بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
One of the most soothing aspects of our faith is the knowledge that Allah has our backs when times get difficult. It is knowing that Allah has promised to be on the side of the believers. In times of fear and difficulty, it is important that we remind ourselves all the time of the promises that Allah has given us. Here are some of His promises to the believers:
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ ﴿١٥٢
So remember Me, I will remember you. [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:152]
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Remember Allah in times of ease and He will remember you in times of difficulty.” [Narrated by at-Tirmidhi]
In another hadith in Tirmidhi a man came and said that he was finding faith slightly difficult to manage and asked for an easy deed that he could do all the time. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grnat him peace) responded, “Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah.”
How amazing is it that Allah mentions our names to Himself? That He mentions our names to the angels? That He mentions our names in the categories of rewards each day? The number one way to ensure that the help of Allah will be with us is to be in constant remembrance and awareness of Allah. It is a habit that can never ever be harmful. It will help us in removing our sins and improving our good deeds.
... وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
If you are grateful, I will increase you... [Quran, Ibrahim 14:7]
It is an amazing world that we live in. For most of us, we live lives far better than even kings and emperors did a few hundred years ago. And yet we are unhappy and depressed. Part of that is not recognizing what Allah has already given to us in this world. Contentment and ease come when we are thankful and happy with what Allah has given us.
But Allah promises more. He says that being thankful will increase us. And He doesn’t say in what it will increase us. In fact, if we are thankful for one or two things, Allah will increase us more and more in all things in our lives. We should be thankful for the little that we have and Allah will increase us in it. If we feel that we have less wealth, then we should be thankful for what little we have and Allah will bring an increase. If we feel that we are not as happy as before, then we should be thankful for the few days of the year when we are happy and Allah will bring and increase in it and so on and so forth.
... وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
Call on me, I will respond. [Quran, Ghafir 40:60]
Among the greatest blessings of Allah upon us is that He will respond to our du'as. And in Surah Ghafir He gives an express system— we call and He answers. What a merciful Lord! In fact one of the names of Allah is Al-Mujeeb, the One who responds.
When we look back, we will see that Allah has given us millions of things without us ever even asking for them. So what then of the things that we ask for? In hadith literature we see that the Prophet said that there are three possible responses for du'a: 1. It being accepted as it is, 2. A harm removed from our lives in exchange for it, and 3. We are rewarded for it in the hereafter.
There is no loss ever in making du'a. And every time we make du'a, we are earning good deeds too.
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّـهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ ﴿٣٣ ...
. . . nor would He punish them if they sought forgiveness. [Quran, Al-Anfal 8:33]
The scariest thing in our lives is that Allah might punish us, whether in this life or the next. And Allah promises that He will not do so for those who seek forgiveness. As long as we are seeking forgiveness from Allah, we are safe from the punishment that might come upon us. Seeking forgiveness from Allah has also been named in some narrations among those deeds that give us tranquility in times of distress and ease in times of difficulty. It is an act that makes us come closer to Allah and helps us have our sins forgiven over and over.
So, after knowing of the promises of Allah, is it not time we get into action? That we remember Him, thank Him, make du'a to Him and seek His forgiveness?
لَّا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ...
... There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. [Quran, Al-Anbiya' 21:87]
يَغْفِرُ اللَّـهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ ...
...Allah will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful. [Qur'an, Yusuf 12:92]
May Allah forgive and pardon us and remove our difficulties and rectify our situation. May Allah make us of people of His remembrance and of those who are grateful and thankful to Him. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
The Reality of Sadness and Happiness
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Sadness and happiness are human emotions that Allah has created in us and placed in us. Allah knows that, and Allah doesn’t expect us to always have one set of emotions for life. It is alright to be happy, and it is alright to be sad. The best of examples for us was the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and he was sad, and he was happy. It is not the emotion, but rather how we deal with it.
The need for happiness doesn’t allow us to drink wine, party like a madman, and disobey Allah. Similarly sadness doesn’t allow us to break things, shout at other people, or wail and hurt ourselves. We face different circumstances and emotions in life, but it is how we react to it that makes the difference. The Prophet’s reaction to both would be to remember Allah. In good times he thanked Allah, and in difficult times He sought the help of Allah— the best of examples.
What made the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam sad
At one time, the revelation had stopped for nearly six months. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was very sad. The Quraysh were saying that Allah had abandoned the Prophet, naudhubillah. Allah then sent Surah Adh-Dhuha and after this, Surah Inshirah, to console the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam got sad because he was not getting a communication from Allah. He missed seeing Jibreel (peace be upon him), he missed being given Quran, he missed reciting new verses to his Sahabah and very importantly, he felt he might not be able to save his people from hellfire if he didn’t receive more ayaat from Allah.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam got sad because he misses the Speech of Allah, while for most of us, if we don't have to read the Qur'an, if Allah waived away the obligation of the five daily prayers we would jump at that chance like anything! We don't miss talking to Allah. We don't miss the Qur'an. We are not sad that we can't even read the Qur'an (or read the Quran properly).
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam got sad because he couldn’t give dawah to the Quraysh and save them from the fire of hell. Do we have that love for the people (or even our own family and friends) that we worry that they might not be guided? Allah actually had to console the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam about that as well in Surah al-Kahf,
The great companion, Umm Aiman Barakah, the woman the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam described as his "mother after my own mother. She is the rest of my family." Her son Aiman, a devoted companion of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam was martyred at Hunayn in the eighth year after the Hijrah. Barakah's husband, Zayd ibn Harith, was killed at the Battle of Mutah in Syria after a lifetime of distinguished service to Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam and Islam. Barakah at this time was about seventy years old and spent much of her time at home. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, accompanied by Abu Bakr and Umar often visited her and asked: "Ya Ummi! Are you well?" and she would reply: "I am well, O Messenger of Allah so long as Islam is."
After the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam had passed away, Umm Aiman Barakah would often be found with tears in her eyes. She was once asked by Abu Bakr and Omar when they visited her, "Why are you crying?" and she replied: "By Allah, I knew that the Messenger of Allah would die but I cry now because the revelation from on high has come to an end for us."
Indeed, we are sad for the wrong reasons.
In bad times remember the good that Allah has bestowed.
Allah reminds the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam of the blessings that Allah had always given upon him. How Allah sheltered the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam when he became an orphan, first through his grandfather and then through his uncle. Allah mentions how the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was in need and Allah made him self-sufficient through the marriage with Khadijah radi Allahu anha. Allah also mentions how the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was seeking a way out of the filth of society and Allah guided him, through the Quran.
Psychologists today help patients suffering from depression, low self-esteem and suicidal tendencies by asking them to count their blessings, and Allah is reminding the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam of the blessings that he had been given, and how Allah changed his condition from bad to good, and how Allah can do so again, as He promises,
Ways out of the hole of depression— remove other people’s worries
In Surah Adh-Dhuha, Allah ends the Surah by telling the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam to take care of the orphan, the poor and to make mention of the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon us. Another classic activity that is encouraged in depressed individuals is to help other people out. This automatically brings them out of their sadness as they come out of the self-centered approach and suddenly notice that other people are in a worse place off than themselves. So the next time we are sad, affected by something really bad in life, one of the first things we should do is to help someone else. The smile on their face will be a cause for a smile on our own.
Learn the Qur'an and read the Qur'an and you will find your happiness in the midst of your sadness inshaa Allah.
May Allah grant us happiness in this life and the next and remove our worries and sadness. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Sadness and happiness are human emotions that Allah has created in us and placed in us. Allah knows that, and Allah doesn’t expect us to always have one set of emotions for life. It is alright to be happy, and it is alright to be sad. The best of examples for us was the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and he was sad, and he was happy. It is not the emotion, but rather how we deal with it.
The need for happiness doesn’t allow us to drink wine, party like a madman, and disobey Allah. Similarly sadness doesn’t allow us to break things, shout at other people, or wail and hurt ourselves. We face different circumstances and emotions in life, but it is how we react to it that makes the difference. The Prophet’s reaction to both would be to remember Allah. In good times he thanked Allah, and in difficult times He sought the help of Allah— the best of examples.
What made the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam sad
At one time, the revelation had stopped for nearly six months. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was very sad. The Quraysh were saying that Allah had abandoned the Prophet, naudhubillah. Allah then sent Surah Adh-Dhuha and after this, Surah Inshirah, to console the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam got sad because he was not getting a communication from Allah. He missed seeing Jibreel (peace be upon him), he missed being given Quran, he missed reciting new verses to his Sahabah and very importantly, he felt he might not be able to save his people from hellfire if he didn’t receive more ayaat from Allah.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam got sad because he misses the Speech of Allah, while for most of us, if we don't have to read the Qur'an, if Allah waived away the obligation of the five daily prayers we would jump at that chance like anything! We don't miss talking to Allah. We don't miss the Qur'an. We are not sad that we can't even read the Qur'an (or read the Quran properly).
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam got sad because he couldn’t give dawah to the Quraysh and save them from the fire of hell. Do we have that love for the people (or even our own family and friends) that we worry that they might not be guided? Allah actually had to console the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam about that as well in Surah al-Kahf,
فَلَعَلَّكَ بَاخِعٌ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهَـٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:6]
But [Prophet] are you going to worry yourself to death over them if they do not believe in this message?
The great companion, Umm Aiman Barakah, the woman the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam described as his "mother after my own mother. She is the rest of my family." Her son Aiman, a devoted companion of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam was martyred at Hunayn in the eighth year after the Hijrah. Barakah's husband, Zayd ibn Harith, was killed at the Battle of Mutah in Syria after a lifetime of distinguished service to Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam and Islam. Barakah at this time was about seventy years old and spent much of her time at home. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, accompanied by Abu Bakr and Umar often visited her and asked: "Ya Ummi! Are you well?" and she would reply: "I am well, O Messenger of Allah so long as Islam is."
After the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam had passed away, Umm Aiman Barakah would often be found with tears in her eyes. She was once asked by Abu Bakr and Omar when they visited her, "Why are you crying?" and she replied: "By Allah, I knew that the Messenger of Allah would die but I cry now because the revelation from on high has come to an end for us."
Indeed, we are sad for the wrong reasons.
In bad times remember the good that Allah has bestowed.
Allah reminds the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam of the blessings that Allah had always given upon him. How Allah sheltered the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam when he became an orphan, first through his grandfather and then through his uncle. Allah mentions how the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was in need and Allah made him self-sufficient through the marriage with Khadijah radi Allahu anha. Allah also mentions how the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was seeking a way out of the filth of society and Allah guided him, through the Quran.
Psychologists today help patients suffering from depression, low self-esteem and suicidal tendencies by asking them to count their blessings, and Allah is reminding the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam of the blessings that he had been given, and how Allah changed his condition from bad to good, and how Allah can do so again, as He promises,
وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَّكَ مِنَ الْأُولَىٰ[Qur'an, Adh-Dhuha 93:4]
And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life].
وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَىٰ[Qur'an, Adh-Dhuha 93:5]
And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied.
Ways out of the hole of depression— remove other people’s worries
In Surah Adh-Dhuha, Allah ends the Surah by telling the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam to take care of the orphan, the poor and to make mention of the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon us. Another classic activity that is encouraged in depressed individuals is to help other people out. This automatically brings them out of their sadness as they come out of the self-centered approach and suddenly notice that other people are in a worse place off than themselves. So the next time we are sad, affected by something really bad in life, one of the first things we should do is to help someone else. The smile on their face will be a cause for a smile on our own.
Learn the Qur'an and read the Qur'an and you will find your happiness in the midst of your sadness inshaa Allah.
May Allah grant us happiness in this life and the next and remove our worries and sadness. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Saturday, October 29, 2016
The Best Door to Allah's Rahmah is in the Service of Your Mother
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
When Allah first introduces Himself in the Quran, He calls Himself “Rabbul aalameen”— The Master of the Universe. The Master is the one who owns us, nourishes us, and cherishes us, and He does so for the rest of the universe as well. But who is this Master? The first description given of Allah by Allah Himself is Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem.
Both these names of Allah center on the Arabic quality of rahmah: (a) al-Raḥmān, the One who is defined by complete and universal rahmah and (b) al-Raḥīm, the One who continuously shows much rahmah. It is thus by His rahmah that Allah introduces Himself repeatedly throughout the Quran, so much so that after His tawhid (Oneness), the Quran uses no other quality to describe Allah more than rahmah. This only underscores how central rahmah is to Islamic theology and our relationship with Allah.
In the Prophet's many sayings about rahmah on earth, the central theme of nurturing, parental love clearly stands out. Allah's rahmah, according to the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace), is the sole source of all earthly rahmah, such that all creatures show “love and kindness to one another, and even a beast treats her young with affection.” Rahmah thus finds its most natural expression in the love of a mother.
And no one can match a mother's love... except, of course, Allah. Imagine the emotions of a mother desperately searching for a lost child – and how much joy she must feel finding her child again.
'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) relates once being with Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) with a group of women and children detained after battle. One woman among them was searching for her child. Whenever she saw any child, she took the child to her bosom and began breastfeeding it. The Messenger asked his companions, “Do you think this woman would throw her child into fire?” They said, “No, by Allah, unless she has no power otherwise.” He replied, “Allah has more rahmah (arham) for His servants than this woman for her child.” (Muslim, who deemed it sound, and others)
Once again, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) saw rahmah as an emotion we have all experienced – not the modern English “mercy” but a mother's natural love.
Of course, this connection of rahmah and motherly love is linguistically unsurprising, for rahmah is related to the Arabic word rahm, which means “uterus,” “womb,” and figuratively “family ties."
This close linguistic connection is so eloquently expressed in Allah's statement as transmitted in a hadith qudsi, “I am ar-Raḥmān and created the rahm (womb) – And I named it after Me.”
Related by the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) through 'Abdur Raḥmān ibn 'Auf. The hadeeth qudsi continues, “I have drawn close one who has drawn it (the raḩm) close (maintaining family ties) and have cut off one who has cut it off (breaking family ties).” (Ahmad, who deemed its chain sound, and others)
Therefore, if we are to grasp the rahmah that is core to Allah's very nature, we must look to what the womb symbolizes – the nurturing emotions we find in mothers and the bonds that tie families together.
The Messenger's mission was that we might truly know Allah, ar-Raḥmān, in the very language of personal experience. To help us comprehend Allah's rahmah, he did not speak of the earthly “mercy” of kings and judges – today's modern English understanding of “mercy.” Rather, his demonstrations of rahmah directed us again and again to parental love, especially motherly love.
This should give us a moment to reflect. Remember, with regards to the hereafter, the Messenger warned us, “He who shows no rahmah will be shown no rahmah,” and taught us, “Allah will show rahmah to His servants who show rahmah.” If rahmah is the means to our salvation, having rahmah towards one another is an obligation upon each of us. We must take the Prophet's commandment to heart:
"Ar-Raḥmān has rahmah for those who show rahmah. Show rahmah to those on earth – the One in heaven will show you rahmah."
If one wants to learn how to show rahmah to those on earth, look to someone who shows compassion to others the way our mothers love and nurture us – someone who lets his or her tears flow in empathy, feeling the pain of the poor, hungry, and oppressed. Rahmah does not simply mean showing people “mercy” – restraining from harming while having the capacity to hurt. This “mercy” only scrapes the surface of rahmah, which must come from the heart. Neither does rahmah exclusively mean showing hubb to those who commit evil and oppression, “loving” what they do and “liking” to please them.
Instead, rahmah is to let one's heart ache for those people, caring about their eternal well-being, so that we may all enter Allah's rahmah, His salvation, in the hereafter. Rahmah is to embody the way of the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace), who said, “I was not sent to curse, but I was sent as a rahmah.”
Allah has tied rahmah specifically to the womb. To attain His rahmah, let us turn back to our “rahm.” The best door we have to His Rahmah is in the service of our mother. Truly, Allah is ar-Rahman ar-Raheem.
May Allah enable us to serve our mothers with excellence and shower us with His Mercy. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
When Allah first introduces Himself in the Quran, He calls Himself “Rabbul aalameen”— The Master of the Universe. The Master is the one who owns us, nourishes us, and cherishes us, and He does so for the rest of the universe as well. But who is this Master? The first description given of Allah by Allah Himself is Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem.
Both these names of Allah center on the Arabic quality of rahmah: (a) al-Raḥmān, the One who is defined by complete and universal rahmah and (b) al-Raḥīm, the One who continuously shows much rahmah. It is thus by His rahmah that Allah introduces Himself repeatedly throughout the Quran, so much so that after His tawhid (Oneness), the Quran uses no other quality to describe Allah more than rahmah. This only underscores how central rahmah is to Islamic theology and our relationship with Allah.
In the Prophet's many sayings about rahmah on earth, the central theme of nurturing, parental love clearly stands out. Allah's rahmah, according to the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace), is the sole source of all earthly rahmah, such that all creatures show “love and kindness to one another, and even a beast treats her young with affection.” Rahmah thus finds its most natural expression in the love of a mother.
And no one can match a mother's love... except, of course, Allah. Imagine the emotions of a mother desperately searching for a lost child – and how much joy she must feel finding her child again.
'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) relates once being with Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) with a group of women and children detained after battle. One woman among them was searching for her child. Whenever she saw any child, she took the child to her bosom and began breastfeeding it. The Messenger asked his companions, “Do you think this woman would throw her child into fire?” They said, “No, by Allah, unless she has no power otherwise.” He replied, “Allah has more rahmah (arham) for His servants than this woman for her child.” (Muslim, who deemed it sound, and others)
Once again, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) saw rahmah as an emotion we have all experienced – not the modern English “mercy” but a mother's natural love.
Of course, this connection of rahmah and motherly love is linguistically unsurprising, for rahmah is related to the Arabic word rahm, which means “uterus,” “womb,” and figuratively “family ties."
This close linguistic connection is so eloquently expressed in Allah's statement as transmitted in a hadith qudsi, “I am ar-Raḥmān and created the rahm (womb) – And I named it after Me.”
Related by the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) through 'Abdur Raḥmān ibn 'Auf. The hadeeth qudsi continues, “I have drawn close one who has drawn it (the raḩm) close (maintaining family ties) and have cut off one who has cut it off (breaking family ties).” (Ahmad, who deemed its chain sound, and others)
Therefore, if we are to grasp the rahmah that is core to Allah's very nature, we must look to what the womb symbolizes – the nurturing emotions we find in mothers and the bonds that tie families together.
The Messenger's mission was that we might truly know Allah, ar-Raḥmān, in the very language of personal experience. To help us comprehend Allah's rahmah, he did not speak of the earthly “mercy” of kings and judges – today's modern English understanding of “mercy.” Rather, his demonstrations of rahmah directed us again and again to parental love, especially motherly love.
This should give us a moment to reflect. Remember, with regards to the hereafter, the Messenger warned us, “He who shows no rahmah will be shown no rahmah,” and taught us, “Allah will show rahmah to His servants who show rahmah.” If rahmah is the means to our salvation, having rahmah towards one another is an obligation upon each of us. We must take the Prophet's commandment to heart:
"Ar-Raḥmān has rahmah for those who show rahmah. Show rahmah to those on earth – the One in heaven will show you rahmah."
If one wants to learn how to show rahmah to those on earth, look to someone who shows compassion to others the way our mothers love and nurture us – someone who lets his or her tears flow in empathy, feeling the pain of the poor, hungry, and oppressed. Rahmah does not simply mean showing people “mercy” – restraining from harming while having the capacity to hurt. This “mercy” only scrapes the surface of rahmah, which must come from the heart. Neither does rahmah exclusively mean showing hubb to those who commit evil and oppression, “loving” what they do and “liking” to please them.
Instead, rahmah is to let one's heart ache for those people, caring about their eternal well-being, so that we may all enter Allah's rahmah, His salvation, in the hereafter. Rahmah is to embody the way of the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace), who said, “I was not sent to curse, but I was sent as a rahmah.”
Allah has tied rahmah specifically to the womb. To attain His rahmah, let us turn back to our “rahm.” The best door we have to His Rahmah is in the service of our mother. Truly, Allah is ar-Rahman ar-Raheem.
May Allah enable us to serve our mothers with excellence and shower us with His Mercy. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Friday, October 28, 2016
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Importance of Strong Determination in Seeking Knowledge
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Knowledge is not going to be handed to us on a silver platter. It comes with much difficult trials and require strong determination and much patience.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,”Whoever goes down a path searching for knowledge, Allah will make it easy for him the road to Paradise.” [Muslim]
If seeking knowledge is easy, then so many people would be doing it. The fact is that those who are on the path of knowledge are blessed but you need strong determination to be successful. So many people fell by the wayside because they don't have a strong determination.
The story of Musa and Al-Khidr (peace be upon them) in Surah Kahf is teaching us the importance of determination in seeking knowledge. Thus, we are being reminded about this every week for those who follow the Sunnah of reading Surah al-Kahf every Friday.
When Musa (peace be upon him) found out there was someone who is more learned than himself he was determined to find him. Musa said he wouldn’t stop until he got to the place where he would meet al-Khidr (peace be upon him).
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah bless him) was determined to get knowledge and wouldn’t eat until he found it.
Such are the true seekers of knowledge.
May Allah grant us the determination in seeking knowledge. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Knowledge is not going to be handed to us on a silver platter. It comes with much difficult trials and require strong determination and much patience.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,”Whoever goes down a path searching for knowledge, Allah will make it easy for him the road to Paradise.” [Muslim]
If seeking knowledge is easy, then so many people would be doing it. The fact is that those who are on the path of knowledge are blessed but you need strong determination to be successful. So many people fell by the wayside because they don't have a strong determination.
The story of Musa and Al-Khidr (peace be upon them) in Surah Kahf is teaching us the importance of determination in seeking knowledge. Thus, we are being reminded about this every week for those who follow the Sunnah of reading Surah al-Kahf every Friday.
When Musa (peace be upon him) found out there was someone who is more learned than himself he was determined to find him. Musa said he wouldn’t stop until he got to the place where he would meet al-Khidr (peace be upon him).
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ﴿٦٠[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:60]
And [mention] when Moses said to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period." (60)
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah bless him) was determined to get knowledge and wouldn’t eat until he found it.
Such are the true seekers of knowledge.
May Allah grant us the determination in seeking knowledge. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Why Do You Not Feel Love for the Qur'an?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Have you ever felt close to the Quran? Can you remember a day spent blissfully with the Quran? Do you want to know what this strange love is all about?
We all know that the Quran is guidance.
Why do you not feel love for the Quran?
Inability
Where is the ummah going? So many Muslims don't know even one letter of Arabic. They don't know how to recite the Quran (or recite it properly) and a whole lot more don't know what the Quran is all about. They feel this as an inability and even if they are asked to learn it, they don’t desire to, or they don’t have an interest. They may be praying reciting the same surah for 20 years and yet they don't know what they are reciting.
Unfamiliarity
One of the main things people say is that they aren’t familiar with the Arabic language and that’s why they don’t feel an attachment towards it, but we can’t repeat the same excuse nowadays, for we have ample opportunities and resources to help us learn the language. Allah has insisted in His Book that the reason He revealed it in Arabic is to make it easy to understand the Quran.
Busyness
People say they don’t have enough time to open and turn the pages. But we do have time to eat our meals, iron our clothes, sleep, and engage in extra activities like hobbies and picnics, and go vacations. So why can’t we allocate a few minutes of our time for the Quran.
Lame Excuses
Listen to all these excuses--you might hear people say, “We recite it in salah and that’s enough.” “There’s no problem with it, for I am sure Allah will forgive me.” “If we can do good and avoid bad, that’s enough, since there is no need to recite and spend our time with it as we have ample of works to do.” "The guidance hasn't come yet." Some become frustrated and say, “We aren’t suitable to recite this Book as we are sinners.”
These are silly excuses people make and talking like this can directly lead us to the Fire. So be careful. Don’t control the situation by making up false statements. May Allah protect us all.
Different perceptions
If you look at the Quran as a most precious thing, then you will have a love for it. But in most cases, people just consider it as a Holy Book and keep it aside, an item on the book shelves, and not realizing the value of it. Some take the Quran and recite it with the intention of researching it. And some do it to make a comparison between other religious scriptures. Some recite it considering it just a deed. These are some of the ordinary ways people choose to see the texts in the Quran.
What will be the outcome if we don’t love the Quran?
Lack of faith
You won’t feel close to Allah Almighty or worse, you are detached from Allah. You will have a suspicious mind, which will make you act indecisively. Your iman will weaken and you will have a failed relationship with Allah.
Rigid heart
You will realize that you don’t have a soft, tender heart. You won’t want to act politely. You are not courteous. Arrogance will overpower you, and your heart won’t tremble if you hear the word “Allah.”
Increase in bad deeds and immorality and bad character feels normal
When you are involved in a sin, you won’t feel it as a bad one. You will just console yourself that it isn’t a mischief at all. You will have a habit of breaking promises, telling lies, being disloyal to people, etc. This will lead you to a pit of sins where you will no longer consider any of your acts to be a sin. When you see other people engage in acts of disobedience, it does not even make you blink because it is a normal thing to you.
Decrease in good deeds
There will be a gradual decrease in good deeds. You will miss the prayers and you will avoid good company. You will start to think of everything as a burden.
Frustration
All the above outcomes will lead you to frustration. You will always feel exasperated and disappointed. You will consider your studies, your job, and your family as burdens. Negativity will surround you and you won’t have any affirmative thoughts at all.
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿٨٢
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss. (82) [Quran, Al-Isra' 17:82]
May Allah grant us love for the Quran and make us His elect people of the Quran. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Have you ever felt close to the Quran? Can you remember a day spent blissfully with the Quran? Do you want to know what this strange love is all about?
We all know that the Quran is guidance.
ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢[Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:2]
This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2)
Why do you not feel love for the Quran?
Inability
Where is the ummah going? So many Muslims don't know even one letter of Arabic. They don't know how to recite the Quran (or recite it properly) and a whole lot more don't know what the Quran is all about. They feel this as an inability and even if they are asked to learn it, they don’t desire to, or they don’t have an interest. They may be praying reciting the same surah for 20 years and yet they don't know what they are reciting.
Unfamiliarity
One of the main things people say is that they aren’t familiar with the Arabic language and that’s why they don’t feel an attachment towards it, but we can’t repeat the same excuse nowadays, for we have ample opportunities and resources to help us learn the language. Allah has insisted in His Book that the reason He revealed it in Arabic is to make it easy to understand the Quran.
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ قُرْآنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٢[Quran, Yusuf 12:2]
Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand. (2)
Busyness
People say they don’t have enough time to open and turn the pages. But we do have time to eat our meals, iron our clothes, sleep, and engage in extra activities like hobbies and picnics, and go vacations. So why can’t we allocate a few minutes of our time for the Quran.
Lame Excuses
Listen to all these excuses--you might hear people say, “We recite it in salah and that’s enough.” “There’s no problem with it, for I am sure Allah will forgive me.” “If we can do good and avoid bad, that’s enough, since there is no need to recite and spend our time with it as we have ample of works to do.” "The guidance hasn't come yet." Some become frustrated and say, “We aren’t suitable to recite this Book as we are sinners.”
These are silly excuses people make and talking like this can directly lead us to the Fire. So be careful. Don’t control the situation by making up false statements. May Allah protect us all.
Different perceptions
If you look at the Quran as a most precious thing, then you will have a love for it. But in most cases, people just consider it as a Holy Book and keep it aside, an item on the book shelves, and not realizing the value of it. Some take the Quran and recite it with the intention of researching it. And some do it to make a comparison between other religious scriptures. Some recite it considering it just a deed. These are some of the ordinary ways people choose to see the texts in the Quran.
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَـٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا ﴿٣٠[Quran, Al-Furqan 25:30]
And the Messenger has said, "O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur'an as [a thing] abandoned (neither listened to it, nor acted on its laws and orders)." (30)
What will be the outcome if we don’t love the Quran?
Lack of faith
You won’t feel close to Allah Almighty or worse, you are detached from Allah. You will have a suspicious mind, which will make you act indecisively. Your iman will weaken and you will have a failed relationship with Allah.
Rigid heart
You will realize that you don’t have a soft, tender heart. You won’t want to act politely. You are not courteous. Arrogance will overpower you, and your heart won’t tremble if you hear the word “Allah.”
Increase in bad deeds and immorality and bad character feels normal
When you are involved in a sin, you won’t feel it as a bad one. You will just console yourself that it isn’t a mischief at all. You will have a habit of breaking promises, telling lies, being disloyal to people, etc. This will lead you to a pit of sins where you will no longer consider any of your acts to be a sin. When you see other people engage in acts of disobedience, it does not even make you blink because it is a normal thing to you.
Decrease in good deeds
There will be a gradual decrease in good deeds. You will miss the prayers and you will avoid good company. You will start to think of everything as a burden.
Frustration
All the above outcomes will lead you to frustration. You will always feel exasperated and disappointed. You will consider your studies, your job, and your family as burdens. Negativity will surround you and you won’t have any affirmative thoughts at all.
وَمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنبَغِي لَهُ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْآنٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٦٩﴾ لِّيُنذِرَ مَن كَانَ حَيًّا وَيَحِقَّ الْقَوْلُ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٧٠[Quran, Ya-Sin 36:69-70]
And We did not give Prophet Muhammad, knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is not but a message and a clear Qur'an (69) To warn whoever is alive and justify the word against the disbelievers. (70)
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿٨٢
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss. (82) [Quran, Al-Isra' 17:82]
May Allah grant us love for the Quran and make us His elect people of the Quran. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
How Can We Be Happy?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
How can we be happy? It's a million dollar question, and yet it has a very simple answer. Happiness comes not from having a million dollars but from activities that can be incorporated into everyday life.
The best happiness boosters are the acts of worship.
The most important acts of worship– the daily salah (prayer)— is packed with happiness boosters. The meaning behind all aspects of the prayers is not fiqh but it's about khushu' (devotion, concentration) and iman (faith).
Ibn Al-Jawzi (one of the great early scholars of Islam) said about the salah:
إنا في روضة طعامنا فيها الخشوع و شرابنا فيها الدموع
“We are in a garden, where our food is khushu’ (devotion), and our drink is the tears that flow.”
Expressing gratitude
You would be happier if you have an attitude of gratitude.
Showing gratitude is one of the most important aspects of our daily prayers. At least seventeen times a day we stand in front of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and say, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘Alamin ([All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds). Surah Al-Fatihah, named the greatest surah of the Quran by the beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), is divided into two sections, the first half being Allah’s praise and glorification.
Other expressions of gratitude in the salah include the supplication of standing up from ruku’ (bowing), and recommended supplications before the two salams such as: O Allah, help me remember You, expressing gratitude to You and worship You in the best manner. (Abu Dawud)
Devotion or “meditation”
“An avalanche of studies have shown that meditation has multiple positive effects on a person’s happiness and physical health, as well as on other harder-to-access attributes, like ‘self-actualization’ and moral maturity.”
Although meditation is associated with “Eastern religions” such as Hinduism and thus considered unreligious by many Muslims, it all depends on how you define the term. A few core components of meditation, such as “letting go,” awareness, and patience are crucial parts of salah.
Religiosity
Religion promotes a healthy way of life and reminds us of the One we worship.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ﴿٢٨
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. [Quran, Ar-Ra'd 13:28]
The main goal of salah:
إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكْرِىٓ ﴿١٤
Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. (14). [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:14]
Flow experience (khushu')
This is a state of intense absorption and involvement in the present moment.
Flow is not just a part of our salah. The reward of our prayer depends on how much attention (or “flow”) we put in it. (see Abu Dawud no. 796)
Savoring the moment
Savoring is “any thoughts or behaviors capable of ‘generating, intensifying, and prolonged enjoyment.’ So when you ‘stop and smell the roses’ instead of walking by obliviously, you are savoring.”
We can call savoring a higher level of flow, in which we’re not just living in the present— we’re consciously enjoying it. How does it relate to prayer? The connection is clear from the Prophet’s expressions.
The coolness of my eyes was made in the salah. [Nasai, Hasan]
The coolness of someone’s eyes (Qurratu Ain) in Arabic is the greatest expression for what you love the most. That’s because when we pray, we meet with our Lord, we speak to Him and enjoy His company. The closer the prayer is to your heart, the higher your love is for Allah.
Committing to your goals
The salah is a reminder for Muslims of our ultimate goal of worshiping Allah, the very reason of our creation.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴿٥٦
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. [Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]
It also reminds us of the standing before Allah on the Day of Judgment. In this way, we renew our focus five times a day, and remind ourselves of that “something around the corner.”
Positive thinking
From the first takbir till the last salam, the whole prayer coaches us to think positively. When we say “Allah is the Greatest,” every worry and stress seems insignificant. The moment we raise our hands in surrender to Allah, we acknowledge that everything is in His power, and we depend on Him– the Most Merciful who intends nothing but good for us— to make things easy for us and help us attain ultimate, everlasting bliss in the Hereafter.
May Allah help us worship Him in the best manner, and grant us happiness in the remainder of our lives and in the next life. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
How can we be happy? It's a million dollar question, and yet it has a very simple answer. Happiness comes not from having a million dollars but from activities that can be incorporated into everyday life.
The best happiness boosters are the acts of worship.
The most important acts of worship– the daily salah (prayer)— is packed with happiness boosters. The meaning behind all aspects of the prayers is not fiqh but it's about khushu' (devotion, concentration) and iman (faith).
Ibn Al-Jawzi (one of the great early scholars of Islam) said about the salah:
إنا في روضة طعامنا فيها الخشوع و شرابنا فيها الدموع
“We are in a garden, where our food is khushu’ (devotion), and our drink is the tears that flow.”
Expressing gratitude
You would be happier if you have an attitude of gratitude.
Showing gratitude is one of the most important aspects of our daily prayers. At least seventeen times a day we stand in front of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and say, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘Alamin ([All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds). Surah Al-Fatihah, named the greatest surah of the Quran by the beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), is divided into two sections, the first half being Allah’s praise and glorification.
Other expressions of gratitude in the salah include the supplication of standing up from ruku’ (bowing), and recommended supplications before the two salams such as: O Allah, help me remember You, expressing gratitude to You and worship You in the best manner. (Abu Dawud)
Devotion or “meditation”
“An avalanche of studies have shown that meditation has multiple positive effects on a person’s happiness and physical health, as well as on other harder-to-access attributes, like ‘self-actualization’ and moral maturity.”
Although meditation is associated with “Eastern religions” such as Hinduism and thus considered unreligious by many Muslims, it all depends on how you define the term. A few core components of meditation, such as “letting go,” awareness, and patience are crucial parts of salah.
Religiosity
Religion promotes a healthy way of life and reminds us of the One we worship.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ﴿٢٨
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. [Quran, Ar-Ra'd 13:28]
The main goal of salah:
إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكْرِىٓ ﴿١٤
Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. (14). [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:14]
Flow experience (khushu')
This is a state of intense absorption and involvement in the present moment.
Flow is not just a part of our salah. The reward of our prayer depends on how much attention (or “flow”) we put in it. (see Abu Dawud no. 796)
Savoring the moment
Savoring is “any thoughts or behaviors capable of ‘generating, intensifying, and prolonged enjoyment.’ So when you ‘stop and smell the roses’ instead of walking by obliviously, you are savoring.”
We can call savoring a higher level of flow, in which we’re not just living in the present— we’re consciously enjoying it. How does it relate to prayer? The connection is clear from the Prophet’s expressions.
The coolness of my eyes was made in the salah. [Nasai, Hasan]
The coolness of someone’s eyes (Qurratu Ain) in Arabic is the greatest expression for what you love the most. That’s because when we pray, we meet with our Lord, we speak to Him and enjoy His company. The closer the prayer is to your heart, the higher your love is for Allah.
Committing to your goals
The salah is a reminder for Muslims of our ultimate goal of worshiping Allah, the very reason of our creation.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴿٥٦
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. [Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]
It also reminds us of the standing before Allah on the Day of Judgment. In this way, we renew our focus five times a day, and remind ourselves of that “something around the corner.”
Positive thinking
From the first takbir till the last salam, the whole prayer coaches us to think positively. When we say “Allah is the Greatest,” every worry and stress seems insignificant. The moment we raise our hands in surrender to Allah, we acknowledge that everything is in His power, and we depend on Him– the Most Merciful who intends nothing but good for us— to make things easy for us and help us attain ultimate, everlasting bliss in the Hereafter.
May Allah help us worship Him in the best manner, and grant us happiness in the remainder of our lives and in the next life. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Transforming the Aching Heart
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Remembrance of Allah (dhikr) and making du'a to Him transforms the aching heart into a calm and tranquil heart, by Allah's mercy.
Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with father and son) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
It plays a huge part in re-writing destiny. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that the only thing that can change Divine decree is du'a.
Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
Dhikr protects us, guides us, and changes our outlook on life. It gives us the strength to move forward beyond our painful tests because we know Allah is there as we say Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, la ilaha illa Allah, and Allahu akbar. It is a constant reminder that life is nothing but a journey to a better home.
This life is all about our dedication to constantly remembering Allah, thanking Him, and seeking beautiful patience, for us and for those around us. Its trusted companion is du'a: to seek His aid in times of both ease and hardship.
Don’t be disheartened if you feel that you are not properly remembering Him all the time. Start somewhere, even if you make the dhikr monotonously, without reflection.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim says that dhikr “is sometimes performed with the heart and tongue, which is the best dhikr; sometimes with only the heart, which ranks second; and sometimes with only the tongue, which ranks third.” While dhikr with the tongue alone does not yield the fruits of knowing Allah, Divine love, and intimacy as does dhikr with the tongue and heart combined, it still has its benefits. In fact, for most people it begins with dhikr of just the tongue.
Imam al-Ghazzali adds, “It starts with dhikr of the tongue; then by the heart being pressed into remembering; then the heart remembering spontaneously.”
Imam Ibn Ata-illah al-Iskandari said, “Do not abandon dhikr because you do not feel the presence of Allah therein. For your heedlessness of the dhikr of Him is worse than your heedlessness in the dhikr of Him. Perhaps He will lift you from dhikr with heedlessness to dhikr with vigilance; and from dhikr with vigilance to dhikr with presence; and from dhikr with presence to dhikr wherein everything but the One being remembered becomes absent (nothing other than Allah is in our hearts):
وَمَا ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ ﴿٢٠ ...
...And that, for Him, is not difficult. [Qur'an, Ibrahim 14:20]
These are our tickets to His love: remembering Him and making du'a to Him.
The best form of remembrance is prayers and reciting Qur'an.
May Allah make us among the people of His remembrance. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Remembrance of Allah (dhikr) and making du'a to Him transforms the aching heart into a calm and tranquil heart, by Allah's mercy.
Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with father and son) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
Whomsoever of you the door of supplication is opened for, the doors of mercy have been opened for him. And Allah is not asked for anything - meaning - more beloved to Him, than being asked for Al-`Āfiyah. And the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The supplication benefits against that which strikes and that which does not strike, so hold fast, O worshipers of Allah, to supplication.”[at-Tirmidhi]
مَنْ فُتِحَ لَهُ مِنْكُمْ بَابُ الدُّعَاءِ فُتِحَتْ لَهُ أَبْوَابُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَمَا سُئِلَ اللَّهُ شَيْئًا يَعْنِي أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلَ الْعَافِيَةَ " . وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ يَنْفَعُ مِمَّا نَزَلَ وَمِمَّا لَمْ يَنْزِلْ فَعَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادَ اللَّهِ بِالدُّعَاءِ " .
It plays a huge part in re-writing destiny. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that the only thing that can change Divine decree is du'a.
Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
Nothing turns back the Decree except supplication, and nothing increases the life-span except righteousness.[At-Tirmidhi]
لاَ يَرُدُّ الْقَضَاءَ إِلاَّ الدُّعَاءُ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ فِي الْعُمُرِ إِلاَّ الْبِرُّ
Dhikr protects us, guides us, and changes our outlook on life. It gives us the strength to move forward beyond our painful tests because we know Allah is there as we say Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, la ilaha illa Allah, and Allahu akbar. It is a constant reminder that life is nothing but a journey to a better home.
This life is all about our dedication to constantly remembering Allah, thanking Him, and seeking beautiful patience, for us and for those around us. Its trusted companion is du'a: to seek His aid in times of both ease and hardship.
Don’t be disheartened if you feel that you are not properly remembering Him all the time. Start somewhere, even if you make the dhikr monotonously, without reflection.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim says that dhikr “is sometimes performed with the heart and tongue, which is the best dhikr; sometimes with only the heart, which ranks second; and sometimes with only the tongue, which ranks third.” While dhikr with the tongue alone does not yield the fruits of knowing Allah, Divine love, and intimacy as does dhikr with the tongue and heart combined, it still has its benefits. In fact, for most people it begins with dhikr of just the tongue.
Imam al-Ghazzali adds, “It starts with dhikr of the tongue; then by the heart being pressed into remembering; then the heart remembering spontaneously.”
Imam Ibn Ata-illah al-Iskandari said, “Do not abandon dhikr because you do not feel the presence of Allah therein. For your heedlessness of the dhikr of Him is worse than your heedlessness in the dhikr of Him. Perhaps He will lift you from dhikr with heedlessness to dhikr with vigilance; and from dhikr with vigilance to dhikr with presence; and from dhikr with presence to dhikr wherein everything but the One being remembered becomes absent (nothing other than Allah is in our hearts):
وَمَا ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ ﴿٢٠ ...
...And that, for Him, is not difficult. [Qur'an, Ibrahim 14:20]
These are our tickets to His love: remembering Him and making du'a to Him.
The best form of remembrance is prayers and reciting Qur'an.
May Allah make us among the people of His remembrance. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Neediness -- In the Remembrance of Allah Do Hearts Find Rest
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Life brings constant wants and needs. Our hearts ache when we don't get what we want.
Outside the basic needs of food, drink, clothing and shelter, we need to love and to be loved. Sometimes we feel the need to be entertained. Sometimes we feel the need to do something. Even when we want to do “nothing” we’re doing so because we feel the “need” to not want anything.
In truth, we are in constant need of Allah alone. We need Allah to live this life. We need Allah to function in this world and be happy. But most people, ironically, forget this especially when they are feeling happy and self-sufficient. In our times of ease, we tend to forget our constant need of Allah. And that is why many scholars of the past and present have said that the test of ease is a much more difficult test than the test of difficulty.
Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi said,
Know that a man floating on a piece of wood in the sea is not in more need of God and His kindness than a person in his home, sitting between his family and property. When this meaning becomes ingrained in your heart, then rely on God like a drowning man who knows not any other means to salvation but God.
We need Allah as we rise and prepare for each new day. Not everyone wakes up. We need Him as we commute to work, study, shopping, and any social gathering. So many people die on the road every day.
We need Allah to protect our loved ones, granting them health, guidance, and forgiveness, and never letting them wander in the darkness of this world. Many family members of prophets (peace be upon them) died in disbelief. There are so many people, young and old, who are ill and in critical condition.
We need Allah when we are in severe hardship and feel the world suffocating around us. We need Him through problems with our children, our marriages, our relationships, and pain of any kind. We need Him when our loved ones desert us, hurt us, and completely destroy us inside.
We need Allah when we feel forsaken and lose sight of what is real. We need Him when we see injustice and suffering around us but feel helpless to do anything.
We need Him with our struggles, our recovery, and when we are at breaking point. We need Him when we seek love, when we need success. We need Him to guide us when we are lost and find no guide.
We will need Him when our lives are snatched away from us and the life in the grave take its toll.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Remember Allah in times of ease and He will remember you in times of difficulty." [Tirmidhi]
We connect to Allah through our prayers, reciting Qur'an, praise, and constant love. The power of remembering Him lies in our du'a and dhikr.
Allah Almighty says,
May Allah help us remember Him constantly and not leave us alone even for a blinking of an eye. May Allah cure our aching hearts and grant us tranquility. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Life brings constant wants and needs. Our hearts ache when we don't get what we want.
Outside the basic needs of food, drink, clothing and shelter, we need to love and to be loved. Sometimes we feel the need to be entertained. Sometimes we feel the need to do something. Even when we want to do “nothing” we’re doing so because we feel the “need” to not want anything.
In truth, we are in constant need of Allah alone. We need Allah to live this life. We need Allah to function in this world and be happy. But most people, ironically, forget this especially when they are feeling happy and self-sufficient. In our times of ease, we tend to forget our constant need of Allah. And that is why many scholars of the past and present have said that the test of ease is a much more difficult test than the test of difficulty.
Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi said,
Know that a man floating on a piece of wood in the sea is not in more need of God and His kindness than a person in his home, sitting between his family and property. When this meaning becomes ingrained in your heart, then rely on God like a drowning man who knows not any other means to salvation but God.
We need Allah as we rise and prepare for each new day. Not everyone wakes up. We need Him as we commute to work, study, shopping, and any social gathering. So many people die on the road every day.
We need Allah to protect our loved ones, granting them health, guidance, and forgiveness, and never letting them wander in the darkness of this world. Many family members of prophets (peace be upon them) died in disbelief. There are so many people, young and old, who are ill and in critical condition.
We need Allah when we are in severe hardship and feel the world suffocating around us. We need Him through problems with our children, our marriages, our relationships, and pain of any kind. We need Him when our loved ones desert us, hurt us, and completely destroy us inside.
We need Allah when we feel forsaken and lose sight of what is real. We need Him when we see injustice and suffering around us but feel helpless to do anything.
We need Him with our struggles, our recovery, and when we are at breaking point. We need Him when we seek love, when we need success. We need Him to guide us when we are lost and find no guide.
We will need Him when our lives are snatched away from us and the life in the grave take its toll.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Remember Allah in times of ease and He will remember you in times of difficulty." [Tirmidhi]
We connect to Allah through our prayers, reciting Qur'an, praise, and constant love. The power of remembering Him lies in our du'a and dhikr.
Allah Almighty says,
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ﴿٢٨[Qur'an, Ar-Ra'd 13:28]
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest (are assured).
May Allah help us remember Him constantly and not leave us alone even for a blinking of an eye. May Allah cure our aching hearts and grant us tranquility. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Saturday, October 22, 2016
In Search for True Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Humans are needy and dependent social creatures. We all need companionship--whether it be with friends (physical or virtual), children, parents, husband or wife, righteous people, or some kind of allies. We couldn't handle let downs.
But at the heart of what makes us run after the creation, is simply love. The need to give and receive love. This need has been put in us by the Creator. And every need created by Allah, has been created for a purpose. The need to give and receive love was created as a driver. A driver that pushes us back to Allah. Allah wants us to come back to Him in this life— even before we return to Him in the next. So He puts inside us, drivers intended to bring us back. Intended to bring us back Home.
But our problem is we get lost along the way.
We can’t deny the drive; but we get lost because we seek to fulfill it in the wrong way. We look to fulfill that need in the wrong place. The driver was created by Allah to take us to Him. But instead, that driver takes us towards the creation. And that’s where we get lost.
Why do we run after people, money, status, or power? We run after these things because we want love and respect. And we believe that by attaining these things, we will succeed at getting both love and respect.
But there is a fascinating formula that governs this world. And it is very, very simple. Unfortunately, we almost always get this formula wrong. Yes, we all have that same driver inside us, but the human being is hasty. We prefer the immediate over the delayed, the seen over the unseen, the physical over the spiritual. We run first to what we can see and feel and touch. We run first to what we 'think' is closer. We do this because while the human being is needy and dependent, the human being is also impatient and weak. We go for what seems closest, easiest, quickest.
So we go towards the creation.
We think that the more we run after this world (dunya)–the more we run after the love of people, and wealth and beauty and status–the more we will have of it. We think that the more intensely we want something, the more likely we are to get it. And when we don’t get it, we become angry—so angry—maybe even at Allah Himself. As though the intensity of my wanting, somehow makes me entitled to having.
But the more we drown in this false equation, the more we fail at reaching our goal, and the more we miss the true–but simple–equation of love and life. That equation is clear: The more intensely we want the creation itself, the less likely we are to attain it. If it is love you need, and you seek it from the creation, you will never truly get it. Or get enough. Anything of the creation sought for its own sake will evade you.
And will never fill you.
Even happiness itself: The more you run after it, the more it evades you. But if you run to Allah instead, happiness will run after you. If you run to Allah instead, the love of people will run after you. If you run to Allah instead, success will run after you. True success in this life, and the next. If you run to Allah instead, provision will run after you. This is the secret formula for which tyrants have burned down cities, and kings have searched the world—but never found.
This is the secret. The only formula you need to know.
In a profound hadith, a man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act, which if I do, Allah will love me and people will love me.” He said: “Detach yourself from the world, and Allah will love you. Detach yourself from what is with the people, and the people will love you.” [Ibn Majah]
Ironically, the less we chase after the approval and love of the people, the more we gain it. The less needy we are of others, the more people are drawn to us and seek our company. This hadith teaches us a profound Truth. Only by breaking out of the orbit of the creation, can we succeed with both Allah and people.
To run to Allah is a movement of the heart. To run to Allah is to strive with everything He has given you. Running to Allah is movement. If you are passive, you are not moving. You are falling. Movement to Allah, running to Allah, is to face your heart towards Him in every motion of life. It is to face every goal, every intention, every End towards Him. He becomes the object of your striving. The means of your striving. The ultimate End of your striving. But you keep striving. You keep working to be the best mother you can. The best father. The best sons and daughters. The best neighbor, teacher, student, worker, employer, employee, citizen.
This is the legacy of all our Prophets, peace be upon them all. Their bodies were in dunya. Striving. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was the best leader, the best father, the best husband, the best friend. His body was working hard in dunya. For a while. But his heart was always with Allah. His heart was already in Akhira (Hereafter), even while his body was still here—for a time. His heart was already Home. His heart saw through the illusions of this life. His limbs worked hard. So hard. He bled, and cried, and strived. His body stood until his feet cracked. His body was abused in Ta’if. His body lost sleep, and felt hunger, and thirst, and fever, and pain. And loss.
But his heart faced only Allah.
And with Allah there is no hunger, thirst, pain, or loss. His body had to strive in different directions; he was a father, a leader, a friend, a husband. But while his body had to strive in all those places, his heart faced only One. Only one direction.
His heart faced only Allah.
As Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said so beautifully:
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) focused the face of his heart only on Allah. Completely. Haneefan. Completely. You will find that to only partially face your heart to Allah is to suffer. And that suffering is in proportion to the degree of partial submission.
Allah tells us in the Qur'an:
There is pain in just partial submission. There is a pain in not entering into peace and security—the only peace and security—completely. With one’s whole heart. There is pain in half a sajdah (prostration). There is a pain in putting your heart (even partially) in anyone else’s hands. And that pain continues until you turn your entire heart only in one direction. Until you turn your entire heart only towards Him. He becomes the only true aim of your striving.
As we say at least 17 times every single day: “You alone do we worship and You alone do we seek for help.” (Qur'an, Al-Fatihah 1:5). Allah is the only true End, and the only true means to that End. No one gets to Allah without Allah. La hawla wa la quwat illa billah: “There is no change and no strength, except by Allah.”
The one who turns his heart completely to Allah in this way, reaches true freedom. And that person can no longer be harmed by the creation. The fire couldn’t burn Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The ‘fires’ of the creation cannot harm the one who’s heart faces only Allah. The financial, physical, emotional, social, and psychological fires cannot harm the one who’s heart is only with Allah. Externally, the person might look harmed, but in Reality, such a person is never harmed. The truth of the situation is not harm, but good, as we know from the words of our beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace):
“Strange is the case of a believer, there is good for him in everything—and this is only for the believer. If a blessing reaches him, he is grateful to Allah, which is good for him, and if an adversity reaches him, he is patient which is good for him.” [Muslim]
And this is only for the believer. This is only for the one who’s heart is turned completely and only in one direction. Remember, Allah says:
Enter into peace and security completely. Complete security is only for those who enter completely. But remember the heart is not a still entity. The heart is by definition that which turns (hence the Arabic word for heart ‘qalb’ comes from the root which means ‘to turn’). The heart by definition is that which turns. So our object in life is to keep bringing the heart back to focus, back to center, back to Allah. And we consistently seek Allah’s help, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to supplicate most of all: “Oh turner of hearts, set our hearts firm on Your deen (way).”
This constant reorientation is tawbah. Return. Again and again and again. Until we meet Him. Only the one who gives up this fight, fails. Only the one who—due to complacency or despair—gives up the fight of constantly bringing the heart back to focus, fails in this life and the next.
We all want love-- from Allah, and from the creation. We are all running towards something. Ironically, the more we run after the creation, the more the creation runs away from us! As soon as we stop running after the creation, and re-orient, as soon as we start running towards Allah, the creation runs after us. It’s a simple, simple formula:
Run towards the creation, you lose Allah and the creation. Run towards Allah, you gain Allah and the creation.
Allah is Al Wadud (The Source of Love). Therefore, love comes from Allah—not people. As one author, Charles F. Haanel, put it: “To acquire love... fill yourself up with it until you become a magnet.”
When you fill yourself with the Source of love (Al Wadud), you become a magnet for love. Allah teaches us this in the beautiful hadith Qudsi:
“If Allah has loved a servant [of His], He calls Gabriel (peace be upon him) and says: ‘I love So-and-so, therefore love him.’” He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “So Gabriel loves him. Then he (Gabriel) calls out in heaven, saying: ‘Allah loves So-and-so, therefore love him.’ And the inhabitants of heaven love him.” He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallamh) said: “Then acceptance is established for him on earth. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi)
We’re all running. But so few of us are running in the right direction. We have the same goal. But to get there, we need to stop. And examine if we are running towards the Source–or just a reflection.
May Allah love us and bring us closer to Him. May Allah increase our love for His beloved Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), his family and companions. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Humans are needy and dependent social creatures. We all need companionship--whether it be with friends (physical or virtual), children, parents, husband or wife, righteous people, or some kind of allies. We couldn't handle let downs.
But at the heart of what makes us run after the creation, is simply love. The need to give and receive love. This need has been put in us by the Creator. And every need created by Allah, has been created for a purpose. The need to give and receive love was created as a driver. A driver that pushes us back to Allah. Allah wants us to come back to Him in this life— even before we return to Him in the next. So He puts inside us, drivers intended to bring us back. Intended to bring us back Home.
But our problem is we get lost along the way.
We can’t deny the drive; but we get lost because we seek to fulfill it in the wrong way. We look to fulfill that need in the wrong place. The driver was created by Allah to take us to Him. But instead, that driver takes us towards the creation. And that’s where we get lost.
Why do we run after people, money, status, or power? We run after these things because we want love and respect. And we believe that by attaining these things, we will succeed at getting both love and respect.
But there is a fascinating formula that governs this world. And it is very, very simple. Unfortunately, we almost always get this formula wrong. Yes, we all have that same driver inside us, but the human being is hasty. We prefer the immediate over the delayed, the seen over the unseen, the physical over the spiritual. We run first to what we can see and feel and touch. We run first to what we 'think' is closer. We do this because while the human being is needy and dependent, the human being is also impatient and weak. We go for what seems closest, easiest, quickest.
So we go towards the creation.
We think that the more we run after this world (dunya)–the more we run after the love of people, and wealth and beauty and status–the more we will have of it. We think that the more intensely we want something, the more likely we are to get it. And when we don’t get it, we become angry—so angry—maybe even at Allah Himself. As though the intensity of my wanting, somehow makes me entitled to having.
But the more we drown in this false equation, the more we fail at reaching our goal, and the more we miss the true–but simple–equation of love and life. That equation is clear: The more intensely we want the creation itself, the less likely we are to attain it. If it is love you need, and you seek it from the creation, you will never truly get it. Or get enough. Anything of the creation sought for its own sake will evade you.
And will never fill you.
Even happiness itself: The more you run after it, the more it evades you. But if you run to Allah instead, happiness will run after you. If you run to Allah instead, the love of people will run after you. If you run to Allah instead, success will run after you. True success in this life, and the next. If you run to Allah instead, provision will run after you. This is the secret formula for which tyrants have burned down cities, and kings have searched the world—but never found.
This is the secret. The only formula you need to know.
In a profound hadith, a man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act, which if I do, Allah will love me and people will love me.” He said: “Detach yourself from the world, and Allah will love you. Detach yourself from what is with the people, and the people will love you.” [Ibn Majah]
Ironically, the less we chase after the approval and love of the people, the more we gain it. The less needy we are of others, the more people are drawn to us and seek our company. This hadith teaches us a profound Truth. Only by breaking out of the orbit of the creation, can we succeed with both Allah and people.
To run to Allah is a movement of the heart. To run to Allah is to strive with everything He has given you. Running to Allah is movement. If you are passive, you are not moving. You are falling. Movement to Allah, running to Allah, is to face your heart towards Him in every motion of life. It is to face every goal, every intention, every End towards Him. He becomes the object of your striving. The means of your striving. The ultimate End of your striving. But you keep striving. You keep working to be the best mother you can. The best father. The best sons and daughters. The best neighbor, teacher, student, worker, employer, employee, citizen.
This is the legacy of all our Prophets, peace be upon them all. Their bodies were in dunya. Striving. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was the best leader, the best father, the best husband, the best friend. His body was working hard in dunya. For a while. But his heart was always with Allah. His heart was already in Akhira (Hereafter), even while his body was still here—for a time. His heart was already Home. His heart saw through the illusions of this life. His limbs worked hard. So hard. He bled, and cried, and strived. His body stood until his feet cracked. His body was abused in Ta’if. His body lost sleep, and felt hunger, and thirst, and fever, and pain. And loss.
But his heart faced only Allah.
And with Allah there is no hunger, thirst, pain, or loss. His body had to strive in different directions; he was a father, a leader, a friend, a husband. But while his body had to strive in all those places, his heart faced only One. Only one direction.
His heart faced only Allah.
As Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said so beautifully:
إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿٧٩(Qur'an, An-'Am 6:79)
Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah.
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) focused the face of his heart only on Allah. Completely. Haneefan. Completely. You will find that to only partially face your heart to Allah is to suffer. And that suffering is in proportion to the degree of partial submission.
Allah tells us in the Qur'an:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ فِى ٱلسِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٢٠٨(Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:208)
O you who have believed, enter into submission completely [whole-heartedly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
There is pain in just partial submission. There is a pain in not entering into peace and security—the only peace and security—completely. With one’s whole heart. There is pain in half a sajdah (prostration). There is a pain in putting your heart (even partially) in anyone else’s hands. And that pain continues until you turn your entire heart only in one direction. Until you turn your entire heart only towards Him. He becomes the only true aim of your striving.
As we say at least 17 times every single day: “You alone do we worship and You alone do we seek for help.” (Qur'an, Al-Fatihah 1:5). Allah is the only true End, and the only true means to that End. No one gets to Allah without Allah. La hawla wa la quwat illa billah: “There is no change and no strength, except by Allah.”
The one who turns his heart completely to Allah in this way, reaches true freedom. And that person can no longer be harmed by the creation. The fire couldn’t burn Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The ‘fires’ of the creation cannot harm the one who’s heart faces only Allah. The financial, physical, emotional, social, and psychological fires cannot harm the one who’s heart is only with Allah. Externally, the person might look harmed, but in Reality, such a person is never harmed. The truth of the situation is not harm, but good, as we know from the words of our beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace):
“Strange is the case of a believer, there is good for him in everything—and this is only for the believer. If a blessing reaches him, he is grateful to Allah, which is good for him, and if an adversity reaches him, he is patient which is good for him.” [Muslim]
And this is only for the believer. This is only for the one who’s heart is turned completely and only in one direction. Remember, Allah says:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ فِى ٱلسِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ ﴿٢٠٨(Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:208)
O you who have believed, enter into Islam [submission and peacefulness] completely [whole-heartedly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
Enter into peace and security completely. Complete security is only for those who enter completely. But remember the heart is not a still entity. The heart is by definition that which turns (hence the Arabic word for heart ‘qalb’ comes from the root which means ‘to turn’). The heart by definition is that which turns. So our object in life is to keep bringing the heart back to focus, back to center, back to Allah. And we consistently seek Allah’s help, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to supplicate most of all: “Oh turner of hearts, set our hearts firm on Your deen (way).”
This constant reorientation is tawbah. Return. Again and again and again. Until we meet Him. Only the one who gives up this fight, fails. Only the one who—due to complacency or despair—gives up the fight of constantly bringing the heart back to focus, fails in this life and the next.
We all want love-- from Allah, and from the creation. We are all running towards something. Ironically, the more we run after the creation, the more the creation runs away from us! As soon as we stop running after the creation, and re-orient, as soon as we start running towards Allah, the creation runs after us. It’s a simple, simple formula:
Run towards the creation, you lose Allah and the creation. Run towards Allah, you gain Allah and the creation.
Allah is Al Wadud (The Source of Love). Therefore, love comes from Allah—not people. As one author, Charles F. Haanel, put it: “To acquire love... fill yourself up with it until you become a magnet.”
When you fill yourself with the Source of love (Al Wadud), you become a magnet for love. Allah teaches us this in the beautiful hadith Qudsi:
“If Allah has loved a servant [of His], He calls Gabriel (peace be upon him) and says: ‘I love So-and-so, therefore love him.’” He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “So Gabriel loves him. Then he (Gabriel) calls out in heaven, saying: ‘Allah loves So-and-so, therefore love him.’ And the inhabitants of heaven love him.” He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallamh) said: “Then acceptance is established for him on earth. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi)
We’re all running. But so few of us are running in the right direction. We have the same goal. But to get there, we need to stop. And examine if we are running towards the Source–or just a reflection.
May Allah love us and bring us closer to Him. May Allah increase our love for His beloved Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), his family and companions. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Friday, October 21, 2016
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Importance of Having Companions in Knowledge
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Nothing in the Qur'an is haphazardly put. Everything is meant to be there. When Allah tells us the story of Musa and al-Khidr (peace be upon them) in Surah al-Kahf and mentions a young companion with Musa, one of the things we can learn from this is the importance of having companions in knowledge when we are seeking knowledge.
Realize the importance of seeking companions who are walking on the same path as you. And help each other out.
May Allah make us avid seekers of knowledge and grant us good companionship. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Nothing in the Qur'an is haphazardly put. Everything is meant to be there. When Allah tells us the story of Musa and al-Khidr (peace be upon them) in Surah al-Kahf and mentions a young companion with Musa, one of the things we can learn from this is the importance of having companions in knowledge when we are seeking knowledge.
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَىٰهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـٰذَا نَصَبًا ﴿٦٢[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:62]
So when they had passed beyond it, [Moses] said to his young companion, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue." (62)
Realize the importance of seeking companions who are walking on the same path as you. And help each other out.
May Allah make us avid seekers of knowledge and grant us good companionship. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Drawing Close to Allah -- The Forgotten Treasure of Dhuha Prayer
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
The first way to draw near to Allah is through the obligatory duties that are enjoined upon us. The way to truly earn the love of Allah and be among His most faithful slaves is the supererogatory deeds and voluntary deeds-- mustahabb and Sunnah deeds.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah radhi Allahu anhu, who said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said:
Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.
" إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ: مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا، فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ، كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطِشُ بِهَا، وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لَأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنْ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لَأُعِيذَنَّهُ، وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ عَبْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِ، يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَأَنَا أَكْرَهُ مَسَاءَتَهُ"
[Bukhari]
While Tahajjud (night vigil prayers) might be very tough for a lot of us to perform, it is very much easier to start our journey to Tahajjud and Qiyam al-Layl, by starting our load of optional deeds with the much easier Dhuha prayer.
The Dhuha prayer can be performed from the time of sunrise to before mid-day. That is, from the end of Fajr time to the beginning of Dhuhr time.
It is an optional prayer, and can be a minimum of two rakat to a maximum of eight or twelve rakat (scholars differ as to the maximum amount). Some narrations which mention the practice of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam are as follows,
Aisha radhi Allahu anha reported: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam used to perform four rakat of Duha prayer and would add to them whatever Allah wished. [Muslim]
Umm Hani, radhi Allahu anha reported: I went to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He was taking a bath at that time. When he finished the bath, he performed eight rakat prayers. This was during the Dhuha (forenoon). [Bukhari and Muslim]
It should not be difficult to pray 2 or 4 rakats of prayer in the morning. It only take a few minutes. Cultivate the habit of praying the 2 or 4 or 8 rakats or 12 before you go to work or school. But start with 2 and gradually increase the number.
The Amazing Rewards...
Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu was given some specific advice by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and that was
“My Khalil (very close friend, meaning the Prophet) directed me to fast three days of each month, and to observe two rakat Duha at forenoon, and to perform the Witr prayer before going to bed.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Moreover, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam further said,
“In the morning, charity is due on every joint bone of the body of everyone of you. Every utterance of Allah’s Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Alhamdulillah) is an act of charity and every utterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha illAllah) is an act of charity; and enjoining good is an act of charity, and forbidding evil is an act of charity, and two rakat Dhuha prayers which one performs in the forenoon is equal to all this (in reward).” [Muslim]
This is a sign of the great reward of the Dhuha prayer as it is a form of charity and allows us to complete all our charitable duties for that day that are incumbent upon us.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam further said, “Allah Most High says: O child of Adam, don’t fail to perform four rakats in the beginning of your day, and I shall be your sufficiency at its end.” [At-Tirmidhi]
Another narration from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam states, “Whoever consistently performs two rakats of Dhuha, their sins are forgiven, even if like the foam of the sea.” [Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidi]
So, what is 5 to 10 minutes of your time compared to these tremendous rewards? Indeed, it is an amazing offer from Allah, a treasure mine, Salat ad-Duha. After all He is the One who created your time. Why don't give some back for Him? Invest it in your devotion to Him. Start your day with the morning prayers--2 Fajr prayer (and 2 rakats before it) and Dhuha prayers. You will see great change in your life, inshaa Allah.
May Allah make us of those who are consistent with these prayers and grant us nearness to Him and His love. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
The first way to draw near to Allah is through the obligatory duties that are enjoined upon us. The way to truly earn the love of Allah and be among His most faithful slaves is the supererogatory deeds and voluntary deeds-- mustahabb and Sunnah deeds.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah radhi Allahu anhu, who said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said:
Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.
" إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ: مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا، فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ، كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطِشُ بِهَا، وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لَأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنْ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لَأُعِيذَنَّهُ، وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ عَبْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِ، يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَأَنَا أَكْرَهُ مَسَاءَتَهُ"
[Bukhari]
While Tahajjud (night vigil prayers) might be very tough for a lot of us to perform, it is very much easier to start our journey to Tahajjud and Qiyam al-Layl, by starting our load of optional deeds with the much easier Dhuha prayer.
The Dhuha prayer can be performed from the time of sunrise to before mid-day. That is, from the end of Fajr time to the beginning of Dhuhr time.
It is an optional prayer, and can be a minimum of two rakat to a maximum of eight or twelve rakat (scholars differ as to the maximum amount). Some narrations which mention the practice of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam are as follows,
Aisha radhi Allahu anha reported: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam used to perform four rakat of Duha prayer and would add to them whatever Allah wished. [Muslim]
Umm Hani, radhi Allahu anha reported: I went to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He was taking a bath at that time. When he finished the bath, he performed eight rakat prayers. This was during the Dhuha (forenoon). [Bukhari and Muslim]
It should not be difficult to pray 2 or 4 rakats of prayer in the morning. It only take a few minutes. Cultivate the habit of praying the 2 or 4 or 8 rakats or 12 before you go to work or school. But start with 2 and gradually increase the number.
The Amazing Rewards...
Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu was given some specific advice by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and that was
“My Khalil (very close friend, meaning the Prophet) directed me to fast three days of each month, and to observe two rakat Duha at forenoon, and to perform the Witr prayer before going to bed.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Moreover, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam further said,
“In the morning, charity is due on every joint bone of the body of everyone of you. Every utterance of Allah’s Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Alhamdulillah) is an act of charity and every utterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha illAllah) is an act of charity; and enjoining good is an act of charity, and forbidding evil is an act of charity, and two rakat Dhuha prayers which one performs in the forenoon is equal to all this (in reward).” [Muslim]
This is a sign of the great reward of the Dhuha prayer as it is a form of charity and allows us to complete all our charitable duties for that day that are incumbent upon us.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam further said, “Allah Most High says: O child of Adam, don’t fail to perform four rakats in the beginning of your day, and I shall be your sufficiency at its end.” [At-Tirmidhi]
Another narration from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam states, “Whoever consistently performs two rakats of Dhuha, their sins are forgiven, even if like the foam of the sea.” [Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidi]
So, what is 5 to 10 minutes of your time compared to these tremendous rewards? Indeed, it is an amazing offer from Allah, a treasure mine, Salat ad-Duha. After all He is the One who created your time. Why don't give some back for Him? Invest it in your devotion to Him. Start your day with the morning prayers--2 Fajr prayer (and 2 rakats before it) and Dhuha prayers. You will see great change in your life, inshaa Allah.
May Allah make us of those who are consistent with these prayers and grant us nearness to Him and His love. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
'Ibaad-ur-Rahman -- The Special Honored Slaves of Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah Most High honored the title of 'Ibaad-ur-Rahman ( عِبَادُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ) to those especially dear to Him.
Rahman is one of Allah’s names, referring to Him as having extreme mercy.
In the last few verses of Surah Al-Furqan (Qur'an, Al-Furqan 25:63-77), Allah mentions thirteen traits and habits of this special and honored servants of His. Those are His slaves who firmly believe in the Prophet's (Allah bless him and grant him peace) prophethood and their beliefs, deeds and dealings are all in conformity with the will of Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and follow the Shari'ah. They surrender completely before Allah and make all deeds and desires conforming to His pleasure by his own choosing.
If we have these characteristics we are the slaves of Allah’s extreme mercy in this world and, more importantly, on Yawm-al-aakhirah (the Day of judgement).
Wouldn’t we all love to be given this title? Indeed, it is the highest honor given by the All-Merciful.
The first characteristic of such people is that they are "slaves" which is the plural of the word (slave). Here it means the slave who is the property of his Master. All his deeds and prerogatives together with his very life are dedicated to follow the command and will of the Master. Only such a person can claim to be Allah's slave whose views and beliefs, thinking and desires, and deeds and actions are totally in line with the command and pleasure of his Rab (Master) and who keeps himself alert to carry out each and every command as soon as he is required to.
The second characteristic is "they walk on the earth humbly".
وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا
And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth humbly,..(63)
Here the word (hawn) is used in the sense of humbleness, modesty and decorum - that is one does not walk with pride or arrogance. It does not mean that one should walk very slowly, because it is against Sunnah if it is without any need.
They have a softness to their walk on the earth. They walk on the earth with humility.
The third characteristic:
وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلْجَـٰهِلُونَ قَالُوا۟ سَلَـٰمًا
and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, (63)
It should be kept in mind that the word "ignorant" in this verse refers to a person who acts like an ignorant person, notwithstanding that he might be a knowledgeable person. Also, the word (peace) is not used here in its customary sense of greeting, but for any word causing peace. What is meant here is that in response to ignorance they keep composed and answer with calmness so that others are not offended and they do not commit a sin.
They are sensible with the states of people before they address them.
When people come to you and they say obscene things, you don't have to respond, you don't have to engage, you just let it be. Why? Because when jahl (ignorance) is there, 'aql (intellect) is not. When somebody is being ignorant or emotionally overwhelmed (extremely angry, extremely depressed, in a bad mood), you cannot engage with them in an intellect conversation. There is time to bring up something and there is time to leave it alone. When you know they are in that state, it's going to start something bad, then you should have the intelligence and the humility to know that and not bring up some thing right now-- just don't talk. When someone is emotionally volatile, then just say "peace." Find a better time. Don't be insensitive and inconsiderate. And you should not get frustrated with people, instead you are patient with people.
Know that your patience is going to be tested all the time. We all have people who annoy us, irritate us, or do injustice to us in many different ways. It could be in the form of backbiting, treating us badly, showing rude behavior, or just having differences of opinions between family members. Sometimes it could even be more serious, like having family members or families who are less religiously committed than we are, which could cause serious differences within the home and family. But you have to keep at peace.
The more you engage in Allah's work, the more you have to be conscious of this. It will become more and more difficult, increasingly difficult. If you take on any kind of religious position, everything you do is a representation of Islam. And you don't have a personal life anymore. Everything you do will be labeled. One mistake you make, all the things you have to say is wiped away. There will be people who are looking for a way to undermine or dismiss your message. Be extra conscious and hold yourself to a much much higher standard.
The Fourth Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَـٰمًا
And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer] (64)
Special mention of night worship is made here firstly, because this time being a time of rest, requires extra effort, and secondly because it rules out the possibility of showing one's worship to others. The idea is to express that they spend their day and night in submission before Allah during the day by teaching and spreading religious tenets and struggling in the way of Allah and at night by praying before Him.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Remain steadfast to your night prayers as this has been the practice of all righteous people before your time, and this will bring you closer to Allah and will expiate the evils and keep you away from sins". (Mazhari)
The Fifth Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا
And those who say, "Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; (65)
It means that despite their constant prayers day and night, these favored ones do not sit content, but are always fearful of Allah and keep in mind the Day of Judgement. To that end they keep alive the righteous deeds as well as supplications
before Allah.
Some Muslims think that they may have to spend a few years in Jahannam initially and then get Jannah forever because Allah promises that all believers will be in Jannah eventually. This is very wrong thinking and is actually undermining
the power and the mercy of Allah. In fact, we should not want to go to Jahannam for even a split second. In the Quran there are verses that describe a scene where a person is outside Jahannam and the breeze of Jahannam just brushes past his skin for a split second and the person says, ”O Allah! it feels like I have been in the worst part of Jahannam!”
The Sixth Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا۟ وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا ﴿٦٧﴾
And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate (67)
Allah's blessed servants are neither spendthrifts nor misers but they spend moderately. The words "israf" (extravagance) and "iqtar" (miserliness) are used in the verse for the two opposite traits. Israf means to cross the limits. Iqtar means to spend with miserliness.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
"It is the sagacity of man to adopt the middle path in spending"
"The person who sticks to the middle path and moderation in spending will never become a destitute and poor".
Of course spending on family and those under your care is 'ibadah (worship) and required of a Muslim man and a Muslim should not be stingy when spending either. However, we should also think about better ways to spend our extra money, such as giving sadaqah, helping the poor, or spending in the cause of Islam, instead of wasting money.
This also includes living within our means, refraining from loans or riba and also ensuring that most of our income comes from a halaal source and is not spent on haraam.
The Seventh Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ
And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity .. 68
The first six characteristics included the principles of obedience and now the characteristics of disobedience are described. Among these the very first one relates to belief, that is these blessed servants do not associate any one with Allah in His worship.
The Eighth and Ninth characteristic
وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ
or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. (68)
This is the description of the major and grave sins pertaining to one's deeds. It is mentioned that Allah's blessed servants do not go even near them; neither they indulge in adultery nor do they kill innocent people.
The tenth characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ ٱلزُّورَ
And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity..(72)
That is they do not participate in the meetings where lie and falsehood has currency. The biggest falsehood is the kufr (disbelief) and shirk, and the next in order comes the common lie and acts of sin. In other words the blessed and favored servants of Allah avoid attending such meetings.
The Eleventh Characteristic
وَإِذَا مَرُّوا۟ بِٱللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا۟ كِرَامًا
and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity. (72)
That is if by chance they happen to pass by immoral gatherings, they walk away with dignity and grace. In other words, as they do not attend such gatherings intentionally, if they happen to pass by them sometimes by chance they just walk away from there in a dignified manner. That is despite their belief that their evil acts are hateful, they do not take pride or regard themselves superior for not indulging in them.
The Twelveth Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَمْ يَخِرُّوا۟ عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا ﴿٧٣
nd those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind. (73)
That is when the blessed servants of Allah are reminded of His verses and the Hereafter, they do not throw themselves upon them as if they were blind and dumb, but pay heed to them like sober and sensible persons, and act upon them. They do not behave like the ignorant people or negligent persons as if they have not seen or listened i.e. not understood the message.
Two things are mentioned in this verse. One, to fall at Divine revelation i.e. to listen them with full attention. This is a virtuous and commendable act. Second, to fall at the verses like deaf and dumb people which means to listen to the message but without any purpose or commitment and act in a manner that the real message has not been registered, and even if they follow the Qur'anic message it is not in line with the practices of the companions of the Prophet or their followers. Such people follow their own whims based on hearsay, which is as bad as not following the Divine message.
May Allah grant us steadfastness and grant us the traits and habits of the special and honored slaves of His. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah Most High honored the title of 'Ibaad-ur-Rahman ( عِبَادُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ) to those especially dear to Him.
Rahman is one of Allah’s names, referring to Him as having extreme mercy.
In the last few verses of Surah Al-Furqan (Qur'an, Al-Furqan 25:63-77), Allah mentions thirteen traits and habits of this special and honored servants of His. Those are His slaves who firmly believe in the Prophet's (Allah bless him and grant him peace) prophethood and their beliefs, deeds and dealings are all in conformity with the will of Allah and His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and follow the Shari'ah. They surrender completely before Allah and make all deeds and desires conforming to His pleasure by his own choosing.
If we have these characteristics we are the slaves of Allah’s extreme mercy in this world and, more importantly, on Yawm-al-aakhirah (the Day of judgement).
Wouldn’t we all love to be given this title? Indeed, it is the highest honor given by the All-Merciful.
The first characteristic of such people is that they are "slaves" which is the plural of the word (slave). Here it means the slave who is the property of his Master. All his deeds and prerogatives together with his very life are dedicated to follow the command and will of the Master. Only such a person can claim to be Allah's slave whose views and beliefs, thinking and desires, and deeds and actions are totally in line with the command and pleasure of his Rab (Master) and who keeps himself alert to carry out each and every command as soon as he is required to.
The second characteristic is "they walk on the earth humbly".
وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا
And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth humbly,..(63)
Here the word (hawn) is used in the sense of humbleness, modesty and decorum - that is one does not walk with pride or arrogance. It does not mean that one should walk very slowly, because it is against Sunnah if it is without any need.
They have a softness to their walk on the earth. They walk on the earth with humility.
The third characteristic:
وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلْجَـٰهِلُونَ قَالُوا۟ سَلَـٰمًا
and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, (63)
It should be kept in mind that the word "ignorant" in this verse refers to a person who acts like an ignorant person, notwithstanding that he might be a knowledgeable person. Also, the word (peace) is not used here in its customary sense of greeting, but for any word causing peace. What is meant here is that in response to ignorance they keep composed and answer with calmness so that others are not offended and they do not commit a sin.
They are sensible with the states of people before they address them.
When people come to you and they say obscene things, you don't have to respond, you don't have to engage, you just let it be. Why? Because when jahl (ignorance) is there, 'aql (intellect) is not. When somebody is being ignorant or emotionally overwhelmed (extremely angry, extremely depressed, in a bad mood), you cannot engage with them in an intellect conversation. There is time to bring up something and there is time to leave it alone. When you know they are in that state, it's going to start something bad, then you should have the intelligence and the humility to know that and not bring up some thing right now-- just don't talk. When someone is emotionally volatile, then just say "peace." Find a better time. Don't be insensitive and inconsiderate. And you should not get frustrated with people, instead you are patient with people.
Know that your patience is going to be tested all the time. We all have people who annoy us, irritate us, or do injustice to us in many different ways. It could be in the form of backbiting, treating us badly, showing rude behavior, or just having differences of opinions between family members. Sometimes it could even be more serious, like having family members or families who are less religiously committed than we are, which could cause serious differences within the home and family. But you have to keep at peace.
The more you engage in Allah's work, the more you have to be conscious of this. It will become more and more difficult, increasingly difficult. If you take on any kind of religious position, everything you do is a representation of Islam. And you don't have a personal life anymore. Everything you do will be labeled. One mistake you make, all the things you have to say is wiped away. There will be people who are looking for a way to undermine or dismiss your message. Be extra conscious and hold yourself to a much much higher standard.
The Fourth Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَـٰمًا
And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer] (64)
Special mention of night worship is made here firstly, because this time being a time of rest, requires extra effort, and secondly because it rules out the possibility of showing one's worship to others. The idea is to express that they spend their day and night in submission before Allah during the day by teaching and spreading religious tenets and struggling in the way of Allah and at night by praying before Him.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Remain steadfast to your night prayers as this has been the practice of all righteous people before your time, and this will bring you closer to Allah and will expiate the evils and keep you away from sins". (Mazhari)
The Fifth Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا
And those who say, "Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; (65)
It means that despite their constant prayers day and night, these favored ones do not sit content, but are always fearful of Allah and keep in mind the Day of Judgement. To that end they keep alive the righteous deeds as well as supplications
before Allah.
Some Muslims think that they may have to spend a few years in Jahannam initially and then get Jannah forever because Allah promises that all believers will be in Jannah eventually. This is very wrong thinking and is actually undermining
the power and the mercy of Allah. In fact, we should not want to go to Jahannam for even a split second. In the Quran there are verses that describe a scene where a person is outside Jahannam and the breeze of Jahannam just brushes past his skin for a split second and the person says, ”O Allah! it feels like I have been in the worst part of Jahannam!”
The Sixth Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا۟ وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا ﴿٦٧﴾
And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate (67)
Allah's blessed servants are neither spendthrifts nor misers but they spend moderately. The words "israf" (extravagance) and "iqtar" (miserliness) are used in the verse for the two opposite traits. Israf means to cross the limits. Iqtar means to spend with miserliness.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
"It is the sagacity of man to adopt the middle path in spending"
"The person who sticks to the middle path and moderation in spending will never become a destitute and poor".
Of course spending on family and those under your care is 'ibadah (worship) and required of a Muslim man and a Muslim should not be stingy when spending either. However, we should also think about better ways to spend our extra money, such as giving sadaqah, helping the poor, or spending in the cause of Islam, instead of wasting money.
This also includes living within our means, refraining from loans or riba and also ensuring that most of our income comes from a halaal source and is not spent on haraam.
The Seventh Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ
And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity .. 68
The first six characteristics included the principles of obedience and now the characteristics of disobedience are described. Among these the very first one relates to belief, that is these blessed servants do not associate any one with Allah in His worship.
The Eighth and Ninth characteristic
وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ
or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. (68)
This is the description of the major and grave sins pertaining to one's deeds. It is mentioned that Allah's blessed servants do not go even near them; neither they indulge in adultery nor do they kill innocent people.
The tenth characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ ٱلزُّورَ
And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity..(72)
That is they do not participate in the meetings where lie and falsehood has currency. The biggest falsehood is the kufr (disbelief) and shirk, and the next in order comes the common lie and acts of sin. In other words the blessed and favored servants of Allah avoid attending such meetings.
The Eleventh Characteristic
وَإِذَا مَرُّوا۟ بِٱللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا۟ كِرَامًا
and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity. (72)
That is if by chance they happen to pass by immoral gatherings, they walk away with dignity and grace. In other words, as they do not attend such gatherings intentionally, if they happen to pass by them sometimes by chance they just walk away from there in a dignified manner. That is despite their belief that their evil acts are hateful, they do not take pride or regard themselves superior for not indulging in them.
The Twelveth Characteristic
وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ لَمْ يَخِرُّوا۟ عَلَيْهَا صُمًّا وَعُمْيَانًا ﴿٧٣
nd those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind. (73)
That is when the blessed servants of Allah are reminded of His verses and the Hereafter, they do not throw themselves upon them as if they were blind and dumb, but pay heed to them like sober and sensible persons, and act upon them. They do not behave like the ignorant people or negligent persons as if they have not seen or listened i.e. not understood the message.
Two things are mentioned in this verse. One, to fall at Divine revelation i.e. to listen them with full attention. This is a virtuous and commendable act. Second, to fall at the verses like deaf and dumb people which means to listen to the message but without any purpose or commitment and act in a manner that the real message has not been registered, and even if they follow the Qur'anic message it is not in line with the practices of the companions of the Prophet or their followers. Such people follow their own whims based on hearsay, which is as bad as not following the Divine message.
May Allah grant us steadfastness and grant us the traits and habits of the special and honored slaves of His. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Blessing of Night and Day
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah Almighty says in Surah Al-Furqan,
Allah makes the night and day conflict with one another for people who want to remember Him. The battle that is happening between the night and day is convenient for the one who really wants to make an effort to remember Allah. Their prayers revolve around that conflict between the night and the day. And every time a whole day has come to a completion or when they got through the night, they turn back to Allah, and they thank Allah for another day they got to breathe on this earth. It is another day of opportunity to serve Allah and earn His forgiveness.
May Allah make today better than yesterday for all of us and increase us in righteous deeds and forgive all our shortcomings. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah Almighty says in Surah Al-Furqan,
تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجًا وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا سِرَٰجًا وَقَمَرًا مُّنِيرًا ﴿٦١﴾ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ خِلْفَةً لِّمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَذَّكَّرَ أَوْ أَرَادَ شُكُورًا ﴿٦٢[Qur'an, Al-Furqan 25:61-62]
Blessed is He who has placed in the sky great stars and placed therein a [burning] lamp and luminous moon. (61) And it is He who has made the night and the day in succession for whoever desires to remember or desires gratitude. (62)
Allah makes the night and day conflict with one another for people who want to remember Him. The battle that is happening between the night and day is convenient for the one who really wants to make an effort to remember Allah. Their prayers revolve around that conflict between the night and the day. And every time a whole day has come to a completion or when they got through the night, they turn back to Allah, and they thank Allah for another day they got to breathe on this earth. It is another day of opportunity to serve Allah and earn His forgiveness.
May Allah make today better than yesterday for all of us and increase us in righteous deeds and forgive all our shortcomings. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Monday, October 17, 2016
Do Not Weaken and Do Not Grieve -- Remember The Promise of Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Sometimes we forget that this is the fleeting dunya (world), the dunya wherein we will face trials, left, right, and center. And the everlasting abode is the Aakhirah (hereafter).
Allah Most High says in the Qur’an,
We make du’a during and after every salah, standing for tahajjud in the depths of the night and crying to Allah, and asking Him to accept our prayers. But so many times we feel that our du'as are not being answered. Know that the answer is not forthcoming is part of the test. Allah’s delaying it is not Allah’s denial. Ultimately only Allah knows what is best for us. The quicker we realize and accept this, the faster we are on the road of success.
We need to stand strong and bear beautiful patience (sabrun jameel صَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ) in times of adversity, holding on to the rope of Islam and having firm faith in the promise of Allah. Allah has made beautiful promises to the believers in the Qur’an, how then can we be sad when one of our du’as is not answered. We should instead strive for righteousness, enjoining good and forbidding evil, remembering the promises of Allah for His slaves and striving to earn the most beautiful promise of all— Jannah-tul-Firdaus.
What is a promise? Let us understand the definition: a promise is a declaration or an assurance that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen.
Allah’s promises to believers:
Forgiveness
Always aim to do good deeds with the intention of pleasing Allah, and never fall short in repentance to Allah for Allah, the Most Merciful and All-Forgiving, has promised His believers forgiveness. He has also promised a great reward, so imagine what kind of great reward would come from Allah the Most Great.
Guidance– Hidayah
We ask Allah for guidance in our salah every day. Pray your salah on time and regularly and do good deeds. If Allah didn’t accept this du’a of yours, He is guiding you to something better or delaying it for a later date to strengthen you in faith.
Protection from Shaytan
The Shaytan is waiting for you to fail your test so he can take over your mind, filling it with sadness, complaints and despair. Why me? Why didn’t Allah accept my du’a? I’m useless. Ever had those thoughts? That’s the Shaytan. Push all those thoughts aside and seek refuge in Allah from the Shaytan.
Put your trust fully in Allah and know with certainty that Allah has something better planned for you.
Your Efforts Will be Rewarded
At times you may feel that you are striving so hard to do good, to keep steadfast in your prayers, to stay away from sin yet still your life is not the way you had planned it to be. You may feel you are doing wrong. Allah promises us that no effort will be wasted, every single righteous deed will be rewarded , we just have to bear patience, the reward may come in this dunya or it may come in the Aakhirah or both. We just have to bear beautiful patience.
The reward may not be in the form we wanted it to be in but it will be in the form that is best for us, for Allah loves us more than our own mothers. He, the Most High, is the only One that know what is best for His believers.
Paradise
The ultimate promise of Allah for His believers is Jannah. This is the eternal abode we should all be striving for in this dunya. All our deeds and actions in this dunya should bring us closer to Allah and to attaining Jannah and His Noble Countenance. If our deeds and actions are not bringing us closer to Allah then we need to re-evaluate our lives, refrain from sinning, purify our intentions, and seek Allah’s forgiveness and His mercy.
Trust Allah and have full faith in His promises in His Book and see how your life changes for the better.
May Allah save us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next. May Allah grant us success in this life and the next and save us from the torment of the Hellfire. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Sometimes we forget that this is the fleeting dunya (world), the dunya wherein we will face trials, left, right, and center. And the everlasting abode is the Aakhirah (hereafter).
Allah Most High says in the Qur’an,
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿٣﴾ أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٤﴾ مَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ لَءَاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ﴿٥﴾ وَمَن جَـٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَـٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٦[Qur’an,Al-Ankabut 29:1-6]
Alif, Lam, Meem (1) Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? (2) But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (3) Or do those who do evil deeds think they can outrun Us? Evil is what they judge. (4) Whoever should hope for the meeting with Allah - indeed, the term decreed by Allah is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (5) And whoever strives only strives for [the benefit of] himself. Indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds. (6)
We make du’a during and after every salah, standing for tahajjud in the depths of the night and crying to Allah, and asking Him to accept our prayers. But so many times we feel that our du'as are not being answered. Know that the answer is not forthcoming is part of the test. Allah’s delaying it is not Allah’s denial. Ultimately only Allah knows what is best for us. The quicker we realize and accept this, the faster we are on the road of success.
We need to stand strong and bear beautiful patience (sabrun jameel صَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ) in times of adversity, holding on to the rope of Islam and having firm faith in the promise of Allah. Allah has made beautiful promises to the believers in the Qur’an, how then can we be sad when one of our du’as is not answered. We should instead strive for righteousness, enjoining good and forbidding evil, remembering the promises of Allah for His slaves and striving to earn the most beautiful promise of all— Jannah-tul-Firdaus.
What is a promise? Let us understand the definition: a promise is a declaration or an assurance that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen.
Allah’s promises to believers:
Forgiveness
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ ۙ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٩[Qur’an, Al-Ma'ida 5:9]
Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds [that] for them there is forgiveness and great reward. (9)
Always aim to do good deeds with the intention of pleasing Allah, and never fall short in repentance to Allah for Allah, the Most Merciful and All-Forgiving, has promised His believers forgiveness. He has also promised a great reward, so imagine what kind of great reward would come from Allah the Most Great.
Guidance– Hidayah
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ يَهْدِيهِمْ رَبُّهُم بِإِيمَـٰنِهِمْ ۖ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ فِى جَنَّـٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ ﴿٩[Qur’an, Yunus 10:9]
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - their Lord will guide them because of their faith. Beneath them rivers will flow in the Gardens of Pleasure (9)
We ask Allah for guidance in our salah every day. Pray your salah on time and regularly and do good deeds. If Allah didn’t accept this du’a of yours, He is guiding you to something better or delaying it for a later date to strengthen you in faith.
Protection from Shaytan
نَّهُۥ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ سُلْطَـٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ﴿٩٩﴾ إِنَّمَا سُلْطَـٰنُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِۦ مُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٠٠[Qur'an, An-Nahl 16:99-100]
Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord. (99) His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allah. (100)
The Shaytan is waiting for you to fail your test so he can take over your mind, filling it with sadness, complaints and despair. Why me? Why didn’t Allah accept my du’a? I’m useless. Ever had those thoughts? That’s the Shaytan. Push all those thoughts aside and seek refuge in Allah from the Shaytan.
Put your trust fully in Allah and know with certainty that Allah has something better planned for you.
Your Efforts Will be Rewarded
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا ﴿٣٠[Qur’an, Al-Kahf 18:30]
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds. (30)
At times you may feel that you are striving so hard to do good, to keep steadfast in your prayers, to stay away from sin yet still your life is not the way you had planned it to be. You may feel you are doing wrong. Allah promises us that no effort will be wasted, every single righteous deed will be rewarded , we just have to bear patience, the reward may come in this dunya or it may come in the Aakhirah or both. We just have to bear beautiful patience.
The reward may not be in the form we wanted it to be in but it will be in the form that is best for us, for Allah loves us more than our own mothers. He, the Most High, is the only One that know what is best for His believers.
Paradise
وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُوا۟ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقًا ۙ قَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَأُتُوا۟ بِهِۦ مُتَشَـٰبِهًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿٢٥[Qur’an, Al-Baqarah 2:25]
And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, "This is what we were provided with before." And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally. (25)
The ultimate promise of Allah for His believers is Jannah. This is the eternal abode we should all be striving for in this dunya. All our deeds and actions in this dunya should bring us closer to Allah and to attaining Jannah and His Noble Countenance. If our deeds and actions are not bringing us closer to Allah then we need to re-evaluate our lives, refrain from sinning, purify our intentions, and seek Allah’s forgiveness and His mercy.
Trust Allah and have full faith in His promises in His Book and see how your life changes for the better.
هَـٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٨﴾ وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٣٩[Qur'an, An-Nisa 3:138-139]
This [Qur'an] is a clear statement to [all] the people and a guidance and instruction for those conscious of Allah. (138) So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers. (139)
May Allah save us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next. May Allah grant us success in this life and the next and save us from the torment of the Hellfire. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Why Do We Love Talking With People But We Don't Love Talking With Allah?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
One of the greatest conversations in the history of mankind was Musa's (peace be upon him) conversation directly with Allah. [Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:9-23] He was shown the miracles of his staff turned into a live snake and his hand turned into a light. Perhaps this was the most amazing experience of his life and probably the most amazing experience of human existence up to that point. After all that he was asked to change that and have the most ugliest possible conversation-- Go talk to Firaun.
The Prophets (peace be upon them) have to do two things. They have to train themselves in their trust by engaging in the most beautiful conversation with Allah and then when they are ready they have to go engage in the ugliest conversation with the people because the people have no respect, they don't hold back, they are not courteous, they make lies, accusations, insults. The Prophets have to deal with all that by the strength they gain from conversing with Allah. To have that really tough conversation, the first conversation prepare them for the second conversation.
We can have that conversation with Allah during our prayers. Every few hours we are given the opportunity to converse with Allah. But we often rush through our prayers and recite short surahs.
There is no act more powerful than praying the regular prayer daily--Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (afternoon), 'Asr (mid-afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), 'Isha (night) and Witr. Prayer is our support and strength, and joy for those people who Allah blessed them in their prayers.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The coolness of my eyes is in the prayer." Prayer is an absolute tranquility and peacefulness. The call to prayer is a comfort to People of Allah. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it." Meaning give the call to prayer. In the prayer we have a conversation with Allah.
Why then do we love talking with people but don't love talking with Allah?
Prayers prepare us to face all the difficult conversations in our lives. These conversations with Allah will give us strength to deal with people, who can be very difficult and obnoxious. So, don't rush through your prayers. Recite lots of Qur'an during and after prayer.
Wake up at night and pray tahajjud-- this is your truly intimate time with Allah. The night prayer was commanded upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) so to prepare him to go out and warn people and convey the Message.
May Allah grant us steadfastness and closeness to Him. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
One of the greatest conversations in the history of mankind was Musa's (peace be upon him) conversation directly with Allah. [Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:9-23] He was shown the miracles of his staff turned into a live snake and his hand turned into a light. Perhaps this was the most amazing experience of his life and probably the most amazing experience of human existence up to that point. After all that he was asked to change that and have the most ugliest possible conversation-- Go talk to Firaun.
ٱذْهَبْ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ ﴿٢٤﴾ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِى ﴿٢٥﴾ وَيَسِّرْ لِىٓ أَمْرِى ﴿٢٦﴾ وَٱحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِى ﴿٢٧﴾ يَفْقَهُوا۟ قَوْلِى ﴿٢٨﴾ وَٱجْعَل لِّى وَزِيرًا مِّنْ أَهْلِى ﴿٢٩﴾ هَـٰرُونَ أَخِى ﴿٣٠﴾ ٱشْدُدْ بِهِۦٓ أَزْرِى ﴿٣١﴾ وَأَشْرِكْهُ فِىٓ أَمْرِى ﴿٣٢﴾ كَىْ نُسَبِّحَكَ كَثِيرًا ﴿٣٣﴾ وَنَذْكُرَكَ كَثِيرًا ﴿٣٤﴾ إِنَّكَ كُنتَ بِنَا بَصِيرًا ﴿٣٥﴾ قَالَ قَدْ أُوتِيتَ سُؤْلَكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ ﴿٣٦[Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:24-36]
Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed." (24) [Moses] said, "My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance] (25) And ease for me my task (26) And untie the knot from my tongue (27) That they may understand my speech. (28) And appoint for me a minister from my family - (29) Aaron, my brother. (30) Increase through him my strength (31) And let him share my task (32) That we may exalt You much (33) And remember You much. (34) Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing." (35) [Allah] said, "You have been granted your request, O Moses.(36)
The Prophets (peace be upon them) have to do two things. They have to train themselves in their trust by engaging in the most beautiful conversation with Allah and then when they are ready they have to go engage in the ugliest conversation with the people because the people have no respect, they don't hold back, they are not courteous, they make lies, accusations, insults. The Prophets have to deal with all that by the strength they gain from conversing with Allah. To have that really tough conversation, the first conversation prepare them for the second conversation.
We can have that conversation with Allah during our prayers. Every few hours we are given the opportunity to converse with Allah. But we often rush through our prayers and recite short surahs.
There is no act more powerful than praying the regular prayer daily--Fajr (dawn), Dhuhr (afternoon), 'Asr (mid-afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), 'Isha (night) and Witr. Prayer is our support and strength, and joy for those people who Allah blessed them in their prayers.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The coolness of my eyes is in the prayer." Prayer is an absolute tranquility and peacefulness. The call to prayer is a comfort to People of Allah. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it." Meaning give the call to prayer. In the prayer we have a conversation with Allah.
Why then do we love talking with people but don't love talking with Allah?
Prayers prepare us to face all the difficult conversations in our lives. These conversations with Allah will give us strength to deal with people, who can be very difficult and obnoxious. So, don't rush through your prayers. Recite lots of Qur'an during and after prayer.
Wake up at night and pray tahajjud-- this is your truly intimate time with Allah. The night prayer was commanded upon the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) so to prepare him to go out and warn people and convey the Message.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمُزَّمِّلُ ﴿١﴾ قُمِ ٱلَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿٢﴾ نِّصْفَهُۥٓ أَوِ ٱنقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا ﴿٣﴾ أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ تَرْتِيلًا ﴿٤﴾ إِنَّا سَنُلْقِى عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا ﴿٥﴾ إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ هِىَ أَشَدُّ وَطْـًٔا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا ﴿٦﴾ ﴾[Qur'an, Al-Muzzammil 73:1-6]
O you who wraps himself [in clothing], (1) Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little - (2) Half of it - or subtract from it a little (3) Or add to it, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation. (4) Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word. (5) Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words. (6)
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمُدَّثِّرُ ﴿١﴾ قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ ﴿٢﴾ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ ﴿٣﴾ وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ ﴿٤﴾ وَٱلرُّجْزَ فَٱهْجُرْ ﴿٥﴾ وَلَا تَمْنُن تَسْتَكْثِرُ ﴿٦﴾ وَلِرَبِّكَ فَٱصْبِرْ ﴿٧[Qur'an, Al-Muddathir 74:1-7]
O you who covers himself [with a garment], (1) Arise and warn (2) And your Lord glorify (3) And your clothing purify (4) And uncleanliness avoid (5) And do not confer favor to acquire more (6) But for your Lord be patient. (7)
May Allah grant us steadfastness and closeness to Him. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Lessons from Qur'an Stories -- Prophet Musa's Conversation with Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Musa (peace be upon him) was with his family and traveling in the desert when he suddenly saw a fire in the distance. He asked his family to wait so that he may get some light from the fire, or get some guidance from the people.
Among the many lessons from the story are:
Lesson One: Allah gives us signs
Just like Musa (peace be upon him) was given the sign of the burning fire, Allah gives all of us signs in this life. Sometimes it is an ayah of the Qur'an that may touch our heart, or a heart penetrating reminder. Sometimes it is just a person we meet who teaches us, or just life circumstances. When Allah shows us signs, it is up to us to take them.
Lesson Two: Allah’s words are a light and guidance
Ironically Musa (peace be upon him) said that he would go and see if he could get a light or some guidance. Allah through this conversation will give him the ultimate light of His words and ultimate guidance being the guidance from Allah. Allah has given us a light and guidance through the Quran, how much of it have we kept?
Lesson Three: Allah chooses whom He wills
Allah tells Musa (peace be upon him) that he was chosen to be Allah’s prophet, and chosen among the thousands of babies killed to be saved. Allah chooses whoever He wills. He chose that I would be a Muslim while many are not. He chose that you meet so and so to teach you Qur'an. He chose that you live in a comfortable home and million others live on the streets or refugee camps. It is all from the blessings of Allah. The question is, how do you and I utilize the blessings?
Lesson Four: Prayer, prayer, prayer!
Remember the time you met someone you honored, admired, or someone famous. Would you ever forget that? Hardly doubt it. Yet, Allah reminds Musa (peace be upon him) to establish the prayer so that he may remember Allah. And yet, Musa (peace be upon him) has just heard Allah speak. Would he ever have forgotten? How important then is our prayers and turning to Allah?
Lesson Five: Even the best of people require sincere counsel
Allah went on to remind Musa (peace be upon him) that if he was to turn away, then he might be punished as well. The best of people also need to be reminded of the judgment and of the Hellfire. The best of people also need to be reminded that other people might turn them away from Allah, so do not let that happen. If Musa (peace be upon him) was reminded about Judgment Day, who are we to act arrogant whenever we are reminded of retribution? Who are we to think we are safe by our petty deeds when this mighty Messenger of Allah listens silently to the warning?
Lesson Six: This is Islam summarized
Allah first mentions that none is worthy of worship except Him alone. He then made it clear to Musa (peace be upon him) to establish the prayer for Allah’s remembrance and then made mention of the Day of Judgment. This is what we need to enter Paradise. Worship Allah alone, establish the prayers, remember Allah and be mindful of the Hereafter, and Allah will be merciful to us and enter us into Paradise inshaa Allah.
After mentioning the main message of Islam to Musa (peace be upon him), Allah now moves on to give an important training to Musa (peace be upon him)
Lesson Seven: Talk to Allah as much as you can
Once Allah gives an opportunity to Musa (peace be upon him) to talk, he takes it with both hands. He keeps going on and on about his staff. How much do we talk to Allah when given the opportunity? Do we like to “finish off the prayer” or actually trying to make time to talk to Allah?
Lesson Eight: Everything in life can be a double edged sword
Musa (peace be upon him) mentioned all the blessings of his staff. Then Allah asked him to throw it down, and it became a snake- something very harmful. Everything in this world can be such. The proverbial example of the knife which can cut vegetables versus the same knife which can kill people is one to ponder upon. All the blessings in life are blessings which can be for us or against us, depending on how we use it.
Lesson Nine: Trust in Allah
Another place in the Qur'an, it is mentioned that Musa (peace be upon him) ran when he saw the snake. Allah asks him to pick it up. An order from Allah, and just like his mother many many years ago, Musa (peace be upon him) listens to the order of Allah and the snake turns back to a staff. Allah just taught Musa (peace be upon him) and by extension all of us to trust in the command of Allah. Whatever He commands is good for us, even if we may not know it, and if we truly trust Him, miracles will happen.
May Allah shower us with His light and mercy and make us of the righteous. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Musa (peace be upon him) was with his family and traveling in the desert when he suddenly saw a fire in the distance. He asked his family to wait so that he may get some light from the fire, or get some guidance from the people.
وَهَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ ﴿٩﴾ إِذْ رَءَا نَارًا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ ٱمْكُثُوٓا۟ إِنِّىٓ ءَانَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّىٓ ءَاتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ هُدًى ﴿١٠﴾ فَلَمَّآ أَتَىٰهَا نُودِىَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ ﴿١١﴾ إِنِّىٓ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكَ فَٱخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ بِٱلْوَادِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى ﴿١٢[Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:9-16]
وَأَنَا ٱخْتَرْتُكَ فَٱسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَىٰٓ ﴿١٣﴾ إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدْنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكْرِىٓ ﴿١٤﴾ إِنَّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ ءَاتِيَةٌ أَكَادُ أُخْفِيهَا لِتُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا تَسْعَىٰ ﴿١٥﴾ فَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنْهَا مَن لَّا يُؤْمِنُ بِهَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ فَتَرْدَىٰ ﴿١٦
And has the story of Moses reached you? - (9) When he saw a fire and said to his family, "Stay here; indeed, I have perceived a fire; perhaps I can bring you a torch or find at the fire some guidance." (10) And when he came to it, he was called, "O Musa, (11) Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. (12) And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed [to you]. (13) Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. (14) Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost conceal it - so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives. (15) So do not let one avert you from it who does not believe in it and follows his desire, for you [then] would perish. (16)
Among the many lessons from the story are:
Lesson One: Allah gives us signs
Just like Musa (peace be upon him) was given the sign of the burning fire, Allah gives all of us signs in this life. Sometimes it is an ayah of the Qur'an that may touch our heart, or a heart penetrating reminder. Sometimes it is just a person we meet who teaches us, or just life circumstances. When Allah shows us signs, it is up to us to take them.
Lesson Two: Allah’s words are a light and guidance
Ironically Musa (peace be upon him) said that he would go and see if he could get a light or some guidance. Allah through this conversation will give him the ultimate light of His words and ultimate guidance being the guidance from Allah. Allah has given us a light and guidance through the Quran, how much of it have we kept?
Lesson Three: Allah chooses whom He wills
Allah tells Musa (peace be upon him) that he was chosen to be Allah’s prophet, and chosen among the thousands of babies killed to be saved. Allah chooses whoever He wills. He chose that I would be a Muslim while many are not. He chose that you meet so and so to teach you Qur'an. He chose that you live in a comfortable home and million others live on the streets or refugee camps. It is all from the blessings of Allah. The question is, how do you and I utilize the blessings?
Lesson Four: Prayer, prayer, prayer!
Remember the time you met someone you honored, admired, or someone famous. Would you ever forget that? Hardly doubt it. Yet, Allah reminds Musa (peace be upon him) to establish the prayer so that he may remember Allah. And yet, Musa (peace be upon him) has just heard Allah speak. Would he ever have forgotten? How important then is our prayers and turning to Allah?
Lesson Five: Even the best of people require sincere counsel
Allah went on to remind Musa (peace be upon him) that if he was to turn away, then he might be punished as well. The best of people also need to be reminded of the judgment and of the Hellfire. The best of people also need to be reminded that other people might turn them away from Allah, so do not let that happen. If Musa (peace be upon him) was reminded about Judgment Day, who are we to act arrogant whenever we are reminded of retribution? Who are we to think we are safe by our petty deeds when this mighty Messenger of Allah listens silently to the warning?
Lesson Six: This is Islam summarized
Allah first mentions that none is worthy of worship except Him alone. He then made it clear to Musa (peace be upon him) to establish the prayer for Allah’s remembrance and then made mention of the Day of Judgment. This is what we need to enter Paradise. Worship Allah alone, establish the prayers, remember Allah and be mindful of the Hereafter, and Allah will be merciful to us and enter us into Paradise inshaa Allah.
وَمَا تِلْكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ ﴿١٧﴾ قَالَ هِىَ عَصَاىَ أَتَوَكَّؤُا۟ عَلَيْهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَىٰ غَنَمِى وَلِىَ فِيهَا مَـَٔارِبُ أُخْرَىٰ ﴿١٨﴾ قَالَ أَلْقِهَا يَـٰمُوسَىٰ ﴿١٩﴾ فَأَلْقَىٰهَا فَإِذَا هِىَ حَيَّةٌ تَسْعَىٰ ﴿٢٠﴾ قَالَ خُذْهَا وَلَا تَخَفْ ۖ سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا ٱلْأُولَىٰ ﴿٢١﴾ وَٱضْمُمْ يَدَكَ إِلَىٰ جَنَاحِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَآءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوٓءٍ ءَايَةً أُخْرَىٰ ﴿٢٢﴾ لِنُرِيَكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا ٱلْكُبْرَى ﴿٢٣[Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:19-23]
And what is that in your right hand, O Moses?" (17) He said, "It is my staff; I lean upon it, and I bring down leaves for my sheep and I have therein other uses." (18) [Allah] said, "Throw it down, O Moses." (19) So he threw it down, and thereupon it was a snake, moving swiftly. (20) [Allah] said, "Seize it and fear not; We will return it to its former condition. (21) And draw in your hand to your side; it will come out white without disease - another sign, (22) That We may show you [some] of Our greater signs. (23)
After mentioning the main message of Islam to Musa (peace be upon him), Allah now moves on to give an important training to Musa (peace be upon him)
Lesson Seven: Talk to Allah as much as you can
Once Allah gives an opportunity to Musa (peace be upon him) to talk, he takes it with both hands. He keeps going on and on about his staff. How much do we talk to Allah when given the opportunity? Do we like to “finish off the prayer” or actually trying to make time to talk to Allah?
Lesson Eight: Everything in life can be a double edged sword
Musa (peace be upon him) mentioned all the blessings of his staff. Then Allah asked him to throw it down, and it became a snake- something very harmful. Everything in this world can be such. The proverbial example of the knife which can cut vegetables versus the same knife which can kill people is one to ponder upon. All the blessings in life are blessings which can be for us or against us, depending on how we use it.
Lesson Nine: Trust in Allah
Another place in the Qur'an, it is mentioned that Musa (peace be upon him) ran when he saw the snake. Allah asks him to pick it up. An order from Allah, and just like his mother many many years ago, Musa (peace be upon him) listens to the order of Allah and the snake turns back to a staff. Allah just taught Musa (peace be upon him) and by extension all of us to trust in the command of Allah. Whatever He commands is good for us, even if we may not know it, and if we truly trust Him, miracles will happen.
May Allah shower us with His light and mercy and make us of the righteous. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Friday, October 14, 2016
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Why Doesn't Allah Show Me a Sign?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah tells us stories in the Qur'an. Surah al-Kahf that we should read today and every Friday, itself has four stories.
One of the most profound aspects of the Qur'an is the manner in which it narrates stories. These stories of past and future events serve primarily as guidance but unknown to many Muslims is that these stories also indicate the miraculous nature of the Quran (I'jaz Al-Quran ).
Falling stars, flying UFO’s, crying statues . . . Anything out of the ordinary unfailingly captures our attention. The more extraordinary the thing, the greater coverage it gets in media.
And so you will hear some people say things like, “I will go forward in marrying this person if Allah shows me a sign,” or, “I’ll start putting hijab once I see a sign from Allah.” Some people pray istikharah and then start asking, “I haven’t seen any signs from Allah regarding this matter— was my prayer defective? Should I pray again?” And still others advise them, “Yes! Do keep praying until Allah shows you a sign.
Still others, those of weak faith, want to justify their belief in the unseen world by forcing themselves to believe they saw a jinn. Or a “shaykh” of theirs has unusual powers by which he can talk to him long-distance without using a phone or the internet.
Nonetheless, wanting to see miracles with your own eyes is a natural urge of the human being. Even Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) asked Allah.
If you already have a strong faith in your Lord, trying to look for signs is following the sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim. However, for those of weak faith it could lead to dangerous results. It could lead them to believe in anyone claiming to have miraculous powers and narrating miraculous stories. Before believing any such stories we need to refer things back to the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Allah’s Signs
So we ask ourselves, why doesn’t Allah show us signs? Surely, all the prophets and messengers were shown signs from Allah. Imagine standing behind Musa (peace be upon him), watching the sea parting, or traveling with Musa and saw your fish morning meal went off swimming into the sea. Is it the same as hearing the story second hand? Surely not. As Allah explained in Surah at-Takathur, there is a difference between ilmul yaqeen (knowledge of certainty) and ‘aynal yaqeen (seeing the certain with your own eyes).
We look for miraculous signs when in difficulty, even if just to comfort us that Allah is there watching over. You might have heard in movies, when in a fix, the actor calls, “God, show me a sign.”
And then, when someone propecia online pharmacy doesn’t see any such signs, she or he asks, “Does God even exist?”
That is the mindset of the ignorant and disbelieving people.
So the answer to “Why doesn’t Allah show me a miracle, a sign?” is that Allah does show you and me signs. But the question is, do you keep your eyes open enough to see them?
Who says a sign needs to be something outside of the ordinary, something breaking all laws of normal physics and chemistry?
If you can grasp the fact that the universe runs according to Allah’s laws, you will start seeing signs everywhere you look:
Allah Almighty does show some extraordinary miracles to certain people. Take the example of the people of the cave in Surah al-Kahf. Imagine waking up after 300 years of sleep. And yet . . . And yet, Allah Almighty says:
Ibn Kathir explains this verse as Allah saying, Oh Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), the case of the People of the Cave and the inscriptions were not something really astonishing relative to My power and ability. The creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of night and day and the subjugation of the sun, moon and heavenly bodies, and other mighty signs all indicate something of the incredible power of Allah and show that He is able to do whatever He wills.
The Special Miracle
And what is the special miracle that Allah sent down for this ummah, the ummah of the last Prophet? The Qur'an, full of what Allah Himself calls ayaat or “signs” in English. There is a whole science built on this specific topic. But in order to immerse yourself in that ocean of miraculous beauty, we first need to learn Arabic.
May Allah make us of the people of reason and who listen. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah tells us stories in the Qur'an. Surah al-Kahf that we should read today and every Friday, itself has four stories.
One of the most profound aspects of the Qur'an is the manner in which it narrates stories. These stories of past and future events serve primarily as guidance but unknown to many Muslims is that these stories also indicate the miraculous nature of the Quran (I'jaz Al-Quran ).
Falling stars, flying UFO’s, crying statues . . . Anything out of the ordinary unfailingly captures our attention. The more extraordinary the thing, the greater coverage it gets in media.
And so you will hear some people say things like, “I will go forward in marrying this person if Allah shows me a sign,” or, “I’ll start putting hijab once I see a sign from Allah.” Some people pray istikharah and then start asking, “I haven’t seen any signs from Allah regarding this matter— was my prayer defective? Should I pray again?” And still others advise them, “Yes! Do keep praying until Allah shows you a sign.
Still others, those of weak faith, want to justify their belief in the unseen world by forcing themselves to believe they saw a jinn. Or a “shaykh” of theirs has unusual powers by which he can talk to him long-distance without using a phone or the internet.
Nonetheless, wanting to see miracles with your own eyes is a natural urge of the human being. Even Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) asked Allah.
...وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِى كَيْفَ تُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِن ۖ قَالَ بَلَىٰ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِى[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:260]
And [mention] when Ibrahim said, “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.” [Allah] said, “Have you not believed?” He said, “Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied.”
If you already have a strong faith in your Lord, trying to look for signs is following the sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim. However, for those of weak faith it could lead to dangerous results. It could lead them to believe in anyone claiming to have miraculous powers and narrating miraculous stories. Before believing any such stories we need to refer things back to the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Allah’s Signs
So we ask ourselves, why doesn’t Allah show us signs? Surely, all the prophets and messengers were shown signs from Allah. Imagine standing behind Musa (peace be upon him), watching the sea parting, or traveling with Musa and saw your fish morning meal went off swimming into the sea. Is it the same as hearing the story second hand? Surely not. As Allah explained in Surah at-Takathur, there is a difference between ilmul yaqeen (knowledge of certainty) and ‘aynal yaqeen (seeing the certain with your own eyes).
We look for miraculous signs when in difficulty, even if just to comfort us that Allah is there watching over. You might have heard in movies, when in a fix, the actor calls, “God, show me a sign.”
And then, when someone propecia online pharmacy doesn’t see any such signs, she or he asks, “Does God even exist?”
That is the mindset of the ignorant and disbelieving people.
وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ ءَايَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ ۖ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْغَيْبُ لِلَّهِ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُنتَظِرِينَ ﴿٢٠[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 10:20]
And they say, “Why is a sign not sent down to him from his Lord?”
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ لَوْلَا يُكَلِّمُنَا ٱللَّهُ أَوْ تَأْتِينَآ ءَايَةٌ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۘ تَشَـٰبَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا ٱلْءَايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿١١٨[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:118]
Those who do not know say, “Why does Allah not speak to us or there come to us a sign?” Thus spoke those before them like their words. Their hearts resemble each other. We have shown clearly the signs to a people who are certain [in faith].
So the answer to “Why doesn’t Allah show me a miracle, a sign?” is that Allah does show you and me signs. But the question is, do you keep your eyes open enough to see them?
Who says a sign needs to be something outside of the ordinary, something breaking all laws of normal physics and chemistry?
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ وَٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ وَٱلنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّرَٰتٌۢ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٢[Qur'an, An-Nahl 16:12]
And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى رَفَعَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۖ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ يَجْرِى لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَآءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ ﴿٢[Qur'an, Ar-Ra'd 13:2]
It is Allah who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne and made subject the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. He arranges [each] matter; He details the signs that you may, of the meeting with your Lord, be certain.
If you can grasp the fact that the universe runs according to Allah’s laws, you will start seeing signs everywhere you look:
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ يُرِيكُمُ ٱلْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَيُحْىِۦ بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَآ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٢٤[Qur'an Ar-Rum 30:24]
And of His signs is [that] He shows you the lightning [causing] fear and aspiration, and He sends down rain from the sky by which He brings to life the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that are signs for a people who use reason.
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱلْفُلْكَ تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِنِعْمَتِ ٱللَّهِ لِيُرِيَكُم مِّنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ ﴿٣١[Qur'an, Luqman 31:31]
Do you not see that ships sail through the sea by the favor of Allah that He may show you of His signs? Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful.
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١[Qur'an, Ar-Rum 30:20-21]
And of His signs is that He created you from dust; then, suddenly you were human beings dispersing [throughout the earth]. And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ مَنَامُكُم بِٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱبْتِغَآؤُكُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَسْمَعُونَ ﴿٢٣[Qur'an, Ar-Rum 20:23]
And of His signs is your sleep by night and day and your seeking of His bounty. Indeed in that are signs for a people who listen. (23)
Allah Almighty does show some extraordinary miracles to certain people. Take the example of the people of the cave in Surah al-Kahf. Imagine waking up after 300 years of sleep. And yet . . . And yet, Allah Almighty says:
أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْكَهْفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا۟ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا عَجَبًا ﴿٩[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:9]
Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription were, among Our signs, a wonder?
Ibn Kathir explains this verse as Allah saying, Oh Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), the case of the People of the Cave and the inscriptions were not something really astonishing relative to My power and ability. The creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of night and day and the subjugation of the sun, moon and heavenly bodies, and other mighty signs all indicate something of the incredible power of Allah and show that He is able to do whatever He wills.
The Special Miracle
And what is the special miracle that Allah sent down for this ummah, the ummah of the last Prophet? The Qur'an, full of what Allah Himself calls ayaat or “signs” in English. There is a whole science built on this specific topic. But in order to immerse yourself in that ocean of miraculous beauty, we first need to learn Arabic.
May Allah make us of the people of reason and who listen. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
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