Friday, May 25, 2018
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Keep Yourself Patient In Da'wah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Some people are socially, politically and economically superior than the others. But when Islam came, there was a new way of organizing society. The best of you are the ones who have the most taqwa. Seniority, status, .... none of that matters. Taqwa is the only standard. Taqwa, and nothing else, is the only thing that sets us apart. When it comes to the work of da'wah, that hierarchy is eliminated. Value is not determined by human beings but is determined by Allah. So we all are equally valuable and the leader has to communicate that by his behavior.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is warned be happy and patient with those around him.
وَٱصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُۥ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُۥ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُۥ فُرُطًا ﴿٢٨
And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. (28) {Quran, Al-Kahf 18:28]
Taqwa is in the heart. That is the power of this ayah. Don't follow and don't be influenced by the people whose hearts Allah have emptied and made unaware of His remembrance. When Allah is gone from their hearts, what is left is their hawa (desires) and everything they do is evil.
May Allah grant us patience, righteous deeds and righteous companions. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Friday, May 18, 2018
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Rush to Good Deeds
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Al-Kahf, we are being reminded again on what should be our focus. Allah Most High says,
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا
Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope. [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:46]
Zeenah زِينَةُ is something which is ornamental, increasing beauty of something else, but by itself is useless. All the worldly possessions (tangible and intangible)--your wealth, children, spouse, job, status, fame, which you love so much are nothing but ornaments. And they will perish. The real useful thing is your good deeds which will help you when you meet your Lord.
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ ﴿٢٦﴾ وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٢٧﴾
Everyone upon the earth will perish, And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:26-27]
Allah is gifting us Ramadhan, in which it is easier for us to do good deeds with manifold reward. This is our opportunity for a good training to do good for ourselves, our family, other people, animals and the environment.
Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.
May Allah grant us wisdom and taqwa and success in this life and the next.
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, May 16, 2018
The First Night of Ramadhan -- Look to Your Heart
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
As we wait eagerly in anticipation of the blessed month of Ramadhan in which the Quran was revealed, we undoubtedly are making physical and spiritual preparations. Among the preparations that the scholars encourage is to prepare our hearts for Allah's gaze.
Baihaqi relates, “When it is the first night of the month of Ramadhan, Allah Mighty and Majestic, gazes to them and the one to whom Allah looks, He does not punish him, ever.” The place to which Allah looks is the heart. So what will Allah see in our heart if He were to look to us on the first night of Ramadan?
One of the bad qualities that would prevent us from this Blessed Gaze (and from many other opportunities for forgiveness) is malice. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) taught us of the Night of Power and the Half Night of Sha’ban that those who harbor rancor, mistreat or disrespecting parents, sever bonds of kinship, or drink intoxicants are prevented from Allah’s Merciful Gaze.
Do we want Allah to look to His servants on the first night of Ramadan and overlook us because we are bearing ill will against each other? Is whatever anyone has done to hurt us so important that we can not overlook it in exchange for an opportunity for eternal salvation from Allah's punishment? What about all of those whom we have wronged? Do we not need Allah's pardon as well as theirs?
أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٢٢...
...Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (22) [Quran, An-Noor 24,21]
We can purify our hearts in preparation for this gaze from our Merciful, Forgiving Lord and also expose ourselves to an opportunity for His pardon when we need it most, by pardoning His servants. Allah says in the Quran,
وَجَزَٰٓؤُا۟ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِّثْلُهَا ۖ فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿٤٠
And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allah. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers. (40) [Quran, Ash-Shura 42:40]
Tabarani relates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), said,
"A caller will call [on the Day of Rising], ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter Paradise’ Then he will call a second time, ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter Paradise’ It will be said, ‘Who is the one whose reward is upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic?’ He will say, ‘Those who pardon people.’ Then he will call a third time, ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter paradise.’ Then so and so many thousand will stand and enter Paradise without reckoning." Imagine being among that fortunate group and having all of our many sins forgiven and receiving our reward directly from Allah.
In preparation for this blessed first night of Ramadhan, and that Day in which each of us will meet Allah, let us pardon one another and all of Allah's servants.
رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَٰنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful. [Quran, Al-Hashr 59:10]
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
As we wait eagerly in anticipation of the blessed month of Ramadhan in which the Quran was revealed, we undoubtedly are making physical and spiritual preparations. Among the preparations that the scholars encourage is to prepare our hearts for Allah's gaze.
Baihaqi relates, “When it is the first night of the month of Ramadhan, Allah Mighty and Majestic, gazes to them and the one to whom Allah looks, He does not punish him, ever.” The place to which Allah looks is the heart. So what will Allah see in our heart if He were to look to us on the first night of Ramadan?
One of the bad qualities that would prevent us from this Blessed Gaze (and from many other opportunities for forgiveness) is malice. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) taught us of the Night of Power and the Half Night of Sha’ban that those who harbor rancor, mistreat or disrespecting parents, sever bonds of kinship, or drink intoxicants are prevented from Allah’s Merciful Gaze.
Do we want Allah to look to His servants on the first night of Ramadan and overlook us because we are bearing ill will against each other? Is whatever anyone has done to hurt us so important that we can not overlook it in exchange for an opportunity for eternal salvation from Allah's punishment? What about all of those whom we have wronged? Do we not need Allah's pardon as well as theirs?
أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٢٢...
...Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (22) [Quran, An-Noor 24,21]
We can purify our hearts in preparation for this gaze from our Merciful, Forgiving Lord and also expose ourselves to an opportunity for His pardon when we need it most, by pardoning His servants. Allah says in the Quran,
وَجَزَٰٓؤُا۟ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِّثْلُهَا ۖ فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿٤٠
And the retribution for an evil act is an evil one like it, but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation - his reward is [due] from Allah. Indeed, He does not like wrongdoers. (40) [Quran, Ash-Shura 42:40]
Tabarani relates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), said,
"A caller will call [on the Day of Rising], ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter Paradise’ Then he will call a second time, ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter Paradise’ It will be said, ‘Who is the one whose reward is upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic?’ He will say, ‘Those who pardon people.’ Then he will call a third time, ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter paradise.’ Then so and so many thousand will stand and enter Paradise without reckoning." Imagine being among that fortunate group and having all of our many sins forgiven and receiving our reward directly from Allah.
In preparation for this blessed first night of Ramadhan, and that Day in which each of us will meet Allah, let us pardon one another and all of Allah's servants.
رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَٰنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful. [Quran, Al-Hashr 59:10]
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
Ramadhan -- The Month to Build Taqwa and Receive Guidance
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The blessed month of Ramadhan is just around the corner. When we talked about Ramadhan, the first thing that comes to most minds is fasting for 29 or 30 days. We think of Ramadhan as the month of fasting but Allah wants us to think of it as the month of the Quran. The month of Ramadhan is a celebration of Muslim identity as people of Quran.
The purpose of fasting is taqwa (to protect oneself from Hellfire).
Allah Most High says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - (183) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:183]
However, the purpose of Ramadhan is different than fasting. It is to make it easy for us to build taqwa with the guidance of the Quran.
Allah Most High says,
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful. (185) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:185]
Allah wants ease for us and He does not want hardship for us. How come fasting got harder and Allah says He wants to make it easy? Fasting builds taqwa and taqwa is what will give us guidance. Allah Most High says in the Quran,
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 (people who have taqwa)- (2) .
The more you fast the more taqwa you have. The more taqwa you have the more ready you are to take in this guidance. Allah wants guidance to come to you easily but you need a lot of taqwa to get guidance easily. You have to fast a lot to have a lot of taqwa. So this Ramadhan, you fast during the day and build your taqwa, and listen to Quran at night to get guidance. You need a proper regimen to build relationship with the Quran.
Allah promises ease in this life and the next for people who have taqwa. He has made taqwa easier for us and through taqwa He has made the access of guidance easier for us in the month of the Quran.
And so we can declare the greatness of Allah based on how He guided us. This is how we declare Allah's greatness -- by fasting and committing ourselves to Quran. And so that, hopefully, we become grateful. Grateful for what? We should be grateful for having been given the gift of the Quran. On top of that we should be grateful that Allah gives us a month in which the one thing that we need most in life -- guidance.
Shaytan is dedicated to making sure that you don't get guidance. Allah chained up Shaytan in Ramadhan, and then Allah gives you something that builds your taqwa, which is fasting, so that you can get guidance from the Quran. How grateful can you be? When you start getting connected to the Quran then you can ask Allah properly. We are closest to Allah in Ramadhan.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿١٨٦
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. (186) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:186]
May Allah bring us closer to Him this Ramadhan and make us of the people of taqwa and 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
The blessed month of Ramadhan is just around the corner. When we talked about Ramadhan, the first thing that comes to most minds is fasting for 29 or 30 days. We think of Ramadhan as the month of fasting but Allah wants us to think of it as the month of the Quran. The month of Ramadhan is a celebration of Muslim identity as people of Quran.
The purpose of fasting is taqwa (to protect oneself from Hellfire).
Allah Most High says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - (183) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:183]
However, the purpose of Ramadhan is different than fasting. It is to make it easy for us to build taqwa with the guidance of the Quran.
Allah Most High says,
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful. (185) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:185]
Allah wants ease for us and He does not want hardship for us. How come fasting got harder and Allah says He wants to make it easy? Fasting builds taqwa and taqwa is what will give us guidance. Allah Most High says in the Quran,
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 (people who have taqwa)- (2) .
The more you fast the more taqwa you have. The more taqwa you have the more ready you are to take in this guidance. Allah wants guidance to come to you easily but you need a lot of taqwa to get guidance easily. You have to fast a lot to have a lot of taqwa. So this Ramadhan, you fast during the day and build your taqwa, and listen to Quran at night to get guidance. You need a proper regimen to build relationship with the Quran.
Allah promises ease in this life and the next for people who have taqwa. He has made taqwa easier for us and through taqwa He has made the access of guidance easier for us in the month of the Quran.
And so we can declare the greatness of Allah based on how He guided us. This is how we declare Allah's greatness -- by fasting and committing ourselves to Quran. And so that, hopefully, we become grateful. Grateful for what? We should be grateful for having been given the gift of the Quran. On top of that we should be grateful that Allah gives us a month in which the one thing that we need most in life -- guidance.
Shaytan is dedicated to making sure that you don't get guidance. Allah chained up Shaytan in Ramadhan, and then Allah gives you something that builds your taqwa, which is fasting, so that you can get guidance from the Quran. How grateful can you be? When you start getting connected to the Quran then you can ask Allah properly. We are closest to Allah in Ramadhan.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿١٨٦
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. (186) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:186]
May Allah bring us closer to Him this Ramadhan and make us of the people of taqwa and 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
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Convey the Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
“Convey from me even if it is one verse” - Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace)
How can we spread something if we don't know and don't appreciate them? Muslims are supposed to be ambassadors to this religion of Islam. Clarifying, clarifying, clarifying the Quran. How can we clarify something that we don't live by, that we don't love.
Allah left us a very heavy responsibility--His Book. We have to do our part as an individual.
Allah Most High says,
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلْهُدَىٰ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّـٰهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ۙ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ ٱللَّـٰعِنُونَ ﴿١٥٩﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ وَبَيَّنُوا۟ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنَا ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٦٠
Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, (159) Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. (160) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:159-160]
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿١٦١﴾ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ ﴿١٦٢﴾ وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٦٣
Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allah and of the angels and the people, all together, (161) Abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved. (162) And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. (163) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:161-163]
May Allah purify us and teach us His Book and Wisdom and make us 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
“Convey from me even if it is one verse” - Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace)
How can we spread something if we don't know and don't appreciate them? Muslims are supposed to be ambassadors to this religion of Islam. Clarifying, clarifying, clarifying the Quran. How can we clarify something that we don't live by, that we don't love.
Allah left us a very heavy responsibility--His Book. We have to do our part as an individual.
Allah Most High says,
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلْهُدَىٰ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّـٰهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ۙ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ ٱللَّـٰعِنُونَ ﴿١٥٩﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ وَبَيَّنُوا۟ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنَا ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٦٠
Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, (159) Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. (160) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:159-160]
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿١٦١﴾ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ ﴿١٦٢﴾ وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٦٣
Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - upon them will be the curse of Allah and of the angels and the people, all together, (161) Abiding eternally therein. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved. (162) And your god is one God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. (163) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:161-163]
May Allah purify us and teach us His Book and Wisdom and make us 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
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Optimisim and Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
When actions have barakah (commonly translated as blessing) in them, their consequences are beyond imagination. Allah says that there is a name of Allah that has been empowered with barakah, i.e. meaning if you invoke that Name of Allah and do something, then what you do will have barakah in it.
We are taught to start an action with بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم (In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate). There is no surprise that at the heart of بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Ar-Rahman (The Overwhelmingly Merciful). We start every deed with بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم hoping, optimistically, that Allah will put barakah in that action, that means the good that will come out for ourselves and for others will be beyond expectation.
What actions Allah put barakah, Allah decides. What Allah doesn't put barakah, Allah decides. We are dependent on Him and our dependence shows whenever we say بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. Because we believe in بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم, we should never underestimate the value of our good deeds that we do for Allah. The world around us may look horrible, that it has all those problems -- the economic problems, powerlessness, political problems, education problems, ignorance, division, corruption, deviation, and all of those combined, but as a matter of faith, we can't be pessimistic because Allah gives us barakah.
When I say that Name and begin a good deed, only Allah knows how far the good Allah will bring out of this deed. That is the attitude of a Muslim. When the sahabah understood this, they never underestimated the value of their efforts. Even if nobody was accepting Islam, they still kept going because their efforts have barakah and they don't have to see it with their eyes to know barakah is there.
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٧٨
Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (78) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:78]
May Allah put barakah in our lives and our works. 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
When actions have barakah (commonly translated as blessing) in them, their consequences are beyond imagination. Allah says that there is a name of Allah that has been empowered with barakah, i.e. meaning if you invoke that Name of Allah and do something, then what you do will have barakah in it.
We are taught to start an action with بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم (In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate). There is no surprise that at the heart of بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم is Ar-Rahman (The Overwhelmingly Merciful). We start every deed with بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم hoping, optimistically, that Allah will put barakah in that action, that means the good that will come out for ourselves and for others will be beyond expectation.
What actions Allah put barakah, Allah decides. What Allah doesn't put barakah, Allah decides. We are dependent on Him and our dependence shows whenever we say بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. Because we believe in بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم, we should never underestimate the value of our good deeds that we do for Allah. The world around us may look horrible, that it has all those problems -- the economic problems, powerlessness, political problems, education problems, ignorance, division, corruption, deviation, and all of those combined, but as a matter of faith, we can't be pessimistic because Allah gives us barakah.
When I say that Name and begin a good deed, only Allah knows how far the good Allah will bring out of this deed. That is the attitude of a Muslim. When the sahabah understood this, they never underestimated the value of their efforts. Even if nobody was accepting Islam, they still kept going because their efforts have barakah and they don't have to see it with their eyes to know barakah is there.
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِى ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٧٨
Blessed is the name of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (78) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:78]
May Allah put barakah in our lives and our works. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Vote Wisely, O Malaysians
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Vote Wisely O Malaysians!
Applying these rules, anyone with a little bit of intelligence will know what to do with his/her precious vote...
1. If it is not broken, don't fix it.
If there is no evidence of a real problem, and fixing the "problem" would not effectively improve the situation, then don't waste time and energy (yours or anybody else's) trying to fix it.
2. One of these 3 things will happen as a result of your vote, either the situation remain the same, better or worse. Same is better than worse.
3. The unknown is scary. Why go near them?
4. People are human. They all make mistakes, and lots of them. The door of repentance is always open with Allah until sakaratul maut. Even so, no one should wait till they are on their deathbeds to repent for their sins, because the pangs of pain might make you forget to do so, and even worse that you might forget the One entirely.
5. Life is short.
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّـهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٩٨
Know that Allah is severe in penalty and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (98)
[Qur'an Al-Maida 5:198]
Allah is swift to punish as well as to forgive. If we use the gifts that Allah has blessed us with to disobey Him and to deny His Messengers, then we hasten on His punishments in this world and the next. On the other hand, if we employ our gifts in the service of righteousness, then Allah will pardon our shortcomings, for He is truly forgiving and merciful.
إِنَّا لِلَّـهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ﴿١٥٦ ...
...Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return)
[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:156]
ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا ﴿
٤٦
Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope. (46)
[Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:46]
Selamat mengundi.
May Allah guide us and our leaders. 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
Vote Wisely O Malaysians!
Applying these rules, anyone with a little bit of intelligence will know what to do with his/her precious vote...
1. If it is not broken, don't fix it.
If there is no evidence of a real problem, and fixing the "problem" would not effectively improve the situation, then don't waste time and energy (yours or anybody else's) trying to fix it.
2. One of these 3 things will happen as a result of your vote, either the situation remain the same, better or worse. Same is better than worse.
3. The unknown is scary. Why go near them?
4. People are human. They all make mistakes, and lots of them. The door of repentance is always open with Allah until sakaratul maut. Even so, no one should wait till they are on their deathbeds to repent for their sins, because the pangs of pain might make you forget to do so, and even worse that you might forget the One entirely.
5. Life is short.
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّـهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٩٨
Know that Allah is severe in penalty and that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (98)
[Qur'an Al-Maida 5:198]
Allah is swift to punish as well as to forgive. If we use the gifts that Allah has blessed us with to disobey Him and to deny His Messengers, then we hasten on His punishments in this world and the next. On the other hand, if we employ our gifts in the service of righteousness, then Allah will pardon our shortcomings, for He is truly forgiving and merciful.
إِنَّا لِلَّـهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ﴿١٥٦ ...
...Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return)
[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:156]
ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا ﴿
٤٦
Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope. (46)
[Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:46]
Selamat mengundi.
May Allah guide us and our leaders. 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
The Criminals and Hellfire vs The Godfearing and Paradise
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah gives a horrific description of Hellfire and a beautiful description of Paradise.
Allah Most High says,
يُعْرَفُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِٱلنَّوَٰصِى وَٱلْأَقْدَامِ ﴿٤١﴾ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٢﴾ هَـٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِى يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾ يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ ءَانٍ ﴿٤٤﴾ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٥﴾
The criminals will be known by their marks, and they will be seized by the forelocks and the feet. (41) So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (42) This is Hell, which the criminals deny. (43) They will go around between it and scalding water, heated [to the utmost degree]. (44) So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (45) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:41-35]
When Allah calls them criminals, it is not like they eat pork, but they are criminals because they are hurting people and humanity by their immorality. Allah says, "This is Hell.." He used "This" instead of "That" because He wants us to think Hell is close.
When someone is self indulging and live in luxury, they don't like to hear about Hell. But the Truth is the truth. Whether you like it or not, it is there. You have to deal with it. It's reality. As harsh as it may seem, it's a reality. Allah says the criminal are in denial of Hellfire. If you accept Hellfire, then you have to change your bad behavior but criminals don't accept Hellfire because they don't want to change their bad ways.
Allah describes this horrific description of the Hellfire for a reason. The purpose is so you and I can be horrified now instead of being horrified by seeing it. This is a favor of Allah that He is letting us see this picture of Hell so graphically and so intensely. If it wasn't this graphic and this intense we will be no different than the people who have no problem making movies, cartoons and jokes about hell, as if it is no big deal to them.
Allah beautifully describes the two levels of Paradise in Surah Ar-Rahman. Whoever fear the standing in front of Allah, that qualifies Paradise.
Allah Most High says,
وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ جَنَّتَانِ ﴿٤٦﴾ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٧
But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens - (46) So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? - (47) ... [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:46-47]
We have been given a full 3D view of Hell and a full 3D view of Heaven by Allah's words in the Quran. That's a favor of Allah so we know what to look forward to.
We have try to increase our good deeds and doing our best to avoid bad deeds. Allah does not want perfection from us but He wants to see a genuine attempts trying to get away from bad things and a genuine attempts to do good things and better ourselves.
May Allah protect us from bad deeds and save us from the Hellfire.
May Allah grant us good works and the highest Paradise. 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
In Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah gives a horrific description of Hellfire and a beautiful description of Paradise.
Allah Most High says,
يُعْرَفُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ بِسِيمَـٰهُمْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِٱلنَّوَٰصِى وَٱلْأَقْدَامِ ﴿٤١﴾ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٢﴾ هَـٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِى يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿٤٣﴾ يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ ءَانٍ ﴿٤٤﴾ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٥﴾
The criminals will be known by their marks, and they will be seized by the forelocks and the feet. (41) So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (42) This is Hell, which the criminals deny. (43) They will go around between it and scalding water, heated [to the utmost degree]. (44) So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (45) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:41-35]
When Allah calls them criminals, it is not like they eat pork, but they are criminals because they are hurting people and humanity by their immorality. Allah says, "This is Hell.." He used "This" instead of "That" because He wants us to think Hell is close.
When someone is self indulging and live in luxury, they don't like to hear about Hell. But the Truth is the truth. Whether you like it or not, it is there. You have to deal with it. It's reality. As harsh as it may seem, it's a reality. Allah says the criminal are in denial of Hellfire. If you accept Hellfire, then you have to change your bad behavior but criminals don't accept Hellfire because they don't want to change their bad ways.
Allah describes this horrific description of the Hellfire for a reason. The purpose is so you and I can be horrified now instead of being horrified by seeing it. This is a favor of Allah that He is letting us see this picture of Hell so graphically and so intensely. If it wasn't this graphic and this intense we will be no different than the people who have no problem making movies, cartoons and jokes about hell, as if it is no big deal to them.
Allah beautifully describes the two levels of Paradise in Surah Ar-Rahman. Whoever fear the standing in front of Allah, that qualifies Paradise.
Allah Most High says,
وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ جَنَّتَانِ ﴿٤٦﴾ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٤٧
But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens - (46) So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? - (47) ... [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:46-47]
We have been given a full 3D view of Hell and a full 3D view of Heaven by Allah's words in the Quran. That's a favor of Allah so we know what to look forward to.
We have try to increase our good deeds and doing our best to avoid bad deeds. Allah does not want perfection from us but He wants to see a genuine attempts trying to get away from bad things and a genuine attempts to do good things and better ourselves.
May Allah protect us from bad deeds and save us from the Hellfire.
May Allah grant us good works and the highest Paradise. 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, May 6, 2018
Mortality and Glory
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The mortality is what the ungrateful forgets.
Allah reminds us of this and says,
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ ﴿٢٦﴾ وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٢٧﴾ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٢٨
Everyone upon the earth will perish, (26) And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (27) So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (28) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:26-28]
For us glory and nobility cannot exist unless somebody else exist to give that to us. But Allah does not need us for Him to be glorified and honored. He is the Owner of Majesty and Honor.
May Allah make us His grateful servants. 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
The mortality is what the ungrateful forgets.
Allah reminds us of this and says,
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ ﴿٢٦﴾ وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو ٱلْجَلَـٰلِ وَٱلْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٢٧﴾ فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿٢٨
Everyone upon the earth will perish, (26) And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (27) So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? (28) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:26-28]
For us glory and nobility cannot exist unless somebody else exist to give that to us. But Allah does not need us for Him to be glorified and honored. He is the Owner of Majesty and Honor.
May Allah make us His grateful servants. 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, May 4, 2018
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Shaytan's Goal and Seven Entrances For Shaytan
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Al-Kahf, the travel companion of Musa (peace be upon him) told him that Shaytan made him forget to tell Musa about an incident with the fish that they brought with them for the journey.
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَىٰهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـٰذَا نَصَبًا ﴿٦٢﴾ قَالَ أَرَءَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ ٱلْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُۥ ۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا ﴿٦٣
So when they had passed beyond it, [Musa] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue." (62) He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly". (63) [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:62-63]
Beware of shaytan who is always lurking to enter your hearts.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that shaytan flows in the son of Adam like blood flows. [Bukhari]
Shaytan's goal is to take each and everyone of us to Hell with him. But he won't come to you today and tell you not to worship Allah or disbelieve in Allah because you still have some faith in you. So he gradually misguides you through waswaas (whispers) but he does not use the same approach for everyone. People differ in their nature, personality and ways of thinking, so what appeals to someone, may not appeal to another. Shaytan may seek to conquer someone by exploiting his love for money, while he may subdue another by his lust for fame, or might delude another by emotion. So, Shaytan has different ways to enter a man's soul and misguide it - these doorways to a person's heart are referred to as, 'weakness of man.'
Shaytan has many schemes and tricks to turn us away from Allah Almighty and become his companion in Hell. They come in various types, shades and colors. In the Wayfarers to God (Ma'alim As-Suluk) by Habib Ali Al Jifri, they can be summarized in seven doors from which shaytan enters the heart of the human being and affect them. If we ponder upon the entrances, we will avoid them.
1) Steering the human being away from pious works. For example, a person might have a desire to wake up at night and stand in prayer. Shaytan comes and says "You are tired, just don't pray." If Allah protect the person and give him tawfiq, the person will say, "I must do this, I need it."
Then shaytan will then try the second entrance.
2) Procrastination. For example, the person might say, "I'll start learning Qur'an when I finished college," or "when I am 50, I will pray at night," or "I will put on the hijab when I get married," or "I'll get back to my studies to after my wife have the baby or when I am settled." There is always some excuse that prevent you to do something you are supposed to do right now.
The remedy for this is remembering death. We might not live even till the next breadth. Even if you do, if you postpone today's good works till tomorrow, when will you do good works of tomorrow and the ones after that? Remember, wasting time without acts of obedience to Allah is wasting something that can never be compensated for.
3) Riya' (ostentation, showing off in worship)
This is wanting other than Allah for doing pious works. This is a subtle shirk (polytheism) and it is more illusive than the creeping of a black ant on a gray stone on a dark night.
Shaytan will say to the person, "Do your pious work, let people see you." "If you gave charity, do it publicly or inform others so people mention you." "If you help build a masjid, make sure your name is mentioned." "If you contribute to a charitable foundation, make sure they write your name down."
If Allah wants to protect a servant from this subtle shirk, He fills the person's heart with the magnificent of Allah so that the person will refuse to do anything for other than Allah. Remember that Allah is free of need of any partner.
Riya' ruins our good deeds and Allah will not accept the works if we have riya'. A person should search for and try to fill his hearts with awareness of Allah’s magnificence. If his relationship with Allah is correct, he is clear of need of other people.
If shaytan is unsuccessful to enter your hearts from the above entrances, he will try the fourth.
4) Haste
For example, when you recite the Qur'an, shaytan will rush you to finish one juz and then second juz, without reflection/contemplation, without proper tajweed, without alertness. Shaytan will rush you through your obligatory prayer quickly so you can go to your sunnah prayer.
Hastiness prevent a person from the light of an act of worship, the fruit of an act of worship, and taste of an act of worship.
The remedy for this is patience, deliberation and thoughtfulness. Remind ourselves that Allah does not want from us a lot of commotion but Allah wants us to benefit from our works and develop a taste for it.
If shaytan cannot come from this entrance, then it tries a fifth entrance.
5) 'Ujb (pride, self glory}
The shaytan will try to make you fall into pride. Shaytan comes and says, "Mashaa Allah you are good," "you are upright, no one is like you.” So the person looks at his pious work as though it is emanating from himself. He forgets that in reality the action was from tawfiq of Allah.
Self glory is believing that Allah benefits from your act of worship, and believing that the act originates purely from the your will, the result of the person's effort. Self glory becomes the reason for nullifying the act of worship.
The remedy for this is for the person to remember that he is incapable and for him to ascribe the whole thing to Allah. He says, "Were it not for Allah’s honor and generosity, I would have been insignificant. Were I of no significance, He would have cast me away and left me in a state of disobedience. It is Allah's will to honor me and made me ready for obedience."
When shaytan despairs with regard to this entrance, he comes from the sixth entrance, subtle ostentation, unique to shaytan.
6) Subtle riya' (ostentation) and 'ujb (self glory).
After passing the previous entrances--obedience, riya', procrastination, haste, 'ujb/self-glory, shaytan comes to a subtle effect that still might ruin one's work.
The shaytan says, "You be sincere with Allah, worship Allah alone, do not seek the countenance of people, and after that Allah will manifest your works. Allah will show light on your face. Allah will make people love you and make them favor you and approach you."
Remember we seek sincerity to attain Allah's favor and good pleasure, not to attain the pleasure of people.
Also self glory has many subtleties as it has obvious manifestations. One of the subtle illusive aspect of pride is that when one feels that other people have an obligation towards him because of favors or goodness extended to them. So, if two people did something wrong to us, most people are affected or more offended or hurt by the one to whom the favor has been done. Remember, wealth is Allah's wealth, and the servant is Allah's servant. Our goodness is none of our doing; it is from Allah. Were it not for Allah's tawfiq (facilitation to success/goodness), we won't be able to do anything good. The good that we do, Allah will reward us by manifolds. So how do our goodness compare to what we receive in recompense? So the favor is upon us when people accept our goodness, not upon them.
It is important to learn the knowledge of purification of the hearts. This knowledge is important because it can make people aware of the calamity that would fall upon them from places that they are not aware of.
7) No need of good deeds.
The seventh entrance is when the shaytan comes and says, "Why do you tire yourself like this. Were you with Allah dammed even if you were to worship Allah, in the end you will be damned. And if you were with Allah as one of those saved, even if you are negligent, in the end you say la illaha illallah, you will enter the Garden. The matter is decided on the basis of pre-ordainments."
This is the most dangerous entrance.
The remedy for this is for the person to say, "Allah did not create me to ask if I am dammed or saved. He created me and ordered me to obey Him and leave disobedience of Him and worship Him, that I travel to Him. I am going to Him and I am eager to meet Him. The matter if I am dammed or saved that knowledge goes back to Him. This is the responsibility of the Lord, not the slave, whether I am dammed or I am saved."
Our mission as slaves of Allah is to expend our effort in obedience to Allah and to constantly and excellently do our utmost for Allah's sake as we travel to Him. The fruits of all this lies with Allah and not with us.
We must constantly seek refuge with Allah from shaytan. Among the fortification from shaytan is persisting to stay in a state of of ablution (wudu'), reading the Quran, persisting in a lot of dhikr (remembrance of Allah), reciting the Prophetic invocations for the morning and night and reciting the al-mu'awidhataan (such as Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Naas, Ayatul Kursi, the final 2 verses of Surah Al-Baqarah).
May Allah make us of those who hear His word and follow it. May Allah show us the Truth as Truth and grant us to follow it, and show us falsehood as falsehood and grant us to avoid it. 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
In Surah Al-Kahf, the travel companion of Musa (peace be upon him) told him that Shaytan made him forget to tell Musa about an incident with the fish that they brought with them for the journey.
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَىٰهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـٰذَا نَصَبًا ﴿٦٢﴾ قَالَ أَرَءَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ ٱلْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُۥ ۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا ﴿٦٣
So when they had passed beyond it, [Musa] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue." (62) He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly". (63) [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:62-63]
Beware of shaytan who is always lurking to enter your hearts.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that shaytan flows in the son of Adam like blood flows. [Bukhari]
Shaytan's goal is to take each and everyone of us to Hell with him. But he won't come to you today and tell you not to worship Allah or disbelieve in Allah because you still have some faith in you. So he gradually misguides you through waswaas (whispers) but he does not use the same approach for everyone. People differ in their nature, personality and ways of thinking, so what appeals to someone, may not appeal to another. Shaytan may seek to conquer someone by exploiting his love for money, while he may subdue another by his lust for fame, or might delude another by emotion. So, Shaytan has different ways to enter a man's soul and misguide it - these doorways to a person's heart are referred to as, 'weakness of man.'
Shaytan has many schemes and tricks to turn us away from Allah Almighty and become his companion in Hell. They come in various types, shades and colors. In the Wayfarers to God (Ma'alim As-Suluk) by Habib Ali Al Jifri, they can be summarized in seven doors from which shaytan enters the heart of the human being and affect them. If we ponder upon the entrances, we will avoid them.
1) Steering the human being away from pious works. For example, a person might have a desire to wake up at night and stand in prayer. Shaytan comes and says "You are tired, just don't pray." If Allah protect the person and give him tawfiq, the person will say, "I must do this, I need it."
Then shaytan will then try the second entrance.
2) Procrastination. For example, the person might say, "I'll start learning Qur'an when I finished college," or "when I am 50, I will pray at night," or "I will put on the hijab when I get married," or "I'll get back to my studies to after my wife have the baby or when I am settled." There is always some excuse that prevent you to do something you are supposed to do right now.
The remedy for this is remembering death. We might not live even till the next breadth. Even if you do, if you postpone today's good works till tomorrow, when will you do good works of tomorrow and the ones after that? Remember, wasting time without acts of obedience to Allah is wasting something that can never be compensated for.
3) Riya' (ostentation, showing off in worship)
This is wanting other than Allah for doing pious works. This is a subtle shirk (polytheism) and it is more illusive than the creeping of a black ant on a gray stone on a dark night.
Shaytan will say to the person, "Do your pious work, let people see you." "If you gave charity, do it publicly or inform others so people mention you." "If you help build a masjid, make sure your name is mentioned." "If you contribute to a charitable foundation, make sure they write your name down."
If Allah wants to protect a servant from this subtle shirk, He fills the person's heart with the magnificent of Allah so that the person will refuse to do anything for other than Allah. Remember that Allah is free of need of any partner.
Riya' ruins our good deeds and Allah will not accept the works if we have riya'. A person should search for and try to fill his hearts with awareness of Allah’s magnificence. If his relationship with Allah is correct, he is clear of need of other people.
If shaytan is unsuccessful to enter your hearts from the above entrances, he will try the fourth.
4) Haste
For example, when you recite the Qur'an, shaytan will rush you to finish one juz and then second juz, without reflection/contemplation, without proper tajweed, without alertness. Shaytan will rush you through your obligatory prayer quickly so you can go to your sunnah prayer.
Hastiness prevent a person from the light of an act of worship, the fruit of an act of worship, and taste of an act of worship.
The remedy for this is patience, deliberation and thoughtfulness. Remind ourselves that Allah does not want from us a lot of commotion but Allah wants us to benefit from our works and develop a taste for it.
If shaytan cannot come from this entrance, then it tries a fifth entrance.
5) 'Ujb (pride, self glory}
The shaytan will try to make you fall into pride. Shaytan comes and says, "Mashaa Allah you are good," "you are upright, no one is like you.” So the person looks at his pious work as though it is emanating from himself. He forgets that in reality the action was from tawfiq of Allah.
Self glory is believing that Allah benefits from your act of worship, and believing that the act originates purely from the your will, the result of the person's effort. Self glory becomes the reason for nullifying the act of worship.
The remedy for this is for the person to remember that he is incapable and for him to ascribe the whole thing to Allah. He says, "Were it not for Allah’s honor and generosity, I would have been insignificant. Were I of no significance, He would have cast me away and left me in a state of disobedience. It is Allah's will to honor me and made me ready for obedience."
When shaytan despairs with regard to this entrance, he comes from the sixth entrance, subtle ostentation, unique to shaytan.
6) Subtle riya' (ostentation) and 'ujb (self glory).
After passing the previous entrances--obedience, riya', procrastination, haste, 'ujb/self-glory, shaytan comes to a subtle effect that still might ruin one's work.
The shaytan says, "You be sincere with Allah, worship Allah alone, do not seek the countenance of people, and after that Allah will manifest your works. Allah will show light on your face. Allah will make people love you and make them favor you and approach you."
Remember we seek sincerity to attain Allah's favor and good pleasure, not to attain the pleasure of people.
Also self glory has many subtleties as it has obvious manifestations. One of the subtle illusive aspect of pride is that when one feels that other people have an obligation towards him because of favors or goodness extended to them. So, if two people did something wrong to us, most people are affected or more offended or hurt by the one to whom the favor has been done. Remember, wealth is Allah's wealth, and the servant is Allah's servant. Our goodness is none of our doing; it is from Allah. Were it not for Allah's tawfiq (facilitation to success/goodness), we won't be able to do anything good. The good that we do, Allah will reward us by manifolds. So how do our goodness compare to what we receive in recompense? So the favor is upon us when people accept our goodness, not upon them.
It is important to learn the knowledge of purification of the hearts. This knowledge is important because it can make people aware of the calamity that would fall upon them from places that they are not aware of.
7) No need of good deeds.
The seventh entrance is when the shaytan comes and says, "Why do you tire yourself like this. Were you with Allah dammed even if you were to worship Allah, in the end you will be damned. And if you were with Allah as one of those saved, even if you are negligent, in the end you say la illaha illallah, you will enter the Garden. The matter is decided on the basis of pre-ordainments."
This is the most dangerous entrance.
The remedy for this is for the person to say, "Allah did not create me to ask if I am dammed or saved. He created me and ordered me to obey Him and leave disobedience of Him and worship Him, that I travel to Him. I am going to Him and I am eager to meet Him. The matter if I am dammed or saved that knowledge goes back to Him. This is the responsibility of the Lord, not the slave, whether I am dammed or I am saved."
Our mission as slaves of Allah is to expend our effort in obedience to Allah and to constantly and excellently do our utmost for Allah's sake as we travel to Him. The fruits of all this lies with Allah and not with us.
We must constantly seek refuge with Allah from shaytan. Among the fortification from shaytan is persisting to stay in a state of of ablution (wudu'), reading the Quran, persisting in a lot of dhikr (remembrance of Allah), reciting the Prophetic invocations for the morning and night and reciting the al-mu'awidhataan (such as Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Naas, Ayatul Kursi, the final 2 verses of Surah Al-Baqarah).
May Allah make us of those who hear His word and follow it. May Allah show us the Truth as Truth and grant us to follow it, and show us falsehood as falsehood and grant us to avoid it. 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, May 2, 2018
The People of Guidance -- The Godfearing and The Successful
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم \
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah Most High says,
المٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣﴾وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٤﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٥﴾
Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, (3) And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. (4) Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful. (5) (Quran, Al Baqarah)
Allah begins Surah Al-Baqarah with Alif Lam Meen, words that we can't even understand, which is important because it puts our attitude in check. We come to this Book not expecting that we know everything but we come to this Book understanding and acknowledging that we know nothing, that only Allah knows. Until you have this attitude, you will not be able to take in what guidance is supposed to be. Alif Lam Meen puts the human being in his place. You don't know what this is because this is not from human being but from a higher source. Allah only opens the doors of wisdom to whoever He wants. Whatever He wants you to know, He lets you know, whatever He does not want you to know, He keeps it hidden.
People who are looking for guidance, they will find it in the Quran and there is no doubt that Quran has it.
There are two permanent qualities that are given to the people of guidance-- al muttaqin (the people who are making an effort to protect themselves from the punishment and displeasure of Allah and protect themselves disappointing Allah) and al muflihun (the people who are successful in this world and the Hereafter).
May Allah guide us make us of the Muttaqin and the Muflihun. 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
Allah Most High says,
المٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ﴿٣﴾وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٤﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٥﴾
Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them, (3) And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith]. (4) Those are upon [right] guidance from their Lord, and it is those who are the successful. (5) (Quran, Al Baqarah)
Allah begins Surah Al-Baqarah with Alif Lam Meen, words that we can't even understand, which is important because it puts our attitude in check. We come to this Book not expecting that we know everything but we come to this Book understanding and acknowledging that we know nothing, that only Allah knows. Until you have this attitude, you will not be able to take in what guidance is supposed to be. Alif Lam Meen puts the human being in his place. You don't know what this is because this is not from human being but from a higher source. Allah only opens the doors of wisdom to whoever He wants. Whatever He wants you to know, He lets you know, whatever He does not want you to know, He keeps it hidden.
People who are looking for guidance, they will find it in the Quran and there is no doubt that Quran has it.
There are two permanent qualities that are given to the people of guidance-- al muttaqin (the people who are making an effort to protect themselves from the punishment and displeasure of Allah and protect themselves disappointing Allah) and al muflihun (the people who are successful in this world and the Hereafter).
May Allah guide us make us of the Muttaqin and the Muflihun. 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
The Quran -- A Guide for the Godfearing
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
If the Quran we read is only for a reward for the deceased or for a certain occasion or for the purpose of "ruqyah" or protection, then we are missing out a lot.
The Quran is a guide to be righteous and Godfearing (taqwa). Allah does not look at our body or degree or our property, rank, status or knowledge, but Allah looks at our taqwa to Him. So the most important person in the sight of Allah is the righteous. Let's race towards taqwa.
When we feel lazy to read the Qur'an every day, remember.
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) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:2}
Make a habit to read 1-2 juz (21-42 pages) a day. If you have not reached that level yet, make the intention to take the steps to get to that level this Ramadhan. Do not let 10, 20, 30, 40 Ramadhan passed, you still reading at a few pages a day or worse if you don't bother to read the Quran at all.
May Allah make us from those who have taqwa. 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
If the Quran we read is only for a reward for the deceased or for a certain occasion or for the purpose of "ruqyah" or protection, then we are missing out a lot.
The Quran is a guide to be righteous and Godfearing (taqwa). Allah does not look at our body or degree or our property, rank, status or knowledge, but Allah looks at our taqwa to Him. So the most important person in the sight of Allah is the righteous. Let's race towards taqwa.
When we feel lazy to read the Qur'an every day, remember.
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) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:2}
Make a habit to read 1-2 juz (21-42 pages) a day. If you have not reached that level yet, make the intention to take the steps to get to that level this Ramadhan. Do not let 10, 20, 30, 40 Ramadhan passed, you still reading at a few pages a day or worse if you don't bother to read the Quran at all.
May Allah make us from those who have taqwa. 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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