Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Only Adornments

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

Allah Most High says in Surah Al-Kahf:

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

Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope. [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:46]

Zeenah زِينَةُ is something which is ornamental, increasing beauty of something else, but by itself is useless. All the worldly possessions (tangible and intangible)--your wealth, children, spouse, job, status, fame, which you love so much are nothing but ornaments. And they will perish. The real useful thing is your good deeds which will help you when you meet your Lord.

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ ﴿٢٦﴾ وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٢٧ 

Everyone upon the earth will perish, (26) And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (27) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:26-27] 

May Allah grant us wisdom and save us from the trials and tribulations in this life and the next.

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا  

Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.

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

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Love the Righteous

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

Souls feel affinity with others according to the nature in which they were created. 'Although they are all souls, they differ in different ways, so a person will feel an affinity with souls of one kind, and will get along with them because of the special quality that they have in common.' [Qurtubi]

In the story of the companions of the cave (Ashab al-Kahf) in Surah Al-Kahf, a few young men were drawn to each other because of their righteousness.

وَإِذِ ٱعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَأْوُۥٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا ﴿

[The youths said to one another], "And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allah, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you from your affair facility." [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:16]

One of bases of love is acquaintance and understanding. Man does not not love one with who he is not acquainted. When it is strong and firm, then is deep love. One of the causes of love is secret connection between a lover and his beloved. This love is cemented not for beauty but for the union of their souls. The souls which agree with one another love one another, and those souls which have no agreement differ.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is an object of love because he (sallallahu alayi wasallam is the beloved of Allah. So is love for the learned, religious and good people, as the dear ones of the beloved are object of love. The ambassadors and the messengers of the dear ones are also objects of love.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Imbue yourself with divine attributes." This injunction is only for following the good attributes, such as acquisition of knowledge, honesty, showing kindness, to do good to people, enjoin them good, to show them right path and to prohibit from evils.

There is no higher love other than Allah. The way to love Him is through divine knowledge. A man gets great pleasure getting the secret information of an emperor. Allah is the most High and Most Honorable. So, the pleasure gained by the pursuit of knowledge of His attributes is the greatest. The best and highest pleasure is by the pursuit of knowledge relating to Allah and His attributes. It is many times more than the pleasure gained by satisfaction of lust or greed by the sense organs.

Islam taught us many things and if we apply even a fraction of what we know, life would be wonderful for us and the people around us. Just take for example this one hadith:
"None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." [related by Bukhari and Muslim]

How many of us practice this? For most people, their lives center around themselves and perhaps it extended to their immediate family members, perhaps a little further or to their best friends, but so many people not even to their own mothers, family members and neighbors, let alone to acquaintances and strangers. This is not surprising at all...for people are mostly selfish. But if you are in the company of people who do practice this hadith, this is the true meaning of life. And you are in the company of the true righteous people. Where do you find people like that? Actually they are not hard to find if you are one of them. Birds of a feather flock together.

First, you need to look to your heart and ask these questions. Does my heart incline towards righteous people? Is the heart avid in desiring righteousness? If your heart is moved at the mention of righteous people, this is a sign that you are one of them.

One of the companions came to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and said, “I traveled through the day and night and I am filled with thirst and my mount is tired and fatigued, and it was just because I wanted to reach you before you leave this world to ask you a question.” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, asked him, “What is it that you want to ask me about?” He replied, “My question is, what is the sign of those whom Allah chooses, and what is the sign of those whom Allah does not choose?” So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, asked him, “In what state did you awake this morning?” Note here that the man asked about divine election and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam asked him what his state was. He said, “I awoke this morning loving goodness, and joyous with any goodness I do, and saddened by any goodness that I missed….” “Enough,” said the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, “these are the signs of Allah in those whom he chooses. If He wanted you for something else he would have prepared you for it.” [at-Tabrani]

May Allah surround us with the righteous, make us and our loved ones of the righteous and resurrect us with the righteous.

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

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

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Patience in Seeking Knowledge

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Knowledge is that reality whereby the unknown becomes known within us and it is knowledge and worship for which the reason Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala created the heavens and the earth. If this is the reason, every single one of us should have a great portion of it.

Knowledge and worship is the means of felicity. Make our Deen the foundational aspect of our lives and make other things move around that. Make knowledge excuse for other things not other things excuse for knowledge.

We should be constantly seeking and acquiring knowledge while understand that you will encounter difficulties and obstacles along the way.

In the story of Musa and Al-Khidr in Surah Kahf, we are reminded that seeking knowledge is not supposed to be easy. If seeking knowledge is easy, then so many people would be doing it. But so many people fell by the wayside because they don't have patience. The fact is that those who are on the path of knowledge are blessed but you need patience to keep going. The story of Musa and Al-Khidr (peace be upon them) in Surah Kahf is teaching us patience in seeking knowledge.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَ‌حُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَ‌يْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ﴿٦٠

And [mention] when Musa to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period." (60)

[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:60]

Had it been the will of Allah that Musa should meet al-Khidr at that spot, Allah could have arranged that easily. Or, if Musa himself was divinely destined to travel, he could have been given a clear address to help him reach it without any bother. But, what happened here was different. The address given to him was far from being precise - 'when you reach the place where the dead fish stirs and disappears, that will be the place you will find Our servant.

The address of al-Khidr was left imprecise in a manner that it would not remain easy to pinpoint it. Obviously, this too was nothing but a trial and test for Musa. As though this was not enough, when they had reached the exact spot but then they forgot the fish. This was yet another test. After having reached the projected destination, the fish came alive and disappeared into the sea. The reality had unfolded and the place was pinpointed. But, that was not the end. The seeker of knowledge had to undergo yet another test -- hunger and fatigue, and there is no food. When Musa finally saw Al-Khidr and followed him so he could learn from him, this was when he faced the most difficult tests.

May Allah ease us in our struggles and in all our affairs, and make everything we do only for His pleasure. May Allah make safe for us and our children to seek knowledge in the lands where He puts us.

 رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.

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

Let's Read Surah Khaf Today (Friday) -- Facing Trials In Stride

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Surah Al-Kahf mentions four Qur'anic stories: The Companions of the Cave, The Man With the Two Gardens, Musa and Al-Khidr, and Dhul-Qarnain.

The four stories of Surah Al-Kahf ties into one message, and that is that it gathers the four fitan (trials) in life: the Fitnah of Deen (The People of the Cave), the Fitnah of Wealth (The Owner of the Two Gardens), the Fitnah of Knowledge (Musa and Al-Khidr), and the Fitnah of Power/Authority (Dhul Qarnain). These fitan are heavy on people and the active leader of them is Shaytan, the one who beautified these fitan, and for that, the verse came. (Ayah 50)

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِۦٓ ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۢ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلًا ﴿٥٠

And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except for Iblis. He was of the jinn and departed from the command of his Lord. Then will you take him and his descendants as allies other than Me while they are enemies to you? Wretched it is for the wrongdoers as an exchange. (50) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:50]

Whenever we face any hardships, we should take a step back from our difficult situation and think about it from a higher level. We should step back from our lives with all its worries, anxieties, problems, and thinks about it from an Akhirah (Hereafter) perspective, then we ask ourselves the question: what does this all mean when compared to the Akhirah? What does this all mean when compared to eternity in Paradise?

One of the main misunderstanding we all have in this life is that if we do good, we should get good in this life and hereafter. This is not entirely true.

This life is not the life we will get justice in. If this was the case, there would be no need for a Day of Judgment.

This life is a life of duality; there’s good and bad, justice and injustice, mercy and oppression, love and hate, truth and falsehood..etc. Your role in this life is to live your life according to how Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) asked you to do, seeking His pleasure, avoiding His anger. And Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) promises you in many places in the Quran, that if you do just that, He’ll give you a ‘good’ life. Allah says in the Quran,

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُۥ حَيَو‌ٰةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٩٧

Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do. (97)  [Quran, An-Nahl 16:97]

إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٩٠ ...

Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good." (90) [Quran, Yusuf 12:90]

In times of difficulty, it is imperative to remember there are effective ways to deal with the difficulty.

Here are 7 practical steps to help you face any difficult situation,

1. Salah (prayers). Make sure you stick to praying on time – 5 times a day. Never miss a salah and do your best to pray each Salah with sincerity as if it’s your last salah in this world.

2. Read the Quran. The Quran is so beautiful that no matter what difficulties you face you will find solace in it.

فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ ﴿٩٨﴾ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ سُلْطَـٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ﴿٩٩﴾ إِنَّمَا سُلْطَـٰنُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِۦ مُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٠٠

So when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy]. (98) 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) [Quran, AN-Nahl 16:98-100]
 
3. Make lots of du'as. (especially the du'a for removing anxiety)

4. Give sadaqah (charity). Give lots of charity, as much as you can, because it helps push away hardship. And if you can’t give money, even kind words or physical sadaqah can do (i.e. helping people physically or emotionally).

5. Set goals and have vision. Don’t let shaytan play with you and keep replaying the video of your hardship in your mind over and over again, move on! Set new goals, new projects, and remember you’re with Allah, nothing should stop you!

6. Wake up Early. Wake up before fajr and work on your ideas and projects, or simply read Quran. Getting busy before day break is a definite way to move away from your hardship and overcome challenges. Get most of your ideas/work done in these early hours, these are blessed hours.

7. Hardship is not lost. Remember, Allah will never forget the injustice/hardship you faced, so don’t worry about seeking revenge or trying to get justice.

May Allah remove all our ordeals and hardships, grant us and our families with a good life and help us remember Him day and night, for “Verily, with remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest”.

[Quran, Ar-R'ad 13:28]

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

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Sacrifices

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

Assalaamu alaykum

There are two very difficult tests in this world -- extreme difficulty and extreme luxury. Extreme difficulty are things like serious calamity, earthquake, famine, poverty, violence, etc. Such difficulty can knock the senses out of the one being afflicted and he can lose his faith. Extreme luxury is when everything is easy and you forgot the One that give you that ease. Worse when you become arrogant and attribute that ease to yourself.

The owner of the two gardens in Surah Kahf was tested with extreme wealth and he lost it.

وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُۥ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ قَالَ مَآ أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ أَبَدًا ﴿٣٥﴾ وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآئِمَةً وَلَئِن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّى لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا مُنقَلَبًا ﴿٣٦

And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself. He said, "I do not think that this will perish - ever. (35) And I do not think the Hour will occur. And even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return." (36)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:35-36]

With a little reflection, many of us are like that whether we realize it or not, lost in our possessions and delusion, and forget the purpose of our creation. Eid al-Adha is our opportunity to change that. Allah has put us in this world for a purpose we have to fulfill that purpose-- to worship Him. We have to make sacrifices. We have to sacrifice our money, our children, our family, our time, our property, our knowledge, our life, to realize that purpose.

If you can afford it, sacrifice an animal to show your gratitude to Allah. And share the meat to those who are close to you and those in need. It's good if you do your own slaughter -- there is a lot to learn from those animals and the experience. With reflection, it can make you a better person and change your life. If you can't do the slaughter yourself, at least be there during the slaughter.

May Allah grant us 'afiya and excellent worship and accept our worship and good deeds. Ameen.

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance. [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:10]

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