بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
If I was introducing the Quran, I have to look at myself first and say, "Am I a credible presenter of the Quran? Do I embody at least some of the things that the Quran tries to teach us?" This is because the Quran can be a proof for you or a proof against it. There will be people who recite the Quran and they are actually reciting against themselves, not for themselves. The meaning here is that they are not living up to what the Quran is asking them, what Allah wants them to do. The biggest detested thing to Allah is to say what you do not do.
It is important to understand that the transmitted sciences, rational sciences, scientific knowledge are tools to ultimately prepare us for the ultimate knowledge, which is the knowledge of Allah. This inheritance is vast and you can take as much as you can carry. It is not like the inheritors of faraid (inheritance) and wealth. Anyone can take this inheritance as much as he wants, regardless of age, color, race, economic status, strength, size, etc. The inheritance of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam is for everybody and it is waiting for you.
From this inheritance is the khuluq (character) of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). It is his khuluq that Allah praised him.
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
And indeed, you are of a great moral character. (4)
[Qur'an, Al-Qalam 68:4]
This should be what people should associate you, as Muslims, with--not your beards, turbans, thawbs, hijabs, niqabs, jilbabs, not the fact that you don't eat pork nor drink (intoxicates), not the fact that you don't eat and drink in Ramadhan, etc. When people say "Muslims", it is good character.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam defines what character is. If you want to see Quran embodied in one individual human being in a manner that never be embodied by anyone else, you should look at the Prophet's character. The character of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam is beyond anything that we can imagine. Just by attempting to be like him, we reach the best that is in us. From that character was his honor and his love for his family and relatives.
'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked about the character of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and she replied, "Didn't you read the Quran? His character was the Quran."
The Quran is the whole thing from one aspect and part of the whole thing from another. It is a popular culture today that give the impression that unless something is in the Quran, then people don't have to do it. There is an understanding that Quran is everything indeed but at the same time everything comes from it. All of the ulum come from the Quran.
Someone first introduce the Quran, we usually teach them the Arabic letters. Then they have to learn some of the sounds associated to them. Then they learn these letters have a particular point of articulation. Someone like Sibawe who is acredited with articulating the linguistic aspect of the Quran, most famous grammamrian of the Arabic language talked about these points of articulation. People learn that when they learn tajweed. But If you make the Quran that's all it is, then you don't know the Quran. You haven't penetrated the meanings of the Quran. There are people who specialize and have a degree in tajweed, but if you ask them about aspect of the Quran, they don't know.
Then you put the letters together and make words. Most of the words in Arabic language come from tri-letter words e.g. mu'allim معلم(teacher) comes from tri-letter word علم (to teach). Most of the other words can be derived from the tri-letter roots. Then those letters are put together into sentences and then they make meanings. All of the ulum of Arabic language sprout forth from just the basic exterior part of it. Let's say we move on to the meanings, what traditionally called tafsir (exegesis). Tafsir is part of the exterior part but it is the most inward exterior part, you haven't reached the interior. You don't start getting to the interior, the inward meanings, until it is not based upon just reading this tafsir but based upon these meanings penetrating you. The things then when they unveil themselves to you, you will actualize them within you.
When you read the hadith of 'Aisha above, obviously it has to be that she was talking about the highest level, which is the most inward and interior aspect of the Quran such that it penetrate one to a degree that their character is indistinguishable from those very meanings that sprout forth from the Quran. This is the types of Muslims you want to be.
The best way to introduce someone to the Quran is not to hand them a translation of the Quran or teach them a particular Surah, even though those are ways, but show them how to live the Quran. Be the walking the Quran. Be the meanings that you are going to teach them that comes from a particular tafsir of the Quran. Unless we are embodying those things, it will be difficult for people to have a good introduction to the Quran.
People don't realize this, that you are a walking advertisement of two-- for who the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was, and for the Quran. Notice when people want to disparage the religion of islam, invariably they disparage, most of the time the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and secondarily, the Quran. Because they realized that this defines who we are, as Muslims--Quran and Sunnah. They are actually two aspects of the same unified whole. You cannot divorce or separate the Sunnah from the Quran and the Quran and the Sunnah. Hence you cannot divorce all of the derived discipline which include, the ulum hadith, fiqh, usul fiqh and all the disciplines that come from the Quran. None of these things can be divorced from one or the other. People will be imbalanced when they don't see the whole. When they focus on the trees and lose the forest. When that happens and people see only an aspect of a particular tree and don't see the forest they don't appreciate what Islam really is.
So when we talk about the best attribute of a person, we talk about perfection and completion (kamal). In other words a balance but we take them to the most logical completion. For example, when talk about someone who is generous, we talk about generous the complete way. When talk about someone who is courageous, we talk about it in the most complete way, without cowardess and without recklessness. Whether you read the Quran with meanings or without meanings, you are going to avail yourself to those things.
May Allah allow the meanings of the Quran to penetrate our hearts and grant us tawfiq to serve His religion and make His Words paramount. 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, December 31, 2017
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Making Quran Your Daily Reading
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Much of the Quran has very explicit implication about character. For example in Surah Hujurat, Allah says,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٢
O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (12) [Qur'an Hujurat 49:12]
Someone who is a regular reciter of the Quran, he will find that it will set him straight. That is the case whether you read it with meaning or you read it without meaning. We don't fully fathom the power of the Quran that it has upon the soul.
In a hadith that is mentioned in musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, whether one reads the Quran with meaning or without meaning, one should do it. Whether one who reads fluently or reads it with difficulty, they will have a reward. The one who reads it fluently, easily and good tajweed, they have a reward, and the one who struggles to do so will have a double reward.
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَهُوَ مَاهِرٌ بِهِ مَعَ السَّفَرَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْبَرَرَةِ وَالَّذِي يَقْرَؤُهُ وَهُوَ يَشْتَدُّ عَلَيْهِ فَلَهُ أَجْرَانِ "
'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam as saying:
One who is skilled in the Quran is associated with the noble, upright recording angels, and he who falters when he recites the Qur'an and finds it difficult for him will have a double reward. [Sunan Abi Dawood]
The Quran is very unique because it will come to you in the way that you could go to it. That's why many who first approach of Quran and try to read it find a lot of difficulty with it. It is called a Book but it is read like a book (has beginning, middle and ending) but anywhere that you read, there is a narrative and a story and there is meanings to be found.
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) mention every verse in the Quran has an outward purport (zahir) and inward (batin) meanings. The Quran has secrets like the letters that come in the beginning of some of the Surahs. Secret does not mean nobody can know them. They are not mystery that no one can know them but they are not known by many and can be known by some.
There are varying levels and depths to how one can understand the Quran and how the Quran can penetrate one's heart.
May Allah grant us the recitation and benefits of His People of 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
Much of the Quran has very explicit implication about character. For example in Surah Hujurat, Allah says,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٢
O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (12) [Qur'an Hujurat 49:12]
Someone who is a regular reciter of the Quran, he will find that it will set him straight. That is the case whether you read it with meaning or you read it without meaning. We don't fully fathom the power of the Quran that it has upon the soul.
In a hadith that is mentioned in musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, whether one reads the Quran with meaning or without meaning, one should do it. Whether one who reads fluently or reads it with difficulty, they will have a reward. The one who reads it fluently, easily and good tajweed, they have a reward, and the one who struggles to do so will have a double reward.
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَهُوَ مَاهِرٌ بِهِ مَعَ السَّفَرَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْبَرَرَةِ وَالَّذِي يَقْرَؤُهُ وَهُوَ يَشْتَدُّ عَلَيْهِ فَلَهُ أَجْرَانِ "
'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam as saying:
One who is skilled in the Quran is associated with the noble, upright recording angels, and he who falters when he recites the Qur'an and finds it difficult for him will have a double reward. [Sunan Abi Dawood]
The Quran is very unique because it will come to you in the way that you could go to it. That's why many who first approach of Quran and try to read it find a lot of difficulty with it. It is called a Book but it is read like a book (has beginning, middle and ending) but anywhere that you read, there is a narrative and a story and there is meanings to be found.
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) mention every verse in the Quran has an outward purport (zahir) and inward (batin) meanings. The Quran has secrets like the letters that come in the beginning of some of the Surahs. Secret does not mean nobody can know them. They are not mystery that no one can know them but they are not known by many and can be known by some.
There are varying levels and depths to how one can understand the Quran and how the Quran can penetrate one's heart.
May Allah grant us the recitation and benefits of His People of 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
Friday, December 29, 2017
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Sharing Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
One of the highlights of Friday to the Muslim is reciting Surah Kahf. In it there are many valuable lessons and reminders for all of us. Allah tells us at the beginning of the Surah,
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿٢﴾ مَّـٰكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا ﴿٣
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2) In which they will remain forever (3) [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:1-3]
The word: عِوَجَا('iwaja) means crookedness of any kind, or inclination towards one side or deviation from the norms of rectitude. The Quran remains pure and free of all that in terms of the perfection of its words and meanings. It simply admits of no distortion anywhere, either in eloquence or in knowledge and wisdom. The sense which has been conveyed in a negative form through: وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا (and has not made therein any deviance) has been fortified positively through the word: قَيِّمًا (qayyima) which follows immediately for emphasis. The reason is that this word carries the sense of: مستقيما (mustaqim) and that which is: مستقيم (mustaqim: straightforward, straight, upright) will not have the least crookedness or tilt towards any side. However, قيم (qayyim) can also have another sense, that of caretaker, custodian and protector. Given this probability, the sense of the expression would be that the Quran, while perfect in itself as free from all kinds of excess, deficiency, deviance and crookedness, keeps others upright, firm and unflinching and protects the interests and advantages of all servants of Allah. Thus the gist of the two expressions would be that the Quran stands perfect in itself and has the ability to make men and women created by Allah become equally perfect. [Mazhari]
May Allah enable us to recite Surah Kahf every Friday until the end of our lives here and grant us the benefits of the reciting it and show us the depths of it and enable us to apply the lessons to our lives in the manner most pleasing 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 highlights of Friday to the Muslim is reciting Surah Kahf. In it there are many valuable lessons and reminders for all of us. Allah tells us at the beginning of the Surah,
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿٢﴾ مَّـٰكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا ﴿٣
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2) In which they will remain forever (3) [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:1-3]
The word: عِوَجَا('iwaja) means crookedness of any kind, or inclination towards one side or deviation from the norms of rectitude. The Quran remains pure and free of all that in terms of the perfection of its words and meanings. It simply admits of no distortion anywhere, either in eloquence or in knowledge and wisdom. The sense which has been conveyed in a negative form through: وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا (and has not made therein any deviance) has been fortified positively through the word: قَيِّمًا (qayyima) which follows immediately for emphasis. The reason is that this word carries the sense of: مستقيما (mustaqim) and that which is: مستقيم (mustaqim: straightforward, straight, upright) will not have the least crookedness or tilt towards any side. However, قيم (qayyim) can also have another sense, that of caretaker, custodian and protector. Given this probability, the sense of the expression would be that the Quran, while perfect in itself as free from all kinds of excess, deficiency, deviance and crookedness, keeps others upright, firm and unflinching and protects the interests and advantages of all servants of Allah. Thus the gist of the two expressions would be that the Quran stands perfect in itself and has the ability to make men and women created by Allah become equally perfect. [Mazhari]
May Allah enable us to recite Surah Kahf every Friday until the end of our lives here and grant us the benefits of the reciting it and show us the depths of it and enable us to apply the lessons to our lives in the manner most pleasing 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
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Quran -- The Truth That Matters
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in the Quran,
وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ لَخَبِيرٌۢ بَصِيرٌ ﴿٣١﴾ ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌۢ بِٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ ﴿٣٢
And that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], of the Book is the truth, confirming what was before it. Indeed, Allah, of His servants, is Acquainted and Seeing. (31) Then we caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allah. That [inheritance] is what is the great bounty. (32)
There are truths in life e.g. the cup of tea you are holding is true but it is of not great consequence. The Quran contains the Truths that matters. What it contains is true because it corresponds to reality as it is, as conveyed by the Creator. It confirms the Scriptures that came before. All people were sent prophets, news of whom have largely been lost in the midst of time.
Allah tells us in the Quran the response of people to the Truth. They are those who wronged themselves, and there are those who stayed in between, and amongst them are those who outstripped each other, who are foremost in doing the good, by leave of the Lord. That is the greatest favor possible.
When we approach the Quran, we have to realize that what we are opening is the Truth that matters. It is what shows us reality as it is. It tells us what really matters in this life and what is irrelevant. And ultimately, Allah matters and nothing else is worthy of your greatest concern, and the next life is better than this life. To the extent you realize these two basic truths--that Allah is greater and more worthy of your concern than anything else, and the next life is better than this life, you prioritize what is pleasing to Allah over what is pleasing to you or anyone else. And you prioritize what is of advantage to you in the next life over any perceived advantage in this life.
This is also a reminder in responding to the gift of guidance. It is a great blessing for those who have faith (iman). Some people fall short. The manners (adab) of being a slacker is to repent. This guidance is for your ultimately good eternally. If you are falling short, Allah has said, He is the All Forgiving and Most Appreciative. If you repent you have returned to a clean slate with Allah. And there are those who strive for uprightness but sometimes they fall short and sometimes they are good. And there are those who are foremost. The adab of being someone who is directed to the good is to see that good is a gift from Allah and have gratitude for it. The adab is to renew your commitment to put Allah first and to maximize the good in your life and diminish the wrong in your life. If you are of the foremost, rushing to the good, then be grateful to Allah. Don't ascribe the work to yourself, always work on your sincerity (ikhlas).
جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤًا ۖ وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ ﴿٣٣﴾ وَقَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا ٱلْحَزَنَ ۖ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ ﴿٣٤﴾ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحَلَّنَا دَارَ ٱلْمُقَامَةِ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ لَا يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا لُغُوبٌ ﴿٣٥
[For them are] gardens of perpetual residence which they will enter. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk. (33) And they will say, "Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative - (34)
Allah promised that in this life. Those who recite the Book and do the good, Allah is indeed All Forgiving, Most Appreciative. The people of Paradise realize this when they enter Paradise and they find complete contentment. So these verses remind of the vastness of the next life that is open for the one of faith. This is a key reminder of the Quran. One of the benefits of Quran and reciting it with reflection, it fixes your priority. So you prioritize Allah over all else, and you prioritize the next life over this life because you see the vastness of next life and the fleetingness of this life.
The state of the people of Paradise can be summarized as being contentment, gratitude and praise. But the Quran calls us to embrace these three qualities in this life. If you are content with Allah in this life you are in a paradisical state. If you are grateful in this life regardless of what happens, you are in a paradisical state. If you are ever praising Allah in this life, you are in a paradisical state. So embrace this. And what helps you have that paradisical state, it is the Quran. The Quranic consciousness is blissful consciousness. There is no sorrow in Paradise but the one who is the person of Quran has no sorrow in this life. Because what is in the next life is that you are with Allah.
The call heard by the people of Paradise,
يَـٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ﴿٢٧﴾ ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً ﴿٢٨﴾ فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى ﴿٢٩﴾ وَٱدْخُلِى جَنَّتِى ﴿٣٠
[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul, (27) Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], (28) And enter among My [righteous] servants (29) And enter My Paradise." (30) [Quran, Al-Fajr 89:27-30]
But the person of Quran is hearing that call in this life because the recitation of the people of Quran who are the People of Allah is to behold Allah in His address. When you open the Quran, you are opening a door to Paradise, a door to be with Allah. So recite the Quran, aware that you are hearing Allah's address. The inward and outward manners with the Quran are to have the respect and reverence (ta'dhim) befitting someone who realizes that Allah is addressing you. And you act outwardly accordingly. Be keen for this presence. The sign of loving Allah is love for the Book of Allah. The sign of love for the Book of Allah is the state of your heart when you part from the Book of Allah. Nothing that is more painful for the one in love than parting. You try to have a lover's relationship with the Quran.
May Allah make us of 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
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in the Quran,
وَٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ هُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ لَخَبِيرٌۢ بَصِيرٌ ﴿٣١﴾ ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌۢ بِٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَضْلُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ ﴿٣٢
And that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], of the Book is the truth, confirming what was before it. Indeed, Allah, of His servants, is Acquainted and Seeing. (31) Then we caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allah. That [inheritance] is what is the great bounty. (32)
There are truths in life e.g. the cup of tea you are holding is true but it is of not great consequence. The Quran contains the Truths that matters. What it contains is true because it corresponds to reality as it is, as conveyed by the Creator. It confirms the Scriptures that came before. All people were sent prophets, news of whom have largely been lost in the midst of time.
Allah tells us in the Quran the response of people to the Truth. They are those who wronged themselves, and there are those who stayed in between, and amongst them are those who outstripped each other, who are foremost in doing the good, by leave of the Lord. That is the greatest favor possible.
When we approach the Quran, we have to realize that what we are opening is the Truth that matters. It is what shows us reality as it is. It tells us what really matters in this life and what is irrelevant. And ultimately, Allah matters and nothing else is worthy of your greatest concern, and the next life is better than this life. To the extent you realize these two basic truths--that Allah is greater and more worthy of your concern than anything else, and the next life is better than this life, you prioritize what is pleasing to Allah over what is pleasing to you or anyone else. And you prioritize what is of advantage to you in the next life over any perceived advantage in this life.
This is also a reminder in responding to the gift of guidance. It is a great blessing for those who have faith (iman). Some people fall short. The manners (adab) of being a slacker is to repent. This guidance is for your ultimately good eternally. If you are falling short, Allah has said, He is the All Forgiving and Most Appreciative. If you repent you have returned to a clean slate with Allah. And there are those who strive for uprightness but sometimes they fall short and sometimes they are good. And there are those who are foremost. The adab of being someone who is directed to the good is to see that good is a gift from Allah and have gratitude for it. The adab is to renew your commitment to put Allah first and to maximize the good in your life and diminish the wrong in your life. If you are of the foremost, rushing to the good, then be grateful to Allah. Don't ascribe the work to yourself, always work on your sincerity (ikhlas).
جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤًا ۖ وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ ﴿٣٣﴾ وَقَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا ٱلْحَزَنَ ۖ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ ﴿٣٤﴾ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحَلَّنَا دَارَ ٱلْمُقَامَةِ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ لَا يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا يَمَسُّنَا فِيهَا لُغُوبٌ ﴿٣٥
[For them are] gardens of perpetual residence which they will enter. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein will be silk. (33) And they will say, "Praise to Allah, who has removed from us [all] sorrow. Indeed, our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative - (34)
Allah promised that in this life. Those who recite the Book and do the good, Allah is indeed All Forgiving, Most Appreciative. The people of Paradise realize this when they enter Paradise and they find complete contentment. So these verses remind of the vastness of the next life that is open for the one of faith. This is a key reminder of the Quran. One of the benefits of Quran and reciting it with reflection, it fixes your priority. So you prioritize Allah over all else, and you prioritize the next life over this life because you see the vastness of next life and the fleetingness of this life.
The state of the people of Paradise can be summarized as being contentment, gratitude and praise. But the Quran calls us to embrace these three qualities in this life. If you are content with Allah in this life you are in a paradisical state. If you are grateful in this life regardless of what happens, you are in a paradisical state. If you are ever praising Allah in this life, you are in a paradisical state. So embrace this. And what helps you have that paradisical state, it is the Quran. The Quranic consciousness is blissful consciousness. There is no sorrow in Paradise but the one who is the person of Quran has no sorrow in this life. Because what is in the next life is that you are with Allah.
The call heard by the people of Paradise,
يَـٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ﴿٢٧﴾ ٱرْجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً ﴿٢٨﴾ فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى ﴿٢٩﴾ وَٱدْخُلِى جَنَّتِى ﴿٣٠
[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul, (27) Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], (28) And enter among My [righteous] servants (29) And enter My Paradise." (30) [Quran, Al-Fajr 89:27-30]
But the person of Quran is hearing that call in this life because the recitation of the people of Quran who are the People of Allah is to behold Allah in His address. When you open the Quran, you are opening a door to Paradise, a door to be with Allah. So recite the Quran, aware that you are hearing Allah's address. The inward and outward manners with the Quran are to have the respect and reverence (ta'dhim) befitting someone who realizes that Allah is addressing you. And you act outwardly accordingly. Be keen for this presence. The sign of loving Allah is love for the Book of Allah. The sign of love for the Book of Allah is the state of your heart when you part from the Book of Allah. Nothing that is more painful for the one in love than parting. You try to have a lover's relationship with the Quran.
May Allah make us of 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
Monday, December 25, 2017
Making Choices Worthy of Making -- It Begins With the Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Allah refers to your dealings with Him as tijara (trade). It is a trade that never suffer a loss. Both our material relationships and also our human relationships are based on profit and loss (success and failure). When you enter into contract with someone, it may work and it may not work.
However, this is not the nature of our investment with Allah. The investment with Allah, when we engage in any act of turning to Allah, not only is it repaid in full, but the least it is magnified is ten-fold, to many times that. The extra is from His Bounty and the greatest of that increase is an unimaginable joy of beholding the absolutely beautiful, the absolutely majestic. So, the internal return on investment is waiting. The question is, do we embrace that investment? So, every choice we are making for the next life is a choice worthy of making. What does it begin with? It begins with the Quran--those who recite the Book of Allah.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَـٰرَةً لَّن تَبُورَ ﴿٢٩﴾ لِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ ﴿٣٠﴾
Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish prayer and spend [in His cause] out of what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, [can] expect a profit that will never perish - (29) That He may give them in full their rewards and increase for them of His bounty. Indeed, He is Forgiving and Appreciative. (30) [Quran, Fatir 35:29-30]
The word for recitation (tilawah) is an amazing word because as the scholars explained tilawah is one thing to follow another. When you recite, you recite one verse after another. As described in the Quran,
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَتْلُونَهُۥ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ ﴿١٢١
Those to whom We have given the Book recite it with its true recital. They [are the ones who] believe in it. And whoever disbelieves in it - it is they who are the losers. (121) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:121]
Reciting the Quran as it deserves to be recited (with its true recital) entails that action follows your recitation. You recite the words of the Quran and Quranic conduct follows. You recite the words of the Quran and the Quranic character follows. You recite the words of the Quran and Quranic virtue follows. You recite the words of the Quran and Quranic state of being present with Allah follows. This is the sense of tilawah--for one thing to follow another, which is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said that it will be said to the person of Quran, recite and rise, because your rank with Allah will be in accordance with the last verse you recited. The recitation that is called upon is the recitation that is followed by action, by transformation, by living it.
Then Allah says, He is the All Forgiving, Most Appreciative. In our human relationships, people are not forgiving. You made one or 2 mistakes, they will remember for the rest of their lives. Even if you did 200 good things, the 2 bad things will be a blemish with you. But with Allah is encompassing forgiving. So, this is a call to seek Allah's forgiveness. And Allah is Shakur. He is Most Appreciative. Even the least you do, Allah recognizes it, appreciates it and rewards it generously. When it comes to the Quran, this change that is a means to forgiveness, begins with beginning to recite the Quran.
So make tilawah of Quran--that thoughtful, purposeful recitation of the Quran a part of your daily life.
May Allah grant us the Quranic recitation of the People of Allah. 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 refers to your dealings with Him as tijara (trade). It is a trade that never suffer a loss. Both our material relationships and also our human relationships are based on profit and loss (success and failure). When you enter into contract with someone, it may work and it may not work.
However, this is not the nature of our investment with Allah. The investment with Allah, when we engage in any act of turning to Allah, not only is it repaid in full, but the least it is magnified is ten-fold, to many times that. The extra is from His Bounty and the greatest of that increase is an unimaginable joy of beholding the absolutely beautiful, the absolutely majestic. So, the internal return on investment is waiting. The question is, do we embrace that investment? So, every choice we are making for the next life is a choice worthy of making. What does it begin with? It begins with the Quran--those who recite the Book of Allah.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنفَقُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَـٰرَةً لَّن تَبُورَ ﴿٢٩﴾ لِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ ﴿٣٠﴾
Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish prayer and spend [in His cause] out of what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, [can] expect a profit that will never perish - (29) That He may give them in full their rewards and increase for them of His bounty. Indeed, He is Forgiving and Appreciative. (30) [Quran, Fatir 35:29-30]
The word for recitation (tilawah) is an amazing word because as the scholars explained tilawah is one thing to follow another. When you recite, you recite one verse after another. As described in the Quran,
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَتْلُونَهُۥ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ ﴿١٢١
Those to whom We have given the Book recite it with its true recital. They [are the ones who] believe in it. And whoever disbelieves in it - it is they who are the losers. (121) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:121]
Reciting the Quran as it deserves to be recited (with its true recital) entails that action follows your recitation. You recite the words of the Quran and Quranic conduct follows. You recite the words of the Quran and the Quranic character follows. You recite the words of the Quran and Quranic virtue follows. You recite the words of the Quran and Quranic state of being present with Allah follows. This is the sense of tilawah--for one thing to follow another, which is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said that it will be said to the person of Quran, recite and rise, because your rank with Allah will be in accordance with the last verse you recited. The recitation that is called upon is the recitation that is followed by action, by transformation, by living it.
Then Allah says, He is the All Forgiving, Most Appreciative. In our human relationships, people are not forgiving. You made one or 2 mistakes, they will remember for the rest of their lives. Even if you did 200 good things, the 2 bad things will be a blemish with you. But with Allah is encompassing forgiving. So, this is a call to seek Allah's forgiveness. And Allah is Shakur. He is Most Appreciative. Even the least you do, Allah recognizes it, appreciates it and rewards it generously. When it comes to the Quran, this change that is a means to forgiveness, begins with beginning to recite the Quran.
So make tilawah of Quran--that thoughtful, purposeful recitation of the Quran a part of your daily life.
May Allah grant us the Quranic recitation of the People of Allah. 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, December 22, 2017
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- It's Test Time
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
We are being tested all the time. You just have to recognize them and try to overcome them. It's a form of good deed which you will be rewarded immensely inshaa Allah.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Affliction will continue to trouble the believers, men and women, in their bodies, their families, and their property until they meet Allah Almighty purified of every wrong action."
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 -- you open the fridge, all kinds of food are looking at you; you turn on the tap, hot/cold water started to flow at the exact speed you wanted. When you have too much luxury you can easily take things for granted and when suddenly you have one thing less or slightly below the standard you are used to, you get upset. You stop being grateful and this is a loss of faith.
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. Today is an opportunity to change that about us.
Be grateful with everything you have or don't have.
Whether you are blessed with good health or experiencing a down turn due to sickness, aches and pains, make the Qur'an your companion. Spend a good amount of time with the Qur'an daily (listening, reading, learning, memorizing). Do extra prayers and recite new verses of the Quran that you are learning or memorizing. If people around you are not doing it, don't mind if you are alone in this. A lot of times people don't want to follow Allah's guidance because they are afraid they won't be happy. But Allah guarantees those who follow His guidance will not have fear in this life and the next life. You may be the only one in your family who prays, reads Quran or memorize Quran. Don't stop. Keep going. Don't feel alone.
Be grateful for the blessing of guidance. Following this Deen (Islam) and guidance is very personal and a brave initiative. And nobody outside Allah's guidance can enjoy tranquility and peace. When you do follow Allah's guidance, He will give you new company -- in this dunya (world) you get the company of believers and in the akhirah (Hereafter) Allah will enter you in the company of the righteous.
May Allah grant us 'afiya and the company of the righteous 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. [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
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
We are being tested all the time. You just have to recognize them and try to overcome them. It's a form of good deed which you will be rewarded immensely inshaa Allah.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Affliction will continue to trouble the believers, men and women, in their bodies, their families, and their property until they meet Allah Almighty purified of every wrong action."
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 -- you open the fridge, all kinds of food are looking at you; you turn on the tap, hot/cold water started to flow at the exact speed you wanted. When you have too much luxury you can easily take things for granted and when suddenly you have one thing less or slightly below the standard you are used to, you get upset. You stop being grateful and this is a loss of faith.
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. Today is an opportunity to change that about us.
Be grateful with everything you have or don't have.
Whether you are blessed with good health or experiencing a down turn due to sickness, aches and pains, make the Qur'an your companion. Spend a good amount of time with the Qur'an daily (listening, reading, learning, memorizing). Do extra prayers and recite new verses of the Quran that you are learning or memorizing. If people around you are not doing it, don't mind if you are alone in this. A lot of times people don't want to follow Allah's guidance because they are afraid they won't be happy. But Allah guarantees those who follow His guidance will not have fear in this life and the next life. You may be the only one in your family who prays, reads Quran or memorize Quran. Don't stop. Keep going. Don't feel alone.
Be grateful for the blessing of guidance. Following this Deen (Islam) and guidance is very personal and a brave initiative. And nobody outside Allah's guidance can enjoy tranquility and peace. When you do follow Allah's guidance, He will give you new company -- in this dunya (world) you get the company of believers and in the akhirah (Hereafter) Allah will enter you in the company of the righteous.
May Allah grant us 'afiya and the company of the righteous 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. [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
Friday, December 15, 2017
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- A Day to Refocus
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
It's another Friday. It means another week has passed by us. It means we have lost the opportunity to do much good that we have procrastinated. Likewise, whether we do good today or not, this day will pass us. This only means that we will lose a whole week of opportunity to do much good and to do that extra good deed if we procrastinated (again), and we are that much closer to the day of judgment, which will begin with our own death.
Allah reminds us of this Day at the beginning of Surah Kahf and at various places in the Surah.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿٢
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:1-2]
وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ ٱلْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى ٱلْأَرْضَ بَارِزَةً وَحَشَرْنَـٰهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا ﴿٤٧
And [warn of] the Day when We will remove the mountains and you will see the earth prominent, and We will gather them and not leave behind from them anyone. (47)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:47]
وَعُرِضُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۭ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا ﴿٤٨
And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, [and He will say], "You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment." (48)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:48]
وُضِعَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ فَتَرَى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَـٰذَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّآ أَحْصَىٰهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا۟ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ حَاضِرًۭا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا ﴿٤٩
And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one. (49)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:49]
If one dies with Faith in the Oneness of Allah (a believer), his abode will eventually be Paradise. He might be punished for a time in Hellfire for his sins but he will eventually get into Paradise. If one dies without Iman (a disbeliever), his abode will be Hellfire till eternity.
So, we should be afraid to face what might be coming in the future--the punishment of the grave and Hellfire. We should protect ourselves against this. This is the basic meaning of taqwa, doing something to place between ourselves and the wrath of Allah. How do we do this? By running to Allah.
First, we repent to Allah from our slips. Then we start working on our character. Our character is the way that we are. The nature of character is second nature. If you are a generous person, you don't have to stop to think to give charity, to be hospitable to your guests, to make du'a for a sick person, etc. If you are a merciful person, you don't stop to think to help the needy and the oppressed, to feed the poor or a hungry animal, and so on.
Indeed, the weightiest thing that you can bring to the Day of Judgment is not something you did but the way that you are--your character.
"Verily, of the most beloved to you to me and the closest of you to me in the seating of Judgment Day, are the most excellent of you in character." (Tirmidhi)
So, the best good deed you can do today is to pick one trait that Allah doesn't like and change it into what Allah pleases--ingratitude into gratitude, arrogance and pride into humility, selfishness into thoughtfulness, impatience into patience, wastefulness into prudence, greed into charity, anger into calmness, unkind into merciful, heedless of Allah into mindful of Allah, etc. This is the thing you are going to bring back to Allah. It is the weightiest thing you can busy yourself with--your character.
You can make this drastic change through taqwa (Godfearingness, piety, righteousness, consciousness of Allah) and repentance. Through them change takes place. Taqwa is the fuel to make one wants to change and repentance keeps the flame going.
If there is no taqwa, there is no impetus for change, and when repentance dies the flame slowly dies with it. You make this change for the sake of Allah. That is why it makes it a great form of worship. You intend to transform your bad character traits for good and better traits for the sake of Allah. You resolve to please Allah and avoid His anger and repenting from your slips. The whole process is for the sake of Allah. As you get closer to this transformed character, the more natural it becomes. Your great reward is the fact that you acquired that character.
"What most enters people into the Garden? Taqwa of Allah and good character." (Ahmad)
"Surely those of taqwa shall be in in the Gardens and Rivers, in an Assembly of Truth, in the Presence of a Sovereign Omnipotent." [Qur'an, Qamar 54:50-51]
People of taqwa will always have Allah to take care of the needs.
"...And those who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things." [Qur'an, At-Talaq 65:2-3]
The Qu'ran is a guide for those who have taqwa.
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢
...This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2)
[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:2].
Moist the tongues with istighfar (say, astaghfirullah -- I seek forgiveness of Allah) everyday until you die, and learn the Qur'an and recite a good portion daily. You can start today...at least make a sincere intention to read Surah Kahf every Friday.
May Allah grant us taqwa and noble character. May Allah bless your Friday. 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
It's another Friday. It means another week has passed by us. It means we have lost the opportunity to do much good that we have procrastinated. Likewise, whether we do good today or not, this day will pass us. This only means that we will lose a whole week of opportunity to do much good and to do that extra good deed if we procrastinated (again), and we are that much closer to the day of judgment, which will begin with our own death.
Allah reminds us of this Day at the beginning of Surah Kahf and at various places in the Surah.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿٢
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:1-2]
وَيَوْمَ نُسَيِّرُ ٱلْجِبَالَ وَتَرَى ٱلْأَرْضَ بَارِزَةً وَحَشَرْنَـٰهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغَادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا ﴿٤٧
And [warn of] the Day when We will remove the mountains and you will see the earth prominent, and We will gather them and not leave behind from them anyone. (47)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:47]
وَعُرِضُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۭ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا ﴿٤٨
And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, [and He will say], "You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment." (48)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:48]
وُضِعَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ فَتَرَى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَـٰذَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّآ أَحْصَىٰهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا۟ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ حَاضِرًۭا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا ﴿٤٩
And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one. (49)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:49]
If one dies with Faith in the Oneness of Allah (a believer), his abode will eventually be Paradise. He might be punished for a time in Hellfire for his sins but he will eventually get into Paradise. If one dies without Iman (a disbeliever), his abode will be Hellfire till eternity.
So, we should be afraid to face what might be coming in the future--the punishment of the grave and Hellfire. We should protect ourselves against this. This is the basic meaning of taqwa, doing something to place between ourselves and the wrath of Allah. How do we do this? By running to Allah.
First, we repent to Allah from our slips. Then we start working on our character. Our character is the way that we are. The nature of character is second nature. If you are a generous person, you don't have to stop to think to give charity, to be hospitable to your guests, to make du'a for a sick person, etc. If you are a merciful person, you don't stop to think to help the needy and the oppressed, to feed the poor or a hungry animal, and so on.
Indeed, the weightiest thing that you can bring to the Day of Judgment is not something you did but the way that you are--your character.
"Verily, of the most beloved to you to me and the closest of you to me in the seating of Judgment Day, are the most excellent of you in character." (Tirmidhi)
So, the best good deed you can do today is to pick one trait that Allah doesn't like and change it into what Allah pleases--ingratitude into gratitude, arrogance and pride into humility, selfishness into thoughtfulness, impatience into patience, wastefulness into prudence, greed into charity, anger into calmness, unkind into merciful, heedless of Allah into mindful of Allah, etc. This is the thing you are going to bring back to Allah. It is the weightiest thing you can busy yourself with--your character.
You can make this drastic change through taqwa (Godfearingness, piety, righteousness, consciousness of Allah) and repentance. Through them change takes place. Taqwa is the fuel to make one wants to change and repentance keeps the flame going.
If there is no taqwa, there is no impetus for change, and when repentance dies the flame slowly dies with it. You make this change for the sake of Allah. That is why it makes it a great form of worship. You intend to transform your bad character traits for good and better traits for the sake of Allah. You resolve to please Allah and avoid His anger and repenting from your slips. The whole process is for the sake of Allah. As you get closer to this transformed character, the more natural it becomes. Your great reward is the fact that you acquired that character.
"What most enters people into the Garden? Taqwa of Allah and good character." (Ahmad)
"Surely those of taqwa shall be in in the Gardens and Rivers, in an Assembly of Truth, in the Presence of a Sovereign Omnipotent." [Qur'an, Qamar 54:50-51]
People of taqwa will always have Allah to take care of the needs.
"...And those who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things." [Qur'an, At-Talaq 65:2-3]
The Qu'ran is a guide for those who have taqwa.
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢
...This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2)
[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:2].
Moist the tongues with istighfar (say, astaghfirullah -- I seek forgiveness of Allah) everyday until you die, and learn the Qur'an and recite a good portion daily. You can start today...at least make a sincere intention to read Surah Kahf every Friday.
May Allah grant us taqwa and noble character. May Allah bless your Friday. 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, December 8, 2017
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Prepare For Your Appointment With Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhuma), said: The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) took me by the shoulder and said,
“Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.”
And Ibn Umar used to say, “In the evening do not expect [to live until] the morning, and in the morning do not expect [to live until] the evening. Take [advantage of] your health before times of sickness, and [take advantage of] your life before your death.”
[Reported by Bukhari]
How many days go by in which you don’t even think about the most important meeting of your existence? How can you prepare for the appointment of all appointments— standing before Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala?
The appointment is made.
وَعُرِضُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۭ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا ﴿٤٨
And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, [and He will say], You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment.
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:49]
Can you imagine the moment of the Day of Judgement when Allah Himself will come with the angels, and Paradise and Hell will be brought forward? And your Lord comes with the angels in rows.
وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَٱلْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا ﴿٢٢﴾ وَجِا۟ىٓءَ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِجَهَنَّمَ ۚ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ ﴿٢٣
And your Lord has come and the angels, rank upon rank, (22) And brought [within view], that Day, is Hell - that Day, man will remember, but what good to him will be the remembrance? (23) [Qur'an, Al-Fajr 89:22]
You know that you will soon stand before Him, personally, one by one, to be judged. People are divided into two categories: People with bright faces, due to their happiness, standing there looking at their Lord, and 2) People with darkened faces, due to their bad deeds.
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ ﴿٢٣﴾ وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بَاسِرَةٌ ﴿٢٤﴾ تَظُنُّ أَن يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٌ ﴿٢٥
[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, (22) Looking at their Lord. (23) And [some] faces, that Day, will be contorted, (24) Expecting that there will be done to them [something] backbreaking. (25)
[Qur'an, Al-Qiyamah 75:22-25]
If you get your book (of deeds) in your right hand, you will be the companions of Paradise, and may Allah make us one of them. If you receive your book in your left hand you will be the companions of the Hellfire; may Allah save us.
Apart from your book of deeds there will be more witnesses for you on the day.
1. Add good things to the book of your deeds.
Allah continues in Surah Al-Kahf, the Surah which is a sunnah to read on Friday, the Day the Resurrection will occur:
وَوُضِعَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ فَتَرَى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَـٰذَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّآ أَحْصَىٰهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا۟ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ حَاضِرًا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا ﴿٤٩
And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, “Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?” And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one.
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:49]
The Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam said: The first thing the people will be accountable for on the Day of Judgment is prayer, Allah will say to His angels : ‘Look at my servants prayers. Were they complete or not?’ If they were complete it will be written as complete. If they were not fully complete Allah will say: ‘See if my servant has voluntary prayers, if he has them Allah will say: Complete his obligatory prayers shortage with his voluntary prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be dealt with in the same manner. [Ahmad, Abu Dawood, An-Nasaa’i, Al-Haakim]
Make it your priority to pray your five daily prayers on time and learn to understand whatever you recite in them to increase your khushoo'. Remember this hadith and let it motivate you to do those sunnah--rawatib, tahajjud, dhuha, prayer after wudu', etc.
2. Use your limbs wisely.
ٱلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿٦٥
This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn.
[Qur'an, Ya-Sin 36:65]
Be aware of how you use your limbs. When you are about to go to a place with forbidden (haraam) activities, remember this moment when your actual legs will tell Allah. When you are about to touch something haraam, whether it be your phone to listen to music, or your remote control to watch something forbidden, think of the moment your hands will reveal you, while in the world you might have been able to keep it behind closed doors.
3. Remember that angels are listening.
There are two angels, one on your left and one on your right, who record everything you do or say. Think about this. It might not be visual now, but it is real and it will come back to you.
إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى ٱلْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ ﴿١٧
Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].
[Qur'an, Qaf 50:17]
Each word you say will be recorded. Here is a great reminder for one of the most common major sins we commit: gheebah (gossip or backbiting). Remind yourself that everything you say about a person that they would not like you to mention to others, even if it’s true, falls under gheebah. Whenever you feel tempted to speak about someone in a wrong way, visualize the angel sitting next to you, ready to write each word down.
4. Deal justly with others.
Both the justice and injustice you’ve done to other people will be presented on this day.
Whenever you have wronged someone, force yourself to make it up and don’t delay. Why? Imagine the angel of death comes to take your soul before you said that deserved “sorry” and you will find yourself in need of just one more good deed on the Day of Judgement to be admitted to Paradise.
The people you wronged will come and take away your good deeds. Whoever wronged his brother with regard to his honor or any other matter, should seek his forgiveness today, before there are no longer any dinars, or dirhams; and if he has any righteous deeds, they will be taken from him, in accordance with the wrong he did; and if he has no hasanaat, some of the sayi`aat of his counterpart will be taken and added to his burden. [Bukhari]
5. Ask Allah to make you of the people of the Qur'an.
And the Qur’an is a proof for you or against you [Muslim].
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ شَهِيدًا ﴿٤١
So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and we bring you, [O Muhammad] against these [people] as a witness?
[Qur'an, An-Nisa 4:41]
Ask Allah to make you of the people of the Qur'an, of those who recite correctly, understand and apply its lessons and instructions, and work for it. Read a portion of the Qur'an every day. And strive for intercession of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. How? By reviving his Sunnah. Make it a mission to learn a new Sunnah at least each week, practicing it and conveying it to others.
6. Let the earth testify good of you; move around to make sujood.
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا ﴿٤
That Day it (the Earth) will declare its information (about all what happened over it of good or evil)
[Qur'an, Az-Zalzala 99:4]
7. Study the Names of Allah and learn to live by them.
لَّـٰكِنِ ٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ أَنزَلَهُۥ بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًا ﴿١٦٦
But Allah bears witness to that which He has revealed to you. He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness [as well]. And sufficient is Allah as Witness. (166)
[Qur'an, An-Nisa 4:166]
Study the beautiful names and attributes of your Lord and ask Him to help you live by them. A magnificent example is the Name of Allah: Ash-Shaheed (the Witness).
May Allah make our meeting with Him the best of meetings. 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
'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (RadhiyAllahu ‘anhuma), said: The Messenger of Allah (SallaAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) took me by the shoulder and said,
“Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.”
And Ibn Umar used to say, “In the evening do not expect [to live until] the morning, and in the morning do not expect [to live until] the evening. Take [advantage of] your health before times of sickness, and [take advantage of] your life before your death.”
[Reported by Bukhari]
How many days go by in which you don’t even think about the most important meeting of your existence? How can you prepare for the appointment of all appointments— standing before Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala?
The appointment is made.
وَعُرِضُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۭ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا ﴿٤٨
And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, [and He will say], You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment.
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:49]
Can you imagine the moment of the Day of Judgement when Allah Himself will come with the angels, and Paradise and Hell will be brought forward? And your Lord comes with the angels in rows.
وَجَآءَ رَبُّكَ وَٱلْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا ﴿٢٢﴾ وَجِا۟ىٓءَ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بِجَهَنَّمَ ۚ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ ﴿٢٣
And your Lord has come and the angels, rank upon rank, (22) And brought [within view], that Day, is Hell - that Day, man will remember, but what good to him will be the remembrance? (23) [Qur'an, Al-Fajr 89:22]
You know that you will soon stand before Him, personally, one by one, to be judged. People are divided into two categories: People with bright faces, due to their happiness, standing there looking at their Lord, and 2) People with darkened faces, due to their bad deeds.
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ ﴿٢٣﴾ وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍۭ بَاسِرَةٌ ﴿٢٤﴾ تَظُنُّ أَن يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٌ ﴿٢٥
[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, (22) Looking at their Lord. (23) And [some] faces, that Day, will be contorted, (24) Expecting that there will be done to them [something] backbreaking. (25)
[Qur'an, Al-Qiyamah 75:22-25]
If you get your book (of deeds) in your right hand, you will be the companions of Paradise, and may Allah make us one of them. If you receive your book in your left hand you will be the companions of the Hellfire; may Allah save us.
Apart from your book of deeds there will be more witnesses for you on the day.
1. Add good things to the book of your deeds.
Allah continues in Surah Al-Kahf, the Surah which is a sunnah to read on Friday, the Day the Resurrection will occur:
وَوُضِعَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ فَتَرَى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَـٰوَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَـٰذَا ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّآ أَحْصَىٰهَا ۚ وَوَجَدُوا۟ مَا عَمِلُوا۟ حَاضِرًا ۗ وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا ﴿٤٩
And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, “Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?” And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one.
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:49]
The Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam said: The first thing the people will be accountable for on the Day of Judgment is prayer, Allah will say to His angels : ‘Look at my servants prayers. Were they complete or not?’ If they were complete it will be written as complete. If they were not fully complete Allah will say: ‘See if my servant has voluntary prayers, if he has them Allah will say: Complete his obligatory prayers shortage with his voluntary prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be dealt with in the same manner. [Ahmad, Abu Dawood, An-Nasaa’i, Al-Haakim]
Make it your priority to pray your five daily prayers on time and learn to understand whatever you recite in them to increase your khushoo'. Remember this hadith and let it motivate you to do those sunnah--rawatib, tahajjud, dhuha, prayer after wudu', etc.
2. Use your limbs wisely.
ٱلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَىٰٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَآ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿٦٥
This Day, We shall seal up their mouths, and their hands will speak to Us, and their legs will bear witness to what they used to earn.
[Qur'an, Ya-Sin 36:65]
Be aware of how you use your limbs. When you are about to go to a place with forbidden (haraam) activities, remember this moment when your actual legs will tell Allah. When you are about to touch something haraam, whether it be your phone to listen to music, or your remote control to watch something forbidden, think of the moment your hands will reveal you, while in the world you might have been able to keep it behind closed doors.
3. Remember that angels are listening.
There are two angels, one on your left and one on your right, who record everything you do or say. Think about this. It might not be visual now, but it is real and it will come back to you.
إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى ٱلْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ ٱلْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ ﴿١٧
Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].
[Qur'an, Qaf 50:17]
Each word you say will be recorded. Here is a great reminder for one of the most common major sins we commit: gheebah (gossip or backbiting). Remind yourself that everything you say about a person that they would not like you to mention to others, even if it’s true, falls under gheebah. Whenever you feel tempted to speak about someone in a wrong way, visualize the angel sitting next to you, ready to write each word down.
4. Deal justly with others.
Both the justice and injustice you’ve done to other people will be presented on this day.
Whenever you have wronged someone, force yourself to make it up and don’t delay. Why? Imagine the angel of death comes to take your soul before you said that deserved “sorry” and you will find yourself in need of just one more good deed on the Day of Judgement to be admitted to Paradise.
The people you wronged will come and take away your good deeds. Whoever wronged his brother with regard to his honor or any other matter, should seek his forgiveness today, before there are no longer any dinars, or dirhams; and if he has any righteous deeds, they will be taken from him, in accordance with the wrong he did; and if he has no hasanaat, some of the sayi`aat of his counterpart will be taken and added to his burden. [Bukhari]
5. Ask Allah to make you of the people of the Qur'an.
And the Qur’an is a proof for you or against you [Muslim].
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ شَهِيدًا ﴿٤١
So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and we bring you, [O Muhammad] against these [people] as a witness?
[Qur'an, An-Nisa 4:41]
Ask Allah to make you of the people of the Qur'an, of those who recite correctly, understand and apply its lessons and instructions, and work for it. Read a portion of the Qur'an every day. And strive for intercession of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. How? By reviving his Sunnah. Make it a mission to learn a new Sunnah at least each week, practicing it and conveying it to others.
6. Let the earth testify good of you; move around to make sujood.
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا ﴿٤
That Day it (the Earth) will declare its information (about all what happened over it of good or evil)
[Qur'an, Az-Zalzala 99:4]
7. Study the Names of Allah and learn to live by them.
لَّـٰكِنِ ٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ أَنزَلَهُۥ بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًا ﴿١٦٦
But Allah bears witness to that which He has revealed to you. He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness [as well]. And sufficient is Allah as Witness. (166)
[Qur'an, An-Nisa 4:166]
Study the beautiful names and attributes of your Lord and ask Him to help you live by them. A magnificent example is the Name of Allah: Ash-Shaheed (the Witness).
May Allah make our meeting with Him the best of meetings. 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, December 4, 2017
The Real Gift For A Parent
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
The real gift for a parent is not a son or a daughter or many sons or many daughters but a righteous son or a rightoous daughter who is going to leave sadaqah jariah (continuous charity) for you for their good actions and deeds.
In the Qur'an, Allah tells us that He has blessed Dawood (peace be upon him) with a righteous son, Sulayman (peace be upon him). One of the common traits that both father and son had was that they repeatedly turning back to Allah. Allah highlights this in the Qur'an.
وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُۥدَ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ ۚ نِعْمَ ٱلْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ ﴿٣٠
And to Dawood (David) We gave Sulayman (Solomon). How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Allah). (30)
[Qur'an, Sad 38:30]
ٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَٱذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُۥدَ ذَا ٱلْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ ﴿١٧
Be patient (O Muhammad SAW) of what they say, and remember Our slave Dawood (David), endued with power. Verily, he was ever oft-returning in all matters and in repentance (toward Allah). (17)
[Qur'an, Sad 38:17]
How do we receive this gift of a righteous child?
Righteous child does not come from thin air. We have to constantly turn back to Allah. At the same time we must take the means to educate our children with Islamic knowledge so they know their Creator and how to worship Him.
Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with father and son) reported that he heard the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) saying:
"Every one of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is in his custody. The ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them; a husband is a guardian of his family and is responsible for it; a woman is a guardian of her husband’s house and is responsible for it, and a servant is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for it. A man is a guardian of his father’s property and is responsible for it so all of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and things under your care." [Bukhari]
Malik bin Huwairth narrated: "I came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) with some men from my tribe and stayed with him for twenty nights. He was kind and merciful to us. When he realized our longing for our families, he said to us: "Go back and stay with your families and teach them the religion. And offer the prayer and one of you should pronounce the Adhan for the prayer when its time is due. And the oldest one amongst you should lead the prayer." [Bukhari]
Allah tells us that our children, just like our wealth and possessions, are but a trial. Allah the Most High says:
وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٢٨
And know that your properties and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a great reward. (28)
[Qur'an, Al-Anfal 8:28]
إِنَّمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٥
Your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward. (15)
[Qur'an, At-Taghabun 64:15]
Since our children are but a trial and that the highest reward is with Allah the Almighty, it is then our responsibility to teach our children Islam. It is only through Islam that they can become righteous and be of service to Allah. We pass our trial once our children worship their Creator.
The best thing we can give to our children is the knowledge of Islam. It is the best education and the best means to fight ignorance and drive away evil. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) says in the following hadith:
Amr bin Sa’id or Sa’id bin Al-‘As narrated that Allah’ Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
"A father gives his child nothing better than a good education." (Tirmidhi and Baihaqi)
‘Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
"A single scholar of religion is more formidable against Satan than a thousand devout people." (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
When we strive to teach our children Islam, we hope that Allah will reward us with righteous children who make du'a for us and do righteous works that will continue to benefit us even after we die.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) says in the following Hadiths:
"A man will be raised some degrees in Paradise and he will say, ‘For what reason I am receiving this?’ He will be told, ‘Because of your son asking forgiveness for you.’" [Bukhari]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "When a man dies, accrual of merit in his favor from good deeds ceases except from three actions: a charity which continues after his death; knowledge left behind from which people continue to benefit, and righteous offspring who pray for him." [Muslim]
Knowing the importance of Islamic knowledge, it is imperative that we encourage our children to spend time acquiring it.
One of the characteristics of a believer is love for the search of knowledge. This should inspire us and our children to constantly seek knowledge.
Abu Said Al-Khudri narrated: Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
"A believer is never satiated with gainful knowledge; he goes acquiring it till his death and entry into Paradise." [Tirmidhi]
It is only through knowledge that we can know our Creator and how to worship Him.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Whoever follows a path to seek knowledge, Allah will make the path to Jannah (Paradise) easy for them.” [Sahih Muslim; Sunan Tirmidhi].
Whoever sets right his intention in seeking knowledge and desires only Allah's pleasure, is on a road to salvation and happiness.
May Allah guide us in seeking authentic knowledge of Islam, and enable us to impart it to our children, not just by what we say, but also by what we do. May Allah grant us righteous children. 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 real gift for a parent is not a son or a daughter or many sons or many daughters but a righteous son or a rightoous daughter who is going to leave sadaqah jariah (continuous charity) for you for their good actions and deeds.
In the Qur'an, Allah tells us that He has blessed Dawood (peace be upon him) with a righteous son, Sulayman (peace be upon him). One of the common traits that both father and son had was that they repeatedly turning back to Allah. Allah highlights this in the Qur'an.
وَوَهَبْنَا لِدَاوُۥدَ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ ۚ نِعْمَ ٱلْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ ﴿٣٠
And to Dawood (David) We gave Sulayman (Solomon). How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Allah). (30)
[Qur'an, Sad 38:30]
ٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَٱذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا دَاوُۥدَ ذَا ٱلْأَيْدِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ ﴿١٧
Be patient (O Muhammad SAW) of what they say, and remember Our slave Dawood (David), endued with power. Verily, he was ever oft-returning in all matters and in repentance (toward Allah). (17)
[Qur'an, Sad 38:17]
How do we receive this gift of a righteous child?
Righteous child does not come from thin air. We have to constantly turn back to Allah. At the same time we must take the means to educate our children with Islamic knowledge so they know their Creator and how to worship Him.
Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with father and son) reported that he heard the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) saying:
"Every one of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is in his custody. The ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them; a husband is a guardian of his family and is responsible for it; a woman is a guardian of her husband’s house and is responsible for it, and a servant is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for it. A man is a guardian of his father’s property and is responsible for it so all of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and things under your care." [Bukhari]
Malik bin Huwairth narrated: "I came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) with some men from my tribe and stayed with him for twenty nights. He was kind and merciful to us. When he realized our longing for our families, he said to us: "Go back and stay with your families and teach them the religion. And offer the prayer and one of you should pronounce the Adhan for the prayer when its time is due. And the oldest one amongst you should lead the prayer." [Bukhari]
Allah tells us that our children, just like our wealth and possessions, are but a trial. Allah the Most High says:
وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٢٨
And know that your properties and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a great reward. (28)
[Qur'an, Al-Anfal 8:28]
إِنَّمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٥
Your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward. (15)
[Qur'an, At-Taghabun 64:15]
Since our children are but a trial and that the highest reward is with Allah the Almighty, it is then our responsibility to teach our children Islam. It is only through Islam that they can become righteous and be of service to Allah. We pass our trial once our children worship their Creator.
The best thing we can give to our children is the knowledge of Islam. It is the best education and the best means to fight ignorance and drive away evil. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) says in the following hadith:
Amr bin Sa’id or Sa’id bin Al-‘As narrated that Allah’ Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
"A father gives his child nothing better than a good education." (Tirmidhi and Baihaqi)
‘Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
"A single scholar of religion is more formidable against Satan than a thousand devout people." (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
When we strive to teach our children Islam, we hope that Allah will reward us with righteous children who make du'a for us and do righteous works that will continue to benefit us even after we die.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) says in the following Hadiths:
"A man will be raised some degrees in Paradise and he will say, ‘For what reason I am receiving this?’ He will be told, ‘Because of your son asking forgiveness for you.’" [Bukhari]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "When a man dies, accrual of merit in his favor from good deeds ceases except from three actions: a charity which continues after his death; knowledge left behind from which people continue to benefit, and righteous offspring who pray for him." [Muslim]
Knowing the importance of Islamic knowledge, it is imperative that we encourage our children to spend time acquiring it.
One of the characteristics of a believer is love for the search of knowledge. This should inspire us and our children to constantly seek knowledge.
Abu Said Al-Khudri narrated: Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
"A believer is never satiated with gainful knowledge; he goes acquiring it till his death and entry into Paradise." [Tirmidhi]
It is only through knowledge that we can know our Creator and how to worship Him.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Whoever follows a path to seek knowledge, Allah will make the path to Jannah (Paradise) easy for them.” [Sahih Muslim; Sunan Tirmidhi].
Whoever sets right his intention in seeking knowledge and desires only Allah's pleasure, is on a road to salvation and happiness.
May Allah guide us in seeking authentic knowledge of Islam, and enable us to impart it to our children, not just by what we say, but also by what we do. May Allah grant us righteous children. 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, December 1, 2017
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Beauty
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
For animal species to survive on this planet, they need certain essentials -- food, air, water, space, etc. Human beings have an additional need that other species don't need, that is beauty.
If the food look ugly to you, you won't eat it, but if the same food is decorated on a plate, you can't wait to eat it. We want things around us beautified, unlike every other species. If you put a piece of chicken on the floor in front of a cat, it eats it. You put hay in front of a horse, it eats it. You throw a banana to a monkey, it catches it and eats it. They don't need the food presented in a certain way like we do: decoration, garnishing, condiments and table setting -- color scheme, floral arrangements or flowers to complement the color scheme, napkins (serviettes) in the same color scheme, table mats that match or complement the color scheme, silverware, tablecloth, certain patterns on the plates, etc.
We want beauty, not just in one aspect of existence, but we want beauty in everything -- we want a beautiful face, a beautiful spouse, beautiful children, beautiful houses, beautiful cars, beautiful ambiance, beautiful places to visit, the list is endless.
The things that people are attracted to are beautiful only on this earth. If somebody wants to limit himself to it, he can, but those things won't go farther than this world.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ﴿٧
No doubt, We made whatever on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed. (7)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:7]
Allah didn't make this world beautiful for no purpose. Allah made this world outwardly beautiful, so He can see who among us will do more beautiful things in terms of our actions -- i.e where we will put our priority in life. Your never quenching thirst for beauty should make you internalize that there is something perfect and timeless, and unless you seek that you will never find satisfaction. We have something higher to work for in this life.
May Allah protect us from heedlessness and enable us to do beautiful things according to His sight. 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
For animal species to survive on this planet, they need certain essentials -- food, air, water, space, etc. Human beings have an additional need that other species don't need, that is beauty.
If the food look ugly to you, you won't eat it, but if the same food is decorated on a plate, you can't wait to eat it. We want things around us beautified, unlike every other species. If you put a piece of chicken on the floor in front of a cat, it eats it. You put hay in front of a horse, it eats it. You throw a banana to a monkey, it catches it and eats it. They don't need the food presented in a certain way like we do: decoration, garnishing, condiments and table setting -- color scheme, floral arrangements or flowers to complement the color scheme, napkins (serviettes) in the same color scheme, table mats that match or complement the color scheme, silverware, tablecloth, certain patterns on the plates, etc.
We want beauty, not just in one aspect of existence, but we want beauty in everything -- we want a beautiful face, a beautiful spouse, beautiful children, beautiful houses, beautiful cars, beautiful ambiance, beautiful places to visit, the list is endless.
The things that people are attracted to are beautiful only on this earth. If somebody wants to limit himself to it, he can, but those things won't go farther than this world.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ﴿٧
No doubt, We made whatever on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed. (7)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:7]
Allah didn't make this world beautiful for no purpose. Allah made this world outwardly beautiful, so He can see who among us will do more beautiful things in terms of our actions -- i.e where we will put our priority in life. Your never quenching thirst for beauty should make you internalize that there is something perfect and timeless, and unless you seek that you will never find satisfaction. We have something higher to work for in this life.
May Allah protect us from heedlessness and enable us to do beautiful things according to His sight. 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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