Living Without Purpose

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Living Without Purpose

Allah Almighty says, which means:

He gives life and causes death, and to Him you will be returned

[Quran, At-Tawba 10:56]

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

[Quran, Adh-Dhariyat 51:55]

When your purpose in life is to worship Allah, the byproduct of that is happiness. When this purpose is missing, the smallest thing becomes your purpose. The most miserable people in this world are those who are running after happiness.

When you are pursuing Allah’s words, you are engaging with purpose. And Allah says, which means,

 ...in that let them rejoice...

[Quran, At-Tawba 10:58]

 Because when you engage with the Quran, you have actual substance in your life and you are learning from someone who gets you inside and out.

May Allah grant us a sound understanding of the Quran. Aameen.

Who Are The Awliya’ (Allies/Friends) of Allah?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

The Awliya’ of Allah are people of Faith and piety, who are constantly aware that Allah, Exalted is He, is watching them in all their affairs, so they adhere to His commands and heed His prohibitions. The degree of wilayah [being a an ally of Allah] varies according to a person’s Faith and fear of Allah (taqwa). 

Allah says, which means, 

Unquestionably, [for] the allies [awliya’] of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. [Quran, Yunus 10:62]

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who said: “Allah says: ”Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.” It was related by Bukhari.

Death & Preparing For It

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Death & Preparing For It

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said:

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Frequently remember the destroyer of pleasures,’ meaning death.”

‏"‏ أَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ هَاذِمِ اللَّذَّاتِ ‏"

[Ibn Majaah]

The Importance Of Witing & Preparing Your Will

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Abdullah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & grant him peace) said: “It is not befitting for a Muslim who has something to make a Will of, to remain for two nights without having one’s last Will and testament written and kept ready with one.” [Bukhari]

The narrator stated after hearing this from the Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace):

“I did not let even one night pass by except that my Will would be kept by me.” [Musnad Ahmad])

Making a Will becomes even more important in non-Muslim countries, such as the United Kingdom and US. Failing to leave a valid written Will can result in the law of the land deciding on how your estate is to be distributed and how your funeral is going to be conducted, not to mention it can cause disagreements and conflict among those you will leave behind, which may delay your burial and the distribution of your estate.

Therefore, it is imperative that all Muslims leave a valid written Will. Those who have not made a Will should haste and prepare a Will (or update your existing Will regularly). Writing a Will is not only for old people, rather all those who have reached puberty should quickly get their Will prepared, because death can come at any time and at any place. Prepare for it for good in your next life and to ease some of the emotional burdens of those who you will leave behind.

Understanding ourselves through the Story of the Youths of the Cave in Surah Al-Kahf

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Understanding ourselves  through the Story of the Youths of  the Cave in Surah Al-Kahf

The youths retreated to the cave to escape the fitnah of the unIslamic society they were in.  These youth decided that they are not only going to accept Islam but to live up to it in a society that hated Islam. They could stay silent and not tell anyone. But Allah gave them the courage that they stood up to challenge. This an act of treason and they were about to be persecuted but Allah inspired them to retreat to the cave. Allah put them to sleep for 300+ years and protected them. Their story is told in the Quran and people continue to benefit from their story till the end of time.

Understand that we are helpless. We can’t help ourselves but Allah is the One who provides protection. Allah controls life and He can save you in ways you can’t even imagine. 

This is our Iman (Faith in Allah). This is the power when we say 

 إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ 

Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.

Let’s Read Surah Al Kahf Today Friday -- Allah will not allow to be lost your good deeds

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Let’s Read Surah Al Kahf Today Friday -- Allah will not allow to be lost your good deeds

Allah Almighty says in Surah Al Kahf, which means,

And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. (28)

And say, "The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills - let him believe; and whoever wills - let him disbelieve." Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a fire whose walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like murky oil, which scalds [their] faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place. (29)

Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds. (30)

[Quran, Al Kahf 18:28-30]

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You Are Accountable For What You Do

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Sahl ibn Sa’d reported: The Angel Gabriel came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said, “O Muhammad, live as you wish, for you will die. Work as you wish, for you will be repaid accordingly. Love whomever you wish, for you will be separated. Know that the nobility of the believer is in prayer at night and his honor is in his independence of the people.”

 (Al-Muʻjam al-Awsaṭ)

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Deeds That Benefit A Person Even After Death

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Deeds That Benefit a Person Even After Death

Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

"When a person dies, his deeds are cut off except for three: Continuing charity, knowledge that others benefited from, and a righteous son who supplicates for him."

[Tirmidhi]

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Who Is The Wisest?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Who is the Wisest?

Ibn Umar reported: A man asked, “O Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, which of the believers is best?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Those with the best character.” The man said, “Which of the believers is the wisest?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,  said, “Those who remember death often and have best prepared for it with good deeds; those are the wisest.” 

Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 4259

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Our Wishes Go Beyond Death

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Ibn Mas’ud said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, drew lines making a square and then drew a line in the middle which extended beyond it. He drew some small lines up to this middle line from the side within the square and said, ‘This is man, and this is end of his lifespan which encircles him – or by which he is encircled – and this which goes beyond it is his hope and these small lines are things that happen. If this one misses him, that one gets him, and if that one misses him, this one gets him.’” (Bukhari)

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Hell Has Been Lying In Wait

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

People who don’t want to stay within the limits of Allah, Allah Almight says,

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا ‎﴿٢١﴾‏ لِّلطَّٰغِينَ مَـَٔابًا ‎﴿٢٢﴾‏ لَّٰبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَابًا ‎﴿٢٣﴾‏ لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا ‎﴿٢٤﴾‏ إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا ‎﴿٢٥﴾‏ جَزَآءً وِفَاقًا ‎﴿٢٦﴾‏

Indeed, Hell has been lying in wait (21) For the transgressors, a place of return, (22) In which they will remain for ages [unending]. (23) They will not taste therein [any] coolness or drink (24) Except scalding water and [foul] purulence - (25) An appropriate recompense. (26)

[Quran, An-Naba 78:21-26] 

Hell is waiting to attack everybody but it will push those who were rebellious inside it with no escape. May Allah not make us of them. And those who have been, may Allah accept our apologies and repentance. Aameen.

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A Du'a Of The Servants Of The Merciful

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.

[Quran, Al Furqan 25:74]

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The Intelligent Person

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

The Intelligent Person

The intelligent person perceives forbidden things like delicious food, which contain fatal poison. Whenever its pleasure arouses his interest, the reality of the poison would push him away from it. Also, he perceives the orders of Allah as bitter medicine that leads to good health and recovery.

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Perhaps You Hate A Thing And It Is Good For You

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you

Allah, the Almighty says, which means,

“Perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not” (Al-Baqarah, 2:216)

Nothing is more beneficial for you than abiding by the judgments of Allah, even if it is difficult for you at the beginning, because all its outcomes are good, delightful, and pleasurable. Likewise, nothing is more harmful for you  than committing what is forbidden, even if you love it. All its outcomes are pain, grief, evil and misfortune.

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The Beginning Of Great Things Begins With A Du’a

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

The Beginning Of Great Things Begins With A Du’a 

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance

[Quran, Al Kahf 18:10]

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Fix Your Problem With The Quran

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Fix Your Problem With The Quran

Back then when Islam was its pinnacle, when people were actually implementing the Islamic curricula in education, the children on average completed their 30 juz Quran memorization by age 10 years old. We have a mushaf in our pockets, in our phones, in our gadgets, but we are still struggling to read the Quran, let alone memorize the Quran.

Back then there was no mushaf but people were experts of the Quran, they always read the Quran, they memorized the Quran, they understood the knowledge of the Quran and they implemented the knowledge in their lives so the Quran could be really the huda (guidance)

الم ‎﴿١﴾‏ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ‎﴿٢﴾

Alif, Lam, Meem. (1)This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah - (2)[Quran, Al Baqarah 2:1-2]

We should encourage today’s generation to learn the Quran. How about IT, Biology, ...? The answer is in the Quran,

“Just as We have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you and teaching you the Book and wisdom and teaching you that which you did not know.” [Quran, Al Baqarah 2:151]

The Quran is an application, not just a theory.

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Every Soul Will Taste Death

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ‎﴿١٨٥﴾

Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.

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Every Soul Will Taste Death

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allah Almighty reminds,

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ 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’ 21:25]

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If You Deny The Day

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

If You Deny The Day

Allah Almighty says,

[They will be told], "This is the Day of Judgment which you used to deny." (21)[The angels will be ordered], "Gather those who committed wrong, their kinds, and what they used to worship (22)Other than Allah, and guide them to the path of Hellfire (23)And stop them; indeed, they are to be questioned." (24)

[Quran, As-Saffat 37:21-24]

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Note To Children -- Love Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

NOTE TO CHILDREN

Love your mother, your mother, your mother ...  (the prophet peace & blessings be upon him) 

Our indebtedness to our mothers is so immense that it is not possible to repay it.

 The verses of the Qur’an that address the mother, emphasize the difficulties of pregnancy, giving birth, and breastfeeding and the need to respect one’s mother. These verses many times mention parents in general but go into detail in regard to the mother because she faces challenges that a father does not. Verse 15 from chapter 46 (Al-Ahqaf) illustrates this point.

And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, excellent treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, "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."

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Show Mercy On Earth

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Abdullah b. Umar said that Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

The Merciful One shows mercy to those who are themselves merciful (to others). So show mercy to whatever is on earth, then He who is in heaven will show mercy to you.

[Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi]

Watch Your Tongues

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Narrated Jabir that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say:

A Muslim is he from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe. [Muslim]

Narrated Abu Musa:

Some people asked Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands." [Bukhari]

Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"When the son of Adam wakes up in the morning, all of his body parts bow to the tongue and say: 'Fear Allah regarding us, we are only part of you. If you are straight we are straight and if you are crooked we are crooked."  [Tirmidhi]

Sahl bin Sa'd narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Whoever guarantees for me what is between his jaws and what is between his legs, I shall guarantee Paradise for him." [Tirmidhi]

Remember Death and Restrain Wishes

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took hold of my shoulders and said, "Be in the world like a stranger or a wayfarer." 

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) used to say: When you survive till the evening do not expect to live until the morning; and when you survive till the morning do not expect to live until the evening. While in good health (do good deeds) before you fall sick; and while you are alive (do good deeds) before death strikes.

[Al- Bukhari].

Allah Will Test Your Faith (Imaan) In Him

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 
Allah Almighty says,

Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? (2) But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (3)
[Qur'an Al-Ankabut 29:2-3]

Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you?...
[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:214]

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

Merely claiming that we believe in Allah Almighty is not enough. Our claim only takes on value once we prove it through our actions. This may involve bearing hardships after hardships. True success only comes after real hard work. 

When Allah has decided to test you with tribulations, it is unacceptable to be ungrateful and discontent. But remember to do the following:

Be patient and constantly seek Allah's help with patience, knowing that nothing can happen without His Will. 

Allah Almighty says,

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

I Love The Righteous

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

I Love The Righteous

A conversation between Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on them)

Imam Shafi'i said:

I love the righteous, although I'm not of them

Perhaps I shall receive intercession through them

And I hate he who trades in sins (deals in acts of disobedience)

Although we are both dealing in the same trade.

So Imam Ahmad responded:

You love the righteous and you are of them

And from you shall they receive intercession

And you hate he who trades in sins

May Allah protect us from the evil of such trade

We should love the righteous people and not considered ourselves as one of them.

May Allah make us among the righteous and grant us righteous companions. Aameen.

Allah Promises Manifold Ease With Difficulty

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Allah Promises Manifold Ease With Difficulty

Allah says,

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ‎﴿٥﴾‏إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ‎﴿٦﴾

For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (5) Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (6) [Quran, Ash-Sharh 94:5-6]

One needs to exercise fortitude against hardship, rely on Allah with purity of heart, devote oneself totally to Him, hold onto high hopes for His grace, and one should not despair of His mercy if there is delay in success - He certainly will grant relief after every instance of hardship.

May Allah grant us 'afiya. Aameen.

Love The Righteous

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

In the story of the companions of the cave (Ashab al-Kahf) in Surah Al-Kahf, a few young men were drawn to each other because of their righteousness. Read Surah Al-Kahf today and learn more about them.

The Safest Place is With Allah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Narrated Ibn `Umar.:

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) recited the Sura which contained the prostration of recitation he used to prostrate and then, we, too, would prostrate and some of us did not find a place for prostration. [Bukhari]