بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah sent you into this world to test you. Someone came to this world, got tested and left. We came to this world, being tested (whether we realize it or not) and one day we will leave. When we will leave, that we don't know. So we must prepare ourselves for that day.
Why Allah tests us? So we can find Him, come close to Him, and worship Him alone.
We will be tested with evil -- something that hurts, something that makes us cry, and with good -- something pleasant, something that makes us happy. Allah wants to see how we react. Are we going to be patient? Are we going to be grateful?
كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿٣٥
Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned. (35)
[Quran, Al-Anbiya' 21:35]
We will be tested wiith fear, hunger and losses. Allah wants to see how we react.
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, (155)
[Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:155]
Among the many tests, children and wealth are two of the most difficult ones.
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)
[Quran, At-Taghabun 64:15]
No doubt, our children are a constant trial. Whether they are young or adult, single or married, good or bad, dependent or independent, we are being tested. We have to recognize that when our children are good and successful, our pride and ego are also being put to test. Are we going to toot our own horn or are we going to remember Allah, thank Him and be grateful to Him? When our children are disobedient and difficult, our patience are being tested the most. Are we going to throw in the towel or be angry or are we going to recognize our mistakes and try to correct them? Many of us have failed miserably in the tests of our children. The deterioration of morals in the society gives testimony to how many of us have failed as parents.
Likewise, wealth is a test from Allah to His slaves, so that He may know who among us are generous and will spend this blessing, give charity and pay zakah for His sake. Many of us fail miserably in this area as well. In these days of great material bounty, millions have little opportunity to lift themselves from the abyss of poverty and one billion children are living in poverty. Amid the great abundance that exists, however, the poor often have little opportunity to improve their lot in life. When refugees are driven to starvation because of war, when stores of food rot because of political manipulation, and when market forces push the cost of life’s necessities to levels that the poor cannot pay, are we there to help these most vulnerable people and the impoverished humans?
Remember, "The world is the prison of the believer, and a Paradise for the non-believer." [Muslim]
So the truthful believer has patience upon what afflicts him in the world so that it becomes for him the everlasting delights, and the non-believer is delighted in the world as if it is his paradise, and it becomes his everlasting punishment on the Day of reward.
May Allah make us of those who are truthful, grateful and patient. 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 29, 2019
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Advise For My Students -- Learn, Teach and Recite The Quran With Tajweed, A Means To Attribute Grandeur To Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
[Terjemahan Bahasa Melayu di bawah]
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala asks us,
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur. [Quran, Nuh 71:13]
Have we glorified Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala as it is due to Him? Aren't we in need of His Mercy, Greatness, Majesty? Learning, teaching and reciting the Quran properly is the best means to glorify Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "The best among you is the one who Learn and Teach the Quran."
Quran is not meant to be read on occassions only or however way without learning. One must learn how to read properly (with tajweed), teach others how to read properly and read a portion of the Quran everyday. It is also meant to be read with reflection. Reflect what? To reflect the grandeur of Allah.
One of the topics of tajweed is Nabr which is the stressing of the voice at a particular letter. There are several situations in the Quran when we read with Nabr. One of them is Nabr when stopping at the letter Hamzah and before it is a madd letter (alif, waw, ya), for example, السماء, شيء, سوء
The letter Hamzah we know now is not a letter in the language of Arabs before but nonetheless the Quran has plenty of words which consist the letter Hamzah.
The letter Hamzah was the most difficult letter to articulate because it's point of articulation (makhraj) is in the back of the throat with two strong qualities (sifat) -- "Shiddah" (articulate the letter by closing the passage of the articulation) and "Jahr" (articulate the letter by closing the air passage). These combinations make it more difficult to articulate the letter so much so that it was said Sayyidina Ali radhiAllahu anhu had said "If the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam didn't teach us Nabr, we would not have read Nabr (Hamzah)."
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, by His Mercy, revealed the Quran in different variations of recitation to ease its recitation following the rules of language of the particular Arabs.
1. Nabr -- stressing of the voice at a particular letter
2. Ibdal -- changing Hamzah to a madd letter like alif, waw, ya e.g. وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ -- وللمومنين , بئس -- بيس e.g. in Susi, Warsh, Abu Ja'far, Hamzah (at stopping)
3. Naql -- moving the harakah of Hamzah to the sakin letter before it e.g. عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ e.g. in Warsh, Idris, Hamzah
4. Isqad -- removing Hamzah e.g. جاء أحد to جا أحد e.g. in Qalun
5. Tasheel -- reading harakat Hamzah between fathah/alif, between kasrah/ya or dhammah/waw with letter ه Ha
6. Tahqeeq -- articulating Hamzah from its point of articulation (makhraj) with its qualities (sifat)
7. Madd -- elongating the madd letter before Hamzah e.g. in madd muttasil دُعَآءِىٓ and madd munfasil فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ
8. Sakt -- pausing the recitation for a moment at the sakin letter before the letter Hamza with the intention to continue reading.
Allahu Akbar. By His Mercy, Allah has made it easy for us to worship and glorify Him. For those who have learned or are learning the Quran and Qiraat Asharah, be grateful to Allah that He has opened beautiful doors to worship Him. Recite the Quran with all the Qiraats and the different variations (wajh) regularly and consistently and taste the beauty of the Quran and feel the grandeur of Allah.
May Allah make us of those who worship and glorify Him. May Allah make us His elect people of the Quran. May Allah grant us His Noble Countenance. Aameen.
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
Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Melayu
Nasihat Untuk Murid2ku -- Belajar, Mengajar dan Baca Al Quran Dengan Tajweed, Satu Cara Untuk Memuliakan dan Mengagungkan Allah
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala bertanya pada kita,
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
Mengapa kamu tidak percaya akan kebesaran Allah? [Quran, Nuh 71:13]
Adakah kita memuliakan dan mengagungkan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala sebagaimana mestinya? Bukankah kita memerlukan Rahmat, Kebesaran dan KemuliaanNya? Belajar, mengajar dan membaca al-Quran dengan betul adalah satu cara yang terbaik untuk memuliakan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam berkata, "Yang terbaik di antara kamu adalah orang yang belajar dan mengajar al-Quran."
Quran tidak dimaksudkan untuk dibaca pada masa-masa tertentu sahaja atau cara ikut suka tanpa belajar. Seseorang itu mesti belajar membaca Quran dengan betul (dengan tajweed), mengajar orang lain bagaimana membaca dengan betul dan membaca sebahagian daripada Al-Quran setiap hari. Ia juga dimaksudkan untuk dibaca dengan reflection. Reflect apa? Reflect keagungan Allah.
Salah satu tajuk tajuk dalam tajweed adalah Nabr ia-itu menekankan suara pada huruf tertentu. Terdapat beberapa keadaan dalam Quran di mana kita membaca dengan Nabr. Salah satunya adalah Nabr ketika berhenti di huruf Hamzah dan sebelum itu ada huruf madd (alif, waw, ya), misalnya, السماء, شيء, سوء
Huruf Hamzah yang kita kenal sekarang bukan huruf yang ada dalam bahasa Arab dahulu tetapi tetap ada banyak perkataan yang mengandungi huruf Hamzah.
Huruf Hamzah adalah huruf yang paling sukar untuk diartikulasikan kerana tempat artikulasi (makhraj) adalah di belakang tekak dengan dua sifat yang kuat (sifat) - "Shiddah" (mengartikulasikan huruf dengan menutup laluan artikulasi) dan "Jahr" (mengartikulasikan huruf dengan menutup laluan nafas). Gabungan ini menjadikannya lebih sukar untuk mengartikulasikan huruf itu sehingga dikatakan yang Sayyidina Ali radhiAllahu anhu ada berkata, "Jika Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam tidak mengajar kita Nabr, kita tidak akan membaca Nabr (Hamzah)."
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, dari RahmatNya, telah menurunkan al Quran dalam beberapa variasi-variasi bacaan untuk memudahkan bacaannya sesuaikan dengan kaedah bahasa orang-orang Arab tersebut.
1. Nabr - menekan suara di huruf-huruf tertentu
2. Ibdal - menukar Hamzah kepada huruf madd seperti alif, waw, ya mis. وللمؤمنين - وللمومنين, بئس - بيس saperti dalam Riwayah Susi, Warsh, Abu Ja'far, Hamzah (ketika berhenti)
3. Naql - memindahkan baris Hamzah kepada huruf sukun sebelumya, misalnya على ٱلأرض saperti dalam Riwayah Warsh, Idris, Hamzah
4. Isqad - menghapuskan Hamzah, misalnya جاء أحد ke جا أحد saperti dalam Riwayah Qalun
5. Tasheel - bacaan harakat Hamzah antara fathah / alif, antara kasrah / ya atau dhammah / waw dengan huruf ه ha
6. Tahqeeq - bacaan Hamzah dari tempat artikulasi (makhraj) dengan sifatnya
7. Madd - memanjangkan huruf madd sebelum Hamzah, saperti dalam madd muttasil, contohnya دعآءى dan madd munfasil, contohnya فلآ أقسم
9. Sakt -- berhenti bacaan seketika tanpa nafas di huruf sukun sebelum huruf Hamzah dengan niat menyambung bacaan
Allahu Akbar (Allah Maha Besar). Dari RahmatNya, Allah telah memudahkan kita menyembah dan memuliakanNya. Bagi mereka yang telah belajar atau sedang belajar Quran dan Qiraat Asharah, bersyukurlah kepada Allah bahawa Dia telah membuka pintu yang lebih indah untuk menyembah Dia. Bacalah Al-Quran dengan semua Qiraat dalam semua wajah yang telah di pelajari secara teratur dan konsisten dan rasakan (taste) keindahan Al-Quran dan rasakan (feel) kemuliaan, kebesaran dan keagungan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Semoga Allah jadikan kita dari orang-orang yang menyembah dan memuliakanNya. Semoga Allah jadikan kita dari ahli Al-Quran. Semoga Allah anugerahkan kita pandangan Wajah MuliaNya. Aameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa' ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
Dan Allah Maha Mengetahui, lagi Maha Bijaksana, dan Dialah sahaja yang memberi kejayaan, dan kepadaNyalah kita akan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
[Terjemahan Bahasa Melayu di bawah]
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala asks us,
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur. [Quran, Nuh 71:13]
Have we glorified Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala as it is due to Him? Aren't we in need of His Mercy, Greatness, Majesty? Learning, teaching and reciting the Quran properly is the best means to glorify Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "The best among you is the one who Learn and Teach the Quran."
Quran is not meant to be read on occassions only or however way without learning. One must learn how to read properly (with tajweed), teach others how to read properly and read a portion of the Quran everyday. It is also meant to be read with reflection. Reflect what? To reflect the grandeur of Allah.
One of the topics of tajweed is Nabr which is the stressing of the voice at a particular letter. There are several situations in the Quran when we read with Nabr. One of them is Nabr when stopping at the letter Hamzah and before it is a madd letter (alif, waw, ya), for example, السماء, شيء, سوء
The letter Hamzah we know now is not a letter in the language of Arabs before but nonetheless the Quran has plenty of words which consist the letter Hamzah.
The letter Hamzah was the most difficult letter to articulate because it's point of articulation (makhraj) is in the back of the throat with two strong qualities (sifat) -- "Shiddah" (articulate the letter by closing the passage of the articulation) and "Jahr" (articulate the letter by closing the air passage). These combinations make it more difficult to articulate the letter so much so that it was said Sayyidina Ali radhiAllahu anhu had said "If the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam didn't teach us Nabr, we would not have read Nabr (Hamzah)."
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, by His Mercy, revealed the Quran in different variations of recitation to ease its recitation following the rules of language of the particular Arabs.
1. Nabr -- stressing of the voice at a particular letter
2. Ibdal -- changing Hamzah to a madd letter like alif, waw, ya e.g. وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ -- وللمومنين , بئس -- بيس e.g. in Susi, Warsh, Abu Ja'far, Hamzah (at stopping)
3. Naql -- moving the harakah of Hamzah to the sakin letter before it e.g. عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ e.g. in Warsh, Idris, Hamzah
4. Isqad -- removing Hamzah e.g. جاء أحد to جا أحد e.g. in Qalun
5. Tasheel -- reading harakat Hamzah between fathah/alif, between kasrah/ya or dhammah/waw with letter ه Ha
6. Tahqeeq -- articulating Hamzah from its point of articulation (makhraj) with its qualities (sifat)
7. Madd -- elongating the madd letter before Hamzah e.g. in madd muttasil دُعَآءِىٓ and madd munfasil فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ
8. Sakt -- pausing the recitation for a moment at the sakin letter before the letter Hamza with the intention to continue reading.
Allahu Akbar. By His Mercy, Allah has made it easy for us to worship and glorify Him. For those who have learned or are learning the Quran and Qiraat Asharah, be grateful to Allah that He has opened beautiful doors to worship Him. Recite the Quran with all the Qiraats and the different variations (wajh) regularly and consistently and taste the beauty of the Quran and feel the grandeur of Allah.
May Allah make us of those who worship and glorify Him. May Allah make us His elect people of the Quran. May Allah grant us His Noble Countenance. Aameen.
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
Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Melayu
Nasihat Untuk Murid2ku -- Belajar, Mengajar dan Baca Al Quran Dengan Tajweed, Satu Cara Untuk Memuliakan dan Mengagungkan Allah
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala bertanya pada kita,
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
Mengapa kamu tidak percaya akan kebesaran Allah? [Quran, Nuh 71:13]
Adakah kita memuliakan dan mengagungkan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala sebagaimana mestinya? Bukankah kita memerlukan Rahmat, Kebesaran dan KemuliaanNya? Belajar, mengajar dan membaca al-Quran dengan betul adalah satu cara yang terbaik untuk memuliakan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam berkata, "Yang terbaik di antara kamu adalah orang yang belajar dan mengajar al-Quran."
Quran tidak dimaksudkan untuk dibaca pada masa-masa tertentu sahaja atau cara ikut suka tanpa belajar. Seseorang itu mesti belajar membaca Quran dengan betul (dengan tajweed), mengajar orang lain bagaimana membaca dengan betul dan membaca sebahagian daripada Al-Quran setiap hari. Ia juga dimaksudkan untuk dibaca dengan reflection. Reflect apa? Reflect keagungan Allah.
Salah satu tajuk tajuk dalam tajweed adalah Nabr ia-itu menekankan suara pada huruf tertentu. Terdapat beberapa keadaan dalam Quran di mana kita membaca dengan Nabr. Salah satunya adalah Nabr ketika berhenti di huruf Hamzah dan sebelum itu ada huruf madd (alif, waw, ya), misalnya, السماء, شيء, سوء
Huruf Hamzah yang kita kenal sekarang bukan huruf yang ada dalam bahasa Arab dahulu tetapi tetap ada banyak perkataan yang mengandungi huruf Hamzah.
Huruf Hamzah adalah huruf yang paling sukar untuk diartikulasikan kerana tempat artikulasi (makhraj) adalah di belakang tekak dengan dua sifat yang kuat (sifat) - "Shiddah" (mengartikulasikan huruf dengan menutup laluan artikulasi) dan "Jahr" (mengartikulasikan huruf dengan menutup laluan nafas). Gabungan ini menjadikannya lebih sukar untuk mengartikulasikan huruf itu sehingga dikatakan yang Sayyidina Ali radhiAllahu anhu ada berkata, "Jika Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam tidak mengajar kita Nabr, kita tidak akan membaca Nabr (Hamzah)."
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, dari RahmatNya, telah menurunkan al Quran dalam beberapa variasi-variasi bacaan untuk memudahkan bacaannya sesuaikan dengan kaedah bahasa orang-orang Arab tersebut.
1. Nabr - menekan suara di huruf-huruf tertentu
2. Ibdal - menukar Hamzah kepada huruf madd seperti alif, waw, ya mis. وللمؤمنين - وللمومنين, بئس - بيس saperti dalam Riwayah Susi, Warsh, Abu Ja'far, Hamzah (ketika berhenti)
3. Naql - memindahkan baris Hamzah kepada huruf sukun sebelumya, misalnya على ٱلأرض saperti dalam Riwayah Warsh, Idris, Hamzah
4. Isqad - menghapuskan Hamzah, misalnya جاء أحد ke جا أحد saperti dalam Riwayah Qalun
5. Tasheel - bacaan harakat Hamzah antara fathah / alif, antara kasrah / ya atau dhammah / waw dengan huruf ه ha
6. Tahqeeq - bacaan Hamzah dari tempat artikulasi (makhraj) dengan sifatnya
7. Madd - memanjangkan huruf madd sebelum Hamzah, saperti dalam madd muttasil, contohnya دعآءى dan madd munfasil, contohnya فلآ أقسم
9. Sakt -- berhenti bacaan seketika tanpa nafas di huruf sukun sebelum huruf Hamzah dengan niat menyambung bacaan
Allahu Akbar (Allah Maha Besar). Dari RahmatNya, Allah telah memudahkan kita menyembah dan memuliakanNya. Bagi mereka yang telah belajar atau sedang belajar Quran dan Qiraat Asharah, bersyukurlah kepada Allah bahawa Dia telah membuka pintu yang lebih indah untuk menyembah Dia. Bacalah Al-Quran dengan semua Qiraat dalam semua wajah yang telah di pelajari secara teratur dan konsisten dan rasakan (taste) keindahan Al-Quran dan rasakan (feel) kemuliaan, kebesaran dan keagungan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Semoga Allah jadikan kita dari orang-orang yang menyembah dan memuliakanNya. Semoga Allah jadikan kita dari ahli Al-Quran. Semoga Allah anugerahkan kita pandangan Wajah MuliaNya. Aameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa' ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
Dan Allah Maha Mengetahui, lagi Maha Bijaksana, dan Dialah sahaja yang memberi kejayaan, dan kepadaNyalah kita akan.
Wassalaam
Quran Reflection -- Precious Tawfiq (Success)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
(Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Melayu di bawah)
Video of how a Catholic lady from family of priests became Muslim
https://youtu.be/OrM9RT8n5tU
Quran is guidance for those conscious of God.
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾
Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) [Quran, Albaqarah 2:1-2]
Anyone who understand what they are reading will have a big share of Allah's guidance.
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٩﴾
Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding. (9) [Quran, Az-Zumar 39:9]
While it is important for every Muslim to learn how to read the Quran properly, it is equally important to read it everyday because Quran is reminder. Quran is the Speech of Allah. It is imperative to know what Allah tells us in His Book. To do this, we must know Arabic. So take some time out now to learn Arabic. Meanwhile, read a good translation of the Quran and supplement it with a good tafsir. Give this a high priority in your daily lives because the longer you wait to do this and procrastinate, you are surely missing out on precious guidance. We should feel embarrassed when we heard more and more non Muslims came to Islam after they have read the Quran. What are you waiting for? Don't be left behind.
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ ﴿٨٨
And my success is not but through Allah. Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return.[Quran, Hud 11:88]
May Allah grant us tawfiq in this life and the next. Aameen
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
***Refleksi Quran - Precious Tawfiq (Kejayaan)***
Quran adalah panduan bagi mereka yang sedar akan Allah.
الم )1( ذلك ٱلكتب لا ريب فيه هدى للمتقين )2(
Alif laam miim. (1) Kitab (Al Quran) ini tidak ada keraguan padanya; petunjuk bagi mereka yang bertakwa, (2) [Quran, Albaqarah 2: 1-2]
Sesiapa yang memahami apa yang mereka baca akan mempunyai bahagian besar panduan Allah.
قل هل يستوى ٱلذين يعلمون وٱلذين لا يعلمون إنما يتذكر أولوا ٱلألبب )9(
"Adakah sama orang-orang yang mengetahui dengan orang-orang yang tidak mengetahui?" Sesungguhnya orang yang berakallah yang dapat menerima pelajaran. [Quran, Az-Zumar 39: 9]
Walaupun penting bagi setiap Muslim mempelajari cara membaca Al-Quran dengan betul, sama pentingnya membacanya setiap hari kerana Al-Quran adalah peringatan. Quran adalah Kalam Allah. Adalah penting untuk mengetahui apa yang Allah memberitahu kita dalam Kitab-Nya. Untuk melakukan ini, kita mesti tahu bahasa Arab. Jadi luangkan masa untuk belajar bahasa Arab. Sementara itu, bacalah terjemahan Quran yang baik dan supplement kefahamam dengan tafsir yang baik. Berikan ini keutamaan yang tinggi dalam kehidupan seharian anda kerana semakin lama anda menunggu untuk melakukan ini dan menunda-nunda, anda pasti kehilangan bimbingan berharga. Kita harus berasa malu apabila kita mendengar semakin ramai orang-orang bukan Islam datang ke Islam setelah mereka membaca Al-Quran. Apa yang anda tunggu? Jangan ketinggalan.
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ ﴿٨٨
Dan tidak ada taufik bagiku melainkan dengan (pertolongan) Allah. Hanya kepada Allah aku bertawakkal dan hanya kepada-Nya-lah aku kembali. [Quran, Hud 11:88]
Semoga Allah memberi kita tawfiq di dunia dan akhirat. Aameen
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa' ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
Dan Allah Maha Mengetahui, lagi Maha Bijaksana, dan Dialah sahaja yang memberi kejayaana, dan kepadaNyalah kita kembali.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
(Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Melayu di bawah)
Video of how a Catholic lady from family of priests became Muslim
https://youtu.be/OrM9RT8n5tU
Quran is guidance for those conscious of God.
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢﴾
Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) [Quran, Albaqarah 2:1-2]
Anyone who understand what they are reading will have a big share of Allah's guidance.
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٩﴾
Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding. (9) [Quran, Az-Zumar 39:9]
While it is important for every Muslim to learn how to read the Quran properly, it is equally important to read it everyday because Quran is reminder. Quran is the Speech of Allah. It is imperative to know what Allah tells us in His Book. To do this, we must know Arabic. So take some time out now to learn Arabic. Meanwhile, read a good translation of the Quran and supplement it with a good tafsir. Give this a high priority in your daily lives because the longer you wait to do this and procrastinate, you are surely missing out on precious guidance. We should feel embarrassed when we heard more and more non Muslims came to Islam after they have read the Quran. What are you waiting for? Don't be left behind.
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ ﴿٨٨
And my success is not but through Allah. Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return.[Quran, Hud 11:88]
May Allah grant us tawfiq in this life and the next. Aameen
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
***Refleksi Quran - Precious Tawfiq (Kejayaan)***
Quran adalah panduan bagi mereka yang sedar akan Allah.
الم )1( ذلك ٱلكتب لا ريب فيه هدى للمتقين )2(
Alif laam miim. (1) Kitab (Al Quran) ini tidak ada keraguan padanya; petunjuk bagi mereka yang bertakwa, (2) [Quran, Albaqarah 2: 1-2]
Sesiapa yang memahami apa yang mereka baca akan mempunyai bahagian besar panduan Allah.
قل هل يستوى ٱلذين يعلمون وٱلذين لا يعلمون إنما يتذكر أولوا ٱلألبب )9(
"Adakah sama orang-orang yang mengetahui dengan orang-orang yang tidak mengetahui?" Sesungguhnya orang yang berakallah yang dapat menerima pelajaran. [Quran, Az-Zumar 39: 9]
Walaupun penting bagi setiap Muslim mempelajari cara membaca Al-Quran dengan betul, sama pentingnya membacanya setiap hari kerana Al-Quran adalah peringatan. Quran adalah Kalam Allah. Adalah penting untuk mengetahui apa yang Allah memberitahu kita dalam Kitab-Nya. Untuk melakukan ini, kita mesti tahu bahasa Arab. Jadi luangkan masa untuk belajar bahasa Arab. Sementara itu, bacalah terjemahan Quran yang baik dan supplement kefahamam dengan tafsir yang baik. Berikan ini keutamaan yang tinggi dalam kehidupan seharian anda kerana semakin lama anda menunggu untuk melakukan ini dan menunda-nunda, anda pasti kehilangan bimbingan berharga. Kita harus berasa malu apabila kita mendengar semakin ramai orang-orang bukan Islam datang ke Islam setelah mereka membaca Al-Quran. Apa yang anda tunggu? Jangan ketinggalan.
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ ﴿٨٨
Dan tidak ada taufik bagiku melainkan dengan (pertolongan) Allah. Hanya kepada Allah aku bertawakkal dan hanya kepada-Nya-lah aku kembali. [Quran, Hud 11:88]
Semoga Allah memberi kita tawfiq di dunia dan akhirat. Aameen
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa' ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
Dan Allah Maha Mengetahui, lagi Maha Bijaksana, dan Dialah sahaja yang memberi kejayaana, dan kepadaNyalah kita kembali.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Advise For My Students -- Learn, Teach and Recite The Quran With Tajweed, A Means To Attribute Grandeur To Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
[Terjemahan Bahasa Melayu di bawah]
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala asks us,
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur. [Quran, Nuh 71:13]
Have we glorified Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala as it is due to Him? Aren't we in need of His Mercy, Greatness, Majesty? Learning, teaching and reciting the Quran properly is the best means to glorify Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "The best among you is the one who Learn and Teach the Quran."
Quran is not meant to be read on occassions only or however way without learning. One must learn how to read properly (with tajweed), teach others how to read properly and read a portion of the Quran everyday. It is also meant to be read with reflection. Reflect what? To reflect the grandeur of Allah.
One of the topics of tajweed is Nabr which is the stressing of the voice at a particular letter. There are several situations in the Quran when we read with Nabr. One of them is Nabr when stopping at the letter Hamzah and before it is a madd letter (alif, waw, ya), for example, السماء, شيء, سوء
The letter Hamzah we know now is not a letter in the language of Arabs before but nonetheless the Quran has plenty of words which consist the letter Hamzah.
The letter Hamzah was the most difficult letter to articulate because it's point of articulation (makhraj) is in the back of the throat with two strong qualities (sifat) -- "Shiddah" (articulate the letter by closing the passage of the articulation) and "Jahr" (articulate the letter by closing the air passage). These combinations make it more difficult to articulate the letter so much so that it was said Sayyidina Ali radhiAllahu anhu had said "If the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam didn't teach us Nabr, we would not have read Nabr (Hamzah)."
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, by His Mercy, revealed the Quran in different variations of recitation to ease its recitation following the rules of language of the particular Arabs.
1. Nabr -- stressing of the voice at a particular letter
2. Ibdal -- changing Hamzah to a madd letter like alif, waw, ya e.g. وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ -- وللمومنين , بئس -- بيس e.g. in Susi, Warsh, Abu Ja'far, Hamzah (at stopping)
3. Naql -- moving the harakah of Hamzah to the sakin letter before it e.g. عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ e.g. in Warsh, Idris, Hamzah
4. Isqad -- removing Hamzah e.g. جاء أحد to جا أحد e.g. in Qalun
5. Tasheel -- reading harakat Hamzah between fathah/alif, between kasrah/ya or dhammah/waw with letter ه Ha
6. Tahqeeq -- articulating Hamzah from its point of articulation (makhraj) with its qualities (sifat)
7. Madd -- elongating the madd letter before Hamzah e.g. in madd muttasil دُعَآءِىٓ and madd munfasil فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ
8. Sakt -- pausing the recitation for a moment at the sakin letter before the letter Hamza with the intention to continue reading.
Allahu Akbar. By His Mercy, Allah has made it easy for us to worship and glorify Him. For those who have learned or are learning the Quran and Qiraat Asharah, be grateful to Allah that He has opened beautiful doors to worship Him. Recite the Quran with all the Qiraats and the different variations (wajh) regularly and consistently and taste the beauty of the Quran and feel the grandeur of Allah.
May Allah make us of those who worship and glorify Him. May Allah make us His elect people of the Quran. May Allah grant us His Noble Countenance. Aameen.
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
Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Melayu
Nasihat Untuk Murid2ku -- Belajar, Mengajar dan Baca Al Quran Dengan Tajweed, Satu Cara Untuk Memuliakan dan Mengagungkan Allah
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala bertanya pada kita,
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
Mengapa kamu tidak percaya akan kebesaran Allah? [Quran, Nuh 71:13]
Adakah kita memuliakan dan mengagungkan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala sebagaimana mestinya? Bukankah kita memerlukan Rahmat, Kebesaran dan KemuliaanNya? Belajar, mengajar dan membaca al-Quran dengan betul adalah satu cara yang terbaik untuk memuliakan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam berkata, "Yang terbaik di antara kamu adalah orang yang belajar dan mengajar al-Quran."
Quran tidak dimaksudkan untuk dibaca pada masa-masa tertentu sahaja atau cara ikut suka tanpa belajar. Seseorang itu mesti belajar membaca Quran dengan betul (dengan tajweed), mengajar orang lain bagaimana membaca dengan betul dan membaca sebahagian daripada Al-Quran setiap hari. Ia juga dimaksudkan untuk dibaca dengan reflection. Reflect apa? Reflect keagungan Allah.
Salah satu tajuk tajuk dalam tajweed adalah Nabr ia-itu menekankan suara pada huruf tertentu. Terdapat beberapa keadaan dalam Quran di mana kita membaca dengan Nabr. Salah satunya adalah Nabr ketika berhenti di huruf Hamzah dan sebelum itu ada huruf madd (alif, waw, ya), misalnya, السماء, شيء, سوء
Huruf Hamzah yang kita kenal sekarang bukan huruf yang ada dalam bahasa Arab dahulu tetapi tetap ada banyak perkataan yang mengandungi huruf Hamzah.
Huruf Hamzah adalah huruf yang paling sukar untuk diartikulasikan kerana tempat artikulasi (makhraj) adalah di belakang tekak dengan dua sifat yang kuat (sifat) - "Shiddah" (mengartikulasikan huruf dengan menutup laluan artikulasi) dan "Jahr" (mengartikulasikan huruf dengan menutup laluan nafas). Gabungan ini menjadikannya lebih sukar untuk mengartikulasikan huruf itu sehingga dikatakan yang Sayyidina Ali radhiAllahu anhu ada berkata, "Jika Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam tidak mengajar kita Nabr, kita tidak akan membaca Nabr (Hamzah)."
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, dari RahmatNya, telah menurunkan al Quran dalam beberapa variasi-variasi bacaan untuk memudahkan bacaannya sesuaikan dengan kaedah bahasa orang-orang Arab tersebut.
1. Nabr - menekan suara di huruf-huruf tertentu
2. Ibdal - menukar Hamzah kepada huruf madd seperti alif, waw, ya mis. وللمؤمنين - وللمومنين, بئس - بيس saperti dalam Riwayah Susi, Warsh, Abu Ja'far, Hamzah (ketika berhenti)
3. Naql - memindahkan baris Hamzah kepada huruf sukun sebelumya, misalnya على ٱلأرض saperti dalam Riwayah Warsh, Idris, Hamzah
4. Isqad - menghapuskan Hamzah, misalnya جاء أحد ke جا أحد saperti dalam Riwayah Qalun
5. Tasheel - bacaan harakat Hamzah antara fathah / alif, antara kasrah / ya atau dhammah / waw dengan huruf ه ha
6. Tahqeeq - bacaan Hamzah dari tempat artikulasi (makhraj) dengan sifatnya
7. Madd - memanjangkan huruf madd sebelum Hamzah, saperti dalam madd muttasil, contohnya دعآءى dan madd munfasil, contohnya فلآ أقسم
9. Sakt -- berhenti bacaan seketika tanpa nafas di huruf sukun sebelum huruf Hamzah dengan niat menyambung bacaan
Allahu Akbar (Allah Maha Besar). Dari RahmatNya, Allah telah memudahkan kita menyembah dan memuliakanNya. Bagi mereka yang telah belajar atau sedang belajar Quran dan Qiraat Asharah, bersyukurlah kepada Allah bahawa Dia telah membuka pintu yang lebih indah untuk menyembah Dia. Bacalah Al-Quran dengan semua Qiraat dalam semua wajah yang telah di pelajari secara teratur dan konsisten dan rasakan (taste) keindahan Al-Quran dan rasakan (feel) kemuliaan, kebesaran dan keagungan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Semoga Allah jadikan kita dari orang-orang yang menyembah dan memuliakanNya. Semoga Allah jadikan kita dari ahli Al-Quran. Semoga Allah anugerahkan kita pandangan Wajah MuliaNya. Aameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa' ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
Dan Allah Maha Mengetahui, lagi Maha Bijaksana, dan Dialah sahaja yang memberi kejayaan, dan kepadaNyalah kita akan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
[Terjemahan Bahasa Melayu di bawah]
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala asks us,
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur. [Quran, Nuh 71:13]
Have we glorified Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala as it is due to Him? Aren't we in need of His Mercy, Greatness, Majesty? Learning, teaching and reciting the Quran properly is the best means to glorify Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "The best among you is the one who Learn and Teach the Quran."
Quran is not meant to be read on occassions only or however way without learning. One must learn how to read properly (with tajweed), teach others how to read properly and read a portion of the Quran everyday. It is also meant to be read with reflection. Reflect what? To reflect the grandeur of Allah.
One of the topics of tajweed is Nabr which is the stressing of the voice at a particular letter. There are several situations in the Quran when we read with Nabr. One of them is Nabr when stopping at the letter Hamzah and before it is a madd letter (alif, waw, ya), for example, السماء, شيء, سوء
The letter Hamzah we know now is not a letter in the language of Arabs before but nonetheless the Quran has plenty of words which consist the letter Hamzah.
The letter Hamzah was the most difficult letter to articulate because it's point of articulation (makhraj) is in the back of the throat with two strong qualities (sifat) -- "Shiddah" (articulate the letter by closing the passage of the articulation) and "Jahr" (articulate the letter by closing the air passage). These combinations make it more difficult to articulate the letter so much so that it was said Sayyidina Ali radhiAllahu anhu had said "If the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam didn't teach us Nabr, we would not have read Nabr (Hamzah)."
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, by His Mercy, revealed the Quran in different variations of recitation to ease its recitation following the rules of language of the particular Arabs.
1. Nabr -- stressing of the voice at a particular letter
2. Ibdal -- changing Hamzah to a madd letter like alif, waw, ya e.g. وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ -- وللمومنين , بئس -- بيس e.g. in Susi, Warsh, Abu Ja'far, Hamzah (at stopping)
3. Naql -- moving the harakah of Hamzah to the sakin letter before it e.g. عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ e.g. in Warsh, Idris, Hamzah
4. Isqad -- removing Hamzah e.g. جاء أحد to جا أحد e.g. in Qalun
5. Tasheel -- reading harakat Hamzah between fathah/alif, between kasrah/ya or dhammah/waw with letter ه Ha
6. Tahqeeq -- articulating Hamzah from its point of articulation (makhraj) with its qualities (sifat)
7. Madd -- elongating the madd letter before Hamzah e.g. in madd muttasil دُعَآءِىٓ and madd munfasil فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ
8. Sakt -- pausing the recitation for a moment at the sakin letter before the letter Hamza with the intention to continue reading.
Allahu Akbar. By His Mercy, Allah has made it easy for us to worship and glorify Him. For those who have learned or are learning the Quran and Qiraat Asharah, be grateful to Allah that He has opened beautiful doors to worship Him. Recite the Quran with all the Qiraats and the different variations (wajh) regularly and consistently and taste the beauty of the Quran and feel the grandeur of Allah.
May Allah make us of those who worship and glorify Him. May Allah make us His elect people of the Quran. May Allah grant us His Noble Countenance. Aameen.
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
Terjemahan dalam Bahasa Melayu
Nasihat Untuk Murid2ku -- Belajar, Mengajar dan Baca Al Quran Dengan Tajweed, Satu Cara Untuk Memuliakan dan Mengagungkan Allah
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala bertanya pada kita,
مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
Mengapa kamu tidak percaya akan kebesaran Allah? [Quran, Nuh 71:13]
Adakah kita memuliakan dan mengagungkan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala sebagaimana mestinya? Bukankah kita memerlukan Rahmat, Kebesaran dan KemuliaanNya? Belajar, mengajar dan membaca al-Quran dengan betul adalah satu cara yang terbaik untuk memuliakan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam berkata, "Yang terbaik di antara kamu adalah orang yang belajar dan mengajar al-Quran."
Quran tidak dimaksudkan untuk dibaca pada masa-masa tertentu sahaja atau cara ikut suka tanpa belajar. Seseorang itu mesti belajar membaca Quran dengan betul (dengan tajweed), mengajar orang lain bagaimana membaca dengan betul dan membaca sebahagian daripada Al-Quran setiap hari. Ia juga dimaksudkan untuk dibaca dengan reflection. Reflect apa? Reflect keagungan Allah.
Salah satu tajuk tajuk dalam tajweed adalah Nabr ia-itu menekankan suara pada huruf tertentu. Terdapat beberapa keadaan dalam Quran di mana kita membaca dengan Nabr. Salah satunya adalah Nabr ketika berhenti di huruf Hamzah dan sebelum itu ada huruf madd (alif, waw, ya), misalnya, السماء, شيء, سوء
Huruf Hamzah yang kita kenal sekarang bukan huruf yang ada dalam bahasa Arab dahulu tetapi tetap ada banyak perkataan yang mengandungi huruf Hamzah.
Huruf Hamzah adalah huruf yang paling sukar untuk diartikulasikan kerana tempat artikulasi (makhraj) adalah di belakang tekak dengan dua sifat yang kuat (sifat) - "Shiddah" (mengartikulasikan huruf dengan menutup laluan artikulasi) dan "Jahr" (mengartikulasikan huruf dengan menutup laluan nafas). Gabungan ini menjadikannya lebih sukar untuk mengartikulasikan huruf itu sehingga dikatakan yang Sayyidina Ali radhiAllahu anhu ada berkata, "Jika Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam tidak mengajar kita Nabr, kita tidak akan membaca Nabr (Hamzah)."
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, dari RahmatNya, telah menurunkan al Quran dalam beberapa variasi-variasi bacaan untuk memudahkan bacaannya sesuaikan dengan kaedah bahasa orang-orang Arab tersebut.
1. Nabr - menekan suara di huruf-huruf tertentu
2. Ibdal - menukar Hamzah kepada huruf madd seperti alif, waw, ya mis. وللمؤمنين - وللمومنين, بئس - بيس saperti dalam Riwayah Susi, Warsh, Abu Ja'far, Hamzah (ketika berhenti)
3. Naql - memindahkan baris Hamzah kepada huruf sukun sebelumya, misalnya على ٱلأرض saperti dalam Riwayah Warsh, Idris, Hamzah
4. Isqad - menghapuskan Hamzah, misalnya جاء أحد ke جا أحد saperti dalam Riwayah Qalun
5. Tasheel - bacaan harakat Hamzah antara fathah / alif, antara kasrah / ya atau dhammah / waw dengan huruf ه ha
6. Tahqeeq - bacaan Hamzah dari tempat artikulasi (makhraj) dengan sifatnya
7. Madd - memanjangkan huruf madd sebelum Hamzah, saperti dalam madd muttasil, contohnya دعآءى dan madd munfasil, contohnya فلآ أقسم
9. Sakt -- berhenti bacaan seketika tanpa nafas di huruf sukun sebelum huruf Hamzah dengan niat menyambung bacaan
Allahu Akbar (Allah Maha Besar). Dari RahmatNya, Allah telah memudahkan kita menyembah dan memuliakanNya. Bagi mereka yang telah belajar atau sedang belajar Quran dan Qiraat Asharah, bersyukurlah kepada Allah bahawa Dia telah membuka pintu yang lebih indah untuk menyembah Dia. Bacalah Al-Quran dengan semua Qiraat dalam semua wajah yang telah di pelajari secara teratur dan konsisten dan rasakan (taste) keindahan Al-Quran dan rasakan (feel) kemuliaan, kebesaran dan keagungan Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
Semoga Allah jadikan kita dari orang-orang yang menyembah dan memuliakanNya. Semoga Allah jadikan kita dari ahli Al-Quran. Semoga Allah anugerahkan kita pandangan Wajah MuliaNya. Aameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa' ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
Dan Allah Maha Mengetahui, lagi Maha Bijaksana, dan Dialah sahaja yang memberi kejayaan, dan kepadaNyalah kita akan.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Obtaining The Mercy Of Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The essential role of the Quran in the lives of Muslims is that Quran is a reminder. It is a means of refreshing our commitment to Allah.
فَذَكِّرْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ ﴿٤٥
But remind by the Qur'an whoever fears My threat. [Quran, Qaf 50:45]
By definition, a reminder is something you already know, not new information. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala repeated the same thing many times in the Quran. Why is there so much repetition in the Quran? Because people forget and even if they don't forget the Message, they forget to apply it in their lives.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala reminds us in Surah AleImran to obey Him and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam,
وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ﴿١٣٢﴾
And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy. [Quran, Aleimran 3:132]
Allah attributed the obedience to Allah and His Messenger with His mercy. There is no mercy without obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
Then Allah says,
وَسَارِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٣﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِى ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلْكَـٰظِمِينَ ٱلْغَيْظَ وَٱلْعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣٤﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا۟ فَـٰحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣٥﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ ٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ ﴿١٣٦
And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous (133) Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good; (134) And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. (135) Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers. (136) [Quran, AleImran 3:133-136]
Allah mentions certain category of people who will enter Jannah. They are the righteous (people of taqwa). Who are these people? 1) They spend in the cause of Allah during ease and hardship 2) They restrain their anger and pardon people 3) When they commit immorality or wrong themselves, they remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins.
Spending does not just means spending our wealth. It also includes our knowledge, time, efforts, youth, planning and priorities, and everything else that Allah has blessed us with.
We all have done wrong. Who knows all the things we have done wrong except ourselves and Allah. We have to find the time to ask Allah's for forgiveness. This is the main attribute of people who enter Jannah. When we sin, where are we going to go? Who do we turn to? We don't have anywhere else to turn except to Allah. Even if we disappoint our Lord, even if we fall short of the standard He sets for us, the true muttaq (the righteous) does not lose hope for the mercy of Allah.
May Allah make us of the righteous, who spend in ease and hardship for His sake, who restrain their anger and pardon people, who whenever they wrong themselves or commit an act of shamelessness and immorality, they remember Allah and hasten to the forgiveness of their Lord. May Allah grant us the highest Jannah. Aameen.
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 essential role of the Quran in the lives of Muslims is that Quran is a reminder. It is a means of refreshing our commitment to Allah.
فَذَكِّرْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَن يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ ﴿٤٥
But remind by the Qur'an whoever fears My threat. [Quran, Qaf 50:45]
By definition, a reminder is something you already know, not new information. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala repeated the same thing many times in the Quran. Why is there so much repetition in the Quran? Because people forget and even if they don't forget the Message, they forget to apply it in their lives.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala reminds us in Surah AleImran to obey Him and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam,
وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ﴿١٣٢﴾
And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy. [Quran, Aleimran 3:132]
Allah attributed the obedience to Allah and His Messenger with His mercy. There is no mercy without obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
Then Allah says,
وَسَارِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٣٣﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِى ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلْكَـٰظِمِينَ ٱلْغَيْظَ وَٱلْعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣٤﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا۟ فَـٰحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَٱسْتَغْفَرُوا۟ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٣٥﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ ٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ ﴿١٣٦
And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous (133) Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good; (134) And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves [by transgression], remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins - and who can forgive sins except Allah? - and [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know. (135) Those - their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow [in Paradise], wherein they will abide eternally; and excellent is the reward of the [righteous] workers. (136) [Quran, AleImran 3:133-136]
Allah mentions certain category of people who will enter Jannah. They are the righteous (people of taqwa). Who are these people? 1) They spend in the cause of Allah during ease and hardship 2) They restrain their anger and pardon people 3) When they commit immorality or wrong themselves, they remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins.
Spending does not just means spending our wealth. It also includes our knowledge, time, efforts, youth, planning and priorities, and everything else that Allah has blessed us with.
We all have done wrong. Who knows all the things we have done wrong except ourselves and Allah. We have to find the time to ask Allah's for forgiveness. This is the main attribute of people who enter Jannah. When we sin, where are we going to go? Who do we turn to? We don't have anywhere else to turn except to Allah. Even if we disappoint our Lord, even if we fall short of the standard He sets for us, the true muttaq (the righteous) does not lose hope for the mercy of Allah.
May Allah make us of the righteous, who spend in ease and hardship for His sake, who restrain their anger and pardon people, who whenever they wrong themselves or commit an act of shamelessness and immorality, they remember Allah and hasten to the forgiveness of their Lord. May Allah grant us the highest Jannah. Aameen.
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 9, 2019
Improving Your Reading of the Quran And Your Brain Functions
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Whenever you recite the Quran, recite it with full feelings.
Begin by taking a deep breath once or twice...the oxygen that you take in will go into the blood and most of the blood goes to the brain, improving your brain functions.
How to breathe correctly? See how babies breathe...
Fill your stomach first, then fill your chest, then release your chest, then release your stomach. Do each step slowly.
After that FOCUS...
👀Eyes...on the Quran
👂👂Ears...listening to the Quran
🧕👳🏻♂Body...sit up straight and don't play around
🧠Brain..Don't think about anything except Quran
❤Heart..with the Quran
Do you know that this breathing techniques help reduce stress and anxieties? Subhanallah we are recommended to read a juz or mmore a day...if you read the Quran with proper tajweed, you are already doing this exercise. Everything Allah tells us to do is for our own benefit. And so we hear and we obey. سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّـهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿٢٨٥﴾
The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (285)
May Allah make us love the Quran and istiqamah with reading it everyday. Aameen.
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
Whenever you recite the Quran, recite it with full feelings.
Begin by taking a deep breath once or twice...the oxygen that you take in will go into the blood and most of the blood goes to the brain, improving your brain functions.
How to breathe correctly? See how babies breathe...
Fill your stomach first, then fill your chest, then release your chest, then release your stomach. Do each step slowly.
After that FOCUS...
👀Eyes...on the Quran
👂👂Ears...listening to the Quran
🧕👳🏻♂Body...sit up straight and don't play around
🧠Brain..Don't think about anything except Quran
❤Heart..with the Quran
Do you know that this breathing techniques help reduce stress and anxieties? Subhanallah we are recommended to read a juz or mmore a day...if you read the Quran with proper tajweed, you are already doing this exercise. Everything Allah tells us to do is for our own benefit. And so we hear and we obey. سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّـهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿٢٨٥﴾
The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (285)
May Allah make us love the Quran and istiqamah with reading it everyday. Aameen.
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 8, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Learn the Quran, You Have The Brain For It
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah Subhananhu wa Ta'ala says,
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿١٧
And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember? [Quran, Al Qamar 54:17]
Our brain has almost 100 billion cells. It has tremendous capacity to remember.
So don't let shaytan tell you that your mind is loaded with so many things that you can't learn the Quran and if you are over 50, don't let shaytan trick you into thinking it's too late to learn. No, it's never too late to learn the Quran.
Most of our brain is empty because we don't use it. But we have tremendous capacity to learn. Especially for old people and young people too, use your brain or lose it.
Someone in a leg cast for six months, his leg will shrink because the muscle is not used. Similarly, if you don't use your brain, it will shrink.
Learn the Quran -- you have the brain for it.
O Allah guide us on the straight path.
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 Subhananhu wa Ta'ala says,
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿١٧
And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember? [Quran, Al Qamar 54:17]
Our brain has almost 100 billion cells. It has tremendous capacity to remember.
So don't let shaytan tell you that your mind is loaded with so many things that you can't learn the Quran and if you are over 50, don't let shaytan trick you into thinking it's too late to learn. No, it's never too late to learn the Quran.
Most of our brain is empty because we don't use it. But we have tremendous capacity to learn. Especially for old people and young people too, use your brain or lose it.
Someone in a leg cast for six months, his leg will shrink because the muscle is not used. Similarly, if you don't use your brain, it will shrink.
Learn the Quran -- you have the brain for it.
O Allah guide us on the straight path.
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 2, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Just Ask Allah For Your Forgiveness and The Sky Will Open Up For You
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Before we ask Allah for everything else, we should ask Allah for our forgiveness. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala recorded in the Quran for us about Prophet Nuh's asking his people to seek Allah's forgiveness.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا ﴿٥﴾ فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًا ﴿٦﴾ وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًا ﴿٧﴾ ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا ﴿٨﴾ ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا ﴿٩﴾ فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ﴿١٠
يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا ﴿١١﴾ وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا ﴿١٢﴾ مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
He said, "My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth] night and day. (5) But my invitation increased them not except in flight. (6) And indeed, every time I invited them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with [great] arrogance. (7) Then I invited them publicly. (8) Then I announced to them and [also] confided to them secretly (9) And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (10) He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers (11) And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers. (12) What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur (13) [Quran, Nuh 71:5-13]
If you ask Allah to be forgiven the sky will open up for you. The sky has more than water -- the sky has forgivenness, faith, tranquility, your provision, the solution to your problem. When you ask for forgiveness, Allah will open the floodgates and everything held from you from the treasures of Allah because you haven't been seeking forgiveness will open up.
You and I don't even know some of the problems we have but Allah knows them. If we become people who genuinely seeking forgiveness from Allah, those problems will start going away by Allah's intervention. Allah will give you good wealth and children. He will further your legacy with wealth and children and this will not take you away from Allah because it is in the context of you seeking forgiveness. He will give you money that will lead you to do more good that will benefit you in this world and the next. Your children will respect you and show you love, obey you and make you proud. They will give you happiness and even when you are gone they will continue to do good deeds which become a continuous investments for you in your grave.
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِى وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَوَلَدُهُۥٓ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿٢١
Noah said, "My Lord, indeed they have disobeyed me and followed him whose wealth and children will not increase him except in loss. [Quran, Nuh 71:21]
Money and children is a loss but if they come after seeking forgiveness from Allah they become gain. On top of that Allah will provide you with gardens and rivers.
وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا ﴿١٢
And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers. [Quran, Nuh 71:12]
So, you can ask Allah for other things or you could ask Allah for forgiveness and everything is covered inshaa Allah.
May Allah forgive us and our children and make us of people who sincerely seeking His forgiveness and grant us good in this life and the next and save us from the Hellfire. Aameen.
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
Before we ask Allah for everything else, we should ask Allah for our forgiveness. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala recorded in the Quran for us about Prophet Nuh's asking his people to seek Allah's forgiveness.
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا ﴿٥﴾ فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًا ﴿٦﴾ وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًا ﴿٧﴾ ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا ﴿٨﴾ ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا ﴿٩﴾ فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا ﴿١٠
يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا ﴿١١﴾ وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا ﴿١٢﴾ مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًا ﴿١٣
He said, "My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth] night and day. (5) But my invitation increased them not except in flight. (6) And indeed, every time I invited them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with [great] arrogance. (7) Then I invited them publicly. (8) Then I announced to them and [also] confided to them secretly (9) And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (10) He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers (11) And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers. (12) What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur (13) [Quran, Nuh 71:5-13]
If you ask Allah to be forgiven the sky will open up for you. The sky has more than water -- the sky has forgivenness, faith, tranquility, your provision, the solution to your problem. When you ask for forgiveness, Allah will open the floodgates and everything held from you from the treasures of Allah because you haven't been seeking forgiveness will open up.
You and I don't even know some of the problems we have but Allah knows them. If we become people who genuinely seeking forgiveness from Allah, those problems will start going away by Allah's intervention. Allah will give you good wealth and children. He will further your legacy with wealth and children and this will not take you away from Allah because it is in the context of you seeking forgiveness. He will give you money that will lead you to do more good that will benefit you in this world and the next. Your children will respect you and show you love, obey you and make you proud. They will give you happiness and even when you are gone they will continue to do good deeds which become a continuous investments for you in your grave.
قَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِى وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَن لَّمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُۥ وَوَلَدُهُۥٓ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿٢١
Noah said, "My Lord, indeed they have disobeyed me and followed him whose wealth and children will not increase him except in loss. [Quran, Nuh 71:21]
Money and children is a loss but if they come after seeking forgiveness from Allah they become gain. On top of that Allah will provide you with gardens and rivers.
وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَـٰرًا ﴿١٢
And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers. [Quran, Nuh 71:12]
So, you can ask Allah for other things or you could ask Allah for forgiveness and everything is covered inshaa Allah.
May Allah forgive us and our children and make us of people who sincerely seeking His forgiveness and grant us good in this life and the next and save us from the Hellfire. Aameen.
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, November 28, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Dealing With Sadness and Anxieties
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Everyone on this earth are tested in one way or another. Allah made it very clear that this world is not Jannah (Paradise) and it is not perfect. Allah tells us,
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give gladtidings to the patient, [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:155]
Fear is an emotion. Allah will test us with our emotions and all things that will make us sad and anxious but then Allah gives us hope "give gladtidings to the patient."
Sadness and anxieties are part of this life. They are natural emotions that Allah has created in us. Certain amount of worry and axiety exist in everyone of us and it is completely normal. Allah created a wide range of emotions and we will all experience these emotions even the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and other prophets. We all know that Prophet Ya'qub alayhissalaam was so sad when he was seperated from his son, Yusuf alayhissalaam, so much so he became blind.
When experiencing a time of distress, remember what Allah has said,
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
Allah does not burden a soul except [with that within] its capacity. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:286]
Know that we are strong and Allah is telling us that we can overcome whatever challenges that come our way. We are given these challenges because He knows that we are strong enough to handle them. Often times we underestimate our abilities. But Allah knows how resilient and strong He created us.
Always turn to Allah through prayer, du'a and Quran. These 3 things are effective way of treating sadness.
Prayers...
When Khadijah and Abu Talib died close apart, obviously the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was very sad, because he, not only lost his beloved wife and uncle, he also lost the two greatest supporters in his dawah of Islam. Then when he went to Ta'f to do da'wah to the people of Ta'f, the people rejected him and stoned him until he was bleeding profusely. He told Aisha that was the most difficult times of his life. Immediately after the event, Allah raised him to the heavens and gifted him and the ummah with the 5 daily prayers.
Du'a...
Allah asks us to call upon Him,
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." [Quran, Ghafir 40:60]
There is a hadith that tells us that Allah is shy and generous. If we ask from Him something He is too shy not to give. Allah is generous that if we ask He would give us more.
Every morning and evening ask Allah to protect you from depression and anxiety. Memorize this Prophetic du'a.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Transliteration – allaa-humma innee a‛oodhu bika mi-nal-ham-mi wal-ḥazan, wal-‛ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa ḍa-la‛id-dai-ni, wa ghalaba-tir-rijaal
O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men. [Bukhari]
The Quran...
Allah calls the Quran a healing, healer of the hearts.
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿٨٢
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss. [Quran, Al Isra' 17:82]
It is the Quran that can let all problems go away, to mend hearts. Connect with Quran daily. Start from now, even with a verse a day and increase gradually to a juz or two a day. Make that connection with the healer of the heart.
Look for the good and when you do this, good will grow. Each of one of us is blessed in som many different ways. Shaytan whispers and he gets us to focus and pay attention to what is going wrong in our lives and completely forget everything that is going right. Pay attention to the good and actually look for good. Think of blessings in your life and be grateful for them. Practicing gratitude does wonders for our emotional health. When we practice gratitude it causes us to be happier. Even if we can't find anything to be grateful about, remember the hadith that sins of a Muslim are removed even with a prick of a thorn and be grateful for that.
Remember, Allah proclaimed,
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; [Quran, Ibrahim 14:7]
Keep on Smiling 🙂
Even if you force yourself to smile it can lead to a chnage in your mood. You have the ability to smile and remember it is charity.
Spend time with your loved ones. Family support is beneficial. When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam first encountered angel Jibril alayhissalaam, he felt afraid. He went to Khadijah and found that support from her. We are created as social creatures, Physical touch from someone you know can be as effective as anti-depressant. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam used to hug, embrace and shake hands with his loved ones and his companions. He sallallahu alayhi wasallam said that when you shake someone hands your sins fall.
May Allah make the Quran a healing for us, replace our sadness with happiness and peace of mind and gather us and our loved ones in the highest Jannah with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Aameen
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
Everyone on this earth are tested in one way or another. Allah made it very clear that this world is not Jannah (Paradise) and it is not perfect. Allah tells us,
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give gladtidings to the patient, [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:155]
Fear is an emotion. Allah will test us with our emotions and all things that will make us sad and anxious but then Allah gives us hope "give gladtidings to the patient."
Sadness and anxieties are part of this life. They are natural emotions that Allah has created in us. Certain amount of worry and axiety exist in everyone of us and it is completely normal. Allah created a wide range of emotions and we will all experience these emotions even the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and other prophets. We all know that Prophet Ya'qub alayhissalaam was so sad when he was seperated from his son, Yusuf alayhissalaam, so much so he became blind.
When experiencing a time of distress, remember what Allah has said,
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
Allah does not burden a soul except [with that within] its capacity. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:286]
Know that we are strong and Allah is telling us that we can overcome whatever challenges that come our way. We are given these challenges because He knows that we are strong enough to handle them. Often times we underestimate our abilities. But Allah knows how resilient and strong He created us.
Always turn to Allah through prayer, du'a and Quran. These 3 things are effective way of treating sadness.
Prayers...
When Khadijah and Abu Talib died close apart, obviously the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was very sad, because he, not only lost his beloved wife and uncle, he also lost the two greatest supporters in his dawah of Islam. Then when he went to Ta'f to do da'wah to the people of Ta'f, the people rejected him and stoned him until he was bleeding profusely. He told Aisha that was the most difficult times of his life. Immediately after the event, Allah raised him to the heavens and gifted him and the ummah with the 5 daily prayers.
Du'a...
Allah asks us to call upon Him,
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." [Quran, Ghafir 40:60]
There is a hadith that tells us that Allah is shy and generous. If we ask from Him something He is too shy not to give. Allah is generous that if we ask He would give us more.
Every morning and evening ask Allah to protect you from depression and anxiety. Memorize this Prophetic du'a.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Transliteration – allaa-humma innee a‛oodhu bika mi-nal-ham-mi wal-ḥazan, wal-‛ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa ḍa-la‛id-dai-ni, wa ghalaba-tir-rijaal
O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men. [Bukhari]
The Quran...
Allah calls the Quran a healing, healer of the hearts.
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۙ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا ﴿٨٢
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss. [Quran, Al Isra' 17:82]
It is the Quran that can let all problems go away, to mend hearts. Connect with Quran daily. Start from now, even with a verse a day and increase gradually to a juz or two a day. Make that connection with the healer of the heart.
Look for the good and when you do this, good will grow. Each of one of us is blessed in som many different ways. Shaytan whispers and he gets us to focus and pay attention to what is going wrong in our lives and completely forget everything that is going right. Pay attention to the good and actually look for good. Think of blessings in your life and be grateful for them. Practicing gratitude does wonders for our emotional health. When we practice gratitude it causes us to be happier. Even if we can't find anything to be grateful about, remember the hadith that sins of a Muslim are removed even with a prick of a thorn and be grateful for that.
Remember, Allah proclaimed,
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; [Quran, Ibrahim 14:7]
Keep on Smiling 🙂
Even if you force yourself to smile it can lead to a chnage in your mood. You have the ability to smile and remember it is charity.
Spend time with your loved ones. Family support is beneficial. When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam first encountered angel Jibril alayhissalaam, he felt afraid. He went to Khadijah and found that support from her. We are created as social creatures, Physical touch from someone you know can be as effective as anti-depressant. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam used to hug, embrace and shake hands with his loved ones and his companions. He sallallahu alayhi wasallam said that when you shake someone hands your sins fall.
May Allah make the Quran a healing for us, replace our sadness with happiness and peace of mind and gather us and our loved ones in the highest Jannah with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Aameen
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, November 25, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Towards Understanding of Sacred Knowledge
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
One of the conditions to understand sacred knowledge is taqwa (fear of Allah). Allah says,
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٨٢
...And fear Allah. And Allah teaches you. And Allah is Knowing of all things. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:48]
If you are learning sacred knowledge, have taqwa of Allah and He guarantees your success. Inshaa Allah.
What is Taqwa?
Taqwa is one of those unique words in the Arabic language that cannot simply be translated into a word or two in English. As a result, many translators struggle to bring out the real meaning of this word.
Ali (radhiAllahu anhu) defined Taqwa as being the ‘fear of Jaleel (Allah), acting upon the tanzeel (Quran), being content with qaleel (little), and preparing for the day of raheel (journeying from this world).
Umar ibn Khattab (radhiAllahu anhu) once asked Ibn Ka’ab (radhiAllahu anhu) the definition of taqwa. In reply Ibn Ka’ab asked, “Have you ever had to traverse a thorny path?” Umar replied in the affirmative and ibn Ka’ab continued, “How do you do so?”
Taqwa can be compared to walking through a narrow path with thorny bushes on both sides and a person passing through it tries his level best to save his clothes from being torn. The thorns are the sins and the clothes is one's Iman (faith).
Allah Almighty says:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ﴿١٠٢
O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah, as you should have of Him and do not die except as Muslims. (102)
[Quran, AleImran 3:102]
Ibn Mas'ud (radhiallahu anhu) said speaking about this verse, Allah is meant to be obeyed, and not disobeyed; remembered at all times, and not forgotten; and to be thanked; and we are not to be ungrateful to Him."
Taqwa makes one deserving of Allah's pleasure and love. Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّـهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١٣
O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is that (believer) who has Taqwa. (13)
[Quran, al-Hujurat 49:13]
Taqwa keeps one steadfast on the Straight Path and protects him from deviation. Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِن تَتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّـهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ﴿٢٩
O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a Furqaan (criterion to judge between right and wrong) and will remove from you your misdeeds and forgive you. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty. (29)
[Qu'an, Al-Anfaal 8:29]
Taqwa is a means by which a believer performs righteous deeds and Taqwa causes the righteous deed to be accepted by Allah.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ وَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا ﴿٧٠﴾ يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٧١
O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. (70) He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment. (71)
[Quran, al-Ahzab 33:70-71]
Allah mentioned the characteristics of His Awliya (Friends of Allah) saying:
أَلَآ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَآءَ ٱللَّـهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿٦٢﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿٦٣
Unquestionably, the friends of Allah shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve (62) Those who have believed and have been fearful of Allah. (63)
[Quran, Yunus 10:62-63]
How to achieve Taqwa?
Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿٢١
O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (those who possess Taqwa) (21)
[Quran, al-Baqarah 2:21]
Thus, Taqwa is the fruit of 'ibadah (act of worship) and can only be achieved by performing acts of 'ibadah. Therefore, we often find Allah mentions Taqwa with 'ibadah. Allah Almighty says regarding the fasts of Ramadhan:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣
O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting)[] is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (those who possess Taqwa) (183)
[Qur'an, al-Baqarah 2:183]
Taqwa inhabits the heart and it is only within the capability of Allah to know what the hearts conceal. Therefore, judging people's righteousness and spirituality is beyond our ability.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُۥ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ ٱللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِى قَلْبِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ ٱلْخِصَامِ ﴿٢٠٤
There is among people, he whose speech will dazzle you in this life and he will claim that Allah is witness (to the sincerity of) what is in his heart, yet he will be among the most vicious enemies (of mankind).
(204)
[Quran, al-Baqarah 2:204]
May Allah forgive our sins and make us among the people of Taqwa and guide us, our families and the Ummah. Aameen.
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
One of the conditions to understand sacred knowledge is taqwa (fear of Allah). Allah says,
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٨٢
...And fear Allah. And Allah teaches you. And Allah is Knowing of all things. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:48]
If you are learning sacred knowledge, have taqwa of Allah and He guarantees your success. Inshaa Allah.
What is Taqwa?
Taqwa is one of those unique words in the Arabic language that cannot simply be translated into a word or two in English. As a result, many translators struggle to bring out the real meaning of this word.
Ali (radhiAllahu anhu) defined Taqwa as being the ‘fear of Jaleel (Allah), acting upon the tanzeel (Quran), being content with qaleel (little), and preparing for the day of raheel (journeying from this world).
Umar ibn Khattab (radhiAllahu anhu) once asked Ibn Ka’ab (radhiAllahu anhu) the definition of taqwa. In reply Ibn Ka’ab asked, “Have you ever had to traverse a thorny path?” Umar replied in the affirmative and ibn Ka’ab continued, “How do you do so?”
Taqwa can be compared to walking through a narrow path with thorny bushes on both sides and a person passing through it tries his level best to save his clothes from being torn. The thorns are the sins and the clothes is one's Iman (faith).
Allah Almighty says:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِۦ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ﴿١٠٢
O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah, as you should have of Him and do not die except as Muslims. (102)
[Quran, AleImran 3:102]
Ibn Mas'ud (radhiallahu anhu) said speaking about this verse, Allah is meant to be obeyed, and not disobeyed; remembered at all times, and not forgotten; and to be thanked; and we are not to be ungrateful to Him."
Taqwa makes one deserving of Allah's pleasure and love. Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّـهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١٣
O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is that (believer) who has Taqwa. (13)
[Quran, al-Hujurat 49:13]
Taqwa keeps one steadfast on the Straight Path and protects him from deviation. Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِن تَتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّـهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ﴿٢٩
O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a Furqaan (criterion to judge between right and wrong) and will remove from you your misdeeds and forgive you. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty. (29)
[Qu'an, Al-Anfaal 8:29]
Taqwa is a means by which a believer performs righteous deeds and Taqwa causes the righteous deed to be accepted by Allah.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ وَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا ﴿٧٠﴾ يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٧١
O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. (70) He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment. (71)
[Quran, al-Ahzab 33:70-71]
Allah mentioned the characteristics of His Awliya (Friends of Allah) saying:
أَلَآ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَآءَ ٱللَّـهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿٦٢﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ يَتَّقُونَ ﴿٦٣
Unquestionably, the friends of Allah shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve (62) Those who have believed and have been fearful of Allah. (63)
[Quran, Yunus 10:62-63]
How to achieve Taqwa?
Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿٢١
O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (those who possess Taqwa) (21)
[Quran, al-Baqarah 2:21]
Thus, Taqwa is the fruit of 'ibadah (act of worship) and can only be achieved by performing acts of 'ibadah. Therefore, we often find Allah mentions Taqwa with 'ibadah. Allah Almighty says regarding the fasts of Ramadhan:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣
O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting)[] is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (those who possess Taqwa) (183)
[Qur'an, al-Baqarah 2:183]
Taqwa inhabits the heart and it is only within the capability of Allah to know what the hearts conceal. Therefore, judging people's righteousness and spirituality is beyond our ability.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُۥ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ ٱللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِى قَلْبِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ ٱلْخِصَامِ ﴿٢٠٤
There is among people, he whose speech will dazzle you in this life and he will claim that Allah is witness (to the sincerity of) what is in his heart, yet he will be among the most vicious enemies (of mankind).
(204)
[Quran, al-Baqarah 2:204]
May Allah forgive our sins and make us among the people of Taqwa and guide us, our families and the Ummah. Aameen.
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, November 24, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Finding Closeness To Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Do you find yourself close to Allah? Reciting the Quran is a means of closeness to Allah. Allah says in Surah Al Baqarah ayat 186,
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) [Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:186]
When you read the Quran, you will come across many du'as. Pause, know the meanings of those du'as and make the du'a full heartedly. And continue reading the Quran with reflection. Even if you haven't learned or don't know Arabic, you can at least reflect on the point of articulation (makhraj) of each letter and the tajweed. How beautiful Allah has put His Speech together for us.
Indeed the Book of Allah is not a book like any other, it is the timeless Speech of Allah, not a created thing, and the study guide for life and death and what comes after. Therefore it deserves a more careful study than anyone else’s speech. So, as a Muslim, we should recite Quran daily with better understanding so that we can earn Allah’s blessings in this life and the hereafter.
Allah says about the Quran,
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢
Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:1-2]
The rewards of reciting the Quran are many. In a Hadith, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “Verily the one who recites the Quran beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari).
So if we want to be in the company of the noble and obedient angels who are close to Allah, learn how to recite the Quran properly and beautifully.
May Allah guide us and bring us closer to Him. Aameen.
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
Do you find yourself close to Allah? Reciting the Quran is a means of closeness to Allah. Allah says in Surah Al Baqarah ayat 186,
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) [Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:186]
When you read the Quran, you will come across many du'as. Pause, know the meanings of those du'as and make the du'a full heartedly. And continue reading the Quran with reflection. Even if you haven't learned or don't know Arabic, you can at least reflect on the point of articulation (makhraj) of each letter and the tajweed. How beautiful Allah has put His Speech together for us.
Indeed the Book of Allah is not a book like any other, it is the timeless Speech of Allah, not a created thing, and the study guide for life and death and what comes after. Therefore it deserves a more careful study than anyone else’s speech. So, as a Muslim, we should recite Quran daily with better understanding so that we can earn Allah’s blessings in this life and the hereafter.
Allah says about the Quran,
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿٢
Alif, Lam, Meem. (1) This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2) [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:1-2]
The rewards of reciting the Quran are many. In a Hadith, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “Verily the one who recites the Quran beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari).
So if we want to be in the company of the noble and obedient angels who are close to Allah, learn how to recite the Quran properly and beautifully.
May Allah guide us and bring us closer to Him. Aameen.
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, November 19, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Al Wahhab (The Bestower of Bounties Without Measure)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in Surah AleImran,
وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٧﴾ رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ ﴿٨﴾ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ ٱلنَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ ﴿٩﴾
...And no one will be reminded except those of understanding. (7) [Who say], "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. (8) Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt. Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise." (9)
Those well grounded in knowledge are never proud of their knowledge, howsoever perfect it may be, nor of the strength of their faith. Instead of that, they constantly pray to Allah seeking steadfastness from Him, and His grace and mercy.
Verse (8) shows us that guidance and straying are from Allah alone. When Allah intends to guide someone, He makes his heart tilt towards what is good and right; and when He decides to let someone go astray, He turns his heart away from the straight path. This is just as it was said in a hadith: There is no heart which is not there in between the two of Allah's fingers - He makes it firm on the truth as long as He wills, and turns it away from the truth when He wills.
He is Allah, absolute in power. He does what He wills. Therefore, those who are concerned about how to remain firm in their faith, they go to the source - requesting and praying Allah for steadfastness. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam used to pray for it as it appears in a hadith: 0 Turner of hearts, make our hearts firm on the faith chosen by You.
Allah is Al-Wahhab, the Grantor of Bounties without measure. He has all the measures of the heavens and the earth, Whose mercy and favors He pours over His servants.
Al-Wahhab is the One, Who gives His servants without expecting any benefit from them. One should not then turn to anyone besides Allah for anything, for He alone, Who bestows gifts without recompense. One should not expect good except from Him. Whoever calls to remembrance the Name of Al-Wahhab, Allah Almighty opens to him all gates of goodness, and gives him from sources which he never expects.
No matter how generous we are, we could hardly be a grantor of bounty because all that we have belong to Allah. We cannot grant what does not belong to us. We are appointed by Allah as no more than trustees to dispose of them in the manner He sets for them. We should respond to Allah's command to spend for His Sake out of the good things, of which we are entrusted to dispose. It is out of gratitude that we give of what Allah grants us-- of wealth, knowledge, time, talents, power, etc.
People will always do things for some benefit or gain, even if it is hidden, to derive pleasure from it. It is when the benefit or gain sought is related to worldly things, then this is blameworthy. But if it is sought for Allah, then this is praiseworthy. Allah Himself is his gain and there is no gain beyond Allah.
The highest degree of pleasure is Allah. Who would associate pleasure to getting up at night to pray tahajjud. But those who had experienced the pleasure in getting up at night and pray tahajjud, would say, "if the kings were to know the pleasure that are in seeking pleasure of Allah, they would have come and fought us for it!"
Memorize and make this du'a as part of your du'as/dhikrullah.
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy.
Aameen.
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 Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in Surah AleImran,
وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ﴿٧﴾ رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ ﴿٨﴾ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ ٱلنَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ ﴿٩﴾
...And no one will be reminded except those of understanding. (7) [Who say], "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. (8) Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt. Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise." (9)
Those well grounded in knowledge are never proud of their knowledge, howsoever perfect it may be, nor of the strength of their faith. Instead of that, they constantly pray to Allah seeking steadfastness from Him, and His grace and mercy.
Verse (8) shows us that guidance and straying are from Allah alone. When Allah intends to guide someone, He makes his heart tilt towards what is good and right; and when He decides to let someone go astray, He turns his heart away from the straight path. This is just as it was said in a hadith: There is no heart which is not there in between the two of Allah's fingers - He makes it firm on the truth as long as He wills, and turns it away from the truth when He wills.
He is Allah, absolute in power. He does what He wills. Therefore, those who are concerned about how to remain firm in their faith, they go to the source - requesting and praying Allah for steadfastness. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam used to pray for it as it appears in a hadith: 0 Turner of hearts, make our hearts firm on the faith chosen by You.
Allah is Al-Wahhab, the Grantor of Bounties without measure. He has all the measures of the heavens and the earth, Whose mercy and favors He pours over His servants.
Al-Wahhab is the One, Who gives His servants without expecting any benefit from them. One should not then turn to anyone besides Allah for anything, for He alone, Who bestows gifts without recompense. One should not expect good except from Him. Whoever calls to remembrance the Name of Al-Wahhab, Allah Almighty opens to him all gates of goodness, and gives him from sources which he never expects.
No matter how generous we are, we could hardly be a grantor of bounty because all that we have belong to Allah. We cannot grant what does not belong to us. We are appointed by Allah as no more than trustees to dispose of them in the manner He sets for them. We should respond to Allah's command to spend for His Sake out of the good things, of which we are entrusted to dispose. It is out of gratitude that we give of what Allah grants us-- of wealth, knowledge, time, talents, power, etc.
People will always do things for some benefit or gain, even if it is hidden, to derive pleasure from it. It is when the benefit or gain sought is related to worldly things, then this is blameworthy. But if it is sought for Allah, then this is praiseworthy. Allah Himself is his gain and there is no gain beyond Allah.
The highest degree of pleasure is Allah. Who would associate pleasure to getting up at night to pray tahajjud. But those who had experienced the pleasure in getting up at night and pray tahajjud, would say, "if the kings were to know the pleasure that are in seeking pleasure of Allah, they would have come and fought us for it!"
Memorize and make this du'a as part of your du'as/dhikrullah.
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy.
Aameen.
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, November 17, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Life Is A Struggle
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in Surah Al Inshiqaq,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَـٰقِيهِ ﴿٦
O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it. (6) [Quran, Inshiqaq 84:6]
Allah is saying that all of us are working extremely hard towards Him. All our efforts are in different directions and we might not realize that we are heading towards Him whether we like it or not.
Allah is teaching us that life is full of labor, toil and struggle. That was how it was designed to be for Muslims or non Muslims. All human beings are supposed to be in labor. The only difference is Allah gives us the gift of Iman (Faith) and equips us with all the tools that we can develop our Iman. Then this toil and struggle amounts to something.
A person might work and live a comfortable and luxurious life and another person might work harder but only manage to survive. We might see someone as being significant perhaps because of his title or perhaps because he is the main contributor for a certain charity while another person might be the one who picks up our garbage everyday or a janitor for our masjid or office but he is invisible and insignificant to us. At some point they will be asking what do this all amounts to. What Islam does is it gives life purpose.
Abu Hurairah narrated regarding the story of the black woman who used to clean the mosque. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam asked about her, and he was told that she had died. He said to them, “Why didn’t you inform me of her death?" It seems that they regarded her as an insignificant person. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “Show me her grave." They showed him her grave and he offered the funeral prayer for her.’ Agreed upon. Muslim added in his narration, ‘Verily, those graves are full of darkness for those buried in them. Allah, the Almighty, will illuminate them for their dwellers by my prayer over them"
Because of the view of the Hereafter, nobody lives an insignificant life. Allah created everybody for a purpose. So we don't live life as if we are going to live forever. Just as the day is going to come to conclusion, this world and our lives are coming to conclusion. We can't do anything about that but we can work for the sake of no one except Allah, starting today until we meet Him.
May Allah make our meeting with Him the best of meetings. Aameen.
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 Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in Surah Al Inshiqaq,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَـٰقِيهِ ﴿٦
O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet it. (6) [Quran, Inshiqaq 84:6]
Allah is saying that all of us are working extremely hard towards Him. All our efforts are in different directions and we might not realize that we are heading towards Him whether we like it or not.
Allah is teaching us that life is full of labor, toil and struggle. That was how it was designed to be for Muslims or non Muslims. All human beings are supposed to be in labor. The only difference is Allah gives us the gift of Iman (Faith) and equips us with all the tools that we can develop our Iman. Then this toil and struggle amounts to something.
A person might work and live a comfortable and luxurious life and another person might work harder but only manage to survive. We might see someone as being significant perhaps because of his title or perhaps because he is the main contributor for a certain charity while another person might be the one who picks up our garbage everyday or a janitor for our masjid or office but he is invisible and insignificant to us. At some point they will be asking what do this all amounts to. What Islam does is it gives life purpose.
Abu Hurairah narrated regarding the story of the black woman who used to clean the mosque. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam asked about her, and he was told that she had died. He said to them, “Why didn’t you inform me of her death?" It seems that they regarded her as an insignificant person. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “Show me her grave." They showed him her grave and he offered the funeral prayer for her.’ Agreed upon. Muslim added in his narration, ‘Verily, those graves are full of darkness for those buried in them. Allah, the Almighty, will illuminate them for their dwellers by my prayer over them"
Because of the view of the Hereafter, nobody lives an insignificant life. Allah created everybody for a purpose. So we don't live life as if we are going to live forever. Just as the day is going to come to conclusion, this world and our lives are coming to conclusion. We can't do anything about that but we can work for the sake of no one except Allah, starting today until we meet Him.
May Allah make our meeting with Him the best of meetings. Aameen.
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, November 14, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Guidance
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Guidance is a thing which everyone possess in some way, and yet no one, not even the greatest, can do without wishing to attain more. Of all the prayers a person can address to Allah, the most important is the prayer for guidance, which has been taught to us in the very first Surah of the Qur'an, Surah Al-Fatihah; and this prayer is as necessary for the greatest of prophets and people of Allah as for an ordinary Muslim.
When we recite Al-Fatihah during prayer, maybe more than 17 times a day, we are asking Allah for hidayah (guidance). Not only we are asking Allah to guide us to perform this particular prayer in the best way, we are also asking Allah to give us hidayah for everything we do after the prayer and with excellence. So bring this to your heart when you recite,
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us to the straight path. [Quran, Al-Fatihah]
Some Muslims have this big confusion that by being a Muslim means he has been guided. If that is the case, then this supplication should have been for non-Muslims. In fact, becoming a Muslim is only the first step in the world of guidance. In fact, if you are a born Muslim, you have to actually believe La ilaha illallah Muhammadun Rasulullah through your own discovery. And we should constantly renew our faith.
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Verily, the faith (iman) of one of you will diminish just as a shirt becomes worn out, so ask Allah to renew the faith in your hearts.”
We need guidance at every step of our lives and we need guidance to increase us in guidance, so that the more we are guided the closer we get to Allah, the Exalted. The guidance is so precious.
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿٥٦
Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided. [Qur'an, Al-Qasas 28:56]
Where do we get the guidance? We get guidance from the Qur'an and Sunnah. If we don't study the Qur'an and Sunnah, then is your prayer sincere? Take for example, a student who makes du'a, asking Allah to make him pass his exams but he does not open his books, then how is this asking sincere? Likewise, if we ask Allah for guidance and we don't open His Book to look for guidance, then there is some problem in our prayers--sincerity.
Actually every prayer is a reminder that understanding the Qur'an is not only necessary but it is an emergency. In fact, after we say "Ameen" after reciting Surah Al-Fatihah and another Surah is recited, that Surah is actually a piece of guidance that Allah gives us at that time. If you keep there standing without bothering to understand, then how sincere are you about asking for guidance? We should pay attention to what Allah tells us today in our prayers and act upon them after the prayer. Don't just ignore it. If we don't understand, open the Book and try to understand it from the translation, tafsir, etc. Every piece of the Qur'an is very precious. It is not random. Whatever you listen of the Qur'an is from Allah and He is watching and He wants to see your reaction as He reveals those verses.
May Allah enable us to understand His Book and bring us closer 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
Guidance is a thing which everyone possess in some way, and yet no one, not even the greatest, can do without wishing to attain more. Of all the prayers a person can address to Allah, the most important is the prayer for guidance, which has been taught to us in the very first Surah of the Qur'an, Surah Al-Fatihah; and this prayer is as necessary for the greatest of prophets and people of Allah as for an ordinary Muslim.
When we recite Al-Fatihah during prayer, maybe more than 17 times a day, we are asking Allah for hidayah (guidance). Not only we are asking Allah to guide us to perform this particular prayer in the best way, we are also asking Allah to give us hidayah for everything we do after the prayer and with excellence. So bring this to your heart when you recite,
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us to the straight path. [Quran, Al-Fatihah]
Some Muslims have this big confusion that by being a Muslim means he has been guided. If that is the case, then this supplication should have been for non-Muslims. In fact, becoming a Muslim is only the first step in the world of guidance. In fact, if you are a born Muslim, you have to actually believe La ilaha illallah Muhammadun Rasulullah through your own discovery. And we should constantly renew our faith.
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Verily, the faith (iman) of one of you will diminish just as a shirt becomes worn out, so ask Allah to renew the faith in your hearts.”
We need guidance at every step of our lives and we need guidance to increase us in guidance, so that the more we are guided the closer we get to Allah, the Exalted. The guidance is so precious.
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿٥٦
Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided. [Qur'an, Al-Qasas 28:56]
Where do we get the guidance? We get guidance from the Qur'an and Sunnah. If we don't study the Qur'an and Sunnah, then is your prayer sincere? Take for example, a student who makes du'a, asking Allah to make him pass his exams but he does not open his books, then how is this asking sincere? Likewise, if we ask Allah for guidance and we don't open His Book to look for guidance, then there is some problem in our prayers--sincerity.
Actually every prayer is a reminder that understanding the Qur'an is not only necessary but it is an emergency. In fact, after we say "Ameen" after reciting Surah Al-Fatihah and another Surah is recited, that Surah is actually a piece of guidance that Allah gives us at that time. If you keep there standing without bothering to understand, then how sincere are you about asking for guidance? We should pay attention to what Allah tells us today in our prayers and act upon them after the prayer. Don't just ignore it. If we don't understand, open the Book and try to understand it from the translation, tafsir, etc. Every piece of the Qur'an is very precious. It is not random. Whatever you listen of the Qur'an is from Allah and He is watching and He wants to see your reaction as He reveals those verses.
May Allah enable us to understand His Book and bring us closer 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, November 13, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Boost Up Your Iman (Faith) Before The Next Storm
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
What is it that connects you to Allah? As a beliver, do you think you will be exempt from any problems? No. Allah says in Surah Ankabut,
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿٣
Alif, Lam, Meem (1) Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? (2) But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (3) [Quran, Al Ankabut 29:1-3]
The closest people to Allah have always been tested. This is part of life. Your level of Iman you presume will save you from the storms, they will come regardless. As you look around you, some are drowning. Your iman (faith in the Oneness of Allah) gives you the strength to sail through it and gives you the ability to weather the storm, reaching to the calmer seas. The path is the same for all.
Iman can wear off like clothes. So we have take care of it so it doesn't wear off. If you want to boost up your iman, you don't need to go far. Everything around you is a sign of Allah. The breeze you feel is a sign of Allah. A sleeping cat is a sign of Allah. No food in the pantry is a sign of Allah (ayat). Even when you your kids fighting and arguing is a sign of Allah. Everything we see and experience is a sign of Allah. All these signs should make us conscious of Allah and boost up the iman.
If we understood what the Quran wants us to reach, we don't have to sit in an Islamic lecture to experience in faith. You just have to pay attention to the world around you, you will increase your faith. The ones who are conscious of the ayat, they will increase in faith because they will be constantly in a state of reminder. The Quran causes us to look at the world and the world forces us to look at the Quran. So nobody can say I don't have a reminder
وَٱلْمُرْسَلَـٰتِ عُرْفًا ﴿١﴾ فَٱلْعَـٰصِفَـٰتِ عَصْفًا ﴿٢﴾ وَٱلنَّـٰشِرَٰتِ نَشْرًا ﴿٣﴾ فَٱلْفَـٰرِقَـٰتِ فَرْقًا ﴿٤﴾ فَٱلْمُلْقِيَـٰتِ ذِكْرًا ﴿٥﴾ عُذْرًا أَوْ نُذْرًا ﴿٦﴾ إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَٰقِعٌ ﴿٧﴾ فَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ طُمِسَتْ ﴿٨﴾ وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ فُرِجَتْ ﴿٩﴾ وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ نُسِفَتْ ﴿١٠﴾
By those [winds] sent forth in gusts (1) And the winds that blow violently (2) And [by] the winds that spread [clouds] (3) And those [angels] who bring criterion (4) And those [angels] who deliver a message (5) As justification or warning, (6) Indeed, what you are promised is to occur. (7) So when the stars are obliterated (8) And when the heaven is opened (9) And when the mountains are blown away (10) [Quran, Al Mursalat 77:1-10]
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
What is it that connects you to Allah? As a beliver, do you think you will be exempt from any problems? No. Allah says in Surah Ankabut,
الٓمٓ ﴿١﴾ أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿٣
Alif, Lam, Meem (1) Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? (2) But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (3) [Quran, Al Ankabut 29:1-3]
The closest people to Allah have always been tested. This is part of life. Your level of Iman you presume will save you from the storms, they will come regardless. As you look around you, some are drowning. Your iman (faith in the Oneness of Allah) gives you the strength to sail through it and gives you the ability to weather the storm, reaching to the calmer seas. The path is the same for all.
Iman can wear off like clothes. So we have take care of it so it doesn't wear off. If you want to boost up your iman, you don't need to go far. Everything around you is a sign of Allah. The breeze you feel is a sign of Allah. A sleeping cat is a sign of Allah. No food in the pantry is a sign of Allah (ayat). Even when you your kids fighting and arguing is a sign of Allah. Everything we see and experience is a sign of Allah. All these signs should make us conscious of Allah and boost up the iman.
If we understood what the Quran wants us to reach, we don't have to sit in an Islamic lecture to experience in faith. You just have to pay attention to the world around you, you will increase your faith. The ones who are conscious of the ayat, they will increase in faith because they will be constantly in a state of reminder. The Quran causes us to look at the world and the world forces us to look at the Quran. So nobody can say I don't have a reminder
وَٱلْمُرْسَلَـٰتِ عُرْفًا ﴿١﴾ فَٱلْعَـٰصِفَـٰتِ عَصْفًا ﴿٢﴾ وَٱلنَّـٰشِرَٰتِ نَشْرًا ﴿٣﴾ فَٱلْفَـٰرِقَـٰتِ فَرْقًا ﴿٤﴾ فَٱلْمُلْقِيَـٰتِ ذِكْرًا ﴿٥﴾ عُذْرًا أَوْ نُذْرًا ﴿٦﴾ إِنَّمَا تُوعَدُونَ لَوَٰقِعٌ ﴿٧﴾ فَإِذَا ٱلنُّجُومُ طُمِسَتْ ﴿٨﴾ وَإِذَا ٱلسَّمَآءُ فُرِجَتْ ﴿٩﴾ وَإِذَا ٱلْجِبَالُ نُسِفَتْ ﴿١٠﴾
By those [winds] sent forth in gusts (1) And the winds that blow violently (2) And [by] the winds that spread [clouds] (3) And those [angels] who bring criterion (4) And those [angels] who deliver a message (5) As justification or warning, (6) Indeed, what you are promised is to occur. (7) So when the stars are obliterated (8) And when the heaven is opened (9) And when the mountains are blown away (10) [Quran, Al Mursalat 77:1-10]
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, November 12, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Good Character
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The character of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam is a big deal because Allah makes it a big deal in the Quran. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in Surah Al Qalam,
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤
And indeed, you are of a great moral character (khuluq). (4) [Quran, Al Qalam 68:4]
This ayah proves that Allah himself is impressed with the characteristics, the personality and the morals of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam before revelation. He praises the morals of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam before he became a Prophet and uses that as one of His proofs for his truthfulness.
Khuluq is how you deal with khalq (creation). Your dealings with creation makes up your khuluq. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam great quality that qualifies him for revelation is his great, awesome and incredible character.
Muslims love the Quran. We teach it, talk about it, recite and memorize it but what's missing from underneath is the character of Muslims. Our business dealings, political, economic, social, all of that are missiong moral character and you don't need advance degree in fiqh to have morality. You just need human conscience. And that is stripped from the Muslim communities today. In some Muslim areas, while you could see beautiful and some very grand masjids, hear beautiful adhans 5 times daily and beautiful recitation of the Quran in every corner, at the same time people don't know how to stand in a line, don't know how to talk to each other and don't care where they throw their trash. Where is the khuluq? There is something seriously wrong and we are not thinking about it and we are not teaching our children good manners.
Our religion is founded upon good moral character and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was chosen because of his awesome character alone. But it's pretty much gone. We just have so many fundamental missing and we have to revive the Sunnah if we want to be strong again.
مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَىٰهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِى وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِى ٱلْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْـَٔهُۥ فَـَٔازَرَهُۥ فَٱسْتَغْلَظَ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِۦ يُعْجِبُ ٱلزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ ۗ وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًۢا ﴿٢٩
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.[Quran, Al-Fath 48:29]
May Allah grant us noble character and make us of the righteous. Aamen.
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 character of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam is a big deal because Allah makes it a big deal in the Quran. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in Surah Al Qalam,
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤
And indeed, you are of a great moral character (khuluq). (4) [Quran, Al Qalam 68:4]
This ayah proves that Allah himself is impressed with the characteristics, the personality and the morals of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam before revelation. He praises the morals of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam before he became a Prophet and uses that as one of His proofs for his truthfulness.
Khuluq is how you deal with khalq (creation). Your dealings with creation makes up your khuluq. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam great quality that qualifies him for revelation is his great, awesome and incredible character.
Muslims love the Quran. We teach it, talk about it, recite and memorize it but what's missing from underneath is the character of Muslims. Our business dealings, political, economic, social, all of that are missiong moral character and you don't need advance degree in fiqh to have morality. You just need human conscience. And that is stripped from the Muslim communities today. In some Muslim areas, while you could see beautiful and some very grand masjids, hear beautiful adhans 5 times daily and beautiful recitation of the Quran in every corner, at the same time people don't know how to stand in a line, don't know how to talk to each other and don't care where they throw their trash. Where is the khuluq? There is something seriously wrong and we are not thinking about it and we are not teaching our children good manners.
Our religion is founded upon good moral character and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was chosen because of his awesome character alone. But it's pretty much gone. We just have so many fundamental missing and we have to revive the Sunnah if we want to be strong again.
مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُۥٓ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى ٱلْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَىٰهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِى وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِى ٱلْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْـَٔهُۥ فَـَٔازَرَهُۥ فَٱسْتَغْلَظَ فَٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِۦ يُعْجِبُ ٱلزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ ۗ وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًۢا ﴿٢٩
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.[Quran, Al-Fath 48:29]
May Allah grant us noble character and make us of the righteous. Aamen.
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, November 11, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Barakah (Blessing)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١﴾
Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent - (1) (Quran, al Mulk 67:1)
We think of the world works in physical cause and effect but there is an unseen dimension to that formula, which is the barakah of Allah. When barakah of Allah empowers something the result of it is beyond anyone's expectation.
May Allah put barakah in all 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
تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١﴾
Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent - (1) (Quran, al Mulk 67:1)
We think of the world works in physical cause and effect but there is an unseen dimension to that formula, which is the barakah of Allah. When barakah of Allah empowers something the result of it is beyond anyone's expectation.
May Allah put barakah in all 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
A Deep Relationship With The Creator
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Ar-Rahman, which comprises of 78 verses, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala repeats a verse 31 times,
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿١٣
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55]
Our lives are full of repeats, albeit good or bad, but we don't mind repeating them. We have more than one child (that's a repeat), we choose the wrong friends more than once, we drive to work and back following the same route, we go to the same place for vacation, we eat at the same restaurant over and over again. But when it comes to the religion or learning the religion, we don't like to repeat.
When was the last time you pray the sunnah prayers? For most people they suffice themselves with the five obligatory prayers or less. But we can pray more if we desire nearness to Allah. When was the last time you completed reading the entire Quran? For many people they never read the Quran nor completed reading the entire Quran when we should be reading it everyday, over and over again.
Qur'an is full of repetition. Why? Because we tend to forget a lot. Repetition is good for us so we are reminded of Allah when we forget.
Our foremost and important responsibility is to recognize Allah. Our relationship with Allah is not a few moments of worship but a deep relationship. We should strive to have this relationship with our Lord. The only way to have this deep relationship is through knowledge of Him. How can you know Him without learning and knowing His names and attributes? When you know Allah, you will love Him and all other love is subject to His love. You will want to do everything to please Him. Remember (those who are married) the sweetness of love that you experience with your spouse at one time? You have so much energy, nothing tires you for the sake of your love, everything is sweet. But when the honeymoon is over, the sweetness started to fade away and it becomes a normal thing, you take each other for granted, and for some it turns bitter. Not with Allah, if you fill your heart with the love of Allah, the sweetness stays on and in fact it gets sweeter and sweeter. Your soul is always tranquil no matter what you experience outwardly.
May Allah brings us closer to Him and grant us that peace and tranquility in our hearts. 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, which comprises of 78 verses, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala repeats a verse 31 times,
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ ﴿١٣
So which of the favors of your Lord would you deny? [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55]
Our lives are full of repeats, albeit good or bad, but we don't mind repeating them. We have more than one child (that's a repeat), we choose the wrong friends more than once, we drive to work and back following the same route, we go to the same place for vacation, we eat at the same restaurant over and over again. But when it comes to the religion or learning the religion, we don't like to repeat.
When was the last time you pray the sunnah prayers? For most people they suffice themselves with the five obligatory prayers or less. But we can pray more if we desire nearness to Allah. When was the last time you completed reading the entire Quran? For many people they never read the Quran nor completed reading the entire Quran when we should be reading it everyday, over and over again.
Qur'an is full of repetition. Why? Because we tend to forget a lot. Repetition is good for us so we are reminded of Allah when we forget.
Our foremost and important responsibility is to recognize Allah. Our relationship with Allah is not a few moments of worship but a deep relationship. We should strive to have this relationship with our Lord. The only way to have this deep relationship is through knowledge of Him. How can you know Him without learning and knowing His names and attributes? When you know Allah, you will love Him and all other love is subject to His love. You will want to do everything to please Him. Remember (those who are married) the sweetness of love that you experience with your spouse at one time? You have so much energy, nothing tires you for the sake of your love, everything is sweet. But when the honeymoon is over, the sweetness started to fade away and it becomes a normal thing, you take each other for granted, and for some it turns bitter. Not with Allah, if you fill your heart with the love of Allah, the sweetness stays on and in fact it gets sweeter and sweeter. Your soul is always tranquil no matter what you experience outwardly.
May Allah brings us closer to Him and grant us that peace and tranquility in our hearts. 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, November 10, 2019
Keep The Balance
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah says in Surah An-Naba,
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَـٰدًا ﴿٦﴾ وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا ﴿٧﴾ وَخَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا ﴿٨
Have We not made the earth a resting place? (6) And the mountains as stakes? (7) And We created you in pairs (8)
[Quran, An-Naba 78:6-8]
Allah made the entire earth as a loving cradle for us, a place of ease for us, so we can be an awe how Allah constructs and how we construct. Physically we are created as a compatible half of another half. We didn't design this ourselves but Allah did. Allah made us in social groups to compliment each other. Within a group we will find the angry one and the calming effect one and they balance each other out. We will also find the one who rushes into things and the other one who thinks things through, and they balance each other out because the one who keeps thinking doesn't get anything done, and the one who rushes into things goes too fast. So they compliment each other. Within a marriage, Allah put people together for a reason. You will find one spouse is very loud or extremely social and the other one is very quiet or an introvert. They balance each other out. If both are the same it will be a disaster. The failure of so many marriages is because one try to mold the other like themselves.
So, remember our differences is a great gift from Allah and a means for us to go close to Him.
May Allah make us of those who are grateful and bring us close to Him. Aameen.
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 says in Surah An-Naba,
أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِهَـٰدًا ﴿٦﴾ وَٱلْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا ﴿٧﴾ وَخَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا ﴿٨
Have We not made the earth a resting place? (6) And the mountains as stakes? (7) And We created you in pairs (8)
[Quran, An-Naba 78:6-8]
Allah made the entire earth as a loving cradle for us, a place of ease for us, so we can be an awe how Allah constructs and how we construct. Physically we are created as a compatible half of another half. We didn't design this ourselves but Allah did. Allah made us in social groups to compliment each other. Within a group we will find the angry one and the calming effect one and they balance each other out. We will also find the one who rushes into things and the other one who thinks things through, and they balance each other out because the one who keeps thinking doesn't get anything done, and the one who rushes into things goes too fast. So they compliment each other. Within a marriage, Allah put people together for a reason. You will find one spouse is very loud or extremely social and the other one is very quiet or an introvert. They balance each other out. If both are the same it will be a disaster. The failure of so many marriages is because one try to mold the other like themselves.
So, remember our differences is a great gift from Allah and a means for us to go close to Him.
May Allah make us of those who are grateful and bring us close to Him. Aameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Differences is Okay, Division is NOT Okay. Where Are We Today?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah says in Surah AleImran,
وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٠٣﴾
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided. [Quran, AleImran 3:103]
The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam defined the true Muslim as one who avoids harming other Muslims with his tongue (words) and hand (actions).
Abdullah bin Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ
The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe.
(Related by Al Bukhari)
Harun Al Rashid, the fifth Abbasid Caliph (786-809AD), used to bring along his teacher, Qadi Abu Yusuf, when he was going for hajj. Abu Yusuf was one of the pioneering scholar of the Hanafi school of thought, a student of Imam Abu Hanifah,
Being the caliph and religious leader, he led the prayers at the Ka'abah. When it was about dhuhr time, he had hijama (blood cupping) done. Now he was in the front row and was about to lead the dhuhr prayer with his wudu' had officially broken due to the bleeding according to the Hanafi school of thought. If he were to go and take wudu', by the time he gets back, it would be Asr prayer. Next to Qadi Abu Yusuf was Imam Malik, the Imam of the Maliki school of thought. He knew that in the Maliki school, bleeding does not break wudu'. So on purpose he asked Imam Malik about his wudu'. And Imam Malik said his wudu' is not broken because of the bleeding. And so Harun Al Rashid stood up and led the prayer.
As soon as the prayer was done, the students of Hanafi school came running to Abu Yusuf and were very upset because he had allowed the Caliph to lead the prayer without renewing his wudu'. This is because in Hanafi mazhab, bleeding invalidated the wudu'. Abu Yusuf said anybody who doubted the prayer is from the Khawaarij (the extremist who left Islam).
Why did he said that? Because he understood that when the fruits come from the same root, one person may take one fruit and another person may take another fruit. The most convincing evidence to Imam Malik is that bleeding does not break wudu' and the most convincing evidence to Abu Yusuf is that bleeding breaks wudu' and only Allah knows what is the absolute truth. He was humble enough to accept that. And he understood that while he may disgree with Imam Malik's opinion, and Imam Malik may disagree with his opinion but that should not cause a division between them. Differences is okay, division is not okay. This is how the early people understood Islam.
Where are we today? Compare how easily we kick someone else out of Islam just because they stood or held hands the way diffent than us when they pray, and so on. Not to mention, the common habit of sparking doubts about the integrity of other scholars or teachers of this Deen. There is no time for that. If we make this kind of discourse up and make it public constantly, in this world the price will be paid by the next generation who will fall into doubt about the religion.
فَلِذَٰلِكَ فَٱدْعُ ۖ وَٱسْتَقِمْ كَمَآ أُمِرْتَ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ ۖ وَقُلْ ءَامَنتُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن كِتَـٰبٍ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ لِأَعْدِلَ بَيْنَكُمُ ۖ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ ۖ لَنَآ أَعْمَـٰلُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلُكُمْ ۖ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ ۖ ٱللَّهُ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٥﴾
So to that [religion of Allah] invite, [O Muhammad], and remain on a right course as you are commanded and do not follow their inclinations but say, "I have believed in what Allah has revealed of the Qur'an, and I have been commanded to do justice among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For us are our deeds, and for you your deeds. There is no [need for] argument between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and to Him is the [final] destination." (15)[Quran, Ash-Shura 42:15]
Islam flourished back then because people understood that differences is okay, division is not okay. During Harun Al-Rashid's caliphate reign, the Caliphate stretched from Spain in the west to Anatolia in the north to India in the east, and it was the largest and most powerful political entity in the world. Where are we today?
May Allah help the Muslims unite, love one another, and merciful towards the weak. 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 Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah says in Surah AleImran,
وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِحَبْلِ ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٠٣﴾
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided. [Quran, AleImran 3:103]
The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam defined the true Muslim as one who avoids harming other Muslims with his tongue (words) and hand (actions).
Abdullah bin Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
الْمُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ
The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe.
(Related by Al Bukhari)
Harun Al Rashid, the fifth Abbasid Caliph (786-809AD), used to bring along his teacher, Qadi Abu Yusuf, when he was going for hajj. Abu Yusuf was one of the pioneering scholar of the Hanafi school of thought, a student of Imam Abu Hanifah,
Being the caliph and religious leader, he led the prayers at the Ka'abah. When it was about dhuhr time, he had hijama (blood cupping) done. Now he was in the front row and was about to lead the dhuhr prayer with his wudu' had officially broken due to the bleeding according to the Hanafi school of thought. If he were to go and take wudu', by the time he gets back, it would be Asr prayer. Next to Qadi Abu Yusuf was Imam Malik, the Imam of the Maliki school of thought. He knew that in the Maliki school, bleeding does not break wudu'. So on purpose he asked Imam Malik about his wudu'. And Imam Malik said his wudu' is not broken because of the bleeding. And so Harun Al Rashid stood up and led the prayer.
As soon as the prayer was done, the students of Hanafi school came running to Abu Yusuf and were very upset because he had allowed the Caliph to lead the prayer without renewing his wudu'. This is because in Hanafi mazhab, bleeding invalidated the wudu'. Abu Yusuf said anybody who doubted the prayer is from the Khawaarij (the extremist who left Islam).
Why did he said that? Because he understood that when the fruits come from the same root, one person may take one fruit and another person may take another fruit. The most convincing evidence to Imam Malik is that bleeding does not break wudu' and the most convincing evidence to Abu Yusuf is that bleeding breaks wudu' and only Allah knows what is the absolute truth. He was humble enough to accept that. And he understood that while he may disgree with Imam Malik's opinion, and Imam Malik may disagree with his opinion but that should not cause a division between them. Differences is okay, division is not okay. This is how the early people understood Islam.
Where are we today? Compare how easily we kick someone else out of Islam just because they stood or held hands the way diffent than us when they pray, and so on. Not to mention, the common habit of sparking doubts about the integrity of other scholars or teachers of this Deen. There is no time for that. If we make this kind of discourse up and make it public constantly, in this world the price will be paid by the next generation who will fall into doubt about the religion.
فَلِذَٰلِكَ فَٱدْعُ ۖ وَٱسْتَقِمْ كَمَآ أُمِرْتَ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ ۖ وَقُلْ ءَامَنتُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن كِتَـٰبٍ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ لِأَعْدِلَ بَيْنَكُمُ ۖ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ ۖ لَنَآ أَعْمَـٰلُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَـٰلُكُمْ ۖ لَا حُجَّةَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ ۖ ٱللَّهُ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿١٥﴾
So to that [religion of Allah] invite, [O Muhammad], and remain on a right course as you are commanded and do not follow their inclinations but say, "I have believed in what Allah has revealed of the Qur'an, and I have been commanded to do justice among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For us are our deeds, and for you your deeds. There is no [need for] argument between us and you. Allah will bring us together, and to Him is the [final] destination." (15)[Quran, Ash-Shura 42:15]
Islam flourished back then because people understood that differences is okay, division is not okay. During Harun Al-Rashid's caliphate reign, the Caliphate stretched from Spain in the west to Anatolia in the north to India in the east, and it was the largest and most powerful political entity in the world. Where are we today?
May Allah help the Muslims unite, love one another, and merciful towards the weak. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Promoting Love On Earth
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
If you want love to be promoted, the beginning of it is to ask yourself
Who am I?
Who are the rest of the people around me?
What is the rest of the creation? What is my connection with it?
Who am I?
وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers. [Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:55]
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُون
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. [Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِىٓ أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾ ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَـٰهُ أَسْفَلَ سَـٰفِلِينَ ﴿٥﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ﴿٦
We have certainly created man in the best of stature; (4) Then We return him to the lowest of the low, (5) Except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they will have a reward uninterrupted. (6) [Quran, At-Tin 95:4-6]
Who are the rest of the people around me?
The word ummah comes from the root umm (Arabic for mother). The ideal Ummah cares about all its members, just as an ideal mother cares about all her children, knowing that all are not equal and that each has different needs.
They were created by Allah (just as we were) so that our human potential could be actualized. People have rights upon us--right to life, right to respect, right to justice, etc. Not only do these rights provide us with an opportunity to develop all our inner resources but also they hold before us a vision of what Allah would like us to be — what Allah wants us to strive for and live for and die for.
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."
Human beings have the ability to think, discern right from wrong, and do good and avoid evil. Thus, on account of the promise contained in being human (namely, the potential to be Allah’s vicegerents on earth), all human beings are to be respected and their humanness is to be considered an end in itself.
What is the rest of the creation? What is my connection with it?
The rest of the creation includes the animals and the plants. Our connection with them is Allah. He is the Lord of the Worlds. He is the Giver of their lives as He is the Giver of our lives. We do not do whatever we like to them as to harm them or their environment.
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return. [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:156]
The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam, taught us the surest way to attract the blessings of Allah. It is by being kind, compassionate and merciful to Allah's creatures.
The Most Compassionate is kind on those who are kind to others. If you would show kindness to those who live on the earth, He who lives in the Heaven, shall shower His blessings on you. (Abu Dawood)
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 you want love to be promoted, the beginning of it is to ask yourself
Who am I?
Who are the rest of the people around me?
What is the rest of the creation? What is my connection with it?
Who am I?
وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers. [Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:55]
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُون
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. [Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ فِىٓ أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ ﴿٤﴾ ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَـٰهُ أَسْفَلَ سَـٰفِلِينَ ﴿٥﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرٌ غَيْرُ مَمْنُونٍ ﴿٦
We have certainly created man in the best of stature; (4) Then We return him to the lowest of the low, (5) Except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they will have a reward uninterrupted. (6) [Quran, At-Tin 95:4-6]
Who are the rest of the people around me?
The word ummah comes from the root umm (Arabic for mother). The ideal Ummah cares about all its members, just as an ideal mother cares about all her children, knowing that all are not equal and that each has different needs.
They were created by Allah (just as we were) so that our human potential could be actualized. People have rights upon us--right to life, right to respect, right to justice, etc. Not only do these rights provide us with an opportunity to develop all our inner resources but also they hold before us a vision of what Allah would like us to be — what Allah wants us to strive for and live for and die for.
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?" Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."
Human beings have the ability to think, discern right from wrong, and do good and avoid evil. Thus, on account of the promise contained in being human (namely, the potential to be Allah’s vicegerents on earth), all human beings are to be respected and their humanness is to be considered an end in itself.
What is the rest of the creation? What is my connection with it?
The rest of the creation includes the animals and the plants. Our connection with them is Allah. He is the Lord of the Worlds. He is the Giver of their lives as He is the Giver of our lives. We do not do whatever we like to them as to harm them or their environment.
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return. [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:156]
The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam, taught us the surest way to attract the blessings of Allah. It is by being kind, compassionate and merciful to Allah's creatures.
The Most Compassionate is kind on those who are kind to others. If you would show kindness to those who live on the earth, He who lives in the Heaven, shall shower His blessings on you. (Abu Dawood)
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Acquiring the Best Character -- Being Patient
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
There is no doubt that following the teachings of the Quran and the example of Allah’s beloved Messenger sallallhu alayhi wassallam will help us acquire the best character.
In the Qur’an, Allah (I) praises Prophet Muhammad’s high standard of moral excellence:
وإنك لعلى خلق عظيم
And indeed, you are of a great moral character. [Quran, Al-Qalam 68:4]
When asked about the character of Prophet Muhammad(ﷺ) his wife Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) replied,
“His character was the Quran.”
Graciously patient, enduring trying circumstances without complaint
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ﴿١٥٦
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, (155) Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return." (156) [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:155-156]
فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا ﴿٥
So be patient with gracious patience. [Quran, Al-Ma’arij 70:5]
May Allah make us among the patient and the most beloved to Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wassallam on the Day of Resurrection. Aameen.
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
There is no doubt that following the teachings of the Quran and the example of Allah’s beloved Messenger sallallhu alayhi wassallam will help us acquire the best character.
In the Qur’an, Allah (I) praises Prophet Muhammad’s high standard of moral excellence:
وإنك لعلى خلق عظيم
And indeed, you are of a great moral character. [Quran, Al-Qalam 68:4]
When asked about the character of Prophet Muhammad(ﷺ) his wife Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) replied,
“His character was the Quran.”
Graciously patient, enduring trying circumstances without complaint
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ﴿١٥٦
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, (155) Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return." (156) [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:155-156]
فَٱصْبِرْ صَبْرًا جَمِيلًا ﴿٥
So be patient with gracious patience. [Quran, Al-Ma’arij 70:5]
May Allah make us among the patient and the most beloved to Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wassallam on the Day of Resurrection. Aameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Acquiring The Best Character -- Being Good To Your Parents, Spouses, Relatives, Neighbors, and Other People Around You
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In the Quran, Allah praises Prophet Muhammad’s sallallahu alayhi wasallam high standard of moral excellence:
وإنك لعلى خلق عظيم
And indeed, you are of a great moral character. [Quran, Al-Qalam 68:4]
When asked about the character of Prophet Muhammad, his wife Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) replied,
“His character was the Quran.”
Affectionate and merciful with spouses
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought. [Quran, Ar-Rum 30:21]
Kind and humble with his relatives, neighbors, companions and the weakest members of community
وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا ﴿٣٦
Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful. [Quran, An-Nisa’ 4:36]
May Allah grant us noble character. Aameen.
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 the Quran, Allah praises Prophet Muhammad’s sallallahu alayhi wasallam high standard of moral excellence:
وإنك لعلى خلق عظيم
And indeed, you are of a great moral character. [Quran, Al-Qalam 68:4]
When asked about the character of Prophet Muhammad, his wife Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) replied,
“His character was the Quran.”
Affectionate and merciful with spouses
وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١
And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought. [Quran, Ar-Rum 30:21]
Kind and humble with his relatives, neighbors, companions and the weakest members of community
وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا ﴿٣٦
Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful. [Quran, An-Nisa’ 4:36]
May Allah grant us noble character. Aameen.
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
7 Adab Menuntut Ilmu
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Imam Abu Amr al Basri, adalah salah satu imam Qiraat Asharah. Beliau terkenal sebagai ulama' al amilin (ulama' yg mempraktikan ilmunya). Beliau khatam Quran tiap 3 hari. Beliau mempunyai guru yang paling ramai. Bila di tanya bilakah waktu yang sebaiknya seorang belajar? beliau menjawab:“Sebaiknya ia belajar selama masih hidup."
Jadi selagi nyawa di kandung badan kita harus menuntut ilmu dan sebaik2 ilmu adalah ilmu Quran.
7 Adab Menuntut Ilmu
1. Niat yang ikhlas
Semata2 belajar untuk Allah
Untuk mendekati diri kepadaNya
Apa2 juga cita2 kita atau niat kita dengan ilmu yang akan kita pelajari dan dapati adalah semata2 untuk mendapat kasih sayangNya. Bila Allah sayang kita, Dia akan jaga kita.
2. Belajar dengan ihsaan (excellence)
Bersedia ke class. Jangan lambat ke class. Focus dalam class. Jangan tangguh2 tidur awal, bagun awal, buat homework dn amalan2 baik. Sifat menangguh adalah salah satu pintu syaitan yang ingin meragut imam kita. Imam adalah satu benda yang paling berharga dalam hidup kita.
3. Tawakkul .. rely on Allah
Perasangka baik dengan Allah. Allah itu Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim.
Always have a positive outlook in life. Jangan give up atau berhenti belajar sebab rasa susah atau tak mampu. Itu ujian saja. Bila kita sudah mulakan sesuatu yang baik, teruskan sampai selesai. Tunjuk tawakkal kita pada Allah yg Dia akan selamatkan kita dari kesusahan.
"I am as my slave expects Me to be"
4. Buang habit yang tak baik dan jauhkan diri dari dosa. Tidak ada namanya dosa kecil atau besar dalam konteks ini. Dosa kecil akan jadi besar kalau di biarkan...macam api kalau tak di padamkn akan bersemarak.
Identify (kenali) habit tak baik dan ubah. Work hard to remove bad habits and replace them with good habits. Sebab ini adalah permulaan untuk mendapatkan akhlaq yang terbaik.
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam ialah contoh kita yang terbaik. Allah memujinya dalam Al Quran,
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤
Dan bahawa sesungguhnya engkau mempunyai akhlak yang amat mulia. (4) [Quran, Al Qalam 68:4]
Akhlaq yang baik saja lah yang akan memberatkan Penimbang kita di akhirat nanti.
Quran adalah cahaya Allah. Allah tak bagi cahayaNya pada orang yang berperangai tak baik atau yang buat dosa.
Orang yang di hatinya ada cahaya Allah akan rasa tenteram, aman, dan happy walaupun dia miskin dan banyak kesusuhan.
Kita semua ingin masuk syurga Allah, dan syurgaNya yang tertinggi. Maka kita perlu berusaha bersungguh2 untuk dapatkan akhlaq yang terbaik.
5. Bersyukur pada Allah
Orang yang tak bersyukur (atau berterima kasih) pada manusia yang telah berbuat baik padanya, ia juga tak bersyukur pada Allah.
Orang2 yang terdahulu faham erti syukur. Ada seorang yang berkata, 'aku adalah hamba pada orang yang mengajar aku walaupun satu huruf.'
Betapa pentingnya syukur itu
Allah bersabda,
(وَإِذۡ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمۡ لَىِٕن شَكَرۡتُمۡ لَأَزِیدَنَّكُمۡۖ وَلَىِٕن كَفَرۡتُمۡ إِنَّ عَذَابِی لَشَدِیدࣱ)
Dan (ingatlah juga), tatkala Tuhanmu memaklumkan; "Sesungguhnya jika kamu bersyukur, pasti Kami akan menambah (nikmat) kepadamu, dan jika kamu mengingkari (nikmat-Ku), maka sesungguhnya azab-Ku sangat pedih". (7) [Quran, Ibrahim 7]
6. Banyak beristighfar dn berdhikir
Semua manusia buat dosa cuma sedar dengan tak sedar saja. Kalau kita anggap sesuatu perbuatan yang tak baik itu perkara kecil, walaupun satu kebiasaan umum, kita akan terjerumus ke dalam dosa besar satu hari nanti mungkin dengan tak disedari. Jangan benarkan putik tak baik membesar dengan beristighfar dan jauhi dari perkara yang mendatangkan dosa itu.
Kalau kita menghadapi kesusahan, cepat2 beristighfar. Ada ulama' yang beristighfar 1000x atau lebih bila beliau tak faham dengan sesuatu perkara.
Istighfar juga membuka pintu rizq...ilmu adalah rizq yg sangat besar.
Membaca al Quran adalah sebaik2 dhikr. Jangan malas practice membaca di rumah setiap hari.
Banyak berselawat atas Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Banyak blessings yang kita akan dapat dari amalan ini
7. Sentiasa berdu'a pd Allah...minta pertolongan dari Allah
untuk memudahkn kita belajar dengan ihsaan, bagi kita kejayaan di dunia dan akhirat, jauhkn kita dari fitnah dan malapetaka, bagi kita kesihatan, jauhkan kita dari sikap malas, bagi kita guru2 dan teman2 yang soleh dan solehah dan yang bertaqwa tinggi, dan sebagainya.
Tiada satu perkara itu mudah tanpa pertolongan Allah dan tiada satu perkara itu susah dengan pertolongan Allah.
Allahu 'alam
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
Imam Abu Amr al Basri, adalah salah satu imam Qiraat Asharah. Beliau terkenal sebagai ulama' al amilin (ulama' yg mempraktikan ilmunya). Beliau khatam Quran tiap 3 hari. Beliau mempunyai guru yang paling ramai. Bila di tanya bilakah waktu yang sebaiknya seorang belajar? beliau menjawab:“Sebaiknya ia belajar selama masih hidup."
Jadi selagi nyawa di kandung badan kita harus menuntut ilmu dan sebaik2 ilmu adalah ilmu Quran.
7 Adab Menuntut Ilmu
1. Niat yang ikhlas
Semata2 belajar untuk Allah
Untuk mendekati diri kepadaNya
Apa2 juga cita2 kita atau niat kita dengan ilmu yang akan kita pelajari dan dapati adalah semata2 untuk mendapat kasih sayangNya. Bila Allah sayang kita, Dia akan jaga kita.
2. Belajar dengan ihsaan (excellence)
Bersedia ke class. Jangan lambat ke class. Focus dalam class. Jangan tangguh2 tidur awal, bagun awal, buat homework dn amalan2 baik. Sifat menangguh adalah salah satu pintu syaitan yang ingin meragut imam kita. Imam adalah satu benda yang paling berharga dalam hidup kita.
3. Tawakkul .. rely on Allah
Perasangka baik dengan Allah. Allah itu Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim.
Always have a positive outlook in life. Jangan give up atau berhenti belajar sebab rasa susah atau tak mampu. Itu ujian saja. Bila kita sudah mulakan sesuatu yang baik, teruskan sampai selesai. Tunjuk tawakkal kita pada Allah yg Dia akan selamatkan kita dari kesusahan.
"I am as my slave expects Me to be"
4. Buang habit yang tak baik dan jauhkan diri dari dosa. Tidak ada namanya dosa kecil atau besar dalam konteks ini. Dosa kecil akan jadi besar kalau di biarkan...macam api kalau tak di padamkn akan bersemarak.
Identify (kenali) habit tak baik dan ubah. Work hard to remove bad habits and replace them with good habits. Sebab ini adalah permulaan untuk mendapatkan akhlaq yang terbaik.
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam ialah contoh kita yang terbaik. Allah memujinya dalam Al Quran,
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿٤
Dan bahawa sesungguhnya engkau mempunyai akhlak yang amat mulia. (4) [Quran, Al Qalam 68:4]
Akhlaq yang baik saja lah yang akan memberatkan Penimbang kita di akhirat nanti.
Quran adalah cahaya Allah. Allah tak bagi cahayaNya pada orang yang berperangai tak baik atau yang buat dosa.
Orang yang di hatinya ada cahaya Allah akan rasa tenteram, aman, dan happy walaupun dia miskin dan banyak kesusuhan.
Kita semua ingin masuk syurga Allah, dan syurgaNya yang tertinggi. Maka kita perlu berusaha bersungguh2 untuk dapatkan akhlaq yang terbaik.
5. Bersyukur pada Allah
Orang yang tak bersyukur (atau berterima kasih) pada manusia yang telah berbuat baik padanya, ia juga tak bersyukur pada Allah.
Orang2 yang terdahulu faham erti syukur. Ada seorang yang berkata, 'aku adalah hamba pada orang yang mengajar aku walaupun satu huruf.'
Betapa pentingnya syukur itu
Allah bersabda,
(وَإِذۡ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمۡ لَىِٕن شَكَرۡتُمۡ لَأَزِیدَنَّكُمۡۖ وَلَىِٕن كَفَرۡتُمۡ إِنَّ عَذَابِی لَشَدِیدࣱ)
Dan (ingatlah juga), tatkala Tuhanmu memaklumkan; "Sesungguhnya jika kamu bersyukur, pasti Kami akan menambah (nikmat) kepadamu, dan jika kamu mengingkari (nikmat-Ku), maka sesungguhnya azab-Ku sangat pedih". (7) [Quran, Ibrahim 7]
6. Banyak beristighfar dn berdhikir
Semua manusia buat dosa cuma sedar dengan tak sedar saja. Kalau kita anggap sesuatu perbuatan yang tak baik itu perkara kecil, walaupun satu kebiasaan umum, kita akan terjerumus ke dalam dosa besar satu hari nanti mungkin dengan tak disedari. Jangan benarkan putik tak baik membesar dengan beristighfar dan jauhi dari perkara yang mendatangkan dosa itu.
Kalau kita menghadapi kesusahan, cepat2 beristighfar. Ada ulama' yang beristighfar 1000x atau lebih bila beliau tak faham dengan sesuatu perkara.
Istighfar juga membuka pintu rizq...ilmu adalah rizq yg sangat besar.
Membaca al Quran adalah sebaik2 dhikr. Jangan malas practice membaca di rumah setiap hari.
Banyak berselawat atas Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Banyak blessings yang kita akan dapat dari amalan ini
7. Sentiasa berdu'a pd Allah...minta pertolongan dari Allah
untuk memudahkn kita belajar dengan ihsaan, bagi kita kejayaan di dunia dan akhirat, jauhkn kita dari fitnah dan malapetaka, bagi kita kesihatan, jauhkan kita dari sikap malas, bagi kita guru2 dan teman2 yang soleh dan solehah dan yang bertaqwa tinggi, dan sebagainya.
Tiada satu perkara itu mudah tanpa pertolongan Allah dan tiada satu perkara itu susah dengan pertolongan Allah.
Allahu 'alam
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Manners With The Teacher
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
It is incumbent on the student of the Quran to respect and honor their teacher. In a hadith related by At-Tirmidhi, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said,
"He is not of us who does not respect our elderly, is not merciful to our youth, and does not know the rights of our those who teach us."
Our righteous predecessors used to greatly emphasize respect and kindness to their teachers. A famous saying from many of the righteous predecessors is: "I am a slave to he who taught me a letter." The student of knowledge should have awe for his/her teacher and should respect him. Rabee' bin Sulayman was the companion and student of the famous scholar, Ash-Shaafee'i and he [Sulayman] said, "By Allah, I was not so bold as to drink water when Ash-Shaafee'i was looking at me, out of awe of him." Ash-Shaafee'i himself showed great awe of scholars and he said of himself, "I would turn the pages very gently in front of Imaam Maalik, out of awe of him, so that he would not hear it."
The student of knowledge should not address his teacher by their first name, calling them, ya sheikh, or teacher, instead they should call them by saying, my sheikh, my teacher, or our sheikh, our teacher. The teachers shouldn't be called from a distance except in a compelled situation. The teachers should not be addressed with the ta' al-khataab (you singular). Allah, the Exalted in the Quran, pointed out the manners with those teaching us khair when He said in surah An-Noor aayah 63: ((Do not make the calling of the messenger among you as your calling one of another.)) It would not be proper to call your parents by their first names, and in the same respect teachers of good should not be addressed by their first names.
The following is advice that Amir Al-Mu'mineen Ali bin Abee Taalib, may Allah be pleased with him, gave: "From the rights of the learned over you is that you do not ask too many questions, you do not divulge his secrets, you do not backbite about him to anyone, you do not look for error in him, if he made a mistake you accept his excuse. It is incumbent upon you to respect and magnify him as long as he keeps Allah's orders; you should not sit in front of him; if he has a need the people should race to serve him." Related by Ibn Abdulbarr, with the addition that "You should not point to him [teacher] with your hands; you should not say, 'So and so said something different than what you said' ..."
May Allah make us the best of students and the best of teachers. May Allah purify our intentions and make all we do for Him alone. May Allah grant that we will be "ahlu-l-Quran" or the family of the Quran (those that read it, study and apply it) those who are Allah's people and special ones. Aameen.
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
It is incumbent on the student of the Quran to respect and honor their teacher. In a hadith related by At-Tirmidhi, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said,
"He is not of us who does not respect our elderly, is not merciful to our youth, and does not know the rights of our those who teach us."
Our righteous predecessors used to greatly emphasize respect and kindness to their teachers. A famous saying from many of the righteous predecessors is: "I am a slave to he who taught me a letter." The student of knowledge should have awe for his/her teacher and should respect him. Rabee' bin Sulayman was the companion and student of the famous scholar, Ash-Shaafee'i and he [Sulayman] said, "By Allah, I was not so bold as to drink water when Ash-Shaafee'i was looking at me, out of awe of him." Ash-Shaafee'i himself showed great awe of scholars and he said of himself, "I would turn the pages very gently in front of Imaam Maalik, out of awe of him, so that he would not hear it."
The student of knowledge should not address his teacher by their first name, calling them, ya sheikh, or teacher, instead they should call them by saying, my sheikh, my teacher, or our sheikh, our teacher. The teachers shouldn't be called from a distance except in a compelled situation. The teachers should not be addressed with the ta' al-khataab (you singular). Allah, the Exalted in the Quran, pointed out the manners with those teaching us khair when He said in surah An-Noor aayah 63: ((Do not make the calling of the messenger among you as your calling one of another.)) It would not be proper to call your parents by their first names, and in the same respect teachers of good should not be addressed by their first names.
The following is advice that Amir Al-Mu'mineen Ali bin Abee Taalib, may Allah be pleased with him, gave: "From the rights of the learned over you is that you do not ask too many questions, you do not divulge his secrets, you do not backbite about him to anyone, you do not look for error in him, if he made a mistake you accept his excuse. It is incumbent upon you to respect and magnify him as long as he keeps Allah's orders; you should not sit in front of him; if he has a need the people should race to serve him." Related by Ibn Abdulbarr, with the addition that "You should not point to him [teacher] with your hands; you should not say, 'So and so said something different than what you said' ..."
May Allah make us the best of students and the best of teachers. May Allah purify our intentions and make all we do for Him alone. May Allah grant that we will be "ahlu-l-Quran" or the family of the Quran (those that read it, study and apply it) those who are Allah's people and special ones. Aameen.
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
Manners With The Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Manners with the Quran
1. Seeking Refuge: Seeking refuge with Allah from the rejected Shaitan before reading the Quran, following Allah's saying:
And when you recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from the rejected Shaitan [An-Nahl 98].
The way to seek refuge is by saying: A'oothu billahi minash shaytaanir rajeem.
2. The Basmalah: Saying the basmalah at the beginning of every surah, except surah At-Tawbah, also known as Baraa'ah. The basmalah is not allowed before this surah.
3. Tahaarah: It is preferred that the Muslim be in the state of tahaarah or purity, especially when touching the Quran with his hands directly, as shown in the generality of the aayah:
"None touch it except the purified." [Al-Waqiah 79]
4. Pondering meaning: The Quran should be read with devoutness and reverence while pondering the meaning. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"Do they not ponder [reflect upon] the Quran?" [An-Nisaa' 82, Muhammad 24]
5. Repeating the verses: An assistance in pondering is repeating some aayaat and stopping on them to pay close attention to its meaning, just as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, when he stood repeating one aayah until morning: "You punish them for they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, for You are the All in Might, the All Wise. [Al-Ma'dah 118]
6. Reacting with Quran: If an aayah praising Allah is read, one should stop and praise Him, Glorified be He, by saying Subhaanalllah, or Tabaarak Allah, or other phrases of praise.
The evidence for this is a hadith related by Muslim, that Huthayfah bin Al-Yamaan, may Allah be pleased with him said, "I prayed with the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) that night and he started with Al-Baqarah and I said [to myself], 'He will make rukoo' [bow] at 100 aayah', but then he continued. I said [to myself], 'He will pray with it [Al-Baqarah] for one rak'ah', but he continued. He then started An-Nisaa' and read it [all], and I said, 'He will make rukoo' with it [when he finishes]. Then he started AleImran and he read it slowly; and when he passed an aayah that has glorification in it, he glorified, and if he passed [one having] a question, he asked, and if he passed [one] seeking refuge, he sought.
7. Recite with Tarteel: It is incumbent upon us that we recite the Quran with tarteel, meaning reciting slowly with tajweed, proper articulation points, and proper stops and starts. Allah says,
"And recite the Quran with measured recitation [tarteel]. [Al-Muzzammil 4].
The scholars state that tarteel is preferred for pondering because it has the strongest affect on the heart. Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'That I read a surah with tarteel is more loved to me than reading the complete Quran.'
The reciter of the Quran should take caution against reading too quickly or making his goal completing a khatm [reading the complete Quran from the beginning to the end] quickly, or finishing a surah quickly without pondering the meaning and without being affected by its lessons.
8. Respect Quran: It is of the utmost importance that there is respect of the Quran by all readers of the Quran. Talk should be avoided while reciting the Quran, as well as laughter and playing around. Allah, the Exalted, says,
"So when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and pay attention so that you may receive mercy. [Al-'Araf 204].
Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, would not talk until he finished what he intended to read from the Quran.
In conclusion: All Muslim males and females should want Allah's reward in reciting the Quran. We should feel the meaning of purity of intention, and take care to get the great reward when we recite every glorious aayah. With every letter we recite we get a good deed [recorded], and each good deed is as ten times of it likeness, up to 700 times.
The effect of the Quran should show itself on us in our speech, our actions, and our manners, exemplified in what bin Mas'ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'It is desired that the reciter of the Quran know his nights [getting up for recitation at night] when people are sleeping; and his days when people are awake, and by his crying when people laugh; and by his silence when people are in vain discourse.'
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
Manners with the Quran
1. Seeking Refuge: Seeking refuge with Allah from the rejected Shaitan before reading the Quran, following Allah's saying:
And when you recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from the rejected Shaitan [An-Nahl 98].
The way to seek refuge is by saying: A'oothu billahi minash shaytaanir rajeem.
2. The Basmalah: Saying the basmalah at the beginning of every surah, except surah At-Tawbah, also known as Baraa'ah. The basmalah is not allowed before this surah.
3. Tahaarah: It is preferred that the Muslim be in the state of tahaarah or purity, especially when touching the Quran with his hands directly, as shown in the generality of the aayah:
"None touch it except the purified." [Al-Waqiah 79]
4. Pondering meaning: The Quran should be read with devoutness and reverence while pondering the meaning. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"Do they not ponder [reflect upon] the Quran?" [An-Nisaa' 82, Muhammad 24]
5. Repeating the verses: An assistance in pondering is repeating some aayaat and stopping on them to pay close attention to its meaning, just as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, when he stood repeating one aayah until morning: "You punish them for they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, for You are the All in Might, the All Wise. [Al-Ma'dah 118]
6. Reacting with Quran: If an aayah praising Allah is read, one should stop and praise Him, Glorified be He, by saying Subhaanalllah, or Tabaarak Allah, or other phrases of praise.
The evidence for this is a hadith related by Muslim, that Huthayfah bin Al-Yamaan, may Allah be pleased with him said, "I prayed with the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) that night and he started with Al-Baqarah and I said [to myself], 'He will make rukoo' [bow] at 100 aayah', but then he continued. I said [to myself], 'He will pray with it [Al-Baqarah] for one rak'ah', but he continued. He then started An-Nisaa' and read it [all], and I said, 'He will make rukoo' with it [when he finishes]. Then he started AleImran and he read it slowly; and when he passed an aayah that has glorification in it, he glorified, and if he passed [one having] a question, he asked, and if he passed [one] seeking refuge, he sought.
7. Recite with Tarteel: It is incumbent upon us that we recite the Quran with tarteel, meaning reciting slowly with tajweed, proper articulation points, and proper stops and starts. Allah says,
"And recite the Quran with measured recitation [tarteel]. [Al-Muzzammil 4].
The scholars state that tarteel is preferred for pondering because it has the strongest affect on the heart. Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'That I read a surah with tarteel is more loved to me than reading the complete Quran.'
The reciter of the Quran should take caution against reading too quickly or making his goal completing a khatm [reading the complete Quran from the beginning to the end] quickly, or finishing a surah quickly without pondering the meaning and without being affected by its lessons.
8. Respect Quran: It is of the utmost importance that there is respect of the Quran by all readers of the Quran. Talk should be avoided while reciting the Quran, as well as laughter and playing around. Allah, the Exalted, says,
"So when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and pay attention so that you may receive mercy. [Al-'Araf 204].
Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, would not talk until he finished what he intended to read from the Quran.
In conclusion: All Muslim males and females should want Allah's reward in reciting the Quran. We should feel the meaning of purity of intention, and take care to get the great reward when we recite every glorious aayah. With every letter we recite we get a good deed [recorded], and each good deed is as ten times of it likeness, up to 700 times.
The effect of the Quran should show itself on us in our speech, our actions, and our manners, exemplified in what bin Mas'ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, 'It is desired that the reciter of the Quran know his nights [getting up for recitation at night] when people are sleeping; and his days when people are awake, and by his crying when people laugh; and by his silence when people are in vain discourse.'
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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