain Allah's love is to perform the obligatory religious duties and add supererogatory works.

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:

Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.

[Bukhari]

Good deeds raise one's rank and erase the person's sins (except major sins which require sincere repentance for forgiveness).

One of the signs of the righteous is patience and restraint. If we fasted correctly, then we would have benefited from one of the effects of Ramadhan--an increase in patience. One can never have too much patience. Lack of patience can cause lots of problems--to oneself as well as to others. Patience is an acquired trait which many people don't have or many lose it very easily. If you have patience, nothing befalls you disturbs or bothers you. You will go through challenges, difficulties, uneasiness and discomfort in stride. The pious and the righteous people, who are not free from trials and tribulations of this life, are the happiest people because they have patience and restraint.

May Allah give us tawfiq and make us reach next year's Ramadhan. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Pleasing Sight

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Narrated by Anas, it was Monday when the Muslims were lining up for salat (prayer), the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, took a look at us and he was standing up as if his face was a page out of a book, as if his face was part of the moon and then Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, smiled laughing, it was almost going to be a fitnah for us because of our happiness of seeing the Prophet (they thought he was getting better)--it was so much joy and Abu Bakr was almost coming back but the Prophet asked Abu Bakr to pray in his place.

This was the last thing the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw of his ummah--they were in salatul jama'ah (group prayer). When he uncovered that curtain he saw the fruits of his efforts of 23 years of calling to Islam. The Muslims were lining up in prayer, the most important deed in Islam. This is the sight that pleases the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. He smiled in happiness.

Some pleasing sights captured in our times...inshaAllah they brought happiness to the beloved of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace.









Often we see many masjids that are quite lean with people praying. Indeed, those men who abandon the masjid are losing out of the great blessing and reward of the group prayer in the masjid. So, strive to pray at your local masjid and help build a large congregation.

May Allah make us of those who truly love the Prophet, those who will follow his sunnah, those who will be raised up with him on Day of Judgment, those who will drink from his blessed hands and those who He will admit with him into Paradise. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers and please pray for the ummah. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Guarding Against Evil

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The situation in some parts of the Muslim world is getting out of control. Things happen -- killings, massacres, shootings -- and it can only get worse. It maybe extremely difficult to overlook the evil but there is always evil on this earth and we cannot escape every evil.

If someone wants it that no one does evil on the earth, then he wants it that Allah should not forgive anyone and should not accept repentance. Allah is Al-Ghafur (Oft-Forgiving) and At-Tawwab (Oft-Returning). These Names are manifest in the light of our own imperfection.

So the evil is just part of manifestation of Allah's Perfection. Part of us dislike evil and part of us see Allah in it. These two things are opposite but people who understand these matters see both simultaneously.

We look at things with two eyes--eye of the law and eye of reality. The eye of the law expect us to see the evil of people and make a means to change the evil. The eye of reality sees that Allah created this evil. The evil of people is still part of Allah manifesting His Perfection because Allah forgives some of this evil. If there is no evil among people then Allah will not be manifest as the All-Forgiving. And there are some people who have evil in them to which Allah's plan is accomplished.

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 knowledge one guards themselves from being caught in the spiral. The point of learning the religion is to increase in faith and become a strong believer.

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 and evil 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, remain steadfast and recite the Qur'an. You don't sell your religion for a piece of the world.

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ﴿١﴾ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَـٰهِ النَّاسِ ﴿٣﴾ مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ﴿٤﴾ الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ ﴿٥﴾ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ ﴿٦

Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, (1) The Sovereign of mankind. (2) The God of mankind, (3) From the evil of the retreating whisperer - (4) Who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind - (5) From among the jinn and mankind." (6)

[Qur'an An-Nas 114]

May Allah make us keys to unlock good and lock evil. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Good Deed and Bad Deed

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

All deeds - good or bad - have a sort of magnetic pull of their own.

When a person accomplishes a good deed, other good deeds become easy on him. His very heart starts desiring to do what is good and righteous.

Likewise, a person who commits a sin finds that it has cleared the way for other sins. His very heart starts desiring to do what is sinful. Therefore, avoid sins and everything that can lead to eventual sin.

Allah Almighty says,

وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّـهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٤٨

...So race to [all that is] good...

[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:148]

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. A man would be a believer in the morning and turn to disbelief in the evening, or he would be a believer in the evening and turn disbeliever in the morning, and would sell his Faith for worldly goods.

Always seek every opportunity to do a good deed. Ramadhan is still here. So your opportunity is still open to multiply the reward of your good deeds. Behave towards people with good character. Help the poor and the needy, aid the weak and the oppressed and strengthen bonds of kinship. Don't oppress or wrong anyone nor harm the environment. Help clean the environment and be merciful to animals. Increase your connection with the Qur'an.

Follow a bad deed with a good deed through charity and other good actions.

Allah Almighty says,

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّاكِرِينَ ﴿١١٤﴾ وَاصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١١٥

Establish Salah at both ends of the day, and in the early hours of the night. Surely, good deeds erase bad deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful. (114) And be patient, for Allah does not let the reward of the righteous go to waste. (115)

[Qur'an Hud 11:114-115]

Allah Almighty says,

هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ ﴿٦٠

Is the reward for good [anything] but good? (60)

[Qur'an Ar-Rahman 55:60]

Repentance is a road to good. Moist our tongues with Istighfar (seeking Allah's forgiveness). None of us is free from sins. We sin by day and by night. If you think that you have no sin, this is arrogance.

Allah Almighty says,

قِيلَ ادْخُلُوا أَبْوَابَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ فَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ ﴿٧٢

To them] it will be said, "Enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and wretched is the residence of the arrogant. (72)

Qur'an Az-Zumar 39:72]

وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تَرَى الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى اللَّـهِ وُجُوهُهُم مُّسْوَدَّةٌ ۚ أَلَيْسَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ مَثْوًى لِّلْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ ﴿٦٠

...Is there not in Hell a residence for the arrogant? (60)

[Qur'an Az-Zumar 39:60]

الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّـهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ ۖ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ وَعِندَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ قَلْبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّارٍ ﴿٣٥

...Thus does Allah seal over every heart [belonging to] an arrogant tyrant. (35)

[Qur'an Ghafir 40:35]

A believer should follow up his sincere repentance with the performance of good works.
Allah Almighty says,

وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ ﴿٨٢

But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance. (82)

[Qur'an Taha 20:82]

May Allah grant us good in this life and the next. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam