Don't Take Sins Lightly -- Calamities Are The Result Of Misdeeds

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

Don't take sins lightly. We should fear our sins more than the enemy. It is you and your application of the Qur'an and Sunnah that can give you success and victory in this life before the next.

Allah Almighty says, 

مَّآ أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَآ أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِن نَّفْسِكَ ۚ وَأَرْسَلْنَٰكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولًا ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًا ﴿٧٩

What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself. And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness. (79)

 [Quran, An-Nisa 4:79]

A blessing comes only by the grace of Allah. Any blessing which reaches a person, any good that comes to him, does not get to him as a matter of his right. No matter how much he devotes to the many acts of worship he is obligated with, he cannot claim to deserve that blessing on the basis of his deeds alone. This because the very ability to engage in acts of worship comes from none but Allah Himself. which is known as the Tawfiq of Allah. The blessings of Allah are countless, then how could they be procured by limitcd acts of worship and other expressions of obedience to His commands?

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, 'No one shall enter Paradise unless it be with the mcrcy of Allah.' The narrator asked: 'Not you either?' He said, 'Yes. Not me either.'

Calamities are the result of misdeeds. Although, calamities are created by Allah, but their cause lies nowhere else but in the very misdeeds of the person himself. If this person is a disbeliever, the evil that hits him in this this world is only an ordinary sample of the ultimate punishment, the punishment of the world-to-come, which is much much more than the worldly punishment. And if this person is a believer, all his misfortunes become an expiation of his sins in that case, and become the very cause of his salvation in the Hereafter. 

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said in a hadith, "No evil ever touches a Muslim, but it becomes a source of forgiveness for him - even the pinch of a thorn in his feet." [Tirmidhi]

In another hadith, he sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "No hardship befalls a servant of Allah, be it light or tough, but it is always due to his sin - and the sins Allah forgives (without afflicting with a calamity) are much more." [Tirmidhi]

O Allah, pardon us and save us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next. O Allah, grant us success in this life and the next. O Allah, make us of the muttaqeen. 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

Prepare For Ramadhan -- STOP The Haram And The Laziness

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam

This life is going to come to an end. There is an Hour. We are going to die sooner than we might think. There are only certain things that we can take with us when we go to our graves. If we have this context in mind, we would behave differently, and stop all the haram in our lives and and doing and worrying about things that will not benefit us in the Hereafter.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says,

أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا۟ يُدْرِككُّمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِى بُرُوجٍ مُّشَيَّدَةٍ

Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction.  [Quran, An-Nisa 4:78]

فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا ۚ فَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَىٰهُمْ ﴿١٨

Then do they await except that the Hour should come upon them unexpectedly? But already there have come [some of] its indications. Then what good to them, when it has come, will be their remembrance?
[Quran, Muhammad 47:18] 

The Signs of the Hour are numerous. Signs are meant to tell us something we didn't know or to remind us of something in case we forget.

Allah Most High placed them here so we can prepare ourselves for the Hour. When you see the sign, it should remind you of the Hereafter and if it reminds you of the Hereafter, your life will be different. You will gain strength in obedience and insight in religion. That is the point of the signs of the Hour. There are not here for us to gather more information and fine details, and involve ourselves in intellectual discussions and debates. If you ignore what the signs are telling you, the consequence is more grave that ignoring the red octagon.

Just as you are driving on a road and you see a red octagon sign at an intersection ahead of you, you should slow down and prepare to stop. The sign is not meant for you to admire the red color or count the number of sides it has or calculate the area of the octagon or wonder if you would be seeing more red octagons during your journey, and keep driving. If you do this, you are missing the point of the red octagons as a traffic sign and you are bound to hurt someone, including yourself (accidents, traffic ticket, a ding in your good traffic record, a dent in your checkbook, etc). If you look at one red octagon and stop, it will prevent harm on yourself and others.

A nafl or dhuha prayer isn't obligatory. So, instead of praying a nafl or dhuha, you watch movies, play grames, cling to your phone and social media. You will regret doing this in the Day of Judgment because those 2 or 4 or 8 raka'at prayer will put you ahead till eternity. Just imagine all the aimless browsing and cruising the internet, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and so on. Imagine all the fights, arguments, gossips, talebearing that people are involving themselves in. What a waste of time! 

Spend your time wisely and productively. Rush to good deeds. Ask yourself before doing anything, "Is this action that I am going to do is going to harm me in my grave and thereafter?" If the answer is yes, don't do it. FULL STOP. If you are doubtful, it is better to stay away from it. This is the way of the companions.

اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّي أَعْوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الهَـمِّ وَ الْحُـزْنِ، والعًجْـزِ والكَسَلِ والبُخْـلِ والجُـبْنِ، وضَلْـعِ الـدَّيْنِ وغَلَبَـةِ الرِّجال

Allāhumma 'innī 'a`ūdhu bika mina ‘l-ḥammi wa ‘l-ḥuzn, wa ‘l-`ajzi wa ‘l-kasal, wa ‘l-bukhli wa ‘l-jubn, wa ḍala`id-dayn, wa ghalabatir-rijāl.  

O Allah, I seek refuge in you from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men (i.e. others).

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

Why Seek Sacred Knowledge?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

Knowledge is the key to arriving at following Allah’s command and following the way of His beloved Messenger, sallallahu alayhi wasallam (Sunnah). This knowledge is that knowledge that is acquired with the intention of acting upon it as well as teaching it.

A person is elevated in the following, starting with leaving prohibitions and fulfilling obligations. Then he continues to rise to a point of adhering to the Sunnah and leaving offensive actions (al-makruhaat). They continue to be elevated in following until they adhere to the Prophetic etiquettes and manners (adab) in dealing with permissible things and having pious intention in doing permissible things.

There is a great magnificent station of following and this station is for the one who sincerely endeavor to oppose the lower self (nafs) and force it to follow Allah's command. By doing so, it produce in the heart an affinity or comfort with following which causes the affinity of the self to follow it such that the self takes comfort and following becomes pleasant to the self and the self grows to incline towards following what His beloved Messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam brought forth.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was reported to have said, "None of you is a true believer until his Hawaa (blamable inclination of the self in its love and desires]) is in accordance with what I have brought forth."

Allah Most High says,

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ ﴿٤٠﴾ فَإِنَّ ٱلْجَنَّةَ هِىَ ٱلْمَأْوَىٰ ﴿٤١

But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from al-Hawaa (impure evil desires, and lusts.) (40) Verily, Paradise will be his abode. (41)

[Qur'an, an-Nazi'at 79:40-41]

We all know many hadiths (some may have read the entire Sahih Bukhari or memorized the entire 40 Hadith of Imam Nawawi) and many verses of Qur'an (some may have memorized the entire Qur'an), and have learned this Deen (some may have a PHD in Islamic studies). 

In the last few days, have we sat and sincerely taken our self to account for the days which have gone by and the days which are coming? In these days that are coming what kind of aspiration do we have to turn to Allah? Have we asked our self about perfecting fulfillment of obligation and controlling our limbs from doing things which are prohibited --backbiting, lying, talebearing, stealing, cheating, eating/drinking haram, speaking ill of others, spreading evil, seeing/listening to haram, zina,  ...? Have we spoken to our self about adhering to supererogatory worship, beginning with prayer before and after obligatory prayers, dhuha prayer and witr prayer? Are we telling ourselves to leave the offensive actions -- anger, laziness, wastefulness, arrogance, showing off, procrastination, miserliness, hatred, ingratitude, selfishness, ... ? Are we encouraging our self to get up and worship at the end of the night and actually stood up and pray? Are we good to our parents, spouse, children, neighbors and people around us?

The real benefit of knowledge manifests in the physical form of action, not in compiling and displaying them on bookshelves and storing them in electronic media.

O Allah, the One who gave the people of goodness tawfiq to perform goodness and help them, give us tawfiq to perform goodness and help us.

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

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Transformation

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam

Islam is a great blessing for those who know and understand it. Islam is not there to burden you. But it takes knowledge to realize this. Once you get your two feet standing in the middle of the religion, you will find that this religion is easy and each routine becomes easier and easier and you will do more and more. But you cannot be lazy.  

The practical injunctions are a large part of Islam. Religion is meant to lead to a transformation in a human being whereby he is no longer chained to what other people are chained to of lusts, desires, laziness, or what people think. He has a much higher purpose and reflected in this person. He become a man of God.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassalaam gives us things to do. Through these actions, among them reading Surah Al Kahf every Friday, transformation takes place. Such a person if he asks Allah for something, Allah will give it to him. Why? Because Allah loves him.

It maybe difficult to read more than a few pages at first, or to keep it up every Friday, but you force yourself to do it and don't procrastinate. Proscrastination is one of the entrances of shaytan. Close that door and read it right now. 

The first stage in the path towards Allah is to force yourself and bring yourself to do those actions which you know that Allah wants you to do.

Whether we act upon the Sunnah knowing the benefit or not, we should strive to do what we know. This religion is all about obedience to the Almighty. And through obedience to Him, we enjoy the closeness to our Lord.

So strive to continue the Friday tradition from the Sunnah of His beloved Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam, until you die. Don't let shaytan whisper to you otherwise. Don't let shaytan take you away from your opportunity to be loved by Allah.

May Allah grant us steadfastness and consistency in worship of Him. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all. 

Wassalaam

Be Muslim And Die A Muslim

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

Among the du'as of Prophet Ibrahim alayhissalaam that is recorded in the Quran is this,

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٢٨

Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:128]

Islam is not a new religion but a continuation of the legacy of Prophet Ibrahim alayhissalaam. When we talk about Prophet Ibrahim, the things that might come to mind are his trials and sacrifices. He had to leave his wife, Hajar, and infant son, Ismail, in the desert and walk away by the command of Allah. Before that, as a young man, he had to challenge his uncle (father in some opinions) and the entire community about their shirk (idol worshipping). He was thrown into the fire because he believes in Islam. When his son got old enough for him to run around with his son, he saw in a dream that he has to slaughter his son. 

Over and over again he gets trial and challenges that no human being has ever faced. Allah never ask a human being to abandon their family, or to jump into the fire, or to slaughter their own child. Prophet Ibrahim was asked to do things that nobody was ever asked. He had the hardest test.

وَإِذِ ابْتَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا ۖ قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٢٤

And [mention, O Muhammad], when Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. [Allah] said, "Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people." [Abraham] said, "And of my descendants?" [Allah] said, "My covenant does not include the wrongdoers."[Quran, Al Baqarah 2:124]

In this ayah, Allah essentially is telling us to relax and that we are on the same track as our father Ibrahim. That’s not very comforting because Ibrahim didn’t have it easy. Allah is giving the example of Ibrahim because if Allah can make jumping into the fire, abandoning family in a desert, standing up to Namrud and challenging him directly, taking a knife and put on his child’s neck, easy for him, because Allah commands them, what did Allah ask of you? Allah didn’t ask that from you but ask much less. All He ask you to do is to stay away from filthy things, make the good and pure things halal for you and mandated a few righteous good deeds. Just do these few things and stay away from those few bad things. 

We are being told, by the legacy of Ibrahim, no matter what difficulty you have you can never compare the difficulties of Ibrahim with your difficulties. 

وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّـهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ ۚ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَـٰذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِاللَّـهِ هُوَ مَوْلَاكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ ﴿٧٨

And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper. [Quran, Al Hajj 22:78]

Allah called us Muslims, the one who gives up, the one who just accept, the one who is at ease and calm, the one who submits calmly. When Allah tells you to do something you are not agitated, you'll do it at ease inside and willingly submit yourself. If Allah says it, it must be good for me, no matter what my mind, family, friends or society say. When Allah told me this is better for me, I am at ease. If you can do that then you are the legacy of Ibrahim. 

Calling ourselves Muslim is easy but being a Muslim is a different thing altogether. It is not just about behavior but what is deep inside us. You have to be able to feel at ease when you obey Allah. You don't feel that you are going to miss out on something when you obey Allah. Women and young girls when thinking about putting the hijab, they are not agitated by it. Men and young man are not annoyed to have to go to the masjid for fajr and isha prayer. You totally believe that there is no way you are at loss when you obey Allah. Allah names you Muslim -- the one who submit completely to Allah at ease and come with comfort to Allah. You can't have the attitude of Islam if you don't submit completely.

May Allah make us true Muslims and enable us to continue the legacy of Prophet Ibrahim alayhissalaam.

تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ ﴿١٠١

Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous. [Quran, Yusuf 12:101]

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

Preparing For Ramadhan -- Master The Art Of Patience

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

When we console the afflicted, we would not tell them they are lucky. The Quran flip it around by telling those who are afflicted they are lucky.

 

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:155]

Allah blessed those who are being afflicted and patient. When Allah loves somebody, He afflicts them with some calamity. The more He loves them the more they are tested. When you are undergoing misfortune, rather than feeling depressed, flip it around because Allah has chosen you.

 

Patience is a tool to cope with the problems around us. Allah is telling us that patience is our way out -- to get to that light at the end of that long tunnel. Don't look at it as something negative but rather your life line that can pull you out. 

 

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِيٍّ قَاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ فَمَا وَهَنُوا لِمَا أَصَابَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُوا وَمَا اسْتَكَانُوا ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يُحِبُّ الصَّابِرِينَ ﴿١٤

 

Many a Prophet there has been, with whom thousands manifold have fought, and they fainted not for what smote them in God's way, neither weakened, nor did they humble themselves; and God loves the patient.  [Quran, AleImran 3:146]

Those who are troubled, struggling, in pain, feel abandoned and that no one loves them. But Allah tells them Allah loves those who are patient. The Quran comes and Allah counsel the believers explicitly,

 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ ﴿١٥٣

 

O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:153] 

 

And Allah praises those who are patient. 

 

 وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَـٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ ﴿١٧٧ ....

 

....and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:177]

 

Linguistically الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ (ba'sa', dharra', heenal ba'as) have similar meanings yet each one takes a diffient connotation. Ba'sa' is difficulty of financial tightness -- you are in debt, you owe people; dharra is diffculty when in sickness, when body is in pain; heenal ba'as is diffciulty during times of actual battle or civil war. And Allah mentions these three in order of difficulty because out of them financial difficulty is least worrisome, sickness much more difficult than financial, and then civil war is not doubt the worst of them -- when you have bombs dropping, people attacking and you are driven away o ut of your homes (in case of refugees). Some of us have all of them. You need patience to cope with any of these.

 

Allah is telling us, as we are going through financial problems or battling sickness or deteriorating political situation, not to worry, that He will take care of us. Allah reminds us that leadership and nobility is arrived by the mechanism of patience. The struggle must be with patience.

 

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا ۖ وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ ﴿٢٤

 

And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs. [Quran, As-Sajda 32:24]

 

The only way Allah will raise you to become imam is when you are patient in calamities. You are not alone and you are not abandoned but you are being raised up by Allah to become imam.

 

فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسْتَعْجِل لَّهُمْ ۚ كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ مَا يُوعَدُونَ لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا سَاعَةً مِّن نَّهَارٍ ۚ بَلَاغٌ ۚ فَهَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ ﴿٣٥

 

So be patient, [O Muhammad], as were those of determination among the messengers and do not be impatient for them. It will be - on the Day they see that which they are promised - as though they had not remained [in the world] except an hour of a day. [This is] notification. And will [any] be destroyed except the defiantly disobedient people? [Quran, Al Ahqaf 46:35] 

 

The most elite of the prophets (the ulul adhmi) are five (Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa alayhimussalaam, and Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam). What have made them people of fortitude? Because they displayed patience. When you are undergoing struggle and you display patience, you become role model for others. 

 

Patience is the crux of iman (faith in Allah). We can't have iman without patience. 

 

Allah reminds us that He is the One who gives patience (sabr). Nobody say sabr is easy. You have to control youself, you have to control your tongue, you have to control your anger, you have to control your desires, and you don't act immaturely. 

 

وَاصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِاللَّـهِ ۚ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِي ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ ﴿١٢٧

 

And be patient, [O Muhammad], and your patience is not but through Allah. And do not grieve over them and do not be in distress over what they conspire. [Quran, An-Nahl 16:127] 

 

Remember always, sabr can only come from Allah. If you are suffering but still displaying patience, this means Allah has opened the doors directly for you. This means Allah is shovering you with sabr. The fact that you are still keeping your solat, your fasting, your charity, your iman, your taqwa and accepting Allah's Qadr, while going through the pain and suffering, the door is open for you. 

 

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was told to be patient. Allah is the One who put you in that situation and has done it for the wisdom known only to Him, and He is the One who give you the sabr. He wants to raise your rank higher and higher and He wants to make you a leader. 

 

How to gain patience? 

 

You will get patience by simply desire patience. Your heart has to want to be patient. Always ask Allah for forgiveness and patience. Of the ways to maintain patience is through fasting. Patience and fasting are interlinked. Fasting is half of sabr. Ramadhan is the month that you can master the art of sabr. Make sure you fast properly. Look into Ramadhan to perfect patience so that, in shaa Allah, we have this tool of patience for the rest of our lives to utilize to overcome trials and tribulations. Understand that at the end of the day, this is the world of tests and calamities. It is not a place of eternal peace. The ultimate happiness is not in this world. That will be in the next world. This world is one problem today and another problem tomorrow. Only through our sabr that we will attain ultimate blessings in the next and raise our ranks in Jannah. That is the goal. To attain that goal we have to master patience. Fast this Ramadhan and fast properly. 

 

May Allah allow us to reach Ramadhan. May Allah grant us patience and raise our ranks to the highest. 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

What Jealousy Can Do To You

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

Iblis was ranked among the angels but because of his jealousy towards Adam A.S. He was removed from that highest rank to become the furthest away from Allah.

The first murder by humanity was committed because of jealousy. 

Yusuf's brothers wanted to kill him because of jealousy.

Grievous sins were done because of jealousy.  

Abu Jahl didn't accept islam because of jealousy. Because the Prophet was chosen from Banu Hashim and not from his tribe eventhough they are all Quraysh?

Some of the Jews of Madinah didn't accept Islam because of jealousy. Because the Prophet was chosen from the Arabs and not from one of them.

So we need to identify in ourselves if we have this disease. II is not just in jobs, careers,  money, looks, schools, attention in the family, politics but in all spheres.

Even in religious sphere -- this person is jealous of that person because that person has more fans or more engagements or more youtube subscribers... 

This small masjid is jealous of that big masjid because they can raise more funds to build a big masjid.

Jealousy will affect every sphere of your life -- family, work, business, community, spiritual life...

Nib it in the bud before it grows bigger and get worse.

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

Prepare For Ramadhan -- Increase The Quran Recitation Daily

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

The blessed month of Ramadhan is just around the corner. When we talked about Ramadhan, the first thing that comes to most minds is fasting for 29 or 30 days. We think of Ramadhan as the month of fasting but Allah wants us to think of it as the month of the Quran. The month of Ramadhan is a celebration of Muslim identity as people of Quran. It is to make it easy for us to build taqwa (righteousness) with the guidance of the Quran.

Allah Most High says,

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٨٣

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous - (183) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:183]

Allah Most High says,

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٨٥

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful. (185) [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:185]

Making a habit of reading one page or even a few verses a day will bring many blessings during the holy month and afterwards, as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said: “The most beloved of actions to Allah are the most consistent ones, even if in little amount.”

If you don’t have a habit of reading the Quran daily, take this remaining days before Ramadhan as an opportunity to incorporate that habit into your life, starting today. This will enable you to read longer sections of the Quran during Ramadhan. Even if we don't reach Ramadhan, at least we have started preparing for it and Allah would count us as people of the Quran on that account.

May Allah enable us to reach Ramadhan and make it the best Ramadhan for us and our families. 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

Patience Is Waiting

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

Patience is waiting. Patience is key in whatever we do. We won't be able to get far in life without patience.

O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient. (Quran, al Baqarah 2:153)

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. (Quran, al Baqarah 2:155)

Suhaib reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:

Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (God), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it. (Sahih Muslim)

Allahummaa 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

Jangan Jadi Orang Bankrap Di Akhirat

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

🚫Jangan jadi orang yang bankrap di akhirat

Bankrap di dunia masih ada tempat untuk bergantung 📞

Bankrap di akhirat, neraka jahannam tempatnya sebab dosa yang di tanggung. 🔥

Dari Abu Hurairah RA dari Nabi SAW, baginda bersabda: 

“Tahukah kalian siapakah yang disebut dengan orang yang muflis?” Para sahabat menjawab; “Orang yang muflis menurut kami wahai Rasulullah, adalah orang yang tidak punya dirham dan dinar serta harta benda.” Baginda bersabda: “Seorang muflis daripada kalangan umatku ialah seorang yang datang pada hari Kiamat dengan pahala solat, puasa dan zakat, namun (pada masa yang sama) dia juga membawa dosa mencela orang ini, menuduh orang itu, memakan harta orang ini, menumpahkan darah orang itu dan memukul orang ini (dan seumpamanya), lalu diberikan kepada orang ini sebahagian daripada pahala-pahala kebaikannya dan diberikan kepada orang itu pula sebahagian pahalanya, hinggalah akhirnya habis pahalanya namun belum lagi terbayar dosa-dosa yang tertanggung atasnya, lalu diambil dosa-dosa mereka tadi dan ditompukkan ke atasnya hingga akhirnya dia dihumban ke dalam neraka (kerana banyak dosa)” 

(Sahih Muslim)

Allahummaa 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

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- The Best GIft For Your Children Is Your Righteousness

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate 

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam. 

The best gift for your children is your righteousness, not smartphones, cars, luxurious lifestyle. You are the number one role model for your children. If they don't see you pray, don't see you fast, don't see you with proper hijab and cover properly, don't see you read Qur'an, don't see you good to your parents, relatives, neighbors, don't see you give charity, don't see your compassion and good manners, don't see you avid in seeking knowledge, or you having bad companions, showing your body that you are not supposed to, they won't know any better. Many a time schools are where your children pick up bad behavior, bad manners, bad speech, bad company -- even in many Islamic/Muslim schools. Don't make a mistake of thinking that schools can teach your children Islam, the proper manners and keep them away from bad company. Schools can only do so much with the limited resources they have.

If they see the same behavior at home, you are only affirming what they see at school. And then when your son is 16, now taller than you, stronger than you, smarter than you, and he brings a girlfriend home or tells you that Islam is not for him, don't be flabbergasted. You should know it was coming. Or, if you have a daughter, she is now 15, you couldn't believe what you see on her Facebook or what's on her phone picture gallery -- photos of her with boys and girls, or her with a boy, no haya' (shyness, modesty, shame), no hijab, worse she came home one day and told you she is pregnant, doesn't know who the father is. Devastated? It's the beginning of your nightmare. You thought you have given your children everything...but wrong! You have given them keys to evil and it's very difficult to bring back the genie when it's out of the bottle so to speak. So don't let it out in the first place.

Children are no doubt huge tests for parents.

Allah Almighty says,

نَّمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ ۚ وَٱللَّـهُ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٥

Indeed, your wealth and children are a trial.

[Qur'an At-Taghabun 64:15]

The wealth and the children are a test from Allah to His slave, so that He may know his ability of (correct) upbringing of his children, and the payment of the zakah on his wealth.

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "The best of wealth is the righteous for a righteous person." [related by Ahmad]

He, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, also said, "When a person dies, his action discontinues except for three: a continuing charity, or knowledge which proves to be of benefit, or a righteous son who supplicates for him." [related by Muslim]

Allah Almighty says,

ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا ﴿٤٦

Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope. (46)

[Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:46]

Raising children to be good Muslims and decent human beings is a huge challenge especially in this technological era. They have so many windows available to look into. It's scary out there. Shaytan is everywhere. We have to try our best to direct our children to the right windows and always seek Allah's help and make lots of du'a for them.

The one consolation for me is in the story in the Qur'an of the meeting of Prophet Musa and Al-Khidr, peace be upon them. Al-Khidr reinforced a broken wall in a town in which people were selfish and inhospitable. Beneath the wall lay a treasure that belonged to two orphans, so in order to protect the treasure from the people of the town, Al-Khidr fixed the wall. It was revealed that the reason he was ordered to fix the wall for the orphans was because their father was a righteous man.

وَأَمَّا ٱلْجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَـٰمَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُۥ كَنزٌ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَـٰلِحًا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبْلُغَآ أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ ۚ وَمَا فَعَلْتُهُۥ عَنْ أَمْرِى ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْرًا ﴿٨٢

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience." (82)

[Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:82]

Sa'id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn 'Abbas: “They were taken care of because their father was a righteous man, although it is not stated that they themselves were righteous.”

So, so long as we live, for every breath we take, we keep working on ourselves to do good and be righteous servants of Allah and pray that Allah will protect our children from the menace of this world and disobedience. He is the best Protector and Guardian.

We can't control people's actions, including our children's, but we can control our own actions. Uphold Allah's commands and Allah will take care of your children whether you are with them or not.

May Allah help us raise our children well and grant us righteous children and make us and our children good examples for the righteous. 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