بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Al Mulk, Allah reminds us of the purpose of life and tells us what will happen to someone who does not follow the Straight Path.
وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِىٓ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴿١٠﴾ فَٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًا لِّأَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴿١١
And they will say, "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze." (10) And they will admit their sin, so [it is] alienation for the companions of the Blaze. (11) [Quran, Al Mulk 67:10-11]
أَفَمَن يَمْشِى مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦٓ أَهْدَىٰٓ أَمَّن يَمْشِى سَوِيًّا عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٢٢
Then is one who walks fallen on his face better guided or one who walks erect on a straight path? (22) [Qur'an, Al Mulk 67;22]
Allah chooses the word مُكِبًّا (mukibban) which is a step higher than كبا kabban to describe someone who is forcing himself to keep his face on the ground.
مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِ
mukib already mean upside down on his face
mukibban ala wajhihi, a phrase, means he keep his face down
Imagine human being that is sniffing the ground and looking down and walking.
In the beginning of the Surah, Allah tells us to look on the sky.
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَٰتٍ طِبَاقًا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ مِن تَفَـٰوُتٍ ۖ فَٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ ﴿٣﴾ ثُمَّ ٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ ﴿٤
[And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks? (3) Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued. (4) [Quran, Al Mulk 67:3-4]
When you stand up straight you can look up. If you are looking down all the time you see earth.
When a dog is hungry, you see the dog sniffing looking down. You see similar behavior with other animals, looking down. The only time the animals look up is when there is danger. When they don't feel danger, they look down. When all of sudden they hear something, they look up.
There are some human beings who live a life of animals. The only time they truly look up, in the spiritual sense, is when the danger of the hereafter (akhirah) comes, but then Allah won't let them look down. In Surah Yaasin, Allah says, their heads are held back and their eyes are held open.
إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِىٓ أَعْنَـٰقِهِمْ أَغْلَـٰلًا فَهِىَ إِلَى ٱلْأَذْقَانِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ ﴿٨﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا مِنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّا وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّا فَأَغْشَيْنَـٰهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ ﴿٩
Indeed, We have put shackles on their necks, and they are to their chins, so they are with heads [kept] aloft. (8) And We have put before them a barrier and behind them a barrier and covered them, so they do not see. (9) [Quran, Yaasin 36:8-9]
In Surah Mulk, Allah talks about a person whose head is down. That means the only aspiration, goals, engagement, or activities that this person has is having to do with dirt, i.e. with this world--pleasure, status, wealth, apetite. He lives his life facing the earth constantly.
Is this person is more guided as compared with the one who stands up straight, balanced? Someone looking down, they don't even know what danger and what lies ahead. The ones who keep straight, not only they know what lies ahead of them, they have a good picture of what lies ahead. When you are driving, you have a clear view of what lies ahead when the road is straight. If you go on a winding road you don't know what's around the bend. When the road is even and is straigt you can see way down. This is the life of someone who has a clear purpose--they know they are heading somewhere. Someone with head on the ground, they don't know where they are going.
We have to have a clear picture of what we are trying to accomplish, not just goals for the akhirah but also for the dunya--what are we going to do for Islam while we are here.
Surah Mulk is one of the oft recited Surahs and it is recommended to recite this Surah every night before sleep. This will keep a fresh reminder of where we are heading.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَٱمْشُوا۟ فِى مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِهِۦ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلنُّشُورُ ﴿١٥
It is He who made the earth tame for you - so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision - and to Him is the resurrection. [Quran, Al Mulk 67:15]
We ask Allah to guide us, our loved ones and the ummah on the Straight Path, the path of those upon whom He has bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked His anger or of those who are astray.
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ ﴿٦﴾ صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ﴿٧﴾
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, June 23, 2019
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Dream of Imam Hamzah -- Love Of AllahTowards The People of The Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Imam Hamzah رحمه الله is one of the ten Qurra of Qiraat Al 'Asharah.
It is mentioned by Al Hafiz Al Mizzi in his book, Tahdhib Al Kamal, and ibn Al Jawzi in his book, Sifatu Safwah, and Ibnu Shahin in his book, Al Isharat fi Ilmi Al Ibarat (the science of dream interpretation), on the authority of Khalaf ibn Hisham Al-Bazzar, who is one of the two narrators in riwayah Hamzah from Sulaym ibn Isa, that his teacher, Sulaym, once narrated to him: “I once entered upon Hamzah ibn Habibi Az-Zayyad and I found him rolling his cheeks onto the ground while crying.”
I then exclaimed, “I seek refuge with Allah for your protection.” He then replied, “O You, what are you seeking protection for me from?”
He then narrated, “I saw in my dream the plain of hot violent winds as if the Day of Resurrection had been established. And that the reciters of the Quran had been summoned. So in respect to that I had been one of those that attended.
Thereupon, I heard a caller called in the sweetest words, ‘None shall enter upon Me except those who lived in accordance with the Quran.’
Upon that I retreated in despair قهقر (because Hamzah didn’t think he was one of them) until I heard a caller called my name. ‘Where is Hamzah ibn Habibi Az Zayyad?’
I then replied, ‘At your service, O caller of Allah, At your service.’
At which point an Angel hastened towards me and said, ‘But rather say, ‘At your service O Allah, At your service.’ So I replied with what I was told. Labbayk Allah humma labbayk
I was made to enter a dwelling wherein I heard the sound of reciters. Somebody reciting here and there, a congregation of reciters. I then paused and began to tremble from shock of where I was until I heard a caller announced, ‘No harm shall befall you. Rise and recite.’ لا بأس عليك
I then turned my face to find that I was now standing on a pulpit of white pearls. Its sides were yellow sapphire and its steps were green emeralds.
He then said to me. ‘Rise and recite.’ At which point I rose. He then said to me, Recite Surah An-Am.’
Thereupon I began to recite, not knowing who exactly I was reciting to, until ayah 60. Immediately upon reaching the next ayah, وَهُوَ ٱلْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِۦ And He is the Subjugator over His servants ,” He then said to me, ‘O Hamzah, am I not the Subjugator over My servants?’ (when this was asked, Hamzah knew who the speaker was, and that He is the Most Majestic, The Great, our Creator, Glory be to Him, the Most High).
Thereupon I said, ‘Yes, but rather You are.’
He (Allah) replied, ‘You have spoken the truth. Recite.’
I recited until finish Surah An-Am. Then I recited Surah Al Araf until I reached to the end. And in like the manner I began to prostrate (because at the end of the Surah is a verse of prostration).
He then said to me, ‘Sufficient for what has already has passed. Do not prostrate O Hamzah.’ (i.e. for the prostration in the dunya. The world of accountability has ended, i.e. dunya. And in the dream it was qiyamah. And obviously on that day there will be no more obligations.)
He said, ‘Who taught you this recitation?. I then replied, ‘Sulaym’. He then said, ‘You have spoken the truth.’ ‘And who taught Sulaym.’ I replied, ‘Yahya.’ He then replied, ‘Yahya has spoken the truth.’ ‘Wnd who did Yahya recite to?’ I replied, ‘Abu Abdul Rahman Al Sulami’. He then said, Abu Abdul Rahman Al Sulami has spoken the truth.’ ‘And who taught Abu Abdul Rahman?’ I replied, ‘the cousin of Your Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam, Ali ibn Abi Talib.’ He then said, ‘Ali spoke the truth’. ‘And who taught Ali?’ I replied, ‘Your Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam’. He then said, ‘And who taught My Prophet?’. I replied, ‘Jibril’
He then said, ‘’And who taught Jibril?’ I then remained silent. He then said, ‘O Hamzah, say "You."’
Hamzah said, “How can I venture myself in saying ‘You.’
Out of shyness and haya’ (modesty) of Allah, Hamzah’s mind was unable to comprehend that he is standing in front of Allah. The Most Majestic is speaking to him while responding.
So I said, ‘You.’
He replied, ‘You have spoken the truth O Hamzah, and from the rights of the Quran is that I honor the people of the Quran, especially if they live by the Quran. O Hamzah, the Quran is My Speech. And there is nobody that I love more than the people of the Quran. Come close, O Hamzah.’ So I came close until He submerged my hand in Al Ghaliyah (a rich scented fragrance). And that perfumed me with it.
He then said, ‘I have not done this just for you. But rather I have done this for the reciters before you and after you. And whoever is made to recite the Quran the way you have been made to, he will arrive to nobody except Me on the Day of Resurrection. And I have concealed from you, O Hamzah, and that I have more. Thus, inform your companions of My Honoring and love for the people of the Quran. For verily they are the chosen and outstanding (Mustafa al Akhyar). O Hamzah, by My Glory and Might, I shall never punish a tongue that recited the Quran with the Fire, nor a heart that retains it, nor an ear that hears it, nor an eye that looks at it.’
I then exclaimed, ‘Glory to be to You, Glory be to You, O My Lord. (Subhanaka bi Rabbi)’
He then said, ‘O Hamzah, where are those that look at my Mushaf?’
I then replied, My Lord, Do you mean those who have memorized (Huffadh al Masahif)?’
He replied, ‘No. But rather I shall preserve them. So when they come to Me I will raise them for every verse (they recite) a level’
(i.e. those who recite by looking at the Mushaf are one group, and those who recite from memory are another group. Each will be rewarded accordingly. When Hamzah asked about those that look at the Mushaf he assumed the Huffadh)
Hamzah then turned around to his student, Sulaym, and said to him, ‘And will you rebuke me for crying while I am in the ground.’
This is who Hamzah was and the love of Allah towards people of the Quran. We hope this motivates us to learn Quran and improve our relationship with the Quran.
We ask Allah to forgive us and have mercy on us.
اللهم اجعلنا من أهل القرآن ، الذين هم أهلك وخاصتك ، يا أرحم الراحمين
O Allah, make us of the people of the Quran, who are Your elect and honored people, O the Most Merciful.
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
Imam Hamzah رحمه الله is one of the ten Qurra of Qiraat Al 'Asharah.
It is mentioned by Al Hafiz Al Mizzi in his book, Tahdhib Al Kamal, and ibn Al Jawzi in his book, Sifatu Safwah, and Ibnu Shahin in his book, Al Isharat fi Ilmi Al Ibarat (the science of dream interpretation), on the authority of Khalaf ibn Hisham Al-Bazzar, who is one of the two narrators in riwayah Hamzah from Sulaym ibn Isa, that his teacher, Sulaym, once narrated to him: “I once entered upon Hamzah ibn Habibi Az-Zayyad and I found him rolling his cheeks onto the ground while crying.”
I then exclaimed, “I seek refuge with Allah for your protection.” He then replied, “O You, what are you seeking protection for me from?”
He then narrated, “I saw in my dream the plain of hot violent winds as if the Day of Resurrection had been established. And that the reciters of the Quran had been summoned. So in respect to that I had been one of those that attended.
Thereupon, I heard a caller called in the sweetest words, ‘None shall enter upon Me except those who lived in accordance with the Quran.’
Upon that I retreated in despair قهقر (because Hamzah didn’t think he was one of them) until I heard a caller called my name. ‘Where is Hamzah ibn Habibi Az Zayyad?’
I then replied, ‘At your service, O caller of Allah, At your service.’
At which point an Angel hastened towards me and said, ‘But rather say, ‘At your service O Allah, At your service.’ So I replied with what I was told. Labbayk Allah humma labbayk
I was made to enter a dwelling wherein I heard the sound of reciters. Somebody reciting here and there, a congregation of reciters. I then paused and began to tremble from shock of where I was until I heard a caller announced, ‘No harm shall befall you. Rise and recite.’ لا بأس عليك
I then turned my face to find that I was now standing on a pulpit of white pearls. Its sides were yellow sapphire and its steps were green emeralds.
He then said to me. ‘Rise and recite.’ At which point I rose. He then said to me, Recite Surah An-Am.’
Thereupon I began to recite, not knowing who exactly I was reciting to, until ayah 60. Immediately upon reaching the next ayah, وَهُوَ ٱلْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِۦ And He is the Subjugator over His servants ,” He then said to me, ‘O Hamzah, am I not the Subjugator over My servants?’ (when this was asked, Hamzah knew who the speaker was, and that He is the Most Majestic, The Great, our Creator, Glory be to Him, the Most High).
Thereupon I said, ‘Yes, but rather You are.’
He (Allah) replied, ‘You have spoken the truth. Recite.’
I recited until finish Surah An-Am. Then I recited Surah Al Araf until I reached to the end. And in like the manner I began to prostrate (because at the end of the Surah is a verse of prostration).
He then said to me, ‘Sufficient for what has already has passed. Do not prostrate O Hamzah.’ (i.e. for the prostration in the dunya. The world of accountability has ended, i.e. dunya. And in the dream it was qiyamah. And obviously on that day there will be no more obligations.)
He said, ‘Who taught you this recitation?. I then replied, ‘Sulaym’. He then said, ‘You have spoken the truth.’ ‘And who taught Sulaym.’ I replied, ‘Yahya.’ He then replied, ‘Yahya has spoken the truth.’ ‘Wnd who did Yahya recite to?’ I replied, ‘Abu Abdul Rahman Al Sulami’. He then said, Abu Abdul Rahman Al Sulami has spoken the truth.’ ‘And who taught Abu Abdul Rahman?’ I replied, ‘the cousin of Your Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam, Ali ibn Abi Talib.’ He then said, ‘Ali spoke the truth’. ‘And who taught Ali?’ I replied, ‘Your Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam’. He then said, ‘And who taught My Prophet?’. I replied, ‘Jibril’
He then said, ‘’And who taught Jibril?’ I then remained silent. He then said, ‘O Hamzah, say "You."’
Hamzah said, “How can I venture myself in saying ‘You.’
Out of shyness and haya’ (modesty) of Allah, Hamzah’s mind was unable to comprehend that he is standing in front of Allah. The Most Majestic is speaking to him while responding.
So I said, ‘You.’
He replied, ‘You have spoken the truth O Hamzah, and from the rights of the Quran is that I honor the people of the Quran, especially if they live by the Quran. O Hamzah, the Quran is My Speech. And there is nobody that I love more than the people of the Quran. Come close, O Hamzah.’ So I came close until He submerged my hand in Al Ghaliyah (a rich scented fragrance). And that perfumed me with it.
He then said, ‘I have not done this just for you. But rather I have done this for the reciters before you and after you. And whoever is made to recite the Quran the way you have been made to, he will arrive to nobody except Me on the Day of Resurrection. And I have concealed from you, O Hamzah, and that I have more. Thus, inform your companions of My Honoring and love for the people of the Quran. For verily they are the chosen and outstanding (Mustafa al Akhyar). O Hamzah, by My Glory and Might, I shall never punish a tongue that recited the Quran with the Fire, nor a heart that retains it, nor an ear that hears it, nor an eye that looks at it.’
I then exclaimed, ‘Glory to be to You, Glory be to You, O My Lord. (Subhanaka bi Rabbi)’
He then said, ‘O Hamzah, where are those that look at my Mushaf?’
I then replied, My Lord, Do you mean those who have memorized (Huffadh al Masahif)?’
He replied, ‘No. But rather I shall preserve them. So when they come to Me I will raise them for every verse (they recite) a level’
(i.e. those who recite by looking at the Mushaf are one group, and those who recite from memory are another group. Each will be rewarded accordingly. When Hamzah asked about those that look at the Mushaf he assumed the Huffadh)
Hamzah then turned around to his student, Sulaym, and said to him, ‘And will you rebuke me for crying while I am in the ground.’
This is who Hamzah was and the love of Allah towards people of the Quran. We hope this motivates us to learn Quran and improve our relationship with the Quran.
We ask Allah to forgive us and have mercy on us.
اللهم اجعلنا من أهل القرآن ، الذين هم أهلك وخاصتك ، يا أرحم الراحمين
O Allah, make us of the people of the Quran, who are Your elect and honored people, O the Most Merciful.
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
Friday, June 21, 2019
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Alhamdulillah For The Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Alhamdulillah (All praise and thanks to Allah) for the Qur'an, a guidance for the believers and those conscious of Allah.
The Quran reminds us over and over again that the everlasting abode is the Aakhirah (hereafter). If we are truly certain about this, then we won't worry ourselves with this dunya, accumulating wealth and trying to impress people, instead we will rush to good deeds.
ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَاوَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا
Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope. [Qur'an, al-Kahf 18:46]
Sometimes we forget that this is the fleeting dunya (world), the dunya wherein we will face trials, left, right, and center. But the Quran will help us face it with patience.
So why won't you read the Quran everyday?
رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا
Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Alhamdulillah (All praise and thanks to Allah) for the Qur'an, a guidance for the believers and those conscious of Allah.
The Quran reminds us over and over again that the everlasting abode is the Aakhirah (hereafter). If we are truly certain about this, then we won't worry ourselves with this dunya, accumulating wealth and trying to impress people, instead we will rush to good deeds.
ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَاوَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا
Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope. [Qur'an, al-Kahf 18:46]
Sometimes we forget that this is the fleeting dunya (world), the dunya wherein we will face trials, left, right, and center. But the Quran will help us face it with patience.
So why won't you read the Quran everyday?
رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا
Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Who Are Guaranteed Success?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Al-Mu'minun (Quran, 23:1-11), Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala tells us that if you are a true believer you have already become extremely successful. The believers are guaranted this success.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١
Certainly will the believers have succeeded: [Quran, Al-Mu'minun 23:1]
The noun ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ (those actually believed), is used here instead of a verb ءَامَنُو. The verb ءَامَنُو (iman) is fragile. Noun is considered permanent. It is a though their iman is given stability. Noun deosn't have a tense, past, present or future.
When Allah compliments the strongest of believers, whose faith is described as somethinng that have reached a certain of maturity, there is a certain threshhold that they have crossed. Though their iman can still go up and down, but they don't go below the minimal line.
The phrase يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ "O you who have believed" covers a broad spectrum of Muslims--broadly it includes hypocrites, those who are just Muslims and actually haven't tasted the sweetness of iman, and the elite true believers. Allah knows what is in the hearts but we don't. So we can't judge people. When somebody says salaam to us, our right to judge them is gone but we can judge ourselves as a whole.
Who are the true believers that have attained success?
1. ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلَاتِهِمْ خَـٰشِعُونَ
They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
They are people who have reached a stage of maturity in their lives and everytime they pray they have a constant khushu'. Khushu' is a fear that overwhelms the person, a feeling of awe and overpowered. They are in a state of fear and awe of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala when they pray.
2. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ ٱللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ
And they who turn away from ill speech
This is a logical progression of the first. If one has truly developed a feeling of fear and awe of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, he would turn away from speech that has no benefit whatsoever (in worldly or spiritual sense). Any free moment for a believer, he should be engaged in zikr (remembrance of Allah). For many people, every free second has been taken over by mobile phones. Do yourself a favor and erase games, songs from your phone, and stay away from useless social media chats and conversations. Every free moment you are with your phone engaging in those activities, your brain tunes out too.
If you find yourself talking a lot, then you would probably notice in yourself that you don't have khushu' in the solat. If you don't talk a lot, it gives you time to reflect. Allah gives you a chance to do that in solat, and then you would continue that outside of solat. People who has developed relationship of talking with Allah, realize the value of talking and so that permeates into other conversations.
3. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَوٰةِ فَـٰعِلُونَ
And they who are observant of zakah
For the purpose of cleansing themselves, they get busy. They realized their personality is dirty. Maybe they have a problem of just saying things, of letting things get to the heart very quickly. Maybe they have an inconsideration problem, extremely selfish, too addicted to entertainment, laziness problem, disrespect problem. You don't get to this stage of realization until you have gone through the first two stages above.
So, make a project out of yourself--make a list of things that you don't like about yourself and start addressing the problems. When you address one problem, you will discover another problem. When you start making yourself a better person, your sensitivity to things that you weren't sensitive before increased and your need to become better person increases. You become more and more disturbed to things that didn't bother you before. Speak and talk can't make you a better person. The only person who can make you a better person is you. So get busy with cleansing yourself.
4. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ ﴿٥﴾ إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ﴿٧
And they who guard their private parts (5) Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed - But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors -
Of all the kinds of sins that people can be tempted to is immorality and shamelessness. Shaytan is good at luring people to that. It started with our father, Adam alayhissalaam. This is something we have to actively guard. We have to create a protective environment at home, masjid, on campus, during Islamic gatherings and conventions, etc. We have to strike a good balance.
When somebody has a marriage but pursues beyond that, it is because they don't find beauty in their marriage, addictive to what they find on the internet. Actually the scum industry is bigger than Microsoft, Google and the entire tech sector combined. We can't underestimate its power. At every turn there is a trigger, a suggestion. As society we have to engage an active battle against immorality and shamlessness.
5. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ
And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive
Amanah is when somebody is at peace entrusting you with something. 'A'd is a promise. When you parents send you to school, pay for your tuition, it is an amanah for you to go learn. So you should go to classes and study, and not sleep and play most of the time.
'A'd is a promise. If you say yes to something, do it. It is an obligation hanging over your head. It is mandated over a descent person to fulfill the promise. If you can't do it, just say no at the beginning. So people don't say you are a liar.
6. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive
When it comes to multitude of prayers, solat becomes salawat. They are additional prayers such as sunnah prayers before and after fard prayers, witr prayers, dhuha prayers, tahajjud prayers, rawatib prayers, and all other prayers beyond the fard prayers. The solat is something you have to guard and you guard it with the sunnah prayers.
Those are the true believers that have succeeded. They are the inheriors of the highest Paradise, Jannatul Firdaus, and will abide therein eternally.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿١١
Those are the inheritors (10) Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally. (11)
May Allah make us true believers and grant us success in this life and the next and make us the inheritors of the highest Paradise. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Al-Mu'minun (Quran, 23:1-11), Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala tells us that if you are a true believer you have already become extremely successful. The believers are guaranted this success.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١
Certainly will the believers have succeeded: [Quran, Al-Mu'minun 23:1]
The noun ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ (those actually believed), is used here instead of a verb ءَامَنُو. The verb ءَامَنُو (iman) is fragile. Noun is considered permanent. It is a though their iman is given stability. Noun deosn't have a tense, past, present or future.
When Allah compliments the strongest of believers, whose faith is described as somethinng that have reached a certain of maturity, there is a certain threshhold that they have crossed. Though their iman can still go up and down, but they don't go below the minimal line.
The phrase يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ "O you who have believed" covers a broad spectrum of Muslims--broadly it includes hypocrites, those who are just Muslims and actually haven't tasted the sweetness of iman, and the elite true believers. Allah knows what is in the hearts but we don't. So we can't judge people. When somebody says salaam to us, our right to judge them is gone but we can judge ourselves as a whole.
Who are the true believers that have attained success?
1. ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلَاتِهِمْ خَـٰشِعُونَ
They who are during their prayer humbly submissive
They are people who have reached a stage of maturity in their lives and everytime they pray they have a constant khushu'. Khushu' is a fear that overwhelms the person, a feeling of awe and overpowered. They are in a state of fear and awe of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala when they pray.
2. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ ٱللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ
And they who turn away from ill speech
This is a logical progression of the first. If one has truly developed a feeling of fear and awe of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, he would turn away from speech that has no benefit whatsoever (in worldly or spiritual sense). Any free moment for a believer, he should be engaged in zikr (remembrance of Allah). For many people, every free second has been taken over by mobile phones. Do yourself a favor and erase games, songs from your phone, and stay away from useless social media chats and conversations. Every free moment you are with your phone engaging in those activities, your brain tunes out too.
If you find yourself talking a lot, then you would probably notice in yourself that you don't have khushu' in the solat. If you don't talk a lot, it gives you time to reflect. Allah gives you a chance to do that in solat, and then you would continue that outside of solat. People who has developed relationship of talking with Allah, realize the value of talking and so that permeates into other conversations.
3. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَوٰةِ فَـٰعِلُونَ
And they who are observant of zakah
For the purpose of cleansing themselves, they get busy. They realized their personality is dirty. Maybe they have a problem of just saying things, of letting things get to the heart very quickly. Maybe they have an inconsideration problem, extremely selfish, too addicted to entertainment, laziness problem, disrespect problem. You don't get to this stage of realization until you have gone through the first two stages above.
So, make a project out of yourself--make a list of things that you don't like about yourself and start addressing the problems. When you address one problem, you will discover another problem. When you start making yourself a better person, your sensitivity to things that you weren't sensitive before increased and your need to become better person increases. You become more and more disturbed to things that didn't bother you before. Speak and talk can't make you a better person. The only person who can make you a better person is you. So get busy with cleansing yourself.
4. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ ﴿٥﴾ إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ﴿٧
And they who guard their private parts (5) Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed - But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors -
Of all the kinds of sins that people can be tempted to is immorality and shamelessness. Shaytan is good at luring people to that. It started with our father, Adam alayhissalaam. This is something we have to actively guard. We have to create a protective environment at home, masjid, on campus, during Islamic gatherings and conventions, etc. We have to strike a good balance.
When somebody has a marriage but pursues beyond that, it is because they don't find beauty in their marriage, addictive to what they find on the internet. Actually the scum industry is bigger than Microsoft, Google and the entire tech sector combined. We can't underestimate its power. At every turn there is a trigger, a suggestion. As society we have to engage an active battle against immorality and shamlessness.
5. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ
And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive
Amanah is when somebody is at peace entrusting you with something. 'A'd is a promise. When you parents send you to school, pay for your tuition, it is an amanah for you to go learn. So you should go to classes and study, and not sleep and play most of the time.
'A'd is a promise. If you say yes to something, do it. It is an obligation hanging over your head. It is mandated over a descent person to fulfill the promise. If you can't do it, just say no at the beginning. So people don't say you are a liar.
6. وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive
When it comes to multitude of prayers, solat becomes salawat. They are additional prayers such as sunnah prayers before and after fard prayers, witr prayers, dhuha prayers, tahajjud prayers, rawatib prayers, and all other prayers beyond the fard prayers. The solat is something you have to guard and you guard it with the sunnah prayers.
Those are the true believers that have succeeded. They are the inheriors of the highest Paradise, Jannatul Firdaus, and will abide therein eternally.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿١١
Those are the inheritors (10) Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally. (11)
May Allah make us true believers and grant us success in this life and the next and make us the inheritors of the highest Paradise. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Monday, June 17, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Life Is A Series of Tests
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Life is a test and tests are means to purify our hearts. Tests can come like ocean waves, unceasing. Prophets were the most tested and tested the hardest. We will be tested again and again for as long as we live, so that when we meet Allah, our heart is sound inshaa Allah, like gold ores that have been put through intense heat to extract the gold.
Nothing, wealth nor children, will benefit anyone when they meet Allah except the ones that come with a sound heart.
يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾ إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى ٱللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ ﴿٨٩﴾
The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children (88) But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart." (89) [Quran, Ash-Shu'ara 26:89]
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. [Quran, Al-Anbiya 21:35]
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people." [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:286]
May Allah shower His Mercy upon us and save us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next and make our meeting with Him the best of meetings.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Life is a test and tests are means to purify our hearts. Tests can come like ocean waves, unceasing. Prophets were the most tested and tested the hardest. We will be tested again and again for as long as we live, so that when we meet Allah, our heart is sound inshaa Allah, like gold ores that have been put through intense heat to extract the gold.
Nothing, wealth nor children, will benefit anyone when they meet Allah except the ones that come with a sound heart.
يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ ﴿٨٨﴾ إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى ٱللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ ﴿٨٩﴾
The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children (88) But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart." (89) [Quran, Ash-Shu'ara 26:89]
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. [Quran, Al-Anbiya 21:35]
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people." [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:286]
May Allah shower His Mercy upon us and save us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next and make our meeting with Him the best of meetings.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Quran Reflection -- The Real Provision Is Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The real provision in this life is Quran itself.
كَذَٰلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ مَا قَدْ سَبَقَ ۚ وَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكَ مِن لَّدُنَّا ذِكْرًا ﴿٩٩
Thus, [O Muhammad], We relate to you from the news of what has preceded. And We have certainly given you from Us the Qur'an. [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:99]
وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجًا مِّنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ ۚ وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ ﴿١٣١
And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring. [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:131]
Allah didn't give us Quran so we will be overburdened. If we follow Allah's guidance, we won't be misled, a failure. But whoever deliberately ignore Allah's remembrance, then he is going to have a life that is very tight and constricted. People might think people who don't remember Allah have a free life, but actually they have a tight life--they have to be on anti-depressants, they have to take pills to go to sleep, they have nightmares, they have to listen to blasting music so they don't have to think anout the problems they have. They are trapped.
قَالَ ٱهْبِطَا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًۢا ۖ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًى فَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَىٰ ﴿١٢٣﴾ وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ أَعْمَىٰ ﴿١٢٤
[Allah] said, "Descend from Paradise - all, [your descendants] being enemies to one another. And if there should come to you guidance from Me - then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]. (123) And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind." (124) [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:123-124]
If you read Quran and can't understand what it says because you don't know Arabic, then while you study Arabic, you have to listen to khutbahs or letures on Islam. You just can't ignore the responsibility to understand the Quran when you read it because you don't want to be like those people who will be raised blind in the Day of Judgment.
قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرْتَنِىٓ أَعْمَىٰ وَقَدْ كُنتُ بَصِيرًا ﴿١٢٥
He will say, "My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?" [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:125]
They are raised blind because when Quran came to them in this life, they ignored it.
May Allah enable us to follow His Guidance and make Quran our close companion in this life and the next not raise us blind. 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 real provision in this life is Quran itself.
كَذَٰلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ مَا قَدْ سَبَقَ ۚ وَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَـٰكَ مِن لَّدُنَّا ذِكْرًا ﴿٩٩
Thus, [O Muhammad], We relate to you from the news of what has preceded. And We have certainly given you from Us the Qur'an. [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:99]
وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِۦٓ أَزْوَٰجًا مِّنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ ۚ وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ ﴿١٣١
And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring. [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:131]
Allah didn't give us Quran so we will be overburdened. If we follow Allah's guidance, we won't be misled, a failure. But whoever deliberately ignore Allah's remembrance, then he is going to have a life that is very tight and constricted. People might think people who don't remember Allah have a free life, but actually they have a tight life--they have to be on anti-depressants, they have to take pills to go to sleep, they have nightmares, they have to listen to blasting music so they don't have to think anout the problems they have. They are trapped.
قَالَ ٱهْبِطَا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًۢا ۖ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًى فَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَىٰ ﴿١٢٣﴾ وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ أَعْمَىٰ ﴿١٢٤
[Allah] said, "Descend from Paradise - all, [your descendants] being enemies to one another. And if there should come to you guidance from Me - then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter]. (123) And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind." (124) [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:123-124]
If you read Quran and can't understand what it says because you don't know Arabic, then while you study Arabic, you have to listen to khutbahs or letures on Islam. You just can't ignore the responsibility to understand the Quran when you read it because you don't want to be like those people who will be raised blind in the Day of Judgment.
قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرْتَنِىٓ أَعْمَىٰ وَقَدْ كُنتُ بَصِيرًا ﴿١٢٥
He will say, "My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?" [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:125]
They are raised blind because when Quran came to them in this life, they ignored it.
May Allah enable us to follow His Guidance and make Quran our close companion in this life and the next not raise us blind. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Beware of Shaytan and the Seven Entrances of Shaytan
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In the story of Musa and Al Khidr as Allah narrated in Surah Al Kahf, an interesting thing happened. After a long and exhausting journey in search of the person, Allah says more knowledgeable than him, Musa realized their morning meal (a fish) had disappeared. His travel companion had seen the fish came to live and swam away at some point but forgot to tell Musa. He said Shaytan made him forgot to tell Musa.
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَىٰهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـٰذَا نَصَبًا ﴿٦٢﴾ قَالَ أَرَءَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ ٱلْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُۥ ۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا ﴿٦٣
So when they had passed beyond it, [Musa] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue." (62) He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly". (63) [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:62-63]
Beware of Shaytan who is always lurking to enter your hearts and snatch your iman (faith in the oneness of Allah), the most precious thing.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that shaytan flows in the son of Adam like blood flows. [Bukhari]
Shaytan's goal is to take each and everyone of us to Hell with him. But he won't come to you today and tell you not to worship Allah or disbelieve in Allah because there is some faith in you. So he gradually misguides you through waswaas (whispers) but he does not use the same approach for everyone. People differ in their nature, personality and ways of thinking, so what appeals to someone, may not appeal to another. Shaytan may seek to conquer someone by exploiting his love for money, while he may subdue another by his lust for fame, or might delude another by emotion. So, Shaytan has different ways to enter a man's soul and misguide it - these doorways to a person's heart are referred to as, 'weakness of man.'
Shaytan has many schemes and tricks to turn people away from Allah Almighty and be his companion in Hell. They come in various types, shades and colors. In the Wayfarers to God (Ma'alim As-Suluk) by Habib Ali Al Jifri, they can be summarized in seven doors from which shaytan enters the heart of the human being and affect them. If we ponder upon the entrances, we will avoid them.
Door #1: Steering the human being away from pious works. For example, a person might have a desire to wake up at night and stand in prayer. Shaytan comes and says "You are tired, just don't pray." If Allah protect the person and give him tawfiq, the person will say, "I must do this, I need it."
Then shaytan will try the second entrance.
Door #2: Procrastination. For example, the person might say, "I'll start learning Qur'an when I finished college," or "when I am 50, I will pray at night," or "I will put on the hijab when I get married," or "I'll get back to my studies to after my wife have the baby or when I am settled." There is always some excuse that prevent you to do something you are supposed to do right now. So when you are learning Quran (pious work) or planning to recite a juz of Quran, for example, see it to the end with excellence. Don't let other things distract you even things that might seem of priority.
The remedy for procrastination is remembering death. We might not live even till the next breadth. Even if you do, if you postpone today's good works till tomorrow, when will you do good works of tomorrow and the ones after that? Remember, wasting time without acts of obedience to Allah is wasting something that can never be compensated for.
Door #3: Riya' (ostentation, showing off in worship)
This is wanting other than Allah for doing pious works. This is a subtle shirk (polytheism) and it is more illusive than the creeping of a black ant on a gray stone on a dark night.
Shaytan will say to the person, "Do your pious work, let people see you." "If you give charity, do it publicly or inform others so people mention you." "If you help build a masjid, make sure your name is mentioned." "If you contribute to a charitable foundation, make sure they write your name down."
If Allah wants to protect a servant from this subtle shirk, He fills the person's heart with the magnificent of Allah so that the person will refuse to do anything for other than Allah. Remember that Allah is free of need of any partner.
Riya' ruins our good deeds and Allah will not accept the works if we have riya'. A person should search for and try to fill his hearts with awareness of Allah’s magnificence. If his relationship with Allah is correct, he is clear of need of other people.
If shaytan is unsuccessful to enter your hearts from the above entrances, he will try the fourth.
Door #4: Haste
For example, when you recite the Qur'an, shaytan will rush you to finish one juz and then second juz, without reflection or contemplation, without proper tajweed, without alertness. Shaytan will rush you through your obligatory prayer quickly so you can go to your sunnah prayer.
Hastiness prevent a person from the light of an act of worship, the fruit of an act of worship, and taste of an act of worship.
The remedy for this is patience, deliberation and thoughtfulness. Remind ourselves that Allah does not want from us a lot of commotion but Allah wants us to benefit from our works and develop a taste for it.
If shaytan cannot come from this entrance, then it tries a fifth entrance.
Door #5: 'Ujb (pride, self glory}
The shaytan will try to make you fall into pride. Shaytan comes and says, "Mashaa Allah you are good," "You are upright, no one is like you.” So the person looks at his pious work as though it is emanating from himself. He forgets that in reality the action was from tawfiq of Allah.
Self glory is believing that Allah benefits from your act of worship, and believing that the act originates purely from the your will, the result of the person's effort. Self glory becomes the reason for nullifying the act of worship.
The remedy for this is for the person to remember that he is incapable and for him to ascribe the whole thing to Allah. He says, "Were it not for Allah’s honor and generosity, I would have been insignificant. Were I of no significance, He would have cast me away and left me in a state of disobedience. It is Allah's will to honor me and made me ready for obedience."
When shaytan despairs with regard to this entrance, he comes from the sixth entrance, subtle ostentation, unique to shaytan.
Door #6: Subtle riya' (ostentation) and 'ujb (self glory).
After passing the previous entrances--obedience, riya', procrastination, haste, 'ujb/self-glory, shaytan comes to a subtle effect that still might ruin one's work.
The shaytan says, "You be sincere with Allah, worship Allah alone, do not seek the countenance of people, and after that Allah will manifest your works. Allah will show light on your face. Allah will make people love you and make them favor you and approach you."
Remember we seek sincerity to attain Allah's favor and good pleasure, not to attain the pleasure of people.
Also self glory has many subtleties as it has obvious manifestations. One of the subtle illusive aspect of pride is that when one feels that other people have an obligation towards him because of favors or goodness extended to them. So, if two people did something wrong to us, most people are affected or more offended or hurt by the one to whom the favor has been done. Remember, wealth is Allah's wealth, and the servant is Allah's servant. Our goodness is none of our doing; it is from Allah. Were it not for Allah's tawfiq (facilitation to success or goodness), we won't be able to do anything good. The good that we do, Allah will reward us by manifolds. So how do our goodness compare to what we receive in recompense? So the favor is upon us when people accept our goodness, not upon them.
It is important to learn the knowledge of purification of the hearts. This knowledge is important because it can make people aware of the calamity that would fall upon them from places that they are not aware of.
Door #7: No need of good deeds.
The seventh entrance is when the shaytan comes and says, "Why do you tire yourself like this. Were you with Allah dammed even if you were to worship Allah, in the end you will be damned. And if you were with Allah as one of those saved, even if you are negligent, in the end you say la illaha illallah, you will enter the Garden. The matter is decided on the basis of pre-ordainments."
This is the most dangerous entrance.
The remedy for this is for the person to say, "Allah did not create me to ask if I am dammed or saved. He created me and ordered me to obey Him and leave disobedience of Him and worship Him, that I travel to Him. I am going to Him and I am eager to meet Him. The matter if I am dammed or saved that knowledge goes back to Him. This is the responsibility of the Lord, not the slave, whether I am dammed or I am saved."
Our mission as slaves of Allah is to expend our effort in obedience to Allah and to constantly and excellently do our utmost for Allah's sake as we travel to Him. The fruits of all this lies with Allah and not with us.
We must constantly seek refuge with Allah from shaytan. Among the fortification from shaytan is persisting to stay in a state of of ablution (wudu'), reading the Quran and understand it, persisting in a lot of dhikr (remembrance of Allah), reciting the Prophetic invocations for the morning and night and reciting the al-mu'awidhataan (such as Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Naas, Ayatul Kursi, the final 2 verses of Surah Al-Baqarah).
May Allah make us of those who hear His word and follow it. May Allah show us the Truth as Truth and grant us to follow it, and show us falsehood as falsehood and grant us to avoid it. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In the story of Musa and Al Khidr as Allah narrated in Surah Al Kahf, an interesting thing happened. After a long and exhausting journey in search of the person, Allah says more knowledgeable than him, Musa realized their morning meal (a fish) had disappeared. His travel companion had seen the fish came to live and swam away at some point but forgot to tell Musa. He said Shaytan made him forgot to tell Musa.
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَىٰهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـٰذَا نَصَبًا ﴿٦٢﴾ قَالَ أَرَءَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّى نَسِيتُ ٱلْحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُۥ ۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا ﴿٦٣
So when they had passed beyond it, [Musa] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue." (62) He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly". (63) [Quran, Al-Kahf 18:62-63]
Beware of Shaytan who is always lurking to enter your hearts and snatch your iman (faith in the oneness of Allah), the most precious thing.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that shaytan flows in the son of Adam like blood flows. [Bukhari]
Shaytan's goal is to take each and everyone of us to Hell with him. But he won't come to you today and tell you not to worship Allah or disbelieve in Allah because there is some faith in you. So he gradually misguides you through waswaas (whispers) but he does not use the same approach for everyone. People differ in their nature, personality and ways of thinking, so what appeals to someone, may not appeal to another. Shaytan may seek to conquer someone by exploiting his love for money, while he may subdue another by his lust for fame, or might delude another by emotion. So, Shaytan has different ways to enter a man's soul and misguide it - these doorways to a person's heart are referred to as, 'weakness of man.'
Shaytan has many schemes and tricks to turn people away from Allah Almighty and be his companion in Hell. They come in various types, shades and colors. In the Wayfarers to God (Ma'alim As-Suluk) by Habib Ali Al Jifri, they can be summarized in seven doors from which shaytan enters the heart of the human being and affect them. If we ponder upon the entrances, we will avoid them.
Door #1: Steering the human being away from pious works. For example, a person might have a desire to wake up at night and stand in prayer. Shaytan comes and says "You are tired, just don't pray." If Allah protect the person and give him tawfiq, the person will say, "I must do this, I need it."
Then shaytan will try the second entrance.
Door #2: Procrastination. For example, the person might say, "I'll start learning Qur'an when I finished college," or "when I am 50, I will pray at night," or "I will put on the hijab when I get married," or "I'll get back to my studies to after my wife have the baby or when I am settled." There is always some excuse that prevent you to do something you are supposed to do right now. So when you are learning Quran (pious work) or planning to recite a juz of Quran, for example, see it to the end with excellence. Don't let other things distract you even things that might seem of priority.
The remedy for procrastination is remembering death. We might not live even till the next breadth. Even if you do, if you postpone today's good works till tomorrow, when will you do good works of tomorrow and the ones after that? Remember, wasting time without acts of obedience to Allah is wasting something that can never be compensated for.
Door #3: Riya' (ostentation, showing off in worship)
This is wanting other than Allah for doing pious works. This is a subtle shirk (polytheism) and it is more illusive than the creeping of a black ant on a gray stone on a dark night.
Shaytan will say to the person, "Do your pious work, let people see you." "If you give charity, do it publicly or inform others so people mention you." "If you help build a masjid, make sure your name is mentioned." "If you contribute to a charitable foundation, make sure they write your name down."
If Allah wants to protect a servant from this subtle shirk, He fills the person's heart with the magnificent of Allah so that the person will refuse to do anything for other than Allah. Remember that Allah is free of need of any partner.
Riya' ruins our good deeds and Allah will not accept the works if we have riya'. A person should search for and try to fill his hearts with awareness of Allah’s magnificence. If his relationship with Allah is correct, he is clear of need of other people.
If shaytan is unsuccessful to enter your hearts from the above entrances, he will try the fourth.
Door #4: Haste
For example, when you recite the Qur'an, shaytan will rush you to finish one juz and then second juz, without reflection or contemplation, without proper tajweed, without alertness. Shaytan will rush you through your obligatory prayer quickly so you can go to your sunnah prayer.
Hastiness prevent a person from the light of an act of worship, the fruit of an act of worship, and taste of an act of worship.
The remedy for this is patience, deliberation and thoughtfulness. Remind ourselves that Allah does not want from us a lot of commotion but Allah wants us to benefit from our works and develop a taste for it.
If shaytan cannot come from this entrance, then it tries a fifth entrance.
Door #5: 'Ujb (pride, self glory}
The shaytan will try to make you fall into pride. Shaytan comes and says, "Mashaa Allah you are good," "You are upright, no one is like you.” So the person looks at his pious work as though it is emanating from himself. He forgets that in reality the action was from tawfiq of Allah.
Self glory is believing that Allah benefits from your act of worship, and believing that the act originates purely from the your will, the result of the person's effort. Self glory becomes the reason for nullifying the act of worship.
The remedy for this is for the person to remember that he is incapable and for him to ascribe the whole thing to Allah. He says, "Were it not for Allah’s honor and generosity, I would have been insignificant. Were I of no significance, He would have cast me away and left me in a state of disobedience. It is Allah's will to honor me and made me ready for obedience."
When shaytan despairs with regard to this entrance, he comes from the sixth entrance, subtle ostentation, unique to shaytan.
Door #6: Subtle riya' (ostentation) and 'ujb (self glory).
After passing the previous entrances--obedience, riya', procrastination, haste, 'ujb/self-glory, shaytan comes to a subtle effect that still might ruin one's work.
The shaytan says, "You be sincere with Allah, worship Allah alone, do not seek the countenance of people, and after that Allah will manifest your works. Allah will show light on your face. Allah will make people love you and make them favor you and approach you."
Remember we seek sincerity to attain Allah's favor and good pleasure, not to attain the pleasure of people.
Also self glory has many subtleties as it has obvious manifestations. One of the subtle illusive aspect of pride is that when one feels that other people have an obligation towards him because of favors or goodness extended to them. So, if two people did something wrong to us, most people are affected or more offended or hurt by the one to whom the favor has been done. Remember, wealth is Allah's wealth, and the servant is Allah's servant. Our goodness is none of our doing; it is from Allah. Were it not for Allah's tawfiq (facilitation to success or goodness), we won't be able to do anything good. The good that we do, Allah will reward us by manifolds. So how do our goodness compare to what we receive in recompense? So the favor is upon us when people accept our goodness, not upon them.
It is important to learn the knowledge of purification of the hearts. This knowledge is important because it can make people aware of the calamity that would fall upon them from places that they are not aware of.
Door #7: No need of good deeds.
The seventh entrance is when the shaytan comes and says, "Why do you tire yourself like this. Were you with Allah dammed even if you were to worship Allah, in the end you will be damned. And if you were with Allah as one of those saved, even if you are negligent, in the end you say la illaha illallah, you will enter the Garden. The matter is decided on the basis of pre-ordainments."
This is the most dangerous entrance.
The remedy for this is for the person to say, "Allah did not create me to ask if I am dammed or saved. He created me and ordered me to obey Him and leave disobedience of Him and worship Him, that I travel to Him. I am going to Him and I am eager to meet Him. The matter if I am dammed or saved that knowledge goes back to Him. This is the responsibility of the Lord, not the slave, whether I am dammed or I am saved."
Our mission as slaves of Allah is to expend our effort in obedience to Allah and to constantly and excellently do our utmost for Allah's sake as we travel to Him. The fruits of all this lies with Allah and not with us.
We must constantly seek refuge with Allah from shaytan. Among the fortification from shaytan is persisting to stay in a state of of ablution (wudu'), reading the Quran and understand it, persisting in a lot of dhikr (remembrance of Allah), reciting the Prophetic invocations for the morning and night and reciting the al-mu'awidhataan (such as Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Naas, Ayatul Kursi, the final 2 verses of Surah Al-Baqarah).
May Allah make us of those who hear His word and follow it. May Allah show us the Truth as Truth and grant us to follow it, and show us falsehood as falsehood and grant us to avoid it. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
Quran Reflection -- The Joy Of Your Mother Is A Favor To You
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Ta-Ha, Allah mentions His many favors to Musa alayhissalaam. One of them was to bring him back to his mother after he was casted into a river when he was a baby, which gave her joy and she no longer grieve.
إِذْ تَمْشِىٓ أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكْفُلُهُۥ ۖ فَرَجَعْنَـٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَىْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ ۚ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَـٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّـٰكَ فُتُونًا ۚ فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِىٓ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَىٰ قَدَرٍ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ ﴿٤٠﴾
[And We favored you] when your sister went and said, 'Shall I direct you to someone who will be responsible for him?' So We restored you to your mother that she might be content and not grieve. And you killed someone, but We saved you from retaliation and tried you with a [severe] trial. And you remained [some] years among the people of Madyan. Then you came [here] at the decreed time, O Moses. [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:40]
Your mother being happy is a favor to you. Just like a mother feels happy when her child is happy, the opposite is supposed to be true. You are supposed to be happy when your mother is happy--that is a gift of Allah to you.
May Allah make our children righteous and coolness of the eyes of their parents. 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 Ta-Ha, Allah mentions His many favors to Musa alayhissalaam. One of them was to bring him back to his mother after he was casted into a river when he was a baby, which gave her joy and she no longer grieve.
إِذْ تَمْشِىٓ أُخْتُكَ فَتَقُولُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن يَكْفُلُهُۥ ۖ فَرَجَعْنَـٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَىْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ ۚ وَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا فَنَجَّيْنَـٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ وَفَتَنَّـٰكَ فُتُونًا ۚ فَلَبِثْتَ سِنِينَ فِىٓ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ ثُمَّ جِئْتَ عَلَىٰ قَدَرٍ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ ﴿٤٠﴾
[And We favored you] when your sister went and said, 'Shall I direct you to someone who will be responsible for him?' So We restored you to your mother that she might be content and not grieve. And you killed someone, but We saved you from retaliation and tried you with a [severe] trial. And you remained [some] years among the people of Madyan. Then you came [here] at the decreed time, O Moses. [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:40]
Your mother being happy is a favor to you. Just like a mother feels happy when her child is happy, the opposite is supposed to be true. You are supposed to be happy when your mother is happy--that is a gift of Allah to you.
May Allah make our children righteous and coolness of the eyes of their parents. 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, June 12, 2019
Be Excellent To Your Parents Till You Die
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
If someone came to you today and offered you a free lunch, what would be your response? No doubt you would smile, speak kindly to and of them, and reserve a special place in your heart for their memory. Why is it then that our parents receive cold stares, harsh words and bitter treatment and they are who they are in our lives? For twenty or thirty years they fed us, clothed us, washed us, and showered their mercy on our soft skin. Their love for us never dies even if we do, love that goes even beyond us, to our children and even their children.
We all have parents – whether they are with us or not – and many have not understood the their grand position in our lives and their right to be respected and revered.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala commands us to worship Him alone and treat our parents with excellence إِحْسَـٰنًا When something is a command, Allah in essence has made it easy for us so we need not think about it. We just do it. We hear and we obey (following the way of the Prophets وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا Al-Baqarah 2:285) because Allah created us and we have trust in Him that He wants good for us.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in Surah Al Isra'
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّۢ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا ﴿٢٣﴾ وَٱخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا ﴿٢٤﴾
And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. (23) And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small." (24) [Qur'an, Al-Isra'17:23-24]
Birr Al-Waalidayn is a characteristic of the believer (Mu’min). Al-Hasan Al Basri defined it saying, “Al-Birr is to obey the parents in everything that they ask so long as it is not to disobey Allah. Uqooq is to disown your parents, denying them all of your goodness.”
By the consensus of the scholars, being respectful and obedient to ones parents is obligatory (fard). Ibn Hazm said, “(Obeying ones parents) is fard” and he quoted the above verse.
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَـٰلِحًا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims." [Du'a from Surah Al Ahqaf 49:15]
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
Good read article in Malay
https://www.bharian.com.my/node/69235?fbclid=IwAR3zGi_8NItxrWIa-24kDxQC6KNksgbEY4xOUH_2RpjOrdqAiKsd-fN-0Jg
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
If someone came to you today and offered you a free lunch, what would be your response? No doubt you would smile, speak kindly to and of them, and reserve a special place in your heart for their memory. Why is it then that our parents receive cold stares, harsh words and bitter treatment and they are who they are in our lives? For twenty or thirty years they fed us, clothed us, washed us, and showered their mercy on our soft skin. Their love for us never dies even if we do, love that goes even beyond us, to our children and even their children.
We all have parents – whether they are with us or not – and many have not understood the their grand position in our lives and their right to be respected and revered.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala commands us to worship Him alone and treat our parents with excellence إِحْسَـٰنًا When something is a command, Allah in essence has made it easy for us so we need not think about it. We just do it. We hear and we obey (following the way of the Prophets وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا Al-Baqarah 2:285) because Allah created us and we have trust in Him that He wants good for us.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says in Surah Al Isra'
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّۢ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا ﴿٢٣﴾ وَٱخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا ﴿٢٤﴾
And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. (23) And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small." (24) [Qur'an, Al-Isra'17:23-24]
Birr Al-Waalidayn is a characteristic of the believer (Mu’min). Al-Hasan Al Basri defined it saying, “Al-Birr is to obey the parents in everything that they ask so long as it is not to disobey Allah. Uqooq is to disown your parents, denying them all of your goodness.”
By the consensus of the scholars, being respectful and obedient to ones parents is obligatory (fard). Ibn Hazm said, “(Obeying ones parents) is fard” and he quoted the above verse.
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَـٰلِحًا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims." [Du'a from Surah Al Ahqaf 49:15]
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
Good read article in Malay
https://www.bharian.com.my/node/69235?fbclid=IwAR3zGi_8NItxrWIa-24kDxQC6KNksgbEY4xOUH_2RpjOrdqAiKsd-fN-0Jg
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Quran Reflection -- Knowledge and Adab
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
In Surah Ta-Ha, Allah tells us
وَهَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ ﴿٩﴾ إِذْ رَءَا نَارًا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ ٱمْكُثُوٓا۟ إِنِّىٓ ءَانَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّىٓ ءَاتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ هُدًى ﴿١٠﴾ فَلَمَّآ أَتَىٰهَا نُودِىَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ ﴿١١﴾ إِنِّىٓ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكَ فَٱخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ بِٱلْوَادِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى ﴿١٢
And has the story of Moses reached you? - (9) When he saw a fire and said to his family, "Stay here; indeed, I have perceived a fire; perhaps I can bring you a torch or find at the fire some guidance." (10) And when he came to it, he was called, "O Moses, (11) Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. (12) [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:9-12]
The first commandment given to Musa alayhissalaam was "Take your shoes (sandals) off!". It is because he was in a sacred place. He was taught adab.
The first commandment given to our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was "Read!" [Quran, Al-Alaq 96:1]
There are two parts of education--1) Academics and knowledge 2) Adab (manners). Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was given knowledge. Musa was given adab. The component of education we highlight today is academics and knowledge. One may have a PhD or Islamic degree, but has no manners.
May Allah grant us noble character, remove our blameworthy traits and replace them with praiseworthy traits. 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 Surah Ta-Ha, Allah tells us
وَهَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ مُوسَىٰٓ ﴿٩﴾ إِذْ رَءَا نَارًا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ ٱمْكُثُوٓا۟ إِنِّىٓ ءَانَسْتُ نَارًا لَّعَلِّىٓ ءَاتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ هُدًى ﴿١٠﴾ فَلَمَّآ أَتَىٰهَا نُودِىَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ ﴿١١﴾ إِنِّىٓ أَنَا۠ رَبُّكَ فَٱخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ بِٱلْوَادِ ٱلْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى ﴿١٢
And has the story of Moses reached you? - (9) When he saw a fire and said to his family, "Stay here; indeed, I have perceived a fire; perhaps I can bring you a torch or find at the fire some guidance." (10) And when he came to it, he was called, "O Moses, (11) Indeed, I am your Lord, so remove your sandals. Indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. (12) [Quran, Ta-Ha 20:9-12]
The first commandment given to Musa alayhissalaam was "Take your shoes (sandals) off!". It is because he was in a sacred place. He was taught adab.
The first commandment given to our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was "Read!" [Quran, Al-Alaq 96:1]
There are two parts of education--1) Academics and knowledge 2) Adab (manners). Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was given knowledge. Musa was given adab. The component of education we highlight today is academics and knowledge. One may have a PhD or Islamic degree, but has no manners.
May Allah grant us noble character, remove our blameworthy traits and replace them with praiseworthy traits. 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, June 8, 2019
Post Ramadhan Blues
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Ramadhan is over. Are you feeling blue? Are you feeling sad because you didn't get to do all that you wanted to do in Ramadhan?
How to deal with it?
--Focus on quality, not quantity. Praying a few rakat of taraweeh with tranquillity, peacefulness, and consciousness of the greatness of the act, is a thousand times better than praying twenty units of marathon race. Reciting Quran with reflection and acting upon the guidance is a thousand times better than simply reading without any effort to understand what you are reading.
--Don’t compare yourself with others. Compare yourself with:
Yourself a year ago
Yourself before Ramadhan
That will show you, not how you rank in certain deeds among your peers, but how much you have grown and matured over time.
--Focus on the real goal and not on the means to that goal.
The point is not praying twenty rakat taraweeh or doing two or three khatams; rather it is to get closer to Allah this Ramadhan than you were before.
This is done through:
Connecting with Allah through prayers and remembrance (emphasis on connecting)
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. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:186]
Attaining gratefulness
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
[Quran, Al Baqarah 2:185]
Attaining consciousness of Allah
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:183]
--Don't fall back. We have left behind the blessed month of Ramadhan, the month of mercy, forgiveness and freedom from the Hellfire, but we have challenged our nafs (lower self) and our desires and we made progress. The progress came from our internal commitment, special prayers, fasting, charity and avoiding sins.
We must continue that progress and don't fall back.
Fasting may continue with sunnah fasting. Allah has spread other blessed times throughout the year for fasting. It is a shield from falling into sin and giving in to our own nafs. Abu Hurayrah reported, Allah’s Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, “Fasting is a shield.” [Muslim] Also, remember the tremendous rewards of fasting. Allah Almighty said: The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it. [Bukhari & Muslim].
Our first opportunity for Sunnah fasting is fasting 6 days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadhan. It is the practice of many Muslims to fast for 6 consecutive days starting the 2nd Shawwal. Strive to start on 2nd Shawwal and delay any open houses to the evening or after 7th Shawwal.
Continue the taraweeh night prayers with a few raka'ats tahajjud prayer every night.
Continue reading a portion of the Quran every day, consistently (same place, same time), and invite your family, friends and neighbors for khatam and food once a month, and at regular interval. Take your reading to the next level--learn and understand what you read, teach the Quran, and apply what you read.
Continue giving charity everyday even with a smile.
Take one or two bad habits (like procrastination, sleep after fajr, etc) each month and work on removing it that month.
May Allah accept our Ramadhan worship and good deeds, and grant us a sound understanding of His Book and tawfiq in following the teachings. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Ramadhan is over. Are you feeling blue? Are you feeling sad because you didn't get to do all that you wanted to do in Ramadhan?
How to deal with it?
--Focus on quality, not quantity. Praying a few rakat of taraweeh with tranquillity, peacefulness, and consciousness of the greatness of the act, is a thousand times better than praying twenty units of marathon race. Reciting Quran with reflection and acting upon the guidance is a thousand times better than simply reading without any effort to understand what you are reading.
--Don’t compare yourself with others. Compare yourself with:
Yourself a year ago
Yourself before Ramadhan
That will show you, not how you rank in certain deeds among your peers, but how much you have grown and matured over time.
--Focus on the real goal and not on the means to that goal.
The point is not praying twenty rakat taraweeh or doing two or three khatams; rather it is to get closer to Allah this Ramadhan than you were before.
This is done through:
Connecting with Allah through prayers and remembrance (emphasis on connecting)
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. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:186]
Attaining gratefulness
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥
The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
[Quran, Al Baqarah 2:185]
Attaining consciousness of Allah
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:183]
--Don't fall back. We have left behind the blessed month of Ramadhan, the month of mercy, forgiveness and freedom from the Hellfire, but we have challenged our nafs (lower self) and our desires and we made progress. The progress came from our internal commitment, special prayers, fasting, charity and avoiding sins.
We must continue that progress and don't fall back.
Fasting may continue with sunnah fasting. Allah has spread other blessed times throughout the year for fasting. It is a shield from falling into sin and giving in to our own nafs. Abu Hurayrah reported, Allah’s Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, “Fasting is a shield.” [Muslim] Also, remember the tremendous rewards of fasting. Allah Almighty said: The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it. [Bukhari & Muslim].
Our first opportunity for Sunnah fasting is fasting 6 days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadhan. It is the practice of many Muslims to fast for 6 consecutive days starting the 2nd Shawwal. Strive to start on 2nd Shawwal and delay any open houses to the evening or after 7th Shawwal.
Continue the taraweeh night prayers with a few raka'ats tahajjud prayer every night.
Continue reading a portion of the Quran every day, consistently (same place, same time), and invite your family, friends and neighbors for khatam and food once a month, and at regular interval. Take your reading to the next level--learn and understand what you read, teach the Quran, and apply what you read.
Continue giving charity everyday even with a smile.
Take one or two bad habits (like procrastination, sleep after fajr, etc) each month and work on removing it that month.
May Allah accept our Ramadhan worship and good deeds, and grant us a sound understanding of His Book and tawfiq in following the teachings. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.
Wassalaam
Friday, June 7, 2019
Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Renew Our Committment to the Quran
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
We thank Allah for the another opportunity to experience Ramadhan this year. May Allah accept all our Ramadhan deeds and forgive and pardon all our sins and save us from the Hellfire. Aameen.
So, we performed our prayers, fasting, charity and completed recitation of the Quran (khatam) once or more this Ramadhan, but was that enough? Of course not!
Let the highs of the spiritual journey that we went through during Ramadhan have a lasting effect in our lives post Ramadhan. And let us not restrict the recitation of Quran to only the month of Ramadhan. We have to take at least half an hour to an hour daily out of our schedule to recite, understand and ponder over the verses of Quran.
The Quran is worthy of our time and attention. What came down is not a casual read. Every opportunity that we have to get closer to the Qur'an, we should take it.
The Quran came down to change our lives. Don't be like the failed nations of the past who had shallow relationship with their Books, and long periods passed over them, so their hearts become hardened.
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ ﴿١٦
Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient. (16)
[Quran, Al-Hadid 57:16]
Allah Almighty says in Surah Al-Kahf,
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿٢
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam) the Book (the Qur'an), and has not placed therein any crookedness. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2)
[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:1-2]
The Quran is upright and safeguards the best interest of His servants. It will set anybody right. Even in the toughest of time, the Qur'an can help us stand up straight. It teaches us to stay within limits. It does not put a burden or responsibility upon the slaves of Allah the kind of burden or responsibility that they can't carry.
It will never fall short in the realm of guidance. That's why Allah sent the Qur'an as the last Book. The Qur'an is a complete guidance. Whatever troubles or crisis we are facing -- personal, national, ethical, political, factional, ignorance, morality, shamelessness, etc -- the Qur'an has the solution for it.
The world we live in now is not much different than the world before in terms of its crookedness and deviations. Quran is committed to rectify the most crooked of nations. So we must have hope that when we restore the relationship with the Qur'an to people, beginning with ourselves and our families, then there will be good things lie ahead. The Qur'an is straight and no matter how much society deviates, it will remain straight. It has the power to take that which is bent and make it straight.
The actual relationship we have with the Quran is when we are standing in prayer and reciting it, and when we are standing behind an imam and listening to it being recited. Our relationship with the Quran happens at least five times a day. If somebody's prayer is good, his Quran is good, and if someone is not engaging with the Quran in his prayers, then his relationship with the Quran is entirely superficial.
Isn't it time we take the Qur'an seriously? The hearts of those who claim to have Faith (the believers) should be filled with the grandeur of Allah, in awe of Allah's power, due to the remembrance of Allah. Their hearts should flood with tears because of the Qur'an. Our hearts should be filled with overwhelming sense of emotion because we haven't connected with the Qur'an yet.
We should act like the Ummah that we are supposed to be with the Qu'ran.
وَٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ ۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلْتَحَدًا ﴿٢٧
And recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge. (27)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:27]
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًۭا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا ﴿٥٧
And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever. (57)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:57]
May Allah bring us closer to His Book. 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
We thank Allah for the another opportunity to experience Ramadhan this year. May Allah accept all our Ramadhan deeds and forgive and pardon all our sins and save us from the Hellfire. Aameen.
So, we performed our prayers, fasting, charity and completed recitation of the Quran (khatam) once or more this Ramadhan, but was that enough? Of course not!
Let the highs of the spiritual journey that we went through during Ramadhan have a lasting effect in our lives post Ramadhan. And let us not restrict the recitation of Quran to only the month of Ramadhan. We have to take at least half an hour to an hour daily out of our schedule to recite, understand and ponder over the verses of Quran.
The Quran is worthy of our time and attention. What came down is not a casual read. Every opportunity that we have to get closer to the Qur'an, we should take it.
The Quran came down to change our lives. Don't be like the failed nations of the past who had shallow relationship with their Books, and long periods passed over them, so their hearts become hardened.
أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ ﴿١٦
Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient. (16)
[Quran, Al-Hadid 57:16]
Allah Almighty says in Surah Al-Kahf,
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١﴾ قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿٢
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam) the Book (the Qur'an), and has not placed therein any crookedness. (1) [He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward (2)
[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:1-2]
The Quran is upright and safeguards the best interest of His servants. It will set anybody right. Even in the toughest of time, the Qur'an can help us stand up straight. It teaches us to stay within limits. It does not put a burden or responsibility upon the slaves of Allah the kind of burden or responsibility that they can't carry.
It will never fall short in the realm of guidance. That's why Allah sent the Qur'an as the last Book. The Qur'an is a complete guidance. Whatever troubles or crisis we are facing -- personal, national, ethical, political, factional, ignorance, morality, shamelessness, etc -- the Qur'an has the solution for it.
The world we live in now is not much different than the world before in terms of its crookedness and deviations. Quran is committed to rectify the most crooked of nations. So we must have hope that when we restore the relationship with the Qur'an to people, beginning with ourselves and our families, then there will be good things lie ahead. The Qur'an is straight and no matter how much society deviates, it will remain straight. It has the power to take that which is bent and make it straight.
The actual relationship we have with the Quran is when we are standing in prayer and reciting it, and when we are standing behind an imam and listening to it being recited. Our relationship with the Quran happens at least five times a day. If somebody's prayer is good, his Quran is good, and if someone is not engaging with the Quran in his prayers, then his relationship with the Quran is entirely superficial.
Isn't it time we take the Qur'an seriously? The hearts of those who claim to have Faith (the believers) should be filled with the grandeur of Allah, in awe of Allah's power, due to the remembrance of Allah. Their hearts should flood with tears because of the Qur'an. Our hearts should be filled with overwhelming sense of emotion because we haven't connected with the Qur'an yet.
We should act like the Ummah that we are supposed to be with the Qu'ran.
وَٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ ۖ لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَلَن تَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلْتَحَدًا ﴿٢٧
And recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge. (27)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:27]
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِىَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًۭا ۖ وَإِن تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْهُدَىٰ فَلَن يَهْتَدُوٓا۟ إِذًا أَبَدًا ﴿٥٧
And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever. (57)
[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:57]
May Allah bring us closer to His Book. 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
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Bidding Farewell To Ramadhan 1440H -- It's Not Over Until It Is Over
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
The month of Quran is almost over. It feels like yesterday we were celebrating the first day of Ramadhan and now it is almost over. Whether you love Ramadhan so much and want it to stay; whether you fell short in Ramadhan and want it to stay so you can do more, Ramadhan got to go. You cannot stop Ramadhan from leaving. It was only here for a limited number of days -- 29 or 30. And you have to wait till next year to see Ramadhan again, that if Allah had decreed that you live long enough.
People who have lost out in Ramadhan were those who had busied themselves with things that did not concern them -- those things that they cannot take with them to their graves, i.e. things that cannot help them succeed in the Hereafter. Our concern in this life should be Allah alone, our standing with Him, and our next life to come. And this is the concern that we trained ourselves in Ramadhan and should have from now and until we breathe our last.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to make preparations for Ramadhan six months in advance, in which they would keep asking Allah to let them reach Ramadhan and in good health. Then for the next six months, they would keep asking Allah to accept their Ramadhan worship. This is the way of the best generation of the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace). They took the matter of worshiping Allah very seriously. It is their way of life.
It is not over until it is over. Reap the benefits of Ramadhan while it lasts during this final moments with many other good deeds--be good to your parents, call them, thank them, hug them, say you love them. Give extra charity and pay your sadaqatul fitr (this is obligatory on every Muslim) and zakat before your Eid prayer.
Read more Qur'an. Remember each letter you recite is one reward, and rewards are multiplied by ten of their kind. You should try to complete reciting the Qur'an this one last time in Ramadhan, perhaps you can gather your family members and friends to do a group khatam instead of cooking, final shopping for Eid or travelling.
Regarding Ramadhan, it was reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "...Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever performs an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligation at any other time..."
We should also intend to perform as many good actions, short and long term, and take the means to accomplish them. Actions are only by intentions. Intention is the measure for rendering actions true, so that where intention is sound action is sound, and where it is corrupt then action is corrupt.
From the Amir al-Muminin Abu Hafs 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, radiya'llahu 'anhu, that he said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, 'Actions are only by intentions, and every man has only that which he intended. Whoever's emigration is for Allah and His Messenger then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. Whoever's emigration is for some worldly gain which he can acquire or a woman he will marry then his emigration is for that for which he emigrated'." [Bukhari]
It's always the case of too many things to do in such little time. But inshaa Allah from the barakah (blessing) of time and your good intentions, you will be able to accomplish what you intend to do, including what's on your "Ramadhan To Do List" that you were not quite able to do, such as complete reading of the Quran, memorize some surahs, read the meanings of the Quran, learn some Arabic, read some tafsir, seerah, remove certain blameworthy traits, pick up certain praiseworthy trait, establish ties of kinship, etc.
May Allah accept our worship and good deeds of Ramadhan, forgive and pardon us, save us from Hellfire, relieve the tribulations of the Ummah, and enable us to reach the next Ramadhan. 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 month of Quran is almost over. It feels like yesterday we were celebrating the first day of Ramadhan and now it is almost over. Whether you love Ramadhan so much and want it to stay; whether you fell short in Ramadhan and want it to stay so you can do more, Ramadhan got to go. You cannot stop Ramadhan from leaving. It was only here for a limited number of days -- 29 or 30. And you have to wait till next year to see Ramadhan again, that if Allah had decreed that you live long enough.
People who have lost out in Ramadhan were those who had busied themselves with things that did not concern them -- those things that they cannot take with them to their graves, i.e. things that cannot help them succeed in the Hereafter. Our concern in this life should be Allah alone, our standing with Him, and our next life to come. And this is the concern that we trained ourselves in Ramadhan and should have from now and until we breathe our last.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to make preparations for Ramadhan six months in advance, in which they would keep asking Allah to let them reach Ramadhan and in good health. Then for the next six months, they would keep asking Allah to accept their Ramadhan worship. This is the way of the best generation of the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace). They took the matter of worshiping Allah very seriously. It is their way of life.
It is not over until it is over. Reap the benefits of Ramadhan while it lasts during this final moments with many other good deeds--be good to your parents, call them, thank them, hug them, say you love them. Give extra charity and pay your sadaqatul fitr (this is obligatory on every Muslim) and zakat before your Eid prayer.
Read more Qur'an. Remember each letter you recite is one reward, and rewards are multiplied by ten of their kind. You should try to complete reciting the Qur'an this one last time in Ramadhan, perhaps you can gather your family members and friends to do a group khatam instead of cooking, final shopping for Eid or travelling.
Regarding Ramadhan, it was reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "...Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever performs an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligation at any other time..."
We should also intend to perform as many good actions, short and long term, and take the means to accomplish them. Actions are only by intentions. Intention is the measure for rendering actions true, so that where intention is sound action is sound, and where it is corrupt then action is corrupt.
From the Amir al-Muminin Abu Hafs 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, radiya'llahu 'anhu, that he said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, 'Actions are only by intentions, and every man has only that which he intended. Whoever's emigration is for Allah and His Messenger then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. Whoever's emigration is for some worldly gain which he can acquire or a woman he will marry then his emigration is for that for which he emigrated'." [Bukhari]
It's always the case of too many things to do in such little time. But inshaa Allah from the barakah (blessing) of time and your good intentions, you will be able to accomplish what you intend to do, including what's on your "Ramadhan To Do List" that you were not quite able to do, such as complete reading of the Quran, memorize some surahs, read the meanings of the Quran, learn some Arabic, read some tafsir, seerah, remove certain blameworthy traits, pick up certain praiseworthy trait, establish ties of kinship, etc.
May Allah accept our worship and good deeds of Ramadhan, forgive and pardon us, save us from Hellfire, relieve the tribulations of the Ummah, and enable us to reach the next Ramadhan. 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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