Year-End Spiritual Review and Repentance

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 says,

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَ‌ٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ خُطُوَ‌ٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَأْمُرُ‌ بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ‌ ۚ وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَ‌حْمَتُهُۥ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢١

O you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan. And whoever follows the footsteps of Satan - indeed, he enjoins immorality and wrongdoing. And if not for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy, not one of you would have been pure, ever, but Allah purifies whom He wills, and Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (21)

[Qur'an, An-Nur 24:21]

The year is coming to an end. The new year will give us the opportunity to start afresh and set new goals so we can do better than this year. It is now critical to take a year-end spiritual inventory of ourselves and review of our relationship with Allah, our Creator, Lord of the Worlds. But do not fall into the trap of rushing through it; be honest with yourself, make sure you learn lessons from it, avoid making the same mistakes and persist with successful ways to reach your ultimate goal, which is Allah Himself and the eternal bliss of the next life.

Making mistakes and falling short are undoubtedly part of human nature and no one will be free of shortcomings in his obedience to Allah, or free of mistakes or forgetfulness or sins. All of us fall short, commit sins, and make mistakes. Sometimes we turn to Allah and sometimes we turn away from Him. Sometimes we remember that Allah is watching and sometimes we become negligent. None of us is free of sin, and we will inevitably make mistakes. We are not infallible.

Hence the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if you did not commit sin Allah would do away with you and bring people who would commit sin then pray for forgiveness.” [Muslim]. And he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “Every son of Adam sins, and the best of those who sin are those who repent.” [at-Tirmidhi]

By His mercy towards His weak slave, Allah has opened the gate of repentance to him, and has commanded him to turn to Him, every time sin overwhelms him. Were it not for that, man would suffer a great deal of hardship and would not have the drive to draw closer to his Lord; he would lose all hope of His forgiveness and pardon. Repentance is something that is necessary as a result of our shortcomings and human failings.

Allah has enjoined repentance on all kinds of people in this Ummah: those who are foremost in good deeds, those who follow a middle course, and those who wrong their own selves by doing disliked and prohibited (haraam) things.

ثُمَّ أَوْرَ‌ثْنَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌۢ بِٱلْخَيْرَ‌ٰ‌تِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ‌ ﴿٣٢

Then we caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allah. That [inheritance] is what is the great bounty. (32)

[Qur'an, Fatir 35:32]

Allah Almighty says,

وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١ ...

...And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. (31)

[Qur'an, An-Nur 24:31]

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَ‌بُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ‌ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِ‌ى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ‌ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِى ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ ۖ نُورُ‌هُمْ يَسْعَىٰ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَ‌بَّنَآ أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَ‌نَا وَٱغْفِرْ‌ لَنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ‌ۭ ﴿٨

O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove from you your misdeeds and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow [on] the Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will proceed before them and on their right; they will say, "Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent." (8)

[Qur'an, At-Tahrim 66:8]

Repentance is essential from every sin, even if it is something between a person and Allah and has nothing to do with the rights of another person. There are three conditions of repentance:

1- You should give up the sin

2- You should regret having done it

3- You should intend and resolve never to go back to it.

If one of these three is missing, then your repentance is not sincere. If the sin has to do with the rights of another person, then there are four conditions: the three mentioned above and rectify that sin with the other person, to the extent possible. If it is money or property, etc, it must be returned to him; if it had to do with slandering him etc, then you have to make amends to him and ask for his forgiveness; if it had to do with backbiting about him, then you have to ask for his pardon. If you are unable to restore the rights of that other person you have wronged, at the very least make du'a and do some type of goodness on behalf of the person and hope that Allah will make the person content in the Day of Judgment.

Let's now turn to Allah Almighty and ask Him for forgiveness.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّ‌ٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَطَهِّرِ‌ينَ ﴿٢٢٢ ...

Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves." (222)

[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:222]

May Allah accept our repentance and forgive all our sins and shortcomings. May Allah forgive our parents and shower them with His mercy and accept our good deeds. May Allah grant us true wisdom and nearness to Him and grant us tawfiq (success) to the highest station. May Allah bless the remaining days of our lives and protect us from heedlessness and disobedience and enable us to do righteous deeds. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Related Archives
Let's Repent
Carrying the Legacy of the Messenger of Allah
Year-end Spiritual Inventory and Review

This Worldly Life Amounts To 3 Things

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

There are three basic principles of Islam: Tauhid (Oneness of Allah), Risalah (Prophethood) and 'akhirah (Belief in the Hereafter). All other articles of faith fall under these three. These are principles which tell human beings who they are and what is the purpose of their life. This understanding brings a revolution in their lives by showing them the straight path. Out of these, the Belief in the 'Akhirah, the belief that there is a reckoning of deeds to come when good shall be rewarded and evil punished, has pragmatically the most revolutionary effects, as it channels every human deed into a particular direction. This is the reason why all subjects dealt with in the Qur'an revolve around these three.

The wrong-doers and deniers of truth who, when made to stand by the edges of the Hell, and to observe the horrifying punishment far beyond their imagination, would wish that they were sent back into the world where now they would never falsify the signs and commands of their Lord, would believe in them and would be the true believers.

Allah Almighty says,

وَلَوْ تَرَ‌ىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ‌ فَقَالُوا۟ يَـٰلَيْتَنَا نُرَ‌دُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَ‌بِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٢٧

If you could but see when they are made to stand before the Fire and will say, "Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers." (27)

[Qur'an, An-Aam 6:27]

But, Allah exposes the reality of their wish, which would be nothing but the compulsion of circumstances. In the Hereafter, everything came out in the open. They saw the power of Allah with their own eyes. They realized that the prophets had told the truth. Even, the life after death, something they had denied all along was before them, really and physically. Then, they became direct witnesses to reward and punishment and Hell. After that, they were left with no argument to continue their attitude of denial and opposition. So, when they wished to be returned to the mortal world, that was mere absence of choice.

The Creator knows, in His eternal knowledge, that the claim of these people that once they have been sent back to the world, they would become ideal Muslims, is a lie and a deception. If they were, as they wished, to be released into the world put together after its destruction, then, once again, they would do exactly the same things they used to do in their earlier lives.

Allah Almighty says,

بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَوْ رُ‌دُّوا۟ لَعَادُوا۟ لِمَا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ ﴿٢٨

But what they concealed before has [now] appeared to them. And even if they were returned, they would return to that which they were forbidden; and indeed, they are liars. (28)

[Qur'an, An-Aam 6:28]

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) is reported to have said: At the time of reckoning, Allah Ta'ala will ask Sayyidna Adam alayhissalaam to stand near the Scale of Justice and will ask him that he should look at the deeds of his progeny and allow anyone whose good deeds outweigh his sins to go to Paradise. And then He would say: The one I shall admit to the punishment of Hell will be the one about whom I know that he is sent to the world again, would do the same thing he had been doing earlier.

Disbelievers and sinners will do everything possible to save their skins on the fateful day of Resurrection. They will be nervous and confused. Sometimes they would hide behind false swearing. At others, they would wish to be returned to the world of their earlier experience. But, none of them will say: Now, we have believed and now we shall be doing nothing but what is good - because they would have seen reality and seen it very clearly - that the phase of Akhirah, the Hereafter, is not the Venue of Deeds and that the soundness of 'Iman (faith) depends on its being 'bil-ghayb,' that is, without having the need to see what is Unseen. Confirming what has been seen is simply acting in line with what has been personally seen. It is not what the attestation to the truth of Allah and His Messenger is.

So, let us be very clear that working for the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala, earning its fruits in the form of the promised state of everlasting bliss, hoping to be blessed with Paradise in the Hereafter, and having a good life of peace and tranquility right here are things which can be achieved ONLY through the life of the present world, neither before, nor after - for it is not possible to achieve these in the universe of spirits (arwah)before it, nor is it possible to achieve it in the domain of the Hereafter, after the world of our experience is no more there.

The life of this world is a great blessing, and certainly an asset of unmatched value. So, this life is an opportunity which must be taken seriously.

Allah Almighty says,

وَمَا ٱلْحَيَو‌ٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ‌ ٱلْءَاخِرَ‌ةُ خَيْرٌ‌ۭ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٣٢

And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah, so will you not reason? (32)

[Qur'an, An-Aam 6:32]

Allah Almighty says,

ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَو‌ٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ 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 18:46]

This worldly life amounts to 3 things -- play/entertainment, showing off and savings.

When you were a small child, all you want to do is play. Then when you got a little older, play is not enough. You want entertainment too -- games, movies, recreation, etc. Then when you get older, you started to care about how you look (your appearance, status, job/employer, degree, school, car, etc). After you got married, 2 things that took over your life and never go away -- money and kids. Now you are watching your kids starting the same journey you had right before your eyes.

In a hadith, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, "Dunya is cursed and cursed is what is in it, except the Dhikr of Allah, or 'alim (a knowledgeable person) or a student."

The worldly life that is censured is the time of life which is spent being heedless to the thought and concern of Allah Ta'ala. Otherwise, no wealth of the world is equal in worth to the time one spends in remembering Allah and doing what He has commanded us to do.

Everything done in this world which is done in conformity with obedience to Allah, that is, in accordance with the injunctions of the Shari'ah, is all included under the Dhikr of Allah. This tells us that everything necessary that must be done in this life of the world, all permissible ways of earning one's livelihood, and the fulfillment of other needs which are not beyond the limits set by the Shari'ah, shall all be considered as being included under the Dhikr of Allah. In fact, the fulfillment of the rights of family, relatives and friends, neighbors and guests and others has been identified as an act of Sadaqah (charity) and 'Ibadah (worship of Allah)

There is nothing in this world more worthy of Allah's favor than 'Ibadah (obedience to Him) and Dhikr (remembrance of Him). Then, the dearest and the worthiest possession a person has is his time of life in this world. And we know that this time is limited. And no one knows exactly how long his or her life is, seventy years or seventy hours, or no more than the span of a breath. On the other hand, we know that the pleasure of Allah which is the only guarantee of a good life, here and there, can be acquired only within the limits of our life in this world.

Now, every human being, whom Allah has blessed with sense and vision, can decide it for himself how he is going to spend these limited moments and hours of his life, and in what. No doubt, common sense would demand that this precious time should mostly be spent in what would meet the pleasure of Allah. As for chores which are necessary to hold this life together, they should be taken to as needed.

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) has said, "Wise is he who controls his self, and stays pleased with minimal resources, and devotes his deeds for what is after death."

May Allah grant us righteous deeds and increase us in worship. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Meaning and Etiquette of Du'a and Dhikr

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 says,

ٱدْعُوا۟ رَ‌بَّكُمْ تَضَرُّ‌عًا وَخُفْيَةً ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ ﴿٥٥﴾ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْ‌ضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَ‌حْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِ‌يبٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٥٦

Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; Surely, He does not like those who cross the limits. (55) And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good. (56)

[Qur'an, Al-'Araf 7:55-56]

The word: دعاء (Du'a), in the Arabic language, means to call upon someone to remove one's need. ٱدْعُوا۟ رَ‌بَّكُمْ in the verse is also used to remember in the absolute sense. That is, call your Lord for your needs, or remember your Lord and worship Him.

In the first case, it would mean: Ask Allah alone for what you need. In the second case, the sense would be: Do your Dhikr and 'Ibadah for Him alone. Both these explanations have been reported from Tafsir authorities among the early righteous elders.

There are two important rules of etiquette which govern Du'a and Dhikr.

First of all, in order that Du'a to be answered, it is necessary that one appear before Allah Ta'ala as weak, helpless and simply unable to hold on his own modest and humble, and submits to Him with a total negation of what is supposed to be pride, dignity, honor, ego, or self-view - and then makes Du'a.

Du'a is a thing of the soul which requires that its words match the feebleness and humbleness of the maker of Du'a, that the manner of saying it remains a mirror of modesty, and that this overall humility should ooze forth from the very physical approach to this making of Du'a.

Given this anatomy and profile of Du'a, the common practice of making Du'a these days cannot really be called the making of Du'a. It would, rather, be the reading of it. What happens most of the time is that we do not know what we are saying and it has become a routine as we notice in common Masajid. Imams would usually say, rather read, some words of Du'a in the Arabic language which they have memorized and do this at the end of Salah. Most of the time, in some areas, the Imams themselves do not know the meaning and sense of what they say - and even if they do know it, at least the less-knowing participants of the congregation are virtually unaware of what is being said. They would almost mechanically go on saying 'Ameen, Ameen' after the words read by the Imam without having any clue as to what was being said there.

The outcome of all this stage demonstration is the vocalization of some words. Du'a has a reality of its own which is just not there. Then, this is an entirely different matter that Allah Ta'ala, in His infinite mercy, may accept these very lifeless words and give them the effect of answered prayers. But, it is necessary that everyone understands that Du'a is not 'read.' It is 'asked.' Therefore, it is crucial that one asks as one should, properly, as due.

Then, there is another aspect of Du'a. If a person does know the meanings of the words of his Du'a - and even understands what he is saying - still, if it is not accompanied by proper approach, manner and physical bearing, the Du'a stands reduced to a bland claim to which no created servant of Allah is entitled.

So, given in the first word (تَضَرُّ‌عًا ) was the spirit of Du'a which requires that one shows his humility and prays to Allah for what he needs.

Then, in the second word (خُفْيَةً ) the instruction given is that the asking in Du'a for what one needs should be done secretly and in a lowered voice which is superior in merit and more likely to be answered. The reason is that making Du'a in a raised voice is not free of three possible drawbacks.

Firstly, it is difficult to maintain modesty and humility in doing so. Secondly, there is the danger of hypocrisy and desire for recognition creeping in through this mode. Thirdly, the manner in which this Du'a is made only goes to show that the person making it almost does not know that Allah Ta'ala is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. He knows what we show on the outside and also that which we conceal inside. He hears everything said quietly or loudly.

Therefore, when the voice of the Companions reached a loud pitch during Du'a made on the occasion of the Battle of Khaybar, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), said:'You are not calling someone deaf or absent that you say it in such a loud voice. Instead, your addressee is someone Hearing, Near, that is, Allah Ta'ala (so, to raise your voice is redundant). Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu has Himself mentioned the Du'a of a righteous person in these words: إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَ‌بَّهُۥ نِدَآءً خَفِيًّا ﴿٣(When he called his Lord in a lowered voice. Surah Maryam 19:3).' This tells us that the state of Du'a liked by Allah Ta'ala is that it be asked of Him in a lowered and subdued voice.

Sayyidna Hasan al-Basri says: There is a difference of seventy degrees in making Du'a openly and loudly when matched by the one made in a lowered voice. It was the habit of early righteous elders that they would exert to their maximum in Dhikr and Du'a which kept them busy most of the time, but their voice was not heard by anyone. In fact, their supplications would remain between them and their Lord. Many of them would memorize the whole Qur'an and keep engaged in reciting it, but others would not know about it. Then, there would be others engaged in their pursuit of advanced religious knowledge, but they would never go about telling others that they were doing so. There would be many others who would return from their homes after having long sessions of Salah but no one would come to know anything about that. He also said that he had seen such blessed people who would never perform 'Ibadat, which they could do in private, out in the open where people could see them - and their voices during Du'a would be very low. (Ibn Kathir, Mazhari)

Ibn Jurayj has said that raising voices in Du'a and making it noisy is Makruh (reprehensible). In his Akam al-Qur'an, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas has Said: This verse tells us that making Du'a in a lowered voice is more merit-worthy than making it in a raised voice. It has been reported reported likewise from Hasan Basri and Sayyidna Ibn 'Abbas. This verse also tells us that the 'Ameen' said at the end of Surah al-Fatihah should also be said in a lowered voice, which is more merit-worthy, because 'Ameen' ( Ameen : so be it) is also a Du'a.

May Allah Ta'ala guide Imams of Masjid in our time who seem to have forgotten this teaching of the Qur'an and Sunnah and the instructions of early righteous elders in this matter. After every Salah, what follows as Du'a has become an artificial procedure. Some words are read out loudly which, besides being contrary to the etiquette and rules of Du'a, become the source of disturbing the Salah of those who joined the congregation after it had started and were busy completing the missed part after the Imam had finished. The overwhelming influence of custom has made them incapable of noticing its drawbacks. On a particular occasion where the purpose is to have a whole group make a particular Du'a, one person may say the words of Du'a in a reasonably audible voice and others say 'Ameen' after it, then, it does not matter. However, the condition is that this activity does not become the source of disturbance in the Salah and 'Ibadah of others - and that this does not become a matter of habit and custom whereby common people start believing in it as the standard method of making Du'a, as happening so commonly these days.

What has been said above concerned the making of Du'a for one's needs. If Du'a is taken in the sense of Dhikr (remembrance) and 'Ibadah (worship) at his place, then, according to the established position of early 'Ulama, low-voiced Dhikr is more merit-worthy than loud Dhikr.

As for the practice of Shaykhs who recommend loud Dhikr for beginners, they do so in view of the spiritual condition of the seeker, as a measure of treatment, so that by voicing it any lack of alertness would go away and the heart would learn to become attuned to the Dhikr of Allah - otherwise, raising the voice in Dhikr, as such, is not desirable even with them, though it is permissible, and its justification stands proved from Hadith as well, of course, subject to the condition that, in it, there be no hypocrisy or the desire to show off (riya').

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Hibban, Al-Baihaqi and others have reported from a narration by Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), said:

The best Dhikr is hidden and the best sustenance is what becomes sufficient.

However, under particular conditions and timings, a voiced Dhikr is actually more desirable and merit-worthy. Details of these timings and conditions have been explained by the Prophet through his word and deed, for example, calling Adhan and Iqamah with a raised voice, reciting the Qur'an during the voiced prayers with a raised voice, saying the Takbirs of Salah, the Takbirs of Tashriq, the Talbiyah in Hajj etc., with a raised voice.

Therefore, Muslim jurists, may Allah have mercy on them all, have reached the decision that in particular conditions and places where the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) has, by word or deed, taught us to raise the voice, voices must be raised. Under conditions and situations other than these, voiceless Dhikr is most preferable and beneficial.

At the end of the verse, it was said: إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ (Surely, He does not like those who cross the limits). The word: (al-mu'tadin) is a derivation from I'tida which means to cross the limits.

This crossing of limits, whether in Du'a or some other activity, has the same outcome - that Allah Ta'ala does not like that. In fact, if looked at closely, the religion of Islam is the very name of observing limits and restrictions and electing to submit and obey. Take the example of Salah, Sawm (fasting), Hajj, Zakah and all dealings and transactions, when limits set by the Shariah of Islam are crossed in them, they do not remain acts of worship anymore - instead, they become sin.

Crossing the limits in Du'a may take several forms. Firstly, that literal formalities, such as rhyming and other stylistic devices, are employed in Du'a which may spoil its essential ingredients of humility and submission. Secondly, that unnecessary restrictions are introduced in Du'a - as it appears in Hadith that Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn Mughaffal saw that his son was making Du'a in the following words: '0 Allah, I seek from You the palace in Paradise which is white in color and located on the right hand side.' He stopped him and said: 'Making such restrictions in Du'a is crossing the limit, which has been prohibited in the Qur'an and Hadith.' (Mazhari from a narration of Ibn Majah and others)

The third form of crossing the limits is that someone makes a Du'a wishing ill of Muslims in general, or asks from Allah something which is harmful for them. Similarly, it is also a form of crossing the limits - as mentioned here - that Du'a be made in a raised voice without the need to do so. (Tafsir Mazhari, Ahkam al-Qur'an)

May Allah enable us to turn to Him in all of our states, in the manner most pleasing to Him, and make us people of His remembrance. May Allah accept our du'a. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

source: Tafsir Maariful Qur'an

Who Is There To Aid You After God?

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

All of us will have to go through hardships in life. Hardship and suffering have different levels. The lowest degree is to resist against one's own desiring self and the Satan, or to strengthen the bases of one's beliefs by countering the forces working against the true Faith. This degree of achievement is within the grasp of every Muslim. Further on, there are the middle and the higher levels. The degree of one's strenuous effort shall be the degree of one's entry into Paradise. Thus, nobody remains untried by effort and struggle and the resulting hardship and suffering.

In a hadith, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

The hardships faced by the prophets are the hardest faced by men, after that, by those closer to them.

Allah Almighty says,

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّ‌آءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّ‌سُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ‌ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ‌ ٱللَّهِ قَرِ‌يبٌ ﴿٢١٤

Do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, ”When is the help of Allah ?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.

[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:214]

Prophets and their followers had reached a point of suffering when they cried out as to when will the help of Allah come. It was not because of any doubt since that would be against the dignity of their station. In fact, the call was made in the background of Allah's promised help for which the time and place was left undetermined. As such, using these words in a state of distress indicated the desire for early help. Making such a prayer is not against one's trust in Allah (tawakkul)or against the station of Prophethood. On the contrary, the fact is that Allah Almighty favors the earnest supplication of His servants. Who else other than the prophets and the pious of the community would be more deserving of what Allah likes?

Many of us never ask Allah for anything. By the mercy of Allah, with or without your knowledge, you’re always being assisted by Him. You depend on Him — without His help, you can’t make a move. But how easy it is to forget Allah! There are times in our lives when we call on Him only if we’re met with a severe calamity.

When we’re immersed in the adornments of the world, we tend to think we can do everything on our own. We forget Allah’s Might, Power and Wisdom.

Allah Almighty says,

إِن يَنصُرْ‌كُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَنصُرُ‌كُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ ۗ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١٦٠

If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely.

[Qur'an, AleImran 3:160]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, Allah the Most High said,

I am as my servant thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me. If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself; and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it. If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.

[Bukhari]

Allah always eases the path of believers even in difficult times, and since their complete trust is in Allah, Allah manifests His help in unique ways. He gives spiritual support and endless mercy. Allah reinforces the true believers’ hearts with serenity and thus they feel an immense spiritual support. An endless mercy will be showered upon them.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِيَزْدَادُوٓا۟ إِيمَـٰنًا مَّعَ إِيمَـٰنِهِمْ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ‌ٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْ‌ضِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ﴿٤

It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith. And to Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth, and ever is Allah Knowing and Wise. (4)

[Quran, Al-Fath 48:4]

Seek help from Allah and do not despair, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don’t say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what he had ordained to do, and your “If” opens the (gate) for the satan. [Muslim]

Oh Allah! I have surrendered myself to You, I have directed my face to You, I have entrusted my affairs to You, I have compelled my back to refuge in You, in want and in fright of You. There is no resort nor survival from You except (in turning) to You. I have faith in Your Book (the Qur'an) which you brought down and in the Prophet you have sent (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). [Bukhari, Muslim]

May Allah shower us and the Ummah with His Mercy. May Allah bring us closer to Him and increase our love for His beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Worldly Life is Like Water That Comes From the Sky (Rain)

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Worldly life is like water that comes from the sky (rain). Then the vegetation and rain water start mixing together, and then the entire land and vegetation becomes dry and reduce to dirt, which the winds carry and scatter away.

وَٱضْرِ‌بْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ ٱلْحَيَو‌ٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخْتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلْأَرْ‌ضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُ‌وهُ ٱلرِّ‌يَـٰحُ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرً‌ا ﴿٤٥

And present to them the example of the life of this world, it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability. (45)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:45]

Whatever goodness in this life comes from Allah but it is not going to be permanent. You and I are going to reduce to dirt one day. You have no control over it. Allah has always in absolute control of all things.

People are obsessed and striving for more and more comforts, more material goods, greater power over his fellow-men or over nature, and unceasing technological progress.

A passionate pursuit of such endeavors, to the exclusion of everything else, bars people from all spiritual insight and, hence, from the acceptance of any restrictions and inhibitions based on purely moral values - with the result that not only individuals but whole societies gradually lose all inner stability and thus, all chance of happiness. This unrestrained pursuit of "economic growth" and this materialistic world has, indeed, brought in our time - frustration, unhappiness and confusion, and people are losing all remnants of spiritual and religious orientation.

People will always be a loser as long as they are attached to this world. Allah Almighty says,

وَٱلْعَصْرِ‌ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ‌ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ‌ ﴿٣

By time (1) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (2) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (3)

[Qur'an, Al-'Asr 103:1-3]

The great fitnah of our time is materialism. The Dajjal will possess power over this world. Allah already set the stage for that person with the materialism that is spread today.

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) warns us that in the last days there would be someone who would deceive all of humanity. Thus, Muslims must be careful not to have the love of the world in their hearts so they won’t leave their religion and follow him.

Where do I begin?

Revive the sunnah of reading Surah Al-Kahf today and every Friday for the rest of your life and encourage others to do so.

On the authority of Sayyidna 'Ali (radhiAllahu anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, "One who recites Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu'ah will remain protected from every fitnah. And if Dajjal appears, he will stay safe against the trying challenges released by him as well."

Listen to what the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) says, "Accumulate 'everlasting virtues' as much as you can."

All deeds that qualify as righteous and sincere are abiding and everlasting in the sight of Allah.

ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَو‌ٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ‌ عِندَ رَ‌بِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ‌ أَمَلًا ﴿٤٦

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds, that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope. (46)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:46]

Sayyidna 'Ali (radhiAllahu anhu) said, 'Cultivation is of two kinds. Wealth and children are the cash crops of the mortal world while 'everlasting virtues' are the deferred crops of the Hereafter.'

Hasan al-Basri (rahimAllahu Ta'ala) said, 'Everlasting virtues are one's intention as the acceptance of righteous deeds depends on it.'

May Allah grant us righteous deeds and protect us from disobedience. May Allah grant relief quickly to the victims of the flood in Malaysia and all those who are in distress and suffering in all parts of the world. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Carrying the Legacy of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The blessed Companions have been described in the Qur'an fully, because the Prophet (ﷺ) is the Final Messenger and there shall be no prophet or messenger after him. He left behind him the Book of Allah and the paradigm of noble Companions to follow. Specific injunctions have been laid down to emulate their pattern of life. Therefore, the Qur'an too describes the merits of the blessed Companions, and encourages and emphasizes to follow their model of life.

Allah Almighty says,

مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّ‌سُولُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ‌ رُ‌حَمَآءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَ‌ىٰهُمْ رُ‌كَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِ‌ضْوَ‌ٰنًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِى وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ‌ ٱلسُّجُودِ ۚ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَ‌ىٰةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِى ٱلْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْ‌عٍ أَخْرَ‌جَ شَطْـَٔهُۥ فَـَٔازَرَ‌هُۥ فَٱسْتَغْلَظَ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِۦ يُعْجِبُ ٱلزُّرَّ‌اعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ‌ ۗ وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةً وَأَجْرً‌ا عَظِيمًۢا ﴿٢٩

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ); and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward. (29)

[Qur'an, Al-Fath 48:29]

The first quality of the Companions mentioned here is that they are hard against the disbelievers, and merciful to one another. It was proven time and again that they were harsh against the unbelievers. They sacrificed all their ethnic and tribal relations for the sake of Islam. This was especially demonstrated on the occasion of Hudaibiyah. The tenderness of the blessed Companions was especially demonstrated when Islamic brotherhood [mu'akhat] was created between muhajirs [emigrants from Makkah] and ansars [helpers from Madinah]. Ansar invited the muhajirin to share with them in their holdings. The Qur'an describes this quality of the blessed Companions first, because nothing they (the Companions) practiced - whether friendship or enmity, love or hatred - was for any selfish reasons. Everything was for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ)- and this is the highest degree of perfect faith.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

He who loves for the sake of Allah and hates for the sake of Allah has attained the highest degree of faith.

[Bukhari]

This means that anyone who has subjugated his friendship, love, hatred and enmity under the Will of Allah has perfected his faith. This clarifies another point: The Companions' being hard against the non-believers does not imply that they were never tender towards any non-believer. In fact it means that where Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) enjoins them to be hard against the non-believers, they would simply comply without taking into account the relations of kinship or friendship. As far as kind and equitable dealing with them is concerned the Qur'an itself promulgates:

لَّا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِ‌جُوكُم مِّن دِيَـٰرِ‌كُمْ أَن تَبَرُّ‌وهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ ﴿٨

Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. (8)

[Qur'an, Al-Mumtahina 60:8]

There is a large number of incidents where Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and the blessed Companions displayed their kindness and compassion to the helpless and needy unbelievers. Treating them with justice and equity is the general injunction of Islam. No activity flouting justice and equity is permissible even in the field of pitched battle.

The second quality of the blessed Companions is that they are generally preoccupied with bowing and prostrating. The first quality is the mark of their perfection in faith and the second quality is the mark of their perfection in deeds, because salah is the most meritorious of all the good deeds.

Their distinguishing feature is on their faces from the effect'of sajdah (prostration). That is to say, salah (prayer) has become such a permanent routine of their life that the special effects of salah and sajdah are evident on their faces. These distinguishing features do not necessarily refer to any physical sign on the forehead on account of constant prostration. This in fact refers to the light and brightness that is reflected naturally on the faces of the devout as a result of humility, meekness and gentleness of disposition. Particularly this is one of the effects that follow from offering tahajjud salah regularly. It is recorded in Ibn Majah on the authority of Sayyidna Jabir that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "He who offers his salah abundantly at night, his face looks good during the day."

Hasan Basri has said that the "features" in the verse refer to the light that the faces of those who pray will emit on the Day of Judgement.

There is unanimity among ummah on the point that all the noble Companions are impartial, unbiased and worthy of confidence. All Companions are inhabitants of Paradise and their sins are forgiven and to belittle them is a major sin. Many verses of the Qur'an bear testimony to this fact. For example,

Allah Almighty says,

وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةً وَأَجْرً‌ا عَظِيمًۢا ...

... Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward. (29)

[Qu'ran, Al-Fath 48:29]

وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِ‌ينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ‌ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ رَّ‌ضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَ‌ضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِ‌ى تَحْتَهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ‌ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۚ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ﴿١٠٠

And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment. (100)

[Qur'an, At-Tawba 9:100]

The Prophet (ﷺ) is reported to have said:

The best of generations is my generation, then that which follows it immediately and then that which follows it immediately.

(Bukhari)."

In a Hadith the Prophet (ﷺ) is reported to have said:

Do not revile my Companions, for if one of you contributed as much gold as the mount 'Qud, it would not amount to as much as the mudd of one of them, or half of it.

(Bukhari).

A mudd in Arabia was a measure which, according to the Hanafi school of Fiqh, is equal to 1.032 litre or 815. 39 grams and, according to the other three major schools, it is equal to 0.687 litre or 543 grams.

Bazzar records with a sound chain of transmitters that Prophet (ﷺ) is reported to have said:

Of all the people in the entire world Allah has chosen my Companions, and of all the Companions He has particularly chosen four for me - Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali.

There is a Hadith recorded in Tirmidhi on the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn Mughaffal. In it the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

Fear Allah, fear Allah regarding my Companions! Do not make them a target of your criticism after me. He who loves them does so on account of my love; he who hates them does so on account of hating me; and he who injures them has injured me, and he who injures me has injured Allah. He who intends to injure Allah will soon be punished by Him.

These all should tell us a lot what kind of loyalty we should have to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

In our times, there are people who see the Messenger (ﷺ) as the best example, which all of us are supposed to see. And there are those who are inspired by the Qur'an and are going to realize that the Messenger (ﷺ) is asking for help. He was here to do a task and the task is not done yet. We are supposed to be a part of that task. So many people don't know the words of Allah. So many people still don't know the Message, they haven't seen it. The people that are left to carry on the task are us. Allah says, "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ); and those with him ..." [Al-Fath 29] When you are with someone, you are traveling with him -- it means when they are on a mission/task, you are on a mission/task with them. Believing in someone does not mean you are with them.

إِنَّآ أَرْ‌سَلْنَـٰكَ شَـٰهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرً‌ۭا وَنَذِيرً‌ۭا ﴿٨﴾ لِّتُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِۦ وَتُعَزِّرُ‌وهُ وَتُوَقِّرُ‌وهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَ‌ةً وَأَصِيلًا ﴿٩

Indeed, We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner (8) That you [people] may believe in Allah and His Messenger and honor him and respect the Prophet and exalt Allah morning and afternoon. (9)

[Qur'an, Al-Fath 48:8-9]

If you have ta'zeer and tawqeer (honor and respect) for the Messenger (ﷺ) and really want to do tasbih of Allah (glorification of Allah), then you have crossed the stage of believing in him (ﷺ), now it is the time to be with him (ﷺ), now it is time to join his (ﷺ) mission, now it is the time to go out of your way to help accomplish what is needed to be done.

Identify at least one legacy that you are going to help, to serve Allah's Deen and out of your loyalty to the Messenger (ﷺ), which you are going to give your life to it. Once you find it and what Allah has made you capable of, you give yourself to it. Maybe they are other people who are doing something along the lines you are thinking, so you help them.

No one person can own reviving the entire legacy of the Messenger (ﷺ). No one person can carry his legacy. It takes the entire ummah to do and carry not even an ounce of what he carried himself in the 23 years of Prophethood. We have to pick something and give yourself to it so we may take those few drops before Allah in Day of Judgment and hope that those few things we do could earn us a good word from the Messenger on Judgment Day, the Day when nobody get to speak, and he speaks.

It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: The Prophet (ﷺ)told us:

When the Day of Resurrection comes, the people will surge with each other like waves. They will come to Adam and say, ‘Intercede for us with your Lord.’ He will say, ‘I am not fit for that. Go to Ibraaheem for he is the Close Friend of the Most Merciful.’ So they will go to Ibraaheem, but he will say, ‘I am not fit for that. Go to Moosa for he is the one to whom Allaah spoke directly.’ So they will go to Moosa but he will say, ‘I am not fit for that. Go to ‘Eesa for he is a soul created by Allaah and His Word.’ So they will go to ‘Eesa but he will say, ‘I am not fit for that.

Go to Muhammad (ﷺ).’ So they will come to me and I will say, I am fit for that.’

Then I will ask my Lord for permission and He will give me permission, and He will inspire me with words of praise with which I will praise Him, words that I do not know now. So I will praise Him with those words of praise and I will fall down prostrate before Him. He will say, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and intercession will be granted to you, ask and you will be given, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will say, ‘O Lord, my ummah, my ummah!’ He will say, ‘Go and bring forth everyone in whose heart there is faith the weight of a barley-grain.’ So I will go and do that.

Then I will come back and praise Him with those words of praise and I will fall down prostrate before Him. He will say, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and intercession will be granted to you, ask and you will be given, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will say, ‘O Lord, my ummah, my ummah!’ He will say, ‘Go and bring forth everyone in whose heart there is faith the weight of a small ant or a mustard-seed.’ So I will go and do that.

Then I will come back and praise Him with those words of praise and I will fall down prostrate before Him. He will say, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and intercession will be granted to you, ask and you will be given, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will say, ‘O Lord, my ummah, my ummah!’ He will say, ‘Go and bring forth from the Fire everyone in whose heart there is faith the weight of the lightest, lightest grain of mustard-seed.’ So I will go and bring them forth.”

When we left Anas I [the narrator of the hadeeth] said to some of our companions, “Why don’t we go to al-Hasan, who is hiding in the house of Abu Khaleefah, and tell him what Anas ibn Maalik has told us?” So we went to him, greeted him with salaam and he gave us permission to enter. Then we said, “O Abu Sa’eed, we have come to you from your brother Anas ibn Maalik, and we have never heard anything like what he narrated to us about intercession.” He said, “Tell me.” So we narrated the hadeeth to him and we came to this point and he said, “Keep going.” We said, “He did not tell us any more.”

He said, “He told me this hadeeth when he was a young man, twenty years ago. I do not know if he forgot or if he did not want to let you depend on what he might have said. We said, “O Abu Sa’eed, tell us.” He smiled and said, “Man was created hasty. I only mentioned that because I wanted to inform you of it. Anas told me the same as he told you, and said that the Prophet (ﷺ) added: “Then I will come back a fourth time and praise Him with those words of praise and I will fall down prostrate before Him. He will say, ‘O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and intercession will be granted to you, ask and you will be given, intercede and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will say, ‘O Lord, give me permission (to bring forth) all those who said Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah.’ He will say, ‘By My Might, My Majesty, My Supremacy and My Greatness, I will most certainly bring forth from it those who said Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah.’

[Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7510]

May Allah use and choose us to carry the legacy of His Beloved Messenger (ﷺ) and grant us success. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Source: Tafsir Maariful Qur'an

Exposing to the Danger of Telling Lies About the Prophet ﷺ

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Islam does not favor men nor women. It favors justice. So when you read a hadith, you have to read it with this view or you are doing injustice. Always keep in mind that the sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) is a source of guidance and mercy and nothing in it should be a cause of oppression.

Many people, maybe because of their lack of understanding, personal biases or personal predisposition use or teach hadith in a negative context. As a result many people develop an aversion of the sunnah because of the horrible way the hadith were taught to them or applied on them.

Be careful when you bring out any hadith without understand its full context because without this understanding you may be exposing yourself to the danger of lying about the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). Telling lies about the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) is a great evil and a serious sin.

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “Telling lies about me is not like telling lies about anyone else. Whoever tells lies about me deliberately, let him take his place in Hell.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1229]

It was also narrated by Muslim in the Introduction to his Saheeh, without the phrase “Telling lies about me is not like telling lies about anyone else.”

For example, some men will use the following hadith against his wife to coerce her to obey him.

"If a husband calls his wife to bed and she refuses, the angels will curse her until she gets up in the morning." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

First, why would you want your wife to live under the threat of Allah's curse? Is that what you called love? Is that a relationship? No, that's emotional slavery!

This abusive way of using any hadith of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) is diminishing the dignity of Muslims.

Note: This hadith is for women that manipulate their husbands, who get their way with their husbands.

We have to have the highest regard for the Sunnah and part of the respect for the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) is to study his Sunnah exhaustively or at least understand from scholars who have studied them exhaustively before you make any conclusion about a hadith and allow yourself to reach a conclusion prematurely.

May Allah guide us and grant us sound understanding of His religion, the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam

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

Reverence of Imam Malik for the Messenger of Allah

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Abu Abdullah, Malik ibn Anas ibn Malik ibn Amer al-Asbahee (may Allah have mercy on him) was born in Madinah in the year 93 A.H. (714 CE). His ancestral home was in Yemen, but his grandfather settled in Madinah after embracing Islam.

Born into a well-to-do family, Imam Malik did not need to work for a living. He was highly attracted to the study of Islam, and ended up devoting his entire life to the study of Fiqh. Imam Malik received his education in what was the most important seat of Islamic learning, Madinah, and lived where the immediate descendants and the followers of the companions of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, were living.

It is said that Imam Malik sought out over three hundred Tabi’een or those who saw and followed the companions of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Imam Malik held the hadeeth of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, in such reverence that he never narrated, taught any hadeeth or gave a fatwa without being in a state of ritual purity, Ghusl. Ismael ibn abi Uwaiss said, “I asked my uncle Imam Malik – about something. He had me sit, made ablution, then said, ‘Laa hawla wala quwata illa billah.’ He did not give any fatwa without saying it first.”

Also, Imam Malik saw fatwa as a sensitive, precise, and important action that can have far reaching results, and used to be extremely careful about giving it to the extent that if he was not sure about a matter, he would not dare to talk. Al-Haytham said, “I once was with Imam Malik when he was asked more than forty questions and I heard him reply, ‘I do not know,’ to thirty two of them.”

Yet, he was the man about whom Imam ash-Shafi’ee said, ‘When scholars are mentioned, Malik is like the star among them.’ Malik said that he did not sit to give fatwa, before seventy of the Madinah scholars first witnessed to his competence in doing so.

Imam Malik became the Imam of the Madinah, and one of the most renowned Imams of Islam.

Imam Malik’s Famous Muwatta

He is the author of al-Muwatta’ (“The Approved”), formed of the sound narrations from the Prophet together with the sayings of his companions, their followers, and those after them. Malik said, “I showed my book to seventy scholars of Madinah, and every single one of them approved it for me (kulluhum wata-ani alayh), so I named it ‘The Approved’.”

Imam Bukhari said that the soundest of all chains of transmission was “Malik, from Nafi, from Ibn Umar.” The scholars of hadeeth call it the Golden Chain, and there are eighty narrations with this chain in the Muwatta. Malik composed al-Muwatta in the course of forty years, having started with ten thousand narrations until he reduced them to their present number of fewer than 2,000.

Like all scholars of Islam, Imam Malik was famous for his piety and integrity. He courageously stood up, and was prepared to suffer, for his convictions. When the governor of Madinah demanded and forced people to take the oath of allegiance to Khalifah al-Mansour, Imam Malik issued a fatwa that such an oath was not binding because it was given under coercion. He based this opinion of the hadeeth, “The divorce of the coerced does not take effect” (laysa ala mustakrahin talag). This resulted in many people finding courage to express their opposition, but Imam Malik was arrested, found guilty of defiance, and publicly flogged.

Imam Malik’s followers and disciples developed a Fiqh school, Madh-hab, based on his Ijtihad which came to be known as the Maliki Madh-hab. This Madh-hab spread in North Africa, al-Andalus, much of Egypt, and some of al-Sham, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, and Khurasan. Today, Malikis are mostly found in North and West Africa, Egypt, Sudan and the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

On Monday 14th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 179 A H., Imaam Malik (R.A) took leave from this world in the city of Madinah and is buried in the famous al-Baqie cemetery.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam

And Allah knows best
Wassalaam

Source: Imam Malik

A Gift For The Messenger of Allah ﷺ

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Lots of Muslims nowadays celebrate birthdays with families and friends, often with a gift, party and making du'a for the birthday person, and nobody will tell them it is a bid'a (innovation) and you can't do that. At the same time lots of Muslims don't even know when the Prophet ﷺ was born. And lots more shy away from celebrating the Prophet's ﷺ birthday because "it is a bid'a."

Regardless of which side we are on, we have to understand and recognize that not all bid'a is bad. In this time when people are distant from the religion, and birthdays have become a culture of the world, including in Muslim societies, while many Muslims don't have a clue about the life of the greatest and beloved Messenger of Allah ﷺ, it becomes imperative that we bring out the significance of the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, the month in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was born.

Tomorrow we will enter the month of Rabi' al-Awwal. This is a great opportunity for Muslims to rethink about their commitment to guidance and instilling in the hearts love for Allah’s greatest beloved ﷺ.

Habib Omar's (may Allah preserve him and benefit us by him) advice on welcoming Rabi'al Awwal and on a gift for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ

“Receive the month of his birth ﷺ with actions that will draw your Lord’s felicity and assistance such that you enter into the circles of those whom He loves and are gathered under his banner ﷺ […] Receive this month well with truthful turning to Allah and with increase in faith, love, and certainty. Let mention of the Prophet, his birth, his life, his news fill your homes. Raise your voices in invocations of blessings upon him. Illuminate your hearts and your homes by them…”

In reality we are unable to benefit him in any way but what pleases him is for us to understand his words and his teachings and then by acting upon that to attain high stations. He is content with that which benefits us.

One of the greatest of those things (as we understand from the Book and the Sunnah) is for us to be a means of guidance for someone. That person may be a non-Muslim who accepts Islam or a disobedient or heedless Muslim who repents and becomes upright.

Another thing is giving life to his Sunnah and establishing it. If we establish the Sunnah in our homes and teach it to our children this makes him happy because it is us that benefit from this. He said in the hadith: “Whoever brings life to my Sunnah during the time of corruption of my Ummah will have the reward of a martyr” (or in one narration: “one hundred martyrs”).

Another thing is to do good to the creation in general, to the believers specifically, and the elite of the believers more specifically.

A further thing is to strengthen our love for the believers, for the people of the Prophetic Household and for the Companions.

Finally, we should make big intentions in Rabi’ al-Awwal, such as gathering together to celebrate the birth of the Prophet and spreading knowledge.

May Allah increase our love for the beloved Messenger of Allah and resurrect us with him and enter us into the highest Paradise with him without reckoning. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Related Archive
Respect and Reverence for the Messenger of Allah

Respect and Reverence For the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

As the world becomes increasingly individualistic, things that used to be a big deal, they stopped being a big deal. Cultures around the world that used to have respect for things -- elders, art, children's songs, women of dignified families and women in general, whatever it maybe, that you don't poke fun around it, have stopped having the reverence and respect for these things. More and more people don't even see themselves as part of their own family and barely associate themselves with their own parents, let alone their community, society, city, nation, etc.

There is a loss of reverence universally. And if you are living in a society that generally has no reverence, the replacement is cynicism. We are increasingly cynical as a people and so we celebrate being cynical. And the only worth reverence left is yourself -- that the one that should not be made fun of is you...was that a comment about my gender, my race, my ethnicity, my profession? People have become extremely on the edge about themselves. Everybody has become really super sensitive about their own individual integrity but not nearly as sensitive about anything or anyone else.

Many of us are not people necessarily born with or raised with the highest level of Islam. We are exposed to many cultural forces or psychological forces that are directly completely opposite to our ancestors who were raised with Islam. The things they have regard and respect for that came naturally for them don't occur naturally for us. So we have to build it. And that is not difficult if we are committed to guidance.

Those who are committed to guidance, Allah will increase them in guidance.

وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱهْتَدَوْا۟ زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَءَاتَىٰهُمْ تَقْوَىٰهُمْ ﴿١٧

And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness. (17)

[Qur'an, Muhammad 47:17]

So, put an effort into listening the words of His Messenger (ﷺ). We are not blessed to hear his voice but we still have his words. His voice may not be here, but his words carry on.

Allah Almighty says,

فَهَلْ يَنظُرُ‌ونَ إِلَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَ‌اطُهَا ۚ فَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَ‌ىٰهُمْ ﴿١٨

Then do they await except that the Hour should come upon them unexpectedly? But already there have come [some of] its indications. Then what good to them, when it has come, will be their remembrance? (18)

[Qur'an, Muhammad 47:18]

What more is there for us to look forward to in this life if it is not the words of His beloved Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? The greatest event in the world history has come to pass -- the death of the Prophet (ﷺ). The great event left after the Prophet (ﷺ) is the coming of the Hour. So if you are not anticipating holding on to every word he left, then the only thing you are looking forward to is the Hour.

Allah commanded us to obey the messengers of Allah and to have deep-seated respect for them.

Obedience to Allah’s final Messenger (ﷺ) comes from following his sunnah. A conscious and meticulous adherence to the sunnah can only be possible through a true perception of the importance attached to the Prophets in the Qur’an.

The following will give us a glimpse of the Qur'an on how our attitude and behaviors should be toward the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

***Not Preferring Oneself to the Messenger (ﷺ), Supporting and Defending Him

In the Qur’an Allah reveals that his messengers are special people with superior moral virtues. A messenger is an appointed representative of Allah on Earth, a standard of the morality of Islam, and a leader of the believers. Among His servants, His messengers are those who display the code of ethics most pleasing to Allah. They fear no one but Allah, unconditionally obeying and submitting to Him. They are men of the highest morals, who set the best example for believers in every matter. They are very important in Allah’s Sight and He keeps them under His protection.

Allah made prophets and messengers superior in rank to other people. In the Muslim community, they therefore assume a privileged and central role. For this reason, a believer must prefer the Prophet (ﷺ) over himself.

... مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَ‌ابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُوا۟ عَن رَّ‌سُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْ‌غَبُوا۟ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ

It was not [proper] for the people of Madinah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allah or that they prefer themselves over his self...

[Qur'an, at-Tawba 9:120]

Owing to this distinguished status, Allah commands believers to defend and support His Messenger (ﷺ).

فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُ‌وهُ وَنَصَرُ‌وهُ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلنُّورَ‌ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿١٥٧ ...

...So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful. (157)

[Qur'an, al-A‘raf 7:157]

إِنَّآ أَرْ‌سَلْنَـٰكَ شَـٰهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرً‌ۭا وَنَذِيرً‌ۭا ﴿٨﴾ لِّتُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِۦ وَتُعَزِّرُ‌وهُ وَتُوَقِّرُ‌وهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَ‌ةً وَأَصِيلًا ﴿٩

Indeed, We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner (8) That you [people] may believe in Allah and His Messenger and honor him and respect the Prophet and exalt Allah morning and afternoon. (9)

[Qur'an, Al-Fath 48:8-9]

We don't really know what tasbih (exalting Allah) means until we have proper regard for the Prophet (ﷺ). Our tasbih really does'nt mean much if we don't have honor and respect for the Rasululullah (ﷺ). We learn tasbih from Rasululullah (ﷺ) and if you don't show respect to the teacher, we will be learning tasbih but we won't be doing tasbih. The closeness of Allah to the Messenger (ﷺ) is shown when He talks to the Messenger He said "We" إِنَّآ and tell us to honor and respect him (the Messenger) ... وَتُعَزِّرُ‌وهُ وَتُوَقِّرُ‌وهُ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا ﴿٥٦

Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet [ﷺ], and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace. (56)

[Qur'an, al-Ahzab 33:56]

The honor that Allah has given His Messenger (ﷺ) are beyond fathom. Another example is when the Prophet (ﷺ) was honored to go up to siddratul muntaha in mi'raj. The angel Jibril alayhissalaam could only accompany the Prophet (ﷺ) to the seventh heavens because if Jibril go further his wings would burn off. Imagine this...Jibril's wings would burn off but the skin of the Prophet (ﷺ) was fine.

There are people that look at the Prophet (ﷺ) and the only respect they have for him is that he is the carrier of the Qur'an. But actually that itself is a huge disrespect of the Prophet (ﷺ). We should honor him as the person that Allah chose as being the most qualified, the best example for mankind and on top of that he has the Qur'an. Then there are some people that reduced the Prophet (ﷺ) as being only a vessel for guidance -- he is not special in of himself. Actually, in the Qur'an before the revelation started, Allah made a big deal of the Prophet (ﷺ).

***Not Putting Oneself Before Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)

As Allah describes in the Qur’an, the messengers are gifted people in terms of intelligence, reasoning, comprehension and wisdom, and thus superior to other believers. They display the attributes of a believer in the best manner. Muslims should in this respect be aware of their own standing in humility and in the face of the apparent superiority of the Messengers, show them great respect and honor, and support and follow them. Allah expresses this in the Qur’an as follows.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ بَيْنَ يَدَىِ ٱللَّهِ وَرَ‌سُولِهِۦ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿١

O you who have believed, do not put [anyone, anything, philosophy, idea, agenda, etc] before Allah and His Messenger but fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (1)

[Qur'an, al-Hujurat 49:1]

Putting oneself before Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), which is not proper in terms of respect, may assume various forms, such as implying the superiority of one’s own intelligence or interrupting while he is speaking. It is unlikely that any believer would deliberately dare to commit such undesirable acts. Yet he should always be on guard so as not to transgress Allah’s limits thoughtlessly.

***Not Raising One’s Voice Above the Prophet’s (ﷺ)

The messengers have a special and superior status among the other believers due to their strong character and faith as described in the verses of the Qur’an. Indeed, Allah makes clear every detail of conduct regarding Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), including one’s speech and tone of voice, as the basis of a sincere and correct understanding of respect.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَرْ‌فَعُوٓا۟ أَصْوَ‌ٰتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُ‌وا۟ لَهُۥ بِٱلْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ‌ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَن تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَـٰلُكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُ‌ونَ ﴿٢

O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not. (2)

[Qur'an, al-Hujurat 49:2]

Allah reminded believers not to raise their voice above the voice of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as they did to one another. The matter that deserves attention here is that beyond being good manners, it is a commandment of Allah. Indeed, the mention of a contrary attitude that would nullify good deeds marks the importance of this issue. It is incorrect to think of this commandment as ordinary encouragement of good manners, rather than an absolute command. The same mistake is often made with other Qur’anic rulings, as well.

We don't have the Prophet's (ﷺ) voice anymore but we have his words. When his words are being cited or something is being attributed to him, correctly or incorrectly, if you don't know for sure, don't raise your voice (above the Prophet ﷺ). Not only we should learn to be quiet when he is being talked about but we listen and not respond. Don't get into the daleel (evidence) tennis match which inevitably will turn the noble words of Prophet (ﷺ) into toys and weapons to further your own ego. Don't get involve in such argument on the Prophet's (ﷺ) words. Don't call the Prophet (ﷺ) out loud, i.e don't have a conversation about him like anybody else.

The fact is that honoring Allah’s messenger (ﷺ) is actually honoring Allah. Similarly, an adverse attitude toward the Messenger (ﷺ) reflects one toward Allah, and deliberately lacking in respect for His Messenger (ﷺ) is most displeasing to Allah. However, it is essential for anyone, even if he is a believer, who raises his voice in the presence of the messenger with no such deliberate intent, out of ignorance or thoughtlessness or a mistaken conception of honesty, to immediately abandon that error and display the kind of behavior that will most nobly and politely express his profound respect for and devotion to the messenger.

The significance of this topic is revealed by Allah in the following verse.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَغُضُّونَ أَصْوَ‌ٰتَهُمْ عِندَ رَ‌سُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱمْتَحَنَ ٱللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۚ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةٌ وَأَجْرٌ‌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٣

Indeed, those who lower their voices before the Messenger of Allah - they are the ones whose hearts Allah has tested for righteousness. For them is forgiveness and great reward. (3)

[Qur'an, al-Hujurat 49:3]

In a similar manner, Allah reveals in the Qur’an that addressing the Messenger (ﷺ) from outside his rooms was a sign of lack of consideration that believers must strongly avoid.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنَادُونَكَ مِن وَرَ‌آءِ ٱلْحُجُرَ‌ٰ‌تِ أَكْثَرُ‌هُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٤

Indeed, those who call you, [O Muhammad], from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason. (4)

[Qur'an, al-Hujurat 49:4]

If there is an argument over something and the other person quotes a hadith, which you might not agree as how he used the hadith, or a hadith you may not even heard before, or maybe you are not sure about the authenticity, before you think about "I want to counter that one" your immediate response should be "as far as I am concerned it is over," because he just brought in the Prophet (ﷺ). You should do your investigation afterwards but at the time, out of reverence for the Prophet (ﷺ), even if don't get it, listen carefully, then Allah will guide you.

***Complying with the Prophet’s Words Willingly and Sincerely

A believer is obedient to the orders of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ); while complying with the Prophet's (ﷺ) judgments, he feels not a speck of distress or discomfort in his heart. He knows that everything that Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) command is the truest, the best and the most beneficial. Aware that every commandment of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) is best for him, a believer complies willingly under any circumstances. This sincere and submissive approach emanates from the believer’s faith.

On the other hand, an obedient appearance that lacks heartfelt submission could point to weakness in faith.

فَلَا وَرَ‌بِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ‌ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا۟ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَ‌جًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا ﴿٦٥

But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission. (65)

[Qur'an, an-Nisa’ 4:65]

For various reasons a hypocrite may display apparent obedience and meticulously observe certain commandments. Yet it is not true faith, so long as one does not obey with ardent submission. Hesitation reveals that a person still harbors some doubts and concerns about Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). The lack of a deep and inner obedience and submitting only physically to Allah vitiates a person’s deeds. Pretended submission can leave one bereft of rewards in the Hereafter. This being the case, any believer will welcome a commandment from the Messenger (ﷺ) with inner joy and happiness and relish the resulting feeling of compliance. Downheartedness or disappointment over any just decision are attitudes incompatible with faith.

***Not Considering the Messenger (ﷺ) Indebted for One’s Islam or Service to the Religion

Allah may commission anyone, even unbelievers, to serve His religion. That Allah subjected devils to the service of Prophet Sulayman alayhissalaam is indeed a fact related in the Qur’an. Be he a believer or unbeliever, everyone is merely a means for the accomplishment of Allah's decree. It is Allah Who possesses the will and power, and essentially, He will make Islamic moral values victorious through His means.

In the Qur’an, Allah mentions the corrupt character of those who, unaware of such facts, presented their acceptance of Islam and their services as a favor to the Messenger (ﷺ) due to their inferior mentality.

يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا۟ ۖ قُل لَّا تَمُنُّوا۟ عَلَىَّ إِسْلَـٰمَكُم ۖ بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَىٰكُمْ لِلْإِيمَـٰنِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ﴿١٧

They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islam. Say, "Do not consider your Islam a favor to me. Rather, Allah has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful." (17)

[Qur'an, al-Hujurat 49:17]

In the verse Allah shows that the truth is otherwise; a person who embraces the religion does not do Islam any honor; rather, Islam grants honor to him.

In several verses, Allah states that He will replace people who reject His ordained way of life with others.

وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَ‌كُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓا۟ أَمْثَـٰلَكُم ﴿٣٨ ...

...And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you. (38)

[Qur'an, Muhammad 47:38]

People with such a mistaken outlook must fear falling under the terms of the scope of these verses and immediately alter their perspective. More than anyone else, people of faith should take this admonition to heart. Allah will certainly give rewards to a believer who seeks His good pleasure with a sincere heart and pure intent.

May Allah guide us and increase us in guidance. May Allah increase our love and reverence for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wasahbihi wassallam

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Revive a Sunnah -- Reward of Deeds of Fifty Men Among The Companions

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) is a ship of salvation and a haven of safety.

Narrated Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

My example and the example of what I have been sent with is that of a man who came to some people and said, 'O people! I have seen the enemy's army with my own eyes, and I am the naked warner; so protect yourselves!' Then a group of his people obeyed him and fled at night proceeding stealthily till they were safe, while another group of them disbelieved him and stayed at their places till morning when the army came upon them, and killed and ruined them completely So this is the example of that person who obeys me and follows what I have brought (the Qur'an and the Sunna), and the example of the one who disobeys me and disbelieves the truth I have brought.

[Bukhari]

'Irbad bin Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

One day Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered us a very eloquent Khutbah on account of which eyes shed tears and hearts were full of tears. A man said: "O Prophet of Allah, this is as if it were a parting advice. So advise us". He (ﷺ) said, "I admonish you to fear Allah, to listen and obey even if an Abyssinian slave is appointed as your leader. Because whosoever among you shall live after me, will see much discord. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the examples of the Rightly- Guided Caliphs who will come after me. Adhere to them and hold to it fast. Beware of new things (in Deen) because every Bid'ah is a misguidance".

[Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

Undoubtedly, the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) is written down and easily accessible to the one who seeks it. All we have to do is look for it.

Sunnahs may be obligatory (fardh/waajib), or they may be recommended (mustahabb), or they may come under the heading of good manners or good attitude. The Muslim should do every Sunnah that he is able to, seeking the pleasure of Allah.

The religiously-committed person is the one who, every time he hears a hadith, rushes to apply it and is very keen to act upon it, whether it is mustahabb or naafil (supererogatory).

You may see someone striving to read more Qur’an and recite more dhikr than others, or you may see him doing a lot of different kinds of acts of worship, striving to ensure that all his deeds and acts of worship are in accordance with the Sunnah, so that these deeds and acts of worship will be acceptable to Allah, because when a deed is accepted the Muslim attains the good pleasure of his Lord.

When evil and corruption become widespread and innovation and fitnah prevail, the reward for the one who adheres to the Sunnah will be greater, and the status of those who follow the Sunnah will be higher, for they are living as strangers with the light that they bear in the midst of that darkness and because of their efforts to set the people’s affairs straight.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Islam began as something strange and will revert to being something strange, so glad tidings to the strangers.” It was said: Who are they, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “Those who are righteous when the people are corrupt.”
[Muslim].

Narrated Abu Umayah Ash-Sha'bani (may Allah be pleased with him:

I went to Abu Tha'balah Al-Khushani and said to him: 'How do you deal with this Ayah?' He said: 'Which Ayah?' I said: 'Allah's saying: Take care of yourselves! If you follow the guidance no harm shall come to you (5:105).' He said: 'Well, by Allah! I asked one well-informed about it, I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it. [So] he said: "Rather, comply with (and order) the good, and stay away from (and prohibit) the evil, until you see avarice obeyed, desires followed, and the world preferred, and everyone is amazed with his view. Then you should be worried about yourself in particular, and worry of the common folk. Ahead of you are the days in which patience is like holding onto an ember, for the doer (of righteous deeds) during them is the like of the reward of fifty of those who do the like of what you do." 'Abdullah bin Al-Mubarak said: "It was added for me, by other than 'Utbah, that it was said: 'O Messenger of Allah! The reward of fifty men among us, or them?' He said: 'No! Rather the reward of fifty men among you.'

[At-Tirmidhi]

May Allah grant us tawfiq. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- "Your Best Day is Friday"

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Friday is the best day for Muslims. So, receive Friday with actions that will draw your Lord’s felicity and assistance such that you enter into the circles of those whom He loves and are gathered under the Banner of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).

The highlights of Friday for Muslims are Friday prayer with a sermon (mandatory for men), reading Surah al-Kahf and invoking lots of blessings upon His beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).

There are sahih ahaadith concerning the merits and virtues of reading Surah al-Kahf on Friday and following are among them:

(a) From Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, who said: “Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Ka’bah).”[Narrated by al-Daarimi]

(b) “Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.” [Narrated by Al-Hakim]

(c) It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (radhiAllahu anhuma) said: “The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: ‘Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays.’” [Al-Mundhiri said, this was narrated by Abu Bakr ibn Mardawayh in his Tafseer, with an isnaad with which there was nothing wrong.]

The Surah may be read during the night or the day of Jumu’ah. The night of Jumu’ah starts from sunset on Thursday, and the day of Jumu’ah ends at sunset. Therefore the time for reading this Surah extends from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Friday.

Amongst the most noble of selfless acts we can undertake is to send prayers of peace and blessings upon the Final Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). Allah Almighty establishes this noble act Himself first and foremost; how noble is an act that Allah The Compassionate Himself confirms to Do! He, The exalted, states:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتَهُۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ ۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ صَلُّوا۟ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا۟ تَسْلِيمًا ﴿٥٦

Verily, God and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet: O you who believe! Send blessings upon him and salute him with all due respect to him.”

[Qur’an, Al-Ahzab 33:56]

In the midst of a world full of corruption, incessant maligning of God and the Prophets of God, absent of peace, and starving for blessings, there is no quicker, better and greater way for the Believer of One God to seek His Grace, Protection, Favor and Blessing, other than invoking the blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam).

Invoking peace and blessings upon the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) opens the floodgates of peace and blessings upon ourselves.

اللّهُمّ صَلّ عَلَى مُحَمّدٍ
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad

This is no small matter. To explain further, in another narration, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), said:

“Whoever will send one blessing upon me, God will send ten blessings upon him.” [Related by Muslim]

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “The closest people to me on the Day of Resurrection will be those who invoked the most blessings upon me.” [Related by Tirmidhi]

And who from amongst you would not want to be in the company of the Beloved of the Lord, who has been given the authority when no other authority will exist to intercede for us, let alone be closest to him!

“Verily, your best day is Friday, so invoke blessings upon me in abundance on this day, for your invocation is presented to me.’ They said, ‘O Messenger of God! How can our invocations be presented to you after your bones have turned to dust? He replied ‘Verily, God has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of the Messengers.” [Narrated by ibn Majah and others]

To this profound reality of the blessed beloved Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), it is incumbent to quote from the Divine Speech of Allah, The Exalted, related to the Prophetic narration above:

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

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

[Qur’an, At-Tawba 9:128]

The Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) concern is continuous and was not limited to a particular time or people, but to all who are from his community til the end of time. There is no question or ambiguity regarding this fact: the Prophet’s concern and care for us remains til the end of time and into the Hereafter. Seek every gathering and every moment of your voluntary and free time and send salutation upon the one whom Allah does not reject.

“He who invokes blessings upon me, the angels send blessings upon him equal to that which he invoked, so let the worshiper invoke some, or increase upon that.” [Recorded by Tirmidhi]

In a tradition narrated by Ubayy bin Ka’ab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said; ‘I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I supplicate often, so how much of my supplication should I devote to you?’ He replied, ‘as you desire’. I said, ‘a quarter of it?’ He said ‘as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you.’ I said, ‘half of it?’ He said, ‘as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you.’ I said, ‘two-thirds of it?’ He said again, ‘as you desire, but if you were to increase upon this, it would be better for you.’ Finally I said, ‘and if I dedicate my supplication in its entirety to you?’ He said, ‘then your needs will be satisfied, and your sins forgiven.’[Recorded by Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Hakim]

Note here, that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) himself authorizes not only one or ten salutations, but as many as anyone wishes, that they are permitted to increase it to whatever they are capable of. Whether it is one, one hundred, one million or one billion; the right to send as many salutations upon the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) is your God-given right.

But take heed, that anyone who would either see the sending of salutations upon the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) as a wasteful act or a simple matter, or not worthy of gathering for, then the Prophet has also warned us:

“He who, when I am mentioned before him, fails to invoke blessings upon me is a miser.”

And:

“Disgraced be the person who, when I am mentioned before him, fails to invoke blessings upon me.” [both Hadīths, recorded by Tirmidhi]

Don't take part in a mindset or a community that decimates and prevents this honorable act of invoking peace and blessings of Allah Almighty upon His Beloved Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam). Understand its irreplaceable value and hold on to those who aid and assist you to invoke Allah’s Peace and Blessings. As the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said himself:

“Allah, without any doubt, has angels that roam the earth and convey to me the greetings of my community.” [Recorded by Tirmidhi]

May Allah bestow His unbounded and overflowing peace and blessings be upon His Beloved Messenger and bless our Friday and all the days of our lives, forgive all our sins, make this world a peaceful place for us to worship Him and seek beneficial knowledge, and make all our deeds acceptable to Him, for He is the All-Hearing, Ever-Responsive.

Ameen.

Please keep us in your du'as. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

70000 People Will Enter Paradise Without Reckoning or Punishment

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) told the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that there will be 70,000 people who will enter Paradise without reckoning or punishment and he described their special characteristics.

What would most people do if an imam read this part of the hadith to them and it is the first time they heard it? You can experiment this in your masjid or with your group...you will find that most people don't have any reaction--it makes no difference to them whether you say it or not, it doesn't move them; and most who appear to be listening would forget it in the next instant like a news item.

Here is one narration of the hadith.

Narrated by al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘I was shown the nations. One Prophet passed by with a group, another passed by with a small band, another with ten followers, another with five, and another on his own (with no followers). I looked and saw a huge multitude, and I said, “O Jibril, are these my ummah?” He said “No, but look at the horizon.” So I looked and saw a huge multitude. He said, “These are your ummah, and these are seventy thousand at their head who will not be brought to account or punished.” I said, “How come?” He said, “They do not use branding, or seek ruqya, or believe in bad omens; they put their trust in their Lord.”’ ‘Ukhaashah ibn Mihsan stood up and said, ‘Pray to Allah to make me one of them!’ He [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)] said, ‘O Allah, make him one of them.’ Then another man stood up and said, ‘Pray to Allah to make me one of them.’ He said, ‘ ‘Ukhaashah has beaten you to it.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6059).

Everything from the Qur'an and Hadith is meant for immediate action, no passive listening. If it is a commandment, do it; if it is a prohibition, stay away from it; if it is a story, take lessons from it; and so on. Whatever fell into our ears is not by chance, it is not a coincidence. It is your test...Allah wants to see what you are going to do with it. Most people failed -- perhaps ignorance, perhaps heedlessness. But not the true believers--their heart quakes when God is mentioned and when His signs are recited, it increases them in faith.

Allah Almighty says,

نَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّـهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ﴿٢﴾ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣﴾ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا ۚ لَّهُمْ دَرَجَاتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴿٤

Those only are believers who, when God is mentioned, their hearts quake, and when His signs are recited to them, it increases them in faith, and in their Lord they put their trust, (2) those who perform the prayer, and expend of what We have provided them, (3) those in truth are the believers; they have degrees with their Lord, and forgiveness, and generous provision. (4)

[Qur'an, Al-Anfal 8:2-4]

The sahabah did not take what the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) told them as news items, but they would be busy reflecting it on themselves. Ukhaashah (may Allah be pleased with him) immediately stood up and said, 'Ask Allah to make me one of them.' The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'You are one of them.' Then another sahabah stood up and said, 'Ask Allah to make me one of them.' He said, 'Ukhaashah has beaten you to it.'

The seventy thousand referred to in this hadeeth are of a high status in this ummah because of some special qualities that they have, as mentioned in the hadeeth: “They are the ones who do not seek ruqya, do not believe in bad omens and do not use branding; they put their trust in their Lord…” and Ukhaashah is among them for being the first to respond to the hadith.

If you want to be one of them, what are you waiting for? Get to action! And rush to be the first!

May Allah resurrect us with His beloved Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam and enter us into the highest Paradise with him without reckoning and punishment. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam