بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most
Be careful with your tongue. The harms that can come from the tongue can destroy friendships, marriages, communities, nations and even a person’s Islam.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe, and the believer is the one from whom the people's lives and wealth are safe." [An-Nasa'i]
The tongue is in a wet place and it can easily slip. If you are not careful walking on a wet floor, you will slip and fall, and it may be hard to regain your posture but eventually you can stand back up, but if your tongue slipped, it could plunge you into the Hellfire. You must use your tongue with extreme caution.
May Allah protect us from bad speech and make our tongues moist with His remembrance. 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, February 28, 2019
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Don't Be Hung Up With Failures and Successes
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
When we race towards and struggle in Allah's cause, we are going to be hit with problems and they can take away our motivation. This world has two things--on one hand is tempation and distractions, and on the other side is problems. So Allah tells us that whatever problems (musibah) happened was on the dot from Allah, that it is exactly the problems we were supposed to have.
The problems that come our way in the struggle for Islam, whether it happened deep inside our selves or any where in the world, Allah attributes them as some sort of relief--maybe relief from the mistakes we have made in our cause. So Allah hits us with that problem and we struggle through that problems. And that struggle becomes an expiation for our mistakes and the flaws that we have in our struggle.
Those challenges that we faced, perhaps are means by which our ranks are raised even higher because we had more potential. And your poitential won't come out until you test yourself to the limit. So Allah will give them even more problems so you can overcome them and your ranks are raised. Allah does this so to develop a strong personality in you so that you stop becoming sad over the things you lose.
When you really struggle for Allah you stop worrying about your project because the project is not Islam but a means to serve Islam. When that project failed or stopped, your Islam does not stop. You will turn to Allah and say, "Ya Allah, that project is gone but I am still here and my firy heart to serve You is still there." So you stop worrying about your losses because your loyalty is not to a project but to Islam. The projects of the Companions were Badr, Uhud, Ahzab, and when they were losing 70 shuhada (martyrs) at Uhud, Allah essentially told them don't worry about it.
The flipside is true too--just because you gain success, that does not mean you are successful with Allah. You are still in the heart of the struggle. You don't be hung up with failures and successes.
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ يَسِيرٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ ﴿٢٣﴾ الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ ۗ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ ﴿٢٤﴾
No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allah, is easy - (22) In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful - (23) [Those] who are stingy and enjoin upon people stinginess. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy. (24)[Quran, Al-Hadid 57:22-24]
May Allah help us in our struggle for Islam. 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
When we race towards and struggle in Allah's cause, we are going to be hit with problems and they can take away our motivation. This world has two things--on one hand is tempation and distractions, and on the other side is problems. So Allah tells us that whatever problems (musibah) happened was on the dot from Allah, that it is exactly the problems we were supposed to have.
The problems that come our way in the struggle for Islam, whether it happened deep inside our selves or any where in the world, Allah attributes them as some sort of relief--maybe relief from the mistakes we have made in our cause. So Allah hits us with that problem and we struggle through that problems. And that struggle becomes an expiation for our mistakes and the flaws that we have in our struggle.
Those challenges that we faced, perhaps are means by which our ranks are raised even higher because we had more potential. And your poitential won't come out until you test yourself to the limit. So Allah will give them even more problems so you can overcome them and your ranks are raised. Allah does this so to develop a strong personality in you so that you stop becoming sad over the things you lose.
When you really struggle for Allah you stop worrying about your project because the project is not Islam but a means to serve Islam. When that project failed or stopped, your Islam does not stop. You will turn to Allah and say, "Ya Allah, that project is gone but I am still here and my firy heart to serve You is still there." So you stop worrying about your losses because your loyalty is not to a project but to Islam. The projects of the Companions were Badr, Uhud, Ahzab, and when they were losing 70 shuhada (martyrs) at Uhud, Allah essentially told them don't worry about it.
The flipside is true too--just because you gain success, that does not mean you are successful with Allah. You are still in the heart of the struggle. You don't be hung up with failures and successes.
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ يَسِيرٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ ﴿٢٣﴾ الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ ۗ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ ﴿٢٤﴾
No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allah, is easy - (22) In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful - (23) [Those] who are stingy and enjoin upon people stinginess. And whoever turns away - then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy. (24)[Quran, Al-Hadid 57:22-24]
May Allah help us in our struggle for Islam. 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, February 23, 2019
Remedying Weakness Of Iman (Faith)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Why are you on this earth? Having a a good job and taking care of your family is not bad but if that's what your life amounts to, then you have to rethink. Are we living to work or are we working to serve Allah? There are people who live to work and when they lost their jobs, they lost their lives.
As Muslims, we believe in Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam. It's the conclusion that we have reached and we have declared it openly and accepted it internally. This is one level of iman (Faith). Another dimension of iman is the one that goes up and goes down. You will be in prayer one day and you feel the iman and it will take over your soul and you don't want it to stop, but you can't find this feeling another day. There is a quantitative iman and there is a qualitative iman.
Surah Al-Hadid deals with the weakness of iman. The first remedy Allah offers us is to recognize the closeness of Allah and the grandeur of Allah, that He is close to you and He is watching everything you are doing. The second major remedy that is being offered in the Surah is spending--being motivated to serve Allah and spending for Him, not just your money but your time. Time is probably the most important thing you can give to Allah. The most valuable asset you have is time. You and I have very little time on this earth. If you spend that for Allah, you have spent what He left you with. Allah promised a great reward for those who spent for Him.
مِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَأَنفِقُوا مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ ۖ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَأَنفَقُوا لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ ﴿٧﴾ وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ ۙ وَالرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ وَقَدْ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨
Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there will be a great reward. (7) And why do you not believe in Allah while the Messenger invites you to believe in your Lord and He has taken your covenant, if you should [truly] be believers? (8) [Quran, Al-Hadid 57:7-8]
Allah tells us people who were spending for Islam when there is no hope in sight, those people will not be ranked the same as those people who spend at their convenience. When we look at the state of our ummah, we are at a very low place right now especially as far our iman is concerned. If we are in this state, we are sitting on a golden opportunity. If now we put ourselves to work to fix and pick ourselves up we will be ranked in a higher place than those who will come later and spend when victory and the challenges have been met.
وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَلِلَّـهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا مِن بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا ۚ وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١٠
And why do you not spend in the cause of Allah while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allah has promised the best [reward]. And Allah, with what you do, is Acquainted. (10) [Quran, Al-Hadid 57:10]
May Allah grant us tawfiq and make us of those who worked and spent for Him and Islam. 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
Why are you on this earth? Having a a good job and taking care of your family is not bad but if that's what your life amounts to, then you have to rethink. Are we living to work or are we working to serve Allah? There are people who live to work and when they lost their jobs, they lost their lives.
As Muslims, we believe in Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam. It's the conclusion that we have reached and we have declared it openly and accepted it internally. This is one level of iman (Faith). Another dimension of iman is the one that goes up and goes down. You will be in prayer one day and you feel the iman and it will take over your soul and you don't want it to stop, but you can't find this feeling another day. There is a quantitative iman and there is a qualitative iman.
Surah Al-Hadid deals with the weakness of iman. The first remedy Allah offers us is to recognize the closeness of Allah and the grandeur of Allah, that He is close to you and He is watching everything you are doing. The second major remedy that is being offered in the Surah is spending--being motivated to serve Allah and spending for Him, not just your money but your time. Time is probably the most important thing you can give to Allah. The most valuable asset you have is time. You and I have very little time on this earth. If you spend that for Allah, you have spent what He left you with. Allah promised a great reward for those who spent for Him.
مِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَأَنفِقُوا مِمَّا جَعَلَكُم مُّسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ ۖ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَأَنفَقُوا لَهُمْ أَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ ﴿٧﴾ وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ ۙ وَالرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ وَقَدْ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨
Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there will be a great reward. (7) And why do you not believe in Allah while the Messenger invites you to believe in your Lord and He has taken your covenant, if you should [truly] be believers? (8) [Quran, Al-Hadid 57:7-8]
Allah tells us people who were spending for Islam when there is no hope in sight, those people will not be ranked the same as those people who spend at their convenience. When we look at the state of our ummah, we are at a very low place right now especially as far our iman is concerned. If we are in this state, we are sitting on a golden opportunity. If now we put ourselves to work to fix and pick ourselves up we will be ranked in a higher place than those who will come later and spend when victory and the challenges have been met.
وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَلِلَّـهِ مِيرَاثُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا مِن بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا ۚ وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ ﴿١٠
And why do you not spend in the cause of Allah while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allah has promised the best [reward]. And Allah, with what you do, is Acquainted. (10) [Quran, Al-Hadid 57:10]
May Allah grant us tawfiq and make us of those who worked and spent for Him and Islam. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Benefiting From The Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم In the
Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
There are two kinds of requirements for benefiting from the Quran.
First, is the academic which is anything you need to study like learning the Arabic language, understanding tafsir, understanding the linguistic analysis and traditons. Second and more important than the academic requirements, are certain psychological (or spiritual or the attitude requirements) for beneift from the Quran -- those are the harder ones. As a matter of fact someone who is intelligent can learn Arabic, tafsir, even memorize the Quran in no time, and understand and know a lot about Allah's Book in very little time. But the pshological requirements in really benefiting from the Quran is a lifelong struggle. They are something you can meet at some point in your life and you can lose at a later point in your life. They are not something you get to keep but they are something you have to fight to keep it. More than anything, you have to fight yourself to maintain those requirements. You maybe a knowledgeable person, scholar, a Quran teacher, a Quran memorizer, a niqabi or hijabi, etc, but you still have to struggle everyday to meet those psychological requirements. It's not like the prerequisites in college, that when you meet it once, you don't have to do anything more.
The first of those requirements is reminding yourself every single time...Why am I learning this; Why am I learning Arabic; Why am I reading the Quran; Why am I memorizing this ayat; What is the point of all of these? The cliche answer is, "so I can have guidance". The Quran is guidance but so often we don't understand what that term really means. What that means is on a given day you will be presented with choices--should I stay in bed or should I wake up; should I earn my money this way or should I find another job; should I look there or should I look down; should I talk back or should I stay quiet; should I pursue this friend or should I leave this friend; should I respond back to the text messages or should I ignore them?.
When we ask Allah for guidance, we are asking Allah for the strength to make the right choices. When you are ready and strong enough to make the right choices, you will change yourself. You don't wait till you are ready or wait ntil you have become a better person. There is not ever a day in your life that you will look in the mirror and say, "I am a better person today." That would mean you are self righteous and self righteous people are the worst kind of people. You and I will never be good enough to obey Allah, but you still have to do it (obey Allah). If you are convinced about something, learning Quran, putting hijab, etc, you have to do. You cannot put it off.
If you accept this Book as guidance, that necessarily means you have to change the way you make your choices. You don't think twice about it. Don't listen to the waswasa (whispers) of shaytan that comes into your head, "It's not a big deal!" "Why so hard on yourself!" "You have done enough!" Shaytan would say such things enough times that he will leave you on auto pilot and now you can tell yourself that. He is not doing waswasa to you anymore. That's why we have to recite the Quran and reflect on the Quran regularly in order to fight those temptations, those inclinations, the voices inside us that lead us to failure. This is going to happen to all of us. It doesn't matter if you are a student, a teacher, an expert, a novice, your age, the length of hijab, the color of your hijab, the size of your beard doesn't matter. Shaytan is not going to spare any of us.
Allah offers His protection against the shaytan. If you are going to recite Quran, seek Allah's refuge from shaytan. Otherwise shaytan will distract you and you won't get the benefit you need from the Quran. One of the reasons that you should recite the Quran is to get protection against shaytan. This is why Allah gives us His Book. The actual relationship we have with the Quran happens when we pray and it happens at least five times a day. If somebody's solat is good their Quran is good. If a person is not engaging with the Quran in solat, then his relationship with the Quran is entirely academic exercise and an artificial exercise.
Real Quran happens in solat. Everything you learn about His Book, whether it's tajweed, it's language, it's tafsir or memorize the ayat, all of it boils down to you will have a better solat. If not, all the study is in vain because solat is officially the time when you stop talking to everyone else and you start talking to Allah, in words that He taught you.
May Allah grant us closeness to Him, the strength to make the right choices, the companionship with the His Book, and make our solat better today than yesterday. 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
Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
There are two kinds of requirements for benefiting from the Quran.
First, is the academic which is anything you need to study like learning the Arabic language, understanding tafsir, understanding the linguistic analysis and traditons. Second and more important than the academic requirements, are certain psychological (or spiritual or the attitude requirements) for beneift from the Quran -- those are the harder ones. As a matter of fact someone who is intelligent can learn Arabic, tafsir, even memorize the Quran in no time, and understand and know a lot about Allah's Book in very little time. But the pshological requirements in really benefiting from the Quran is a lifelong struggle. They are something you can meet at some point in your life and you can lose at a later point in your life. They are not something you get to keep but they are something you have to fight to keep it. More than anything, you have to fight yourself to maintain those requirements. You maybe a knowledgeable person, scholar, a Quran teacher, a Quran memorizer, a niqabi or hijabi, etc, but you still have to struggle everyday to meet those psychological requirements. It's not like the prerequisites in college, that when you meet it once, you don't have to do anything more.
The first of those requirements is reminding yourself every single time...Why am I learning this; Why am I learning Arabic; Why am I reading the Quran; Why am I memorizing this ayat; What is the point of all of these? The cliche answer is, "so I can have guidance". The Quran is guidance but so often we don't understand what that term really means. What that means is on a given day you will be presented with choices--should I stay in bed or should I wake up; should I earn my money this way or should I find another job; should I look there or should I look down; should I talk back or should I stay quiet; should I pursue this friend or should I leave this friend; should I respond back to the text messages or should I ignore them?.
When we ask Allah for guidance, we are asking Allah for the strength to make the right choices. When you are ready and strong enough to make the right choices, you will change yourself. You don't wait till you are ready or wait ntil you have become a better person. There is not ever a day in your life that you will look in the mirror and say, "I am a better person today." That would mean you are self righteous and self righteous people are the worst kind of people. You and I will never be good enough to obey Allah, but you still have to do it (obey Allah). If you are convinced about something, learning Quran, putting hijab, etc, you have to do. You cannot put it off.
If you accept this Book as guidance, that necessarily means you have to change the way you make your choices. You don't think twice about it. Don't listen to the waswasa (whispers) of shaytan that comes into your head, "It's not a big deal!" "Why so hard on yourself!" "You have done enough!" Shaytan would say such things enough times that he will leave you on auto pilot and now you can tell yourself that. He is not doing waswasa to you anymore. That's why we have to recite the Quran and reflect on the Quran regularly in order to fight those temptations, those inclinations, the voices inside us that lead us to failure. This is going to happen to all of us. It doesn't matter if you are a student, a teacher, an expert, a novice, your age, the length of hijab, the color of your hijab, the size of your beard doesn't matter. Shaytan is not going to spare any of us.
Allah offers His protection against the shaytan. If you are going to recite Quran, seek Allah's refuge from shaytan. Otherwise shaytan will distract you and you won't get the benefit you need from the Quran. One of the reasons that you should recite the Quran is to get protection against shaytan. This is why Allah gives us His Book. The actual relationship we have with the Quran happens when we pray and it happens at least five times a day. If somebody's solat is good their Quran is good. If a person is not engaging with the Quran in solat, then his relationship with the Quran is entirely academic exercise and an artificial exercise.
Real Quran happens in solat. Everything you learn about His Book, whether it's tajweed, it's language, it's tafsir or memorize the ayat, all of it boils down to you will have a better solat. If not, all the study is in vain because solat is officially the time when you stop talking to everyone else and you start talking to Allah, in words that He taught you.
May Allah grant us closeness to Him, the strength to make the right choices, the companionship with the His Book, and make our solat better today than yesterday. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Read The Quran Everyday
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The first word from angel Jibril alayhissalaam to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the first statement that he conveyed to people was "iqra'". What does that mean? It means, "Read/Recite." It means you have to read/recite the Quran.
The proper way to recite the Quran is explained in a science known as “tajweed” (the rules of recitation). It is mandatory for a person to read the Quran with tajweed because if one recites the words incorrectly, it could lead to changing the meaning.
How can you recite the Quran with tajweed?
-- Learn from a qualified teacher. You cannot do this alone as someone has to be there to spot your mistakes.
-- Practice, practice, practice and after that, practice some more, DAILY
Also, you should listen to recitation of the verses over and over again. We recommended listen to Shaykh Husary (may Allah have mercy on him)
An important point regarding reciting the Quran is that many people do not recite the Quran daily and they do not recite it in order. One is supposed to recite the Quran from Al-Fatihah, then move on to Al-Baqarah and so on until one reaches Surah An-Naas (the last Surah). After that, one returns to Al-Fatihah and starts all over again. That was what the Companions of the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam did. Some of them recited the whole Quran in a month, others completed it in a week and still others finished it in three days. Yes, that may sound impossible but it’s not, even with your busy schedule. Try do it in the early morning--wake up an hour earlier and the blessing of the morning hours and the sincere intention will get you through a juz or two of the Quran daily inshaa Allah.
Apart from reciting the Quran in order, you should recite some of it even if you can only manage to recite a few verses. Don’t sleep without doing that, no matter how tired you are.
Just think about this: What if you were in bed and you realized that the gas stove was switched on or that you had left your car keys in your car (some people do that!)? Would you still go to sleep? No! You’d jump out of bed and solve the problem. So, if you’re in bed and you realize that you haven’t recited your daily portion of the Qur'an, then get up and do it. This way, you’ll make sure that it becomes a habit. Remember to recite with tajweed. The whole point of learning how to recite properly is to recite properly.
ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾ خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾ ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٣﴾ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾ عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿٥﴾ ٤
Recite in the name of your Lord who created - (1) Created man from a clinging substance. (2) Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous - (3) Who taught by the pen - (4) Taught man that which he knew not. (5) [Quran, Al 'Alaq 96:1-5]
May Allah help us recite His Book regularly. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The first word from angel Jibril alayhissalaam to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the first statement that he conveyed to people was "iqra'". What does that mean? It means, "Read/Recite." It means you have to read/recite the Quran.
The proper way to recite the Quran is explained in a science known as “tajweed” (the rules of recitation). It is mandatory for a person to read the Quran with tajweed because if one recites the words incorrectly, it could lead to changing the meaning.
How can you recite the Quran with tajweed?
-- Learn from a qualified teacher. You cannot do this alone as someone has to be there to spot your mistakes.
-- Practice, practice, practice and after that, practice some more, DAILY
Also, you should listen to recitation of the verses over and over again. We recommended listen to Shaykh Husary (may Allah have mercy on him)
An important point regarding reciting the Quran is that many people do not recite the Quran daily and they do not recite it in order. One is supposed to recite the Quran from Al-Fatihah, then move on to Al-Baqarah and so on until one reaches Surah An-Naas (the last Surah). After that, one returns to Al-Fatihah and starts all over again. That was what the Companions of the Prophet salallahu alaihi wasallam did. Some of them recited the whole Quran in a month, others completed it in a week and still others finished it in three days. Yes, that may sound impossible but it’s not, even with your busy schedule. Try do it in the early morning--wake up an hour earlier and the blessing of the morning hours and the sincere intention will get you through a juz or two of the Quran daily inshaa Allah.
Apart from reciting the Quran in order, you should recite some of it even if you can only manage to recite a few verses. Don’t sleep without doing that, no matter how tired you are.
Just think about this: What if you were in bed and you realized that the gas stove was switched on or that you had left your car keys in your car (some people do that!)? Would you still go to sleep? No! You’d jump out of bed and solve the problem. So, if you’re in bed and you realize that you haven’t recited your daily portion of the Qur'an, then get up and do it. This way, you’ll make sure that it becomes a habit. Remember to recite with tajweed. The whole point of learning how to recite properly is to recite properly.
ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ﴿١﴾ خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ ﴿٢﴾ ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ ﴿٣﴾ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ ﴿٤﴾ عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴿٥﴾ ٤
Recite in the name of your Lord who created - (1) Created man from a clinging substance. (2) Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous - (3) Who taught by the pen - (4) Taught man that which he knew not. (5) [Quran, Al 'Alaq 96:1-5]
May Allah help us recite His Book regularly. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Monday, February 11, 2019
The Reality of the Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
“The Quran has meanings like the waves of the ocean unceasing.” [Imam Sharifudin al Busiri]
Very often we do not reflect on the realities of things that are around us. So we failed to appreciate of what it truly is. In order to understand something we need to know its definition. So, what is the Quran?
The Quran is defined as the speech of Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Allah blessed him and grant him peace) through the angel Jibril (alayhissalaam). This text is inimitable in content, style and teaching. It was sent as guidance to all of creation and is recited by tongues and written in texts. Its order is revealed from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
The Quran indicates what Allah’s attribute of Speech indicates. That's why we say the Quran is "Kalamullah", the Speech of Allah. We don’t say the text is the Speech of Allah. What is significant about this? Reflect on it.
Some of us, if not most of us, when we open the Quran, we don't think of anything. We just read it and we are done. If you are conscious, you have in your mind that you are reading for the sake of Allah, and you are getting some reward. If you are little more conscious, you try to understand some meanings of what you are reading.
When you are reciting the Quran, it is what you are doing but in reality what is happening is something tremendous because when you are reciting the Quran, it is Allah Who is addressing you. This is the tremendousness of the Quran. This is why we should reflect on things.
When you open the Book of Allah, you are entering into the Divine Presence. When you begin reciting what is significant is not this action of yours (of reciting) but rather the reality of what is taking place, which is, you are being addressed by Allah, an address of the Lord to His servant, an address of the Creator to His creation, an address of the beloved to His lover ("those who believe are more intense in love for Allah.")
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّـهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّـهِ ۗ وَلَوْ يَرَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا إِذْ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ أَنَّ الْقُوَّةَ لِلَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ شَدِيدُ الْعَذَابِ ﴿١٦٥
And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are more intense in love for Allah. And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment. (165)
[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:165]
When you realize Allah is addressing you, you will have a different attitude. You will be attentive, you will have a sense of awe, you will observe proper manners, you will try to understand the address, you will not try to simply finish reading the Quran. And if you reflect on this and try to make yourself conscious of it, you will understand the tremendousness of the virtues that are mentioned of the Quran. The virtues that are beyond our imagination.
The Quran describes itself in a number of ways. Allah describes Quran as a healing, cure, light, life giving water that gives life to the earth that is dead. Quran is absolute guidance for those mindful.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told us about the virtues of the Quran. He told us, "The best of you are those who learn and teach the Quran." This learning and teaching relates to various levels. Recitation and also conveying it to others. Also to learn its meaning so one can act upon it. Thus, you seek personal and collective benefit from the Quran.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also told us that the people of Quran are the people of Allah and the most chosen. This inscription is one of honor.
Allah says in Surah al Hujurat that the most honored are those who are pious. How do you become pious? By holding fast to the Quran.
The people of Quran are those that have a true connection with the Quran. Take the Quran as the rope of Allah that they hold fast to and take the straight path. They are the people who recite Quran day and night and act upon it. They have the proper inward and outward manners with the Quran.
May Allah make us of the people of Quran and the most chosen. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
“The Quran has meanings like the waves of the ocean unceasing.” [Imam Sharifudin al Busiri]
Very often we do not reflect on the realities of things that are around us. So we failed to appreciate of what it truly is. In order to understand something we need to know its definition. So, what is the Quran?
The Quran is defined as the speech of Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Allah blessed him and grant him peace) through the angel Jibril (alayhissalaam). This text is inimitable in content, style and teaching. It was sent as guidance to all of creation and is recited by tongues and written in texts. Its order is revealed from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
The Quran indicates what Allah’s attribute of Speech indicates. That's why we say the Quran is "Kalamullah", the Speech of Allah. We don’t say the text is the Speech of Allah. What is significant about this? Reflect on it.
Some of us, if not most of us, when we open the Quran, we don't think of anything. We just read it and we are done. If you are conscious, you have in your mind that you are reading for the sake of Allah, and you are getting some reward. If you are little more conscious, you try to understand some meanings of what you are reading.
When you are reciting the Quran, it is what you are doing but in reality what is happening is something tremendous because when you are reciting the Quran, it is Allah Who is addressing you. This is the tremendousness of the Quran. This is why we should reflect on things.
When you open the Book of Allah, you are entering into the Divine Presence. When you begin reciting what is significant is not this action of yours (of reciting) but rather the reality of what is taking place, which is, you are being addressed by Allah, an address of the Lord to His servant, an address of the Creator to His creation, an address of the beloved to His lover ("those who believe are more intense in love for Allah.")
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللَّـهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّـهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّـهِ ۗ وَلَوْ يَرَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا إِذْ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ أَنَّ الْقُوَّةَ لِلَّـهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ اللَّـهَ شَدِيدُ الْعَذَابِ ﴿١٦٥
And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are more intense in love for Allah. And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment. (165)
[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:165]
When you realize Allah is addressing you, you will have a different attitude. You will be attentive, you will have a sense of awe, you will observe proper manners, you will try to understand the address, you will not try to simply finish reading the Quran. And if you reflect on this and try to make yourself conscious of it, you will understand the tremendousness of the virtues that are mentioned of the Quran. The virtues that are beyond our imagination.
The Quran describes itself in a number of ways. Allah describes Quran as a healing, cure, light, life giving water that gives life to the earth that is dead. Quran is absolute guidance for those mindful.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told us about the virtues of the Quran. He told us, "The best of you are those who learn and teach the Quran." This learning and teaching relates to various levels. Recitation and also conveying it to others. Also to learn its meaning so one can act upon it. Thus, you seek personal and collective benefit from the Quran.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also told us that the people of Quran are the people of Allah and the most chosen. This inscription is one of honor.
Allah says in Surah al Hujurat that the most honored are those who are pious. How do you become pious? By holding fast to the Quran.
The people of Quran are those that have a true connection with the Quran. Take the Quran as the rope of Allah that they hold fast to and take the straight path. They are the people who recite Quran day and night and act upon it. They have the proper inward and outward manners with the Quran.
May Allah make us of the people of Quran and the most chosen. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Make Learning Arabic Your Top Priority
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says,
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴿٥٦
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me (Alone).[Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]
In this ayah, Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) has clearly defined the purpose of our creation – our purpose in this life, and outlined the means which shall assist us upon this path in the Quran and the authentic Sunnah – both of which originate in the Arabic language.
It is not possible to understand the Quran and the Sunnah except by means of the Arabic language.
Allah Most High says,
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٢
Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand. [Quran, Yusuf 12:2]
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٣
Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand. [Quran, Al-Zukhruf 43:3]
And Allah repeatedly says in Surah Al-Qamar,
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿١٧
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿٢٢
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿٣٢
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿٤٠
And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember? [Quran, Al Qamar 54:17,22,32,40]
Considering this simple, yet essential fact, should provide us sufficient incentive to allocate time from our busy lives to learning Arabic, which will subsequently open the doors to acquiring greater knowledge of this blessed religion of ours.
And what greater means to seeking knowledge can there be than to humble ourselves and learn Arabic and do so in order to worship our Lord upon sound knowledge, as Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says,
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" [Quran, Az-Zumar 39:9]
Make learning Arabic a top priority. As we pursue this noble path, let us recall the words of the Messenger of Alaah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who said in this regard:
"Whoever treads a path in seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him the path to Paradise." [Sahih Muslim]
…the ultimate reward!
Remember, the Quran is not an ordinary book, it is the pure word of Allah and it must be as unique, eloquent and different as it is. The poetic depth of Arabic offers to the words of Allah the eloquence which would not be possible in any other language.
Reading the Quran and reciting the Quran in Arabic are promised to be rewarded with countless blessings. But we should read it correctly. How could we guarantee that we are reading it correctly if we don't know Arabic and learn how to read it properly?
One of the common mistakes people (who don't know Arabic) make while reading the Quran is changing the signs of letters. This may mean changing the status of nouns, for example, from doer to done-to, which is a big mistake.
For example, in Surah Fatir, Allah says,
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱلدَّوَآبِّ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ كَذَٰلِكَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْعُلَمَـٰٓؤُا۟ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ ﴿٢٨
And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving. [Quran, Fatir 35:28]
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْعُلَمَـٰٓؤُا۟
The word Allah ٱللَّهَ has a sign 'fatha' on the last letter of the word, which indicates a "done-to" noun
The word al-ulama' (knowledgeable people or schiolars) has a sign 'dhamma' on the last letter of the word, which indicates a "doer" noun.
If you switch the signs here, you have changed the meaning.
So, don't delay learning Arabic. Don't take this task lightly. Make it your top priority.
May Allah make learning Arabic and Quran easy for us and grant us undertsanding of His Book. 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
Recource to learn Arabic for FREE at home http://www.lqtoronto.com/downloads.html
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says,
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴿٥٦
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me (Alone).[Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:56]
In this ayah, Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) has clearly defined the purpose of our creation – our purpose in this life, and outlined the means which shall assist us upon this path in the Quran and the authentic Sunnah – both of which originate in the Arabic language.
It is not possible to understand the Quran and the Sunnah except by means of the Arabic language.
Allah Most High says,
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٢
Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand. [Quran, Yusuf 12:2]
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَـٰهُ قُرْءَٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٣
Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand. [Quran, Al-Zukhruf 43:3]
And Allah repeatedly says in Surah Al-Qamar,
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿١٧
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿٢٢
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿٣٢
وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ ﴿٤٠
And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember? [Quran, Al Qamar 54:17,22,32,40]
Considering this simple, yet essential fact, should provide us sufficient incentive to allocate time from our busy lives to learning Arabic, which will subsequently open the doors to acquiring greater knowledge of this blessed religion of ours.
And what greater means to seeking knowledge can there be than to humble ourselves and learn Arabic and do so in order to worship our Lord upon sound knowledge, as Allah (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) says,
قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" [Quran, Az-Zumar 39:9]
Make learning Arabic a top priority. As we pursue this noble path, let us recall the words of the Messenger of Alaah (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who said in this regard:
"Whoever treads a path in seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him the path to Paradise." [Sahih Muslim]
…the ultimate reward!
Remember, the Quran is not an ordinary book, it is the pure word of Allah and it must be as unique, eloquent and different as it is. The poetic depth of Arabic offers to the words of Allah the eloquence which would not be possible in any other language.
Reading the Quran and reciting the Quran in Arabic are promised to be rewarded with countless blessings. But we should read it correctly. How could we guarantee that we are reading it correctly if we don't know Arabic and learn how to read it properly?
One of the common mistakes people (who don't know Arabic) make while reading the Quran is changing the signs of letters. This may mean changing the status of nouns, for example, from doer to done-to, which is a big mistake.
For example, in Surah Fatir, Allah says,
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَٱلدَّوَآبِّ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَٰنُهُۥ كَذَٰلِكَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْعُلَمَـٰٓؤُا۟ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ ﴿٢٨
And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Forgiving. [Quran, Fatir 35:28]
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى ٱللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ ٱلْعُلَمَـٰٓؤُا۟
The word Allah ٱللَّهَ has a sign 'fatha' on the last letter of the word, which indicates a "done-to" noun
The word al-ulama' (knowledgeable people or schiolars) has a sign 'dhamma' on the last letter of the word, which indicates a "doer" noun.
If you switch the signs here, you have changed the meaning.
So, don't delay learning Arabic. Don't take this task lightly. Make it your top priority.
May Allah make learning Arabic and Quran easy for us and grant us undertsanding of His Book. 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
Recource to learn Arabic for FREE at home http://www.lqtoronto.com/downloads.html
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Don't Reject God's Greatest Favor
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah Most High says in the beginning of the second chapter of the Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, that the Quran is a guidance.
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)
For who? For those conscious of Allah.
Being able to read the Quran and reading it well, is one of the greatest blessings from Allah. Consistently and persistently reading it every day with the intention to please Allah and draw close to Him, Allah will open the door for us to understand it and practice the Quran.
Many people don't read or don't know how to read Quran while the Quran is sent down so that we can connect with Him and remember Him all the time. In the remembrance of God, the heart is calm.
ٱلذين ءامنوا وتطمئن قلوبهم بذكر ٱلله ألا بذكر ٱلله تطمئن ٱلقلوب )28
Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured. [Quran, Ar-Ra'd 13:28]
May Allah bless us with His merciful guidance to His straight path, and bless us with nearness to Him, wholesome hearts, grateful tongues, and obedient bodies. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Allah Most High says in the beginning of the second chapter of the Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, that the Quran is a guidance.
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)
For who? For those conscious of Allah.
Being able to read the Quran and reading it well, is one of the greatest blessings from Allah. Consistently and persistently reading it every day with the intention to please Allah and draw close to Him, Allah will open the door for us to understand it and practice the Quran.
Many people don't read or don't know how to read Quran while the Quran is sent down so that we can connect with Him and remember Him all the time. In the remembrance of God, the heart is calm.
ٱلذين ءامنوا وتطمئن قلوبهم بذكر ٱلله ألا بذكر ٱلله تطمئن ٱلقلوب )28
Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured. [Quran, Ar-Ra'd 13:28]
May Allah bless us with His merciful guidance to His straight path, and bless us with nearness to Him, wholesome hearts, grateful tongues, and obedient bodies. 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, February 6, 2019
Don't Be People Who Abandon The Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) has complained to Allah against those who abandoned the Quran and turned away from it.
وَقَالَ ٱلرَّسُولُ يَـٰرَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِى ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ مَهْجُورًا ﴿٣٠
And the Messenger has said, "O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Quran as [a thing] abandoned." (30)
[Qur'an Al-Furqan 25:30]
Don't be the people who the Messenger sallallhu alayhi wasallam complained about to Allah.
A person abandons the Quran in six ways [Qurtubi]:
1) He is not reading the Qur'an
2) He reads it but he is not understanding it, as if he has abandoned it
3) He reads it, understands it but not accepting it from his heart
4) He reads it, understands it, accepts it but he is not implementing it
5) He reads it, understands it, accepts it, implements it but it is limited to himself. He is not conveying to others
6) He is doing any these five things but sometimes, not all the time.
Compare the Sahabah (Companions) with the kuffar (disbelievers). Abu Jahal, Abu Lahab and all the leaders who were against the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), they understood the Quran and most of them were able to read the Quran. It is mentioned in the Seerah of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) that Abu Jahal and Abu Lahab could not sleep at night before they listen to the Quran. So, they would go behind the houses of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) or Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and would listen to some parts of the Quran so they could get spiritually healed and then they would go back to their houses. They read, they understood, and some of them accepted it in their hearts like Abu Talib. Abu Talib knew what his nephew, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was teaching is true but he did not implement it.
We are different than the kuffar and the mushrikin of Makkah because we are Muslims. However, there are people, among the Muslims, who read the Quran, understand the Quran, and accept the Quran from the heart, but when it comes to implementing, we are not different than the kuffar and the mushrikin of Makkah. The Companions, when they came to Islam, the first thing that they did were learning the Quran and implementing the Quran.
May Allah give us the power, strength and sincerity to speak the truth, to understand, to exhibit and to implement the Quran and Sunnah.
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 Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) has complained to Allah against those who abandoned the Quran and turned away from it.
وَقَالَ ٱلرَّسُولُ يَـٰرَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِى ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ مَهْجُورًا ﴿٣٠
And the Messenger has said, "O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Quran as [a thing] abandoned." (30)
[Qur'an Al-Furqan 25:30]
Don't be the people who the Messenger sallallhu alayhi wasallam complained about to Allah.
A person abandons the Quran in six ways [Qurtubi]:
1) He is not reading the Qur'an
2) He reads it but he is not understanding it, as if he has abandoned it
3) He reads it, understands it but not accepting it from his heart
4) He reads it, understands it, accepts it but he is not implementing it
5) He reads it, understands it, accepts it, implements it but it is limited to himself. He is not conveying to others
6) He is doing any these five things but sometimes, not all the time.
Compare the Sahabah (Companions) with the kuffar (disbelievers). Abu Jahal, Abu Lahab and all the leaders who were against the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), they understood the Quran and most of them were able to read the Quran. It is mentioned in the Seerah of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) that Abu Jahal and Abu Lahab could not sleep at night before they listen to the Quran. So, they would go behind the houses of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) or Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and would listen to some parts of the Quran so they could get spiritually healed and then they would go back to their houses. They read, they understood, and some of them accepted it in their hearts like Abu Talib. Abu Talib knew what his nephew, the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was teaching is true but he did not implement it.
We are different than the kuffar and the mushrikin of Makkah because we are Muslims. However, there are people, among the Muslims, who read the Quran, understand the Quran, and accept the Quran from the heart, but when it comes to implementing, we are not different than the kuffar and the mushrikin of Makkah. The Companions, when they came to Islam, the first thing that they did were learning the Quran and implementing the Quran.
May Allah give us the power, strength and sincerity to speak the truth, to understand, to exhibit and to implement the Quran and Sunnah.
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, February 5, 2019
Reflection -- Respect Time And Be On Time
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Are you always late to classes, work, appointments, or meetings? Being on time shows respect. Being on time is discipline in action.
One important teaching in the Quran is respect for time. Time never waits and human are in loss except for certain people.
Allah swears by time in Surah 'Asr
وَٱلْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ﴿٣
By time, (1) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (2) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (3) [Quran, Al Asr 103]
This should grab our attention and manage our time properly so it is filled with doing righteous deeds. Don't procrastinate as procrastination is a door for shaytan to enter your heart and grab your iman. Don't waste your time with things that don't concern you nor things that won't benefit you in the next life.
In Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah tells us the quality of the sun and the moon.
لشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ ﴿٥﴾
The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation, {Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:5]
The sun and the moon are extremely precise. They have respect for time and for discipline. They are punctual and they perform according to Allah's command precisely. Imagine if one day the sun did not rise or set at the right time!
All of our disciplines depend on the sun and the moon. Between the sun and the moon is our daily calendar.
Our 5 daily prayers, for example, is a form of discipline that we are obligated to pray at set times. But so many of us procrastinate to pray and some don't pray at all.
An important teaching in our reliigon is that Allah wants us to look at the good qualities in the rest of the creation and bring those qualities into our lives.
You and I must have respect for time because the One who created us likes to design things that are disciplined and structured.
May Allah make us of those who respect time and disciplined. 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
Are you always late to classes, work, appointments, or meetings? Being on time shows respect. Being on time is discipline in action.
One important teaching in the Quran is respect for time. Time never waits and human are in loss except for certain people.
Allah swears by time in Surah 'Asr
وَٱلْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ ﴿٣
By time, (1) Indeed, mankind is in loss, (2) Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience. (3) [Quran, Al Asr 103]
This should grab our attention and manage our time properly so it is filled with doing righteous deeds. Don't procrastinate as procrastination is a door for shaytan to enter your heart and grab your iman. Don't waste your time with things that don't concern you nor things that won't benefit you in the next life.
In Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah tells us the quality of the sun and the moon.
لشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ ﴿٥﴾
The sun and the moon [move] by precise calculation, {Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:5]
The sun and the moon are extremely precise. They have respect for time and for discipline. They are punctual and they perform according to Allah's command precisely. Imagine if one day the sun did not rise or set at the right time!
All of our disciplines depend on the sun and the moon. Between the sun and the moon is our daily calendar.
Our 5 daily prayers, for example, is a form of discipline that we are obligated to pray at set times. But so many of us procrastinate to pray and some don't pray at all.
An important teaching in our reliigon is that Allah wants us to look at the good qualities in the rest of the creation and bring those qualities into our lives.
You and I must have respect for time because the One who created us likes to design things that are disciplined and structured.
May Allah make us of those who respect time and disciplined. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Monday, February 4, 2019
Reflect -- Respect The Quran, Allah Taught It
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Human beings are forgetful creature and we tend to forget things that we don't like to remember. We don't always remember Allah and it is so convenient to not think about our obligations to Him.
Allah sent down the Quran which is what human being absolutely need. Quran is the ultimate reminder.
In Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah Most High says,
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ﴿١﴾ عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ﴿٢﴾ خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ ﴿٣
The Most Merciful (1) Taught the Qur'an, (2) Created man, (3) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:1-3]
Allah highlights the fact that He "taught the Quran." He says this before He says He "created man." Here, we can understand that our existence is less important than He teaching the Quran. We respect the Quran because Allah taught it.
Quran is something that requires revisiting and revisitng. Then it will open more doors for you. There is no end to the depth to which the Book can take you. He taught the endless ocean. Subhanallah. That is a privilege that Allah has given to all of us. Someone who takes Quran as the thing to learn, they have accepted Allah as their teacher and now they embark on a journey that is the ultimate education. Any education you get will consist of reading. The ultimate read, in Allah's defintion, is the Quran itself.
May Allah grant us love of reading His Book and benefit us from the guidance in His Book. 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
Human beings are forgetful creature and we tend to forget things that we don't like to remember. We don't always remember Allah and it is so convenient to not think about our obligations to Him.
Allah sent down the Quran which is what human being absolutely need. Quran is the ultimate reminder.
In Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah Most High says,
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ﴿١﴾ عَلَّمَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ﴿٢﴾ خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ ﴿٣
The Most Merciful (1) Taught the Qur'an, (2) Created man, (3) [Quran, Ar-Rahman 55:1-3]
Allah highlights the fact that He "taught the Quran." He says this before He says He "created man." Here, we can understand that our existence is less important than He teaching the Quran. We respect the Quran because Allah taught it.
Quran is something that requires revisiting and revisitng. Then it will open more doors for you. There is no end to the depth to which the Book can take you. He taught the endless ocean. Subhanallah. That is a privilege that Allah has given to all of us. Someone who takes Quran as the thing to learn, they have accepted Allah as their teacher and now they embark on a journey that is the ultimate education. Any education you get will consist of reading. The ultimate read, in Allah's defintion, is the Quran itself.
May Allah grant us love of reading His Book and benefit us from the guidance in His Book. 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, February 3, 2019
Seeking True Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Humans are needy and dependent social creatures. We all need companionship. We all want love--from Allah, and from the creation.
We are all running towards something. Ironically, the more we run after the creation, the more the creation runs away from us! As soon as we stop running after the creation, and re-orient, as soon as we start running towards Allah, the creation runs after us. It’s a simple, simple formula:
Run towards the creation, you lose Allah and the creation. Run towards Allah, you gain Allah and the creation.
Allah is Al Wadud (The Source of Love). Therefore, love comes from Allah—not people.
When you fill yourself with the Source of love (Al Wadud), you become a magnet for love. Allah teaches us this in the beautiful hadith Qudsi:
“If Allah has loved a servant [of His], He calls Gabriel (peace be upon him) and says: ‘I love So-and-so, therefore love him.’” He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “So Gabriel loves him. Then he (Gabriel) calls out in heaven, saying: ‘Allah loves So-and-so, therefore love him.’ And the inhabitants of heaven love him.” He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Then acceptance is established for him on earth. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi)
In a profound hadith, a man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act, which if I do, Allah will love me and people will love me.” He said: “Detach yourself from the world, and Allah will love you. Detach yourself from what is with the people, and the people will love you.” [Ibn Majah]
We’re all running. But so few of us are running in the right direction. We have the same goal. But to get there, we need to stop. And examine if we are running towards the Source–or just a reflection.
O Allah, indeed, we ask You for Your love and the love of those who love You, and for the action that will cause us to attain Your love, O Allah, make Your love more beloved to us than ourselves, our family and cold water.
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
Humans are needy and dependent social creatures. We all need companionship. We all want love--from Allah, and from the creation.
We are all running towards something. Ironically, the more we run after the creation, the more the creation runs away from us! As soon as we stop running after the creation, and re-orient, as soon as we start running towards Allah, the creation runs after us. It’s a simple, simple formula:
Run towards the creation, you lose Allah and the creation. Run towards Allah, you gain Allah and the creation.
Allah is Al Wadud (The Source of Love). Therefore, love comes from Allah—not people.
When you fill yourself with the Source of love (Al Wadud), you become a magnet for love. Allah teaches us this in the beautiful hadith Qudsi:
“If Allah has loved a servant [of His], He calls Gabriel (peace be upon him) and says: ‘I love So-and-so, therefore love him.’” He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “So Gabriel loves him. Then he (Gabriel) calls out in heaven, saying: ‘Allah loves So-and-so, therefore love him.’ And the inhabitants of heaven love him.” He (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Then acceptance is established for him on earth. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi)
In a profound hadith, a man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act, which if I do, Allah will love me and people will love me.” He said: “Detach yourself from the world, and Allah will love you. Detach yourself from what is with the people, and the people will love you.” [Ibn Majah]
We’re all running. But so few of us are running in the right direction. We have the same goal. But to get there, we need to stop. And examine if we are running towards the Source–or just a reflection.
O Allah, indeed, we ask You for Your love and the love of those who love You, and for the action that will cause us to attain Your love, O Allah, make Your love more beloved to us than ourselves, our family and cold water.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Fake Scholars
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Today, so many things have changed with the creation of the internet, wifi and smartphones. You can find Islamic knowledge at your fingertips. There is no excuse for anyone to not learn Islam, Arabic and Qur'an.
You pick who you want to listen to and choose who you don't want to listen to. If you are confused about what they said, then you have to recognize something. Like all humans, all scholars have faults. Some have more faults than others. So we take what is good and ignore what is bad. But we have to be very careful of the so-called scholars. They can be huge distractions and time wasters, for all they are good at is riling up the audience. These people cause problems for the Muslim Ummah and they are more dangerous than anything else. Just because they have a title Shaykh, Ustaz, Imam or the like before their names or just because they have tens of thousands fans, that doesn't mean you can take from them.
People are driven away because of fake scholars. Who are the fake scholars? These are people who think they have knowledge but when we compare it with their character, we get shocked.
Knowledge is what benefits you and what is manifested in your person. Knowledge leads you to better your character and increases your understanding.
Imam Ghazali said that knowledge is not to narrate a lot but to have piety, righteousness and fear of Allah.
Knowledge is a vehicle that leads you to a destination. The destination is meeting with Allah. Very few people know the purpose of knowledge.
A person who teaches others and spreads knowledge and does not manifest it in himself, his character is like a doctor who prescribed medicine for others and he himself is sick.
Until the purpose of knowledge is clear to the person, he will harm himself with his knowledge. He becomes of those who are lost and his destiny may be hellfire. The scholar who doesn’t apply his knowledge will be punished before idol worshippers.
Allah Almighty says,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٢﴾ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٣﴾
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? (2) Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do. (3)
[Qur'an As-Saff 61:2-3]
Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said:
"The first of men (whose case) will be decided on the Day of Judgement will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought forth. Allah will make him recount His blessings (i. e. the blessings which He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life). (Then) will Allah say: ‘What did you do (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I fought for You until I died as a martyr.’ Allah will say: ‘You have told a lie. You fought so that you may be called a brave warrior. And you were called so.’ (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell.
Then a man will be brought forward who acquired knowledge and imparted it (to others) and recited the Qur’an. He will be brought forth and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Then Allah will ask: ‘What did you do (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I acquired knowledge and disseminated it and recited the Qur’an seeking Your pleasure.’ Allah will say: ‘You have told a lie. You acquired knowledge so that you may be called a scholar, and you recited the Qur'an so that you may be called a Qari and such has been said.’ Then orders will be passed against him and he shall be dragged with his face downward and cast into the Fire.
Then a man will be brought whom Allah had made abundantly rich and had granted every kind of wealth. He will be brought forth and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them and (admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Allah will (then) ask: ‘What have you done (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I spent money in every cause in which You wished that it should be spent.’ Allah will say: ‘You are lying. You did so, so that you may be called a generous person, and so it was said.’ Then Allah will pass orders and he will be dragged with his face downward and thrown into Hell.”
[Sahih Muslim]
May Allah purify our hearts and make us of the sincere people. 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
Today, so many things have changed with the creation of the internet, wifi and smartphones. You can find Islamic knowledge at your fingertips. There is no excuse for anyone to not learn Islam, Arabic and Qur'an.
You pick who you want to listen to and choose who you don't want to listen to. If you are confused about what they said, then you have to recognize something. Like all humans, all scholars have faults. Some have more faults than others. So we take what is good and ignore what is bad. But we have to be very careful of the so-called scholars. They can be huge distractions and time wasters, for all they are good at is riling up the audience. These people cause problems for the Muslim Ummah and they are more dangerous than anything else. Just because they have a title Shaykh, Ustaz, Imam or the like before their names or just because they have tens of thousands fans, that doesn't mean you can take from them.
People are driven away because of fake scholars. Who are the fake scholars? These are people who think they have knowledge but when we compare it with their character, we get shocked.
Knowledge is what benefits you and what is manifested in your person. Knowledge leads you to better your character and increases your understanding.
Imam Ghazali said that knowledge is not to narrate a lot but to have piety, righteousness and fear of Allah.
Knowledge is a vehicle that leads you to a destination. The destination is meeting with Allah. Very few people know the purpose of knowledge.
A person who teaches others and spreads knowledge and does not manifest it in himself, his character is like a doctor who prescribed medicine for others and he himself is sick.
Until the purpose of knowledge is clear to the person, he will harm himself with his knowledge. He becomes of those who are lost and his destiny may be hellfire. The scholar who doesn’t apply his knowledge will be punished before idol worshippers.
Allah Almighty says,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٢﴾ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ﴿٣﴾
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? (2) Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do. (3)
[Qur'an As-Saff 61:2-3]
Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said:
"The first of men (whose case) will be decided on the Day of Judgement will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought forth. Allah will make him recount His blessings (i. e. the blessings which He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life). (Then) will Allah say: ‘What did you do (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I fought for You until I died as a martyr.’ Allah will say: ‘You have told a lie. You fought so that you may be called a brave warrior. And you were called so.’ (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell.
Then a man will be brought forward who acquired knowledge and imparted it (to others) and recited the Qur’an. He will be brought forth and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Then Allah will ask: ‘What did you do (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I acquired knowledge and disseminated it and recited the Qur’an seeking Your pleasure.’ Allah will say: ‘You have told a lie. You acquired knowledge so that you may be called a scholar, and you recited the Qur'an so that you may be called a Qari and such has been said.’ Then orders will be passed against him and he shall be dragged with his face downward and cast into the Fire.
Then a man will be brought whom Allah had made abundantly rich and had granted every kind of wealth. He will be brought forth and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them and (admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Allah will (then) ask: ‘What have you done (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I spent money in every cause in which You wished that it should be spent.’ Allah will say: ‘You are lying. You did so, so that you may be called a generous person, and so it was said.’ Then Allah will pass orders and he will be dragged with his face downward and thrown into Hell.”
[Sahih Muslim]
May Allah purify our hearts and make us of the sincere people. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Friday, February 1, 2019
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Upholding Good Manners (Adab) and Developing Noble Character
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The four stories in Surah Kahf, among other things, is to show us good character and teaches us good adab -- the story of the youth of the cave teaches us to preservere in trials and tribulations (not give up or give in to the wrong), the story of the man with two gardens -- teaches us to be grateful and not arrogant, the story of Musa and al Khidr teaches us to be patient in seeking seeking knowledge, the story of Dhulkarnain teaches us to be a good leader.
Adab (good manners) is the right way of doing something. It is putting things in the right places. Every human dealings have an adab of doing it. Even in small matters, there is adab in doing them. Where does this adab come from? It comes from the Prophetic example, the one most praised for his character (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
Character is the inward disposition that causes one to exhibit praiseworthy traits and acts in praiseworthy ways. Good character has a wide range of manifestation and one way is adab. We can consider adab is a subset of good character (khuluq). Our khuluq is the way you are and manifest in your conduct. The basis of good character is seeking the good pleasure of Allah, such as one's conduct is seeking of Divine mercy.
Some aspect related to our conduct with human being has many benefits. It teaches us restraint and restraint is a means of taqwa, of mindfulness of Allah. It makes you conscious of Allah, a way of being in state of consciousness of Allah. It will remind you of Allah and also awakens you to seeking of pleasure of Allah. It makes you feel beautiful. Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Good manners is beloved to Allah and people. When you act with proper manners, people feel safe, honored, confortable, and it srengthen bonds between people.
The Prophet's character (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is defined as being tremendous. The basis of the Prophet's character (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is gentleness with people and honoring others. This is part of proper manners. They return to mercy. The one who is merciful is granted mercy by Allah.
Read the Quran attentively because the Quran gives details of the Prophet's character (Allah bless him and grant him peace).
May Allah grant us noble character and the company of people of adab and good character.
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا
Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The four stories in Surah Kahf, among other things, is to show us good character and teaches us good adab -- the story of the youth of the cave teaches us to preservere in trials and tribulations (not give up or give in to the wrong), the story of the man with two gardens -- teaches us to be grateful and not arrogant, the story of Musa and al Khidr teaches us to be patient in seeking seeking knowledge, the story of Dhulkarnain teaches us to be a good leader.
Adab (good manners) is the right way of doing something. It is putting things in the right places. Every human dealings have an adab of doing it. Even in small matters, there is adab in doing them. Where does this adab come from? It comes from the Prophetic example, the one most praised for his character (sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
Character is the inward disposition that causes one to exhibit praiseworthy traits and acts in praiseworthy ways. Good character has a wide range of manifestation and one way is adab. We can consider adab is a subset of good character (khuluq). Our khuluq is the way you are and manifest in your conduct. The basis of good character is seeking the good pleasure of Allah, such as one's conduct is seeking of Divine mercy.
Some aspect related to our conduct with human being has many benefits. It teaches us restraint and restraint is a means of taqwa, of mindfulness of Allah. It makes you conscious of Allah, a way of being in state of consciousness of Allah. It will remind you of Allah and also awakens you to seeking of pleasure of Allah. It makes you feel beautiful. Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Good manners is beloved to Allah and people. When you act with proper manners, people feel safe, honored, confortable, and it srengthen bonds between people.
The Prophet's character (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is defined as being tremendous. The basis of the Prophet's character (Allah bless him and grant him peace) is gentleness with people and honoring others. This is part of proper manners. They return to mercy. The one who is merciful is granted mercy by Allah.
Read the Quran attentively because the Quran gives details of the Prophet's character (Allah bless him and grant him peace).
May Allah grant us noble character and the company of people of adab and good character.
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا
Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
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