بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Every person is responsible for his or her own actions, and only his or her own deeds are carried forward to the next life, starting with his grave.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, "Three things follow the bier of a dead person. Two of them come back and one is left with him: the members of his family, wealth and his good deeds. The members of his family and wealth come back and the deeds alone are left with him." [Muslim]
Ramadhan is slipping away from our fingers. Don't let these final days of Ramadhan pass you by with things that won't benefit you in your next life. Don't let anyone or anything take you away from your worship in these final days. Leave all distractions of this dunya (world). Ramadhan is going to be over before you realize it.
Allah has made this month very special -- it is the month of mercy, forgiveness and salvation from Hellfire. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to make preparations for this month 6 months in advance -- when they kept asking Allah to let them reach Ramadhan and in good health, and then for the next six months, they kept asking Allah to accept their worship of Ramadhan. This is the way of the best generation of the nation of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wassallam. They took the matter of worshiping Allah very seriously. It is their way of life.
The purpose of our existence is to worship Allah and no other (i.e the gods of this world -- those things that people are absorbed with or drawn to like money, people, things, status/prestige, places, food, news, social media network, ballgame -- creations of Allah that cause people to forget the Creator, sometimes even cause people to harm or even kill each other for).
What have we been doing this Ramadhan? In terms of worship, even our taraweeh and qiyamu alail (night prayers) in the last 10 days of Ramadhan could not even match the the Companion's one regular day in Ramadhan. But that should not stop us from trying our best. We should strive to do whatever is necessary to receive Allah's Mercy and His forgiveness and to be one of those chosen to be set free from Hellfire.
In the last 10 days of Ramadhan, Allah is choosing from those who are on the path to Hell to be set free from the Fire. Those who fast and do whatever necessary to get Allah forgiveness and receive his mercy, Allah will then decree those people be set free from entering the Hellfire.
So in these final days of Ramadhan, leave disobedience and rush to do obligatory works and supererogatory works. If you haven't been praying, start praying. If you have been lazy to wake up for Fajr, start waking up for Fajr. If you pray all five prayers everyday, add the sunnah prayers that are connected to the prayers. If you already have that in place, add the other sunnah prayers. Go to the masjid and join the taraweeh and qiyamu lail, stay up at night and read lots of Qur'an and make lots of du'a. Ask Allah for forgiveness a lot and keep asking. You ask for yourself, your parents, your family and the ummah. You can't afford to pass by these last few days.
All of us sinned and no sin should be taken lightly. Each sin do carry certain punishment in this life or the next life or both, unless it is forgiven. In this life, Allah may punish us individually or collectively or both for the sins committed. Something we should reflect when we hear the injustices and atrocities committed against the Muslims and killings of our innocent or when we hear all the calamities that are happening one after another.
We need Allah's mercy to protect us from His anger and punishment and to be set free from entering the Hellfire. Spend a little longer time in prostration during your prayers and beg Allah for His mercy and forgiveness for yourself and the Muslim ummah.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said Ameen thrice when Jibreel alayhissalaam come and said..
Ka'b Ibn Ujrah (RA) relates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, 'Come near to the mimbar' and we came near the mimbar. When he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) climbed the first step of the mimbar, he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said 'Ameen', When he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) ascended the second step, he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said 'Ameen', When he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) climbed the third step, he (peace be upon him) said 'Ameen' When he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) came down, We said 'O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), we have heard from you today something which we never heard before' he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said When I climbed the first step, the angel Jibreel appeared before me and said,
'Destruction to him who found the blessed month of Ramadhan and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness'
upon that I said ‘Ameen’. When I climbed the second step, he said,
'Destruction to him before whom your name is taken and then he does not make Du'a for Allah’s blessing on me (by saying, for example, sallallahu alayhi wassallam).”
I replied ‘Ameen’. When I climbed the third step, he said
'Destruction to him in whose lifetime his parents or either one of them reaches old age, and (through failure to serve them) he is not allowed to enter Paradise'.
I said ‘Ameen’. [Hakim]
Note: In this Hadith, it appears that Jibreel (alayhissalaam) gave expression to three curses, upon which Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said Ameen every time. Being an angel of such high mark, Jibreel‘s giving these curses is sure to be accepted.
We may at times have turned our backs on Allah through our disobedience or our wasting of time all year with all our devices and quests for material, but Allah never turns His back on us. He is always near. When you realize that Allah is near, you become different forever. What better conversation to have other than with Allah, Mighty and Majestic? Allah has blessed us with this Ramadhan so we can train ourselves to jump the hurdles and talk to Him. So spend the bulk of your time in these final days of Ramadhan with the Book of Allah by reciting, memorizing and learning it. Inshaa Allah the peace and tranquility you experience this Ramadhan will carry over after Ramadhan and for the rest of your life.
May Allah grant us good health and enable us to complete Ramadhan strong, and accept our worship. May Allah pardon us and make us among those who He decreed for complete salvation from Hellfire.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Allah alone grant success.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, July 13, 2015
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Taste the Sweetness and Richness of the Last Days of Ramadhan -- Reminding Ourselves the Prophet's Sermon of Ramadhan
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are having a truly blessed Ramadhan and are maximizing your benefit and tasting the sweetness of these last remaining days. In these last few days remaining of this blessed month, let's exert ourselves in the worship of our Lord.
“When the last ten days of Ramadan would come, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) used to tighten his lower garment belt, spend the whole night in prayer and worship, and wake his family up (at night for prayer and worship).” [Bukhari and Muslim]
“The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) would strive his utmost (in prayer and worship) during the last ten [nights of Ramadan] much more than he did at any other time.” [Muslim]
Don't waste your time. Cut all idle chats, gossips, arguments, ill-feelings, etc, and turn off the electronics especially during the nights.
Abu Hurayrah reported: The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, “Allah the Exalted said: O son of Adam, busy yourself with my worship and I will fill your chest with riches and alleviate your poverty, but if you do not do so I will fill your hands with problems and never alleviate your poverty.” [Tirmidhi]
Read lots of Qur'an everyday.
Give charity everyday even with a date or a smile.
Don't miss the taraweeh prayers. Do lots of prayers and dhikir, and make lots of du'a especially at night. A prayer at night is not the same as a prayer during the day -- in it's virtues and reward. It's your shortcut to Paradise.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Let's now remind ourselves of the sermon of the beloved Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) at the beginning of Ramadhan. In it he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said,
“O People! The month of Allah (Ramadhan) has come with its mercies, blessings and forgiveness. Allah has decreed this month the best of all months. The days of this month are the best among the days and the nights are the best among the nights and the hours during Ramadan are the best among the hours. This is a month in which you have been invited by Him (to fast and pray). Allah has honored you in it. In every breath you take is a reward of Allah, your sleep is worship, your good deeds are accepted and your invocations are answered.
Therefore, you must invoke your Lord in all earnestness with hearts free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah may help you to keep fast, and to recite the Holy Qur’an. Indeed!, miserable is the one who is deprived of Allah’s forgiveness in this great month. While fasting remember the hunger and thirst on the Day of Judgement. Give alms to the poor and needy. Pay respect to your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind towards your relatives and kinsmen. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing (forbidden) and your ears from sounds that should not be heard.
Be kind to orphans so that if your children may become orphans they will also be treated with kindness. Do repent to Allah for your sins and supplicate with raised hands at the times of prayer as these are the best times, during which Allah Almighty looks at His servants with mercy. Allah Answers if they supplicate, Responds if they call, Grants if He is asked, and Accepts if they entreat. O people! you have made your conscience the slave of your desires.
Make it free by invoking Allah for forgiveness. Your back may break from the heavy load of your sins, so prostrate yourself before Allah for long intervals, and make this load lighter. Understand fully that Allah has promised in His Honor and Majesty that, people who perform solat (prayer) and sajda (prostration) will be guarded from Hell-fire on the Day of Judgement.
O people!, if anyone amongst you arranges for iftar (meal at sunset) for any believer, Allah will reward him as if he had freed a slave, and Allah will forgive him his sins. A companion asked: “but not all of us have the means to do so” The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wassallam) replied: Keep yourself away from Hell-fire though it may consist of half a date or even some water if you have nothing else.
O people!, anyone who during this month cultivates good manners, will walk over the Sirat (bridge to Paradise) on the day when feet will tend to slip. For anyone who during this month eases the workload of his servants, Allah will make easy his accounting, and for anyone who doesn’t hurt others during this month, Allah will safeguard him from His Wrath on the Day of Judgement. Anyone who respects and treats an orphan with kindness during this month, Allah shall look at him with kindness on that Day. Anyone who treats his kinsmen well during this month, Allah will bestow His Mercy on him on that Day, while anyone who mistreats his kinsmen during this month, Allah will keep away from His Mercy.
Whomever offers the recommended prayers during this month, Allah will save him from Hell, and whomever observes his obligations during this month, his reward will be seventy times the reward during other months. Whomever repeatedly invokes Allah’s blessings on me, Allah will keep his scale of good deeds heavy, while the scales of others will be tending to lightness. Whomever recites during this month an ayat (verse) of the Holy Qur’an, will get the reward of reciting the whole Qur’an in other months.
O people!, the gates of Paradise remain open during this month. Pray to your Lord that they may not be closed for you. While the gates of Hell are closed, pray to your Lord that they never open for you. Satan has been chained, invoke your Lord not to let him dominate you.”
Ali ibn Talib (radhi Allah ‘anhu) said: “I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what are the best deeds during this month’?” ‘He replied: ‘O Abu-Hassan, the best of deeds during this month is to be far from what Allah has forbidden’.”
May Allah have mercy on us, our parents, our children, our families, and all the Muslims, from the living and the dead.
May Allah forgive our sins and shortcomings, and keep us away from sins and doing anything that would cause Him displeasure.
May Allah save us from the agonies of death and the torment of the grave, the Day of Judgment and the Hellfire.
May Allah grant us nearness to Him and His highest Paradise, al-Firdaus, without reckoning.
May Allah accept our worship, fasting, charity and all good deeds, and help us complete Ramadhan with excellence.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Allah alone gives success.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are having a truly blessed Ramadhan and are maximizing your benefit and tasting the sweetness of these last remaining days. In these last few days remaining of this blessed month, let's exert ourselves in the worship of our Lord.
“When the last ten days of Ramadan would come, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) used to tighten his lower garment belt, spend the whole night in prayer and worship, and wake his family up (at night for prayer and worship).” [Bukhari and Muslim]
“The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) would strive his utmost (in prayer and worship) during the last ten [nights of Ramadan] much more than he did at any other time.” [Muslim]
Don't waste your time. Cut all idle chats, gossips, arguments, ill-feelings, etc, and turn off the electronics especially during the nights.
Abu Hurayrah reported: The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said, “Allah the Exalted said: O son of Adam, busy yourself with my worship and I will fill your chest with riches and alleviate your poverty, but if you do not do so I will fill your hands with problems and never alleviate your poverty.” [Tirmidhi]
Read lots of Qur'an everyday.
Give charity everyday even with a date or a smile.
Don't miss the taraweeh prayers. Do lots of prayers and dhikir, and make lots of du'a especially at night. A prayer at night is not the same as a prayer during the day -- in it's virtues and reward. It's your shortcut to Paradise.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “The Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Let's now remind ourselves of the sermon of the beloved Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) at the beginning of Ramadhan. In it he (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said,
“O People! The month of Allah (Ramadhan) has come with its mercies, blessings and forgiveness. Allah has decreed this month the best of all months. The days of this month are the best among the days and the nights are the best among the nights and the hours during Ramadan are the best among the hours. This is a month in which you have been invited by Him (to fast and pray). Allah has honored you in it. In every breath you take is a reward of Allah, your sleep is worship, your good deeds are accepted and your invocations are answered.
Therefore, you must invoke your Lord in all earnestness with hearts free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah may help you to keep fast, and to recite the Holy Qur’an. Indeed!, miserable is the one who is deprived of Allah’s forgiveness in this great month. While fasting remember the hunger and thirst on the Day of Judgement. Give alms to the poor and needy. Pay respect to your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind towards your relatives and kinsmen. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing (forbidden) and your ears from sounds that should not be heard.
Be kind to orphans so that if your children may become orphans they will also be treated with kindness. Do repent to Allah for your sins and supplicate with raised hands at the times of prayer as these are the best times, during which Allah Almighty looks at His servants with mercy. Allah Answers if they supplicate, Responds if they call, Grants if He is asked, and Accepts if they entreat. O people! you have made your conscience the slave of your desires.
Make it free by invoking Allah for forgiveness. Your back may break from the heavy load of your sins, so prostrate yourself before Allah for long intervals, and make this load lighter. Understand fully that Allah has promised in His Honor and Majesty that, people who perform solat (prayer) and sajda (prostration) will be guarded from Hell-fire on the Day of Judgement.
O people!, if anyone amongst you arranges for iftar (meal at sunset) for any believer, Allah will reward him as if he had freed a slave, and Allah will forgive him his sins. A companion asked: “but not all of us have the means to do so” The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wassallam) replied: Keep yourself away from Hell-fire though it may consist of half a date or even some water if you have nothing else.
O people!, anyone who during this month cultivates good manners, will walk over the Sirat (bridge to Paradise) on the day when feet will tend to slip. For anyone who during this month eases the workload of his servants, Allah will make easy his accounting, and for anyone who doesn’t hurt others during this month, Allah will safeguard him from His Wrath on the Day of Judgement. Anyone who respects and treats an orphan with kindness during this month, Allah shall look at him with kindness on that Day. Anyone who treats his kinsmen well during this month, Allah will bestow His Mercy on him on that Day, while anyone who mistreats his kinsmen during this month, Allah will keep away from His Mercy.
Whomever offers the recommended prayers during this month, Allah will save him from Hell, and whomever observes his obligations during this month, his reward will be seventy times the reward during other months. Whomever repeatedly invokes Allah’s blessings on me, Allah will keep his scale of good deeds heavy, while the scales of others will be tending to lightness. Whomever recites during this month an ayat (verse) of the Holy Qur’an, will get the reward of reciting the whole Qur’an in other months.
O people!, the gates of Paradise remain open during this month. Pray to your Lord that they may not be closed for you. While the gates of Hell are closed, pray to your Lord that they never open for you. Satan has been chained, invoke your Lord not to let him dominate you.”
Ali ibn Talib (radhi Allah ‘anhu) said: “I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what are the best deeds during this month’?” ‘He replied: ‘O Abu-Hassan, the best of deeds during this month is to be far from what Allah has forbidden’.”
May Allah have mercy on us, our parents, our children, our families, and all the Muslims, from the living and the dead.
May Allah forgive our sins and shortcomings, and keep us away from sins and doing anything that would cause Him displeasure.
May Allah save us from the agonies of death and the torment of the grave, the Day of Judgment and the Hellfire.
May Allah grant us nearness to Him and His highest Paradise, al-Firdaus, without reckoning.
May Allah accept our worship, fasting, charity and all good deeds, and help us complete Ramadhan with excellence.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Allah alone gives success.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Friday, July 10, 2015
Let's Surah Kahf Today (Friday) - Being Conscious About Doing Good Deeds
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The laws that Allah gives us are to benefit us. You are not doing Allah any favor by following His commands and doing good deeds. Even if you reach the highest level of spirituality in Islam, ihsan (excellence), you are the primary beneficiary of your ihsan. You cannot benefit Allah but you can benefit yourself. It is always about you.
Allah Almighty says,
Most of us are spiritually immature so Allah tells us to do things for our benefit and on top of that He rewards us for it. If we are spiritually maturing, this should put us to shame. How merciful is our Master! First of all He gave us the greatest gift -- guidance. In that guidance, He tells us what the good deeds are. And those good deeds, which we couldn't have known what they are, not only help our next life, they also help us in this life. When He gives us this, which we couldn't have known by ourselves, then we act that we are doing Him a favor when we do them. Now that we are helping ourselves with the gifts that He gave us, and only He could have given us, then He pays us for it with good reward (beyond your imagination).
Our deeds are neither perfect nor permanent. We do them every time we get a chance. We have a lot of down time in between -- sleeping, driving, eating, update FB status, whatsapping, other text messaging, etc. This is the mercy of Allah that He did not make us constantly do good deeds. Even mundane work become worship if we are not disobeying Allah.
We have to be conscious about what we are doing. Some people their solat, Qur'an recitation, or fasting Ramadhan become mechanical. The good deeds cannot become mechanical like breathing.
May Allah grant us works that are most pleasing to Him. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Allah alone grant success.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The laws that Allah gives us are to benefit us. You are not doing Allah any favor by following His commands and doing good deeds. Even if you reach the highest level of spirituality in Islam, ihsan (excellence), you are the primary beneficiary of your ihsan. You cannot benefit Allah but you can benefit yourself. It is always about you.
Allah Almighty says,
نْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا ۚ فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ لِيَسُـۥٓـُٔوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا۟ مَا عَلَوْا۟ تَتْبِيرًا ﴿٧[Qur'an, Al-Isra' 17:7]
[And said], "If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to yourselves." Then when the final promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter the temple in Jerusalem, as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction. (7)
Most of us are spiritually immature so Allah tells us to do things for our benefit and on top of that He rewards us for it. If we are spiritually maturing, this should put us to shame. How merciful is our Master! First of all He gave us the greatest gift -- guidance. In that guidance, He tells us what the good deeds are. And those good deeds, which we couldn't have known what they are, not only help our next life, they also help us in this life. When He gives us this, which we couldn't have known by ourselves, then we act that we are doing Him a favor when we do them. Now that we are helping ourselves with the gifts that He gave us, and only He could have given us, then He pays us for it with good reward (beyond your imagination).
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﴾ مَّـٰكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًا ﴿٣[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:1-4]
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (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) In which they will remain forever (3)
Our deeds are neither perfect nor permanent. We do them every time we get a chance. We have a lot of down time in between -- sleeping, driving, eating, update FB status, whatsapping, other text messaging, etc. This is the mercy of Allah that He did not make us constantly do good deeds. Even mundane work become worship if we are not disobeying Allah.
We have to be conscious about what we are doing. Some people their solat, Qur'an recitation, or fasting Ramadhan become mechanical. The good deeds cannot become mechanical like breathing.
May Allah grant us works that are most pleasing to Him. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Allah alone grant success.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Stop Making Assumptions
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Are you a good mind-reader? Are you an expert at creating meaning from what others do and say without checking? It is really easy to make assumptions because we assume that other people think like us and would do what we naturally think is logical. Unfortunately this isn’t the way the world works.
We make assumptions because we mistakenly assume that what is important to us, our values, and what we believe is the same for other people, when it’s not. No one, not even identical twins have had exactly the same experiences, lives, problems and so it is impossible for us to completely know why someone is how they are or does what they do.
Our values and beliefs shape how we see the world and how we screen information. Values are the things that are important to us e.g. honesty, loyalty, success, belonging etc and beliefs. Both values and beliefs shape our view of the world, our attitudes and our behaviors. Because we can’t see inside people’s heads and only hear what they share with us, we get ourselves into all sorts of pickles by making assumptions, filtering information through the filters of our own unique values and beliefs.
It is so too easy to create meaning out of nothing especially with fear and insecurity a normal part of being human. We can tie ourselves in all sorts of knots with this. It's not surprising that assumptions that coalesce around fear are deepest. Before many people were afraid of Russians, now many people are afraid of Muslims. What exactly you fear is determined by the group you happen to be in.
Sometimes when people made a mistake, we judge them based on that mistake for their whole life. Similarly, when someone said one thing wrong or controversial or something we may not agree with, invariably we dismissed their entire contribution in life. This is not fair and it is wrong. We are humans and they are humans too and everybody make mistakes. We cannot assume people are evil or have some sort of an evil intent towards somebody when they say or do something unless we have clear and concrete proof. We are supposed to give people the benefit of the doubt.
We cannot survive in society if we don't have good assumption of people. How can we purge ourselves of the tendency to make bad assumptions? Start with humility.
We have to go out of our way to avoid making assumptions or passing judgments against people because it is very easy to do that. It is like something that is so close to you, staring at you, and you cannot avoid it unless you really make an effort to avoid it. Interestingly, when Allah talks about the worshiping of idols, He simply tells us to stay away from worshiping idols, but when He talks about making assumptions against other people, Allah commands us to avoid it much, which indicates that this is the one thing that we will be hit all the time.
Allah Almighty says,
When you catch yourself making assumptions, do this:
Say, "Stop it!" Every time you catch yourself thinking you know what someone else is thinking, tell yourself to stop.
Think positively. Think of how you may be misreading the situation. Try to see other sides of the story rather than focusing on what you "think" you know.
Realize that not everyone thinks as you do. What you think may be quite different from reality. Seek out the facts before you react.
Ask yourself, "Am I jumping to conclusions?" You may not have all the information you need to make a decision. Do you react to information you've received from others rather than the person you're in conflict with?
Ask for the truth. Go directly to the person and ask what's going on. What's the worst thing that will happen?
If in doubt, ask and double check. Don't get lazy or complacent and make assumptive short cuts just because you think you know someone well.
Not every assumptions (Dhann) are bad. Some assumptions are good. Having favorable thoughts about every Muslim is good and it is rewardable. However, one should take precautionary measures when dealing in suspicious case. For example, one should not hand over one's possessions to anyone without strong reliance of getting it back. It does not mean that you should regard anyone as a thief or run him down.
One thing we never want to do is distrusting Allah or suspecting His trust. For instance, it is not permitted to think ill of Allah in that He will punish him or keep him in calamity all the time without forgiving him or showing mercy to him, thus despairing of His grace.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: "None of you should die without having favorable thoughts about Allah."
In a hadith qudsi, Allah Almighty says: "I treat my servants the way they think about me."
This shows that holding favorable thoughts about Allah is compulsory and thinking ill of Him is prohibited.
Likewise, it is prohibited to entertain suspicion without rational grounds about Muslims whose outer conditions show that they are good and noble.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: "Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false talks...".
May Allah guide us and remove our blameworthy traits. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Allah alone give success.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Are you a good mind-reader? Are you an expert at creating meaning from what others do and say without checking? It is really easy to make assumptions because we assume that other people think like us and would do what we naturally think is logical. Unfortunately this isn’t the way the world works.
We make assumptions because we mistakenly assume that what is important to us, our values, and what we believe is the same for other people, when it’s not. No one, not even identical twins have had exactly the same experiences, lives, problems and so it is impossible for us to completely know why someone is how they are or does what they do.
Our values and beliefs shape how we see the world and how we screen information. Values are the things that are important to us e.g. honesty, loyalty, success, belonging etc and beliefs. Both values and beliefs shape our view of the world, our attitudes and our behaviors. Because we can’t see inside people’s heads and only hear what they share with us, we get ourselves into all sorts of pickles by making assumptions, filtering information through the filters of our own unique values and beliefs.
It is so too easy to create meaning out of nothing especially with fear and insecurity a normal part of being human. We can tie ourselves in all sorts of knots with this. It's not surprising that assumptions that coalesce around fear are deepest. Before many people were afraid of Russians, now many people are afraid of Muslims. What exactly you fear is determined by the group you happen to be in.
Sometimes when people made a mistake, we judge them based on that mistake for their whole life. Similarly, when someone said one thing wrong or controversial or something we may not agree with, invariably we dismissed their entire contribution in life. This is not fair and it is wrong. We are humans and they are humans too and everybody make mistakes. We cannot assume people are evil or have some sort of an evil intent towards somebody when they say or do something unless we have clear and concrete proof. We are supposed to give people the benefit of the doubt.
We cannot survive in society if we don't have good assumption of people. How can we purge ourselves of the tendency to make bad assumptions? Start with humility.
We have to go out of our way to avoid making assumptions or passing judgments against people because it is very easy to do that. It is like something that is so close to you, staring at you, and you cannot avoid it unless you really make an effort to avoid it. Interestingly, when Allah talks about the worshiping of idols, He simply tells us to stay away from worshiping idols, but when He talks about making assumptions against other people, Allah commands us to avoid it much, which indicates that this is the one thing that we will be hit all the time.
Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ ۖ وَلَا تَجَسَّسُوا۟ وَلَا يَغْتَب بَّعْضُكُم بَعْضًا ۚ أَيُحِبُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن يَأْكُلَ لَحْمَ أَخِيهِ مَيْتًا فَكَرِهْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ تَوَّابٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٢[Qur'an, Al-Hujurat 49:12]
O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (12)
When you catch yourself making assumptions, do this:
Say, "Stop it!" Every time you catch yourself thinking you know what someone else is thinking, tell yourself to stop.
Think positively. Think of how you may be misreading the situation. Try to see other sides of the story rather than focusing on what you "think" you know.
Realize that not everyone thinks as you do. What you think may be quite different from reality. Seek out the facts before you react.
Ask yourself, "Am I jumping to conclusions?" You may not have all the information you need to make a decision. Do you react to information you've received from others rather than the person you're in conflict with?
Ask for the truth. Go directly to the person and ask what's going on. What's the worst thing that will happen?
If in doubt, ask and double check. Don't get lazy or complacent and make assumptive short cuts just because you think you know someone well.
Not every assumptions (Dhann) are bad. Some assumptions are good. Having favorable thoughts about every Muslim is good and it is rewardable. However, one should take precautionary measures when dealing in suspicious case. For example, one should not hand over one's possessions to anyone without strong reliance of getting it back. It does not mean that you should regard anyone as a thief or run him down.
One thing we never want to do is distrusting Allah or suspecting His trust. For instance, it is not permitted to think ill of Allah in that He will punish him or keep him in calamity all the time without forgiving him or showing mercy to him, thus despairing of His grace.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: "None of you should die without having favorable thoughts about Allah."
In a hadith qudsi, Allah Almighty says: "I treat my servants the way they think about me."
This shows that holding favorable thoughts about Allah is compulsory and thinking ill of Him is prohibited.
Likewise, it is prohibited to entertain suspicion without rational grounds about Muslims whose outer conditions show that they are good and noble.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: "Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false talks...".
May Allah guide us and remove our blameworthy traits. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Allah alone give success.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Finding The Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr): A Moment of Reflection
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
As we approach the last 10 days of Ramadhan, hoping to witness Laylatul Qadr, I am reminded of my beloved sister who passed away about 3 weeks ago and so did not get to see Ramadhan this year. She died 3 days after her last message to me, 'Alhamdulillah! Today, I am healthy!!'
[Some of her mushaf, some with heavily written notes in her handwriting]
It comforted me knowing how much she loved Qur'an, read Qur'an and taught recitation of the Qur'an, and most of our discussions lately were about Qur'an. May Allah give her the Qur'an as her companion who will be with her till the Day of Judgment. May Allah shower her, both my parents, and all the Muslims that have gone before us with His mercy, and join all of us in the highest Paradise, Al-Firdaus. Ameen.
There is no doubt we will soon follow them. We don't know if we will get to complete Ramadhan this year. If we do, we don't know if we will get to see Ramadhan next year. One day, sooner than we think, the angel of death will take hold of our souls and we will not be able to do anything about it.
So don't waste time. Capture the moment, say 'Alhamdulillah' for this moment and for all the moments before this, ask Allah for forgiveness and ask those you have wronged for their forgiveness.
Certainly, don't spare any moment during these last 10 nights with things other than worshiping and thanking Allah for the countless blessings, and seeking His forgiveness.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) ascended the minbar and said: "Ameen, Ameen, Ameen." It was said to him, "O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that?" He said, "Jibreel said to me, `May Allah rub his nose in the dust, that person who Ramadhan comes and his sins are not forgiven,' and I said, Ameen'. Then he said, `May Allah rub his nose in the dust, that person who lives to see his parents grow old, one or both of them, but he does not enter Paradise,' and I said, `Ameen'. Then he said, `May Allah rub his nose in the dust, that person in whose presence you are mentioned and he does not send blessings upon you,' and I said, `Ameen.'" [Tirmidhi and Ahmad]
The secret of the last 10 nights of Ramadhan is the hope of finding Laylatul Qadr. Truly impoverish is the one who does not have the desire to find this night.
Allah, through His kindness to His beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), and his Ummah, the last nation which Allah called the best nation raised to mankind, gives this night.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time. (Muslim)
Any good deed done on this night such as prayers, reciting the Qur'an, remembering Allah, and so on is better than acting for one thousand months which do not contain the night of Qadr. Unlike the previous nations, we don't have a long life span to perform a huge amount of worship. Therefore, we should devote ourselves in worship during these last 10 nights.
This is a good time to take a vacation from work so you can focus on Allah with various forms of worship (e.g. learning and reciting the Qur'an, memorizing some Qur'an and hadith, more and longer prayers, making lots of du'a, dhikr, put into practice your knowledge of the Qur'an and Hadith, contemplating and reflecting on the meaning of the verses of the Qur'an, read a book on the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace--his life and his characteristics to increase your love for him) and i'tikaf (spiritual retreat) at the masjid. A woman may designate a place in her home for i'tikaf. If you are married you should get the permission of your husband to perform i'tikaf.
It was the practice of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to spend the last 10 days and nights of Ramadhan in the masjid for i'tikaf.
Try to make your prayers longer, deeper and meaningful. If you are familiar with longer Surahs, read the translation and explanation and then pray reciting these Surahs, carefully reflecting on the meaning while you pray. Even if you are only familiar with the shorter Surahs, read the translation and explanation beforehand, and then pray reflecting on the message of the Surahs. This is a good way to develop the habit of concentration, even in regular prayers, and inshaa Allah this habit will stay with you after Ramadhan.
Ask yourself what you really want from Allah. Make a list of each and everything that you want that is lawful, no matter how small or how big it is, whether it deals with this world or not. The All Generous loves our asking Him. Ask Allah to give you those things and develop a work plan to get those things. Make long and sincere du'as with conviction every night. This can be done using the Du'as of the Sunnah or in your own language. The best thing to ask Allah is what He asks from us--ask Allah that we become firm in our slavehood, become firm in acknowledging His Lordhord and the rights of His Lordhood.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
One of the best times to ask Allah for anything is during the last part of the night.
Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
This means we should strive to wake up an hour or two before suhur and devote ourselves in worship and supplication.
Don't forget your family. Have iftar together and take them to taraweeh and qiyamu lail (night prayers) on these last 10 days. Put your regular work aside and bond with your family.
Don't forget the poor and the needy. Increase your charity. This is a great time to pay your zakat on your wealth and zakat al-fitr.
Abu Hurayra narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
Choose one night to evaluate yourself and your situation and think about where you want to go for the next 12 months. Then take action. For example, if you haven't memorized Qur'an, ask yourself what prevented you from doing so and adopt a plan to remove the barriers and put a working schedule of memorizing the Qur'an. Don't say, "I can't." If there is a will there is a way and Allah alone gives success. So ask Allah. Nothing is too big for Allah.
May Allah forgive all our sins and make us witness Laylatul Qadr. Ameen.
Please don't forget us and the entire Ummah in your prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
As we approach the last 10 days of Ramadhan, hoping to witness Laylatul Qadr, I am reminded of my beloved sister who passed away about 3 weeks ago and so did not get to see Ramadhan this year. She died 3 days after her last message to me, 'Alhamdulillah! Today, I am healthy!!'
It comforted me knowing how much she loved Qur'an, read Qur'an and taught recitation of the Qur'an, and most of our discussions lately were about Qur'an. May Allah give her the Qur'an as her companion who will be with her till the Day of Judgment. May Allah shower her, both my parents, and all the Muslims that have gone before us with His mercy, and join all of us in the highest Paradise, Al-Firdaus. Ameen.
There is no doubt we will soon follow them. We don't know if we will get to complete Ramadhan this year. If we do, we don't know if we will get to see Ramadhan next year. One day, sooner than we think, the angel of death will take hold of our souls and we will not be able to do anything about it.
إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْحَامِ ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌۢ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۢ[Qur'an, Luqman 31:34]
Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.
So don't waste time. Capture the moment, say 'Alhamdulillah' for this moment and for all the moments before this, ask Allah for forgiveness and ask those you have wronged for their forgiveness.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿١﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلَاتِهِمْ خَـٰشِعُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ ٱللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ ﴿٣﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَوٰةِ فَـٰعِلُونَ ﴿٤﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ ﴿٥﴾ إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ﴿٦﴾ فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ﴿٧﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ ﴿٨﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ﴿٩﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ ﴿١٠﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ﴿١١﴾[Qur'an Mu'minun 23:1-11]
Certainly will the believers have succeeded: (1) They who are during their prayer humbly submissive (2) And they who turn away from ill speech (3) And they who are observant of zakah (4) 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 - (6) But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors - (7) And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive (8) And they who carefully maintain their prayers - (9) Those are the inheritors (10) Who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally. (11)
Certainly, don't spare any moment during these last 10 nights with things other than worshiping and thanking Allah for the countless blessings, and seeking His forgiveness.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
I asked the Messenger of Allah: 'O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, You are pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.' (Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee).(Ahmad, ibn Majah, Tirmidhi).
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) ascended the minbar and said: "Ameen, Ameen, Ameen." It was said to him, "O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that?" He said, "Jibreel said to me, `May Allah rub his nose in the dust, that person who Ramadhan comes and his sins are not forgiven,' and I said, Ameen'. Then he said, `May Allah rub his nose in the dust, that person who lives to see his parents grow old, one or both of them, but he does not enter Paradise,' and I said, `Ameen'. Then he said, `May Allah rub his nose in the dust, that person in whose presence you are mentioned and he does not send blessings upon you,' and I said, `Ameen.'" [Tirmidhi and Ahmad]
The secret of the last 10 nights of Ramadhan is the hope of finding Laylatul Qadr. Truly impoverish is the one who does not have the desire to find this night.
Allah, through His kindness to His beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), and his Ummah, the last nation which Allah called the best nation raised to mankind, gives this night.
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ ﴿١﴾ وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ ﴿٢﴾ لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ ﴿٣﴾ تَنَزَّلُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ ﴿٤﴾ سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ ٱلْفَجْرِ ﴿٥(Qur'an, Al-Qadr 97:1-5)
Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree. (1) And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? (2) The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. (3) The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. (4) Peace it is until the emergence of dawn. (5)
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time. (Muslim)
Any good deed done on this night such as prayers, reciting the Qur'an, remembering Allah, and so on is better than acting for one thousand months which do not contain the night of Qadr. Unlike the previous nations, we don't have a long life span to perform a huge amount of worship. Therefore, we should devote ourselves in worship during these last 10 nights.
This is a good time to take a vacation from work so you can focus on Allah with various forms of worship (e.g. learning and reciting the Qur'an, memorizing some Qur'an and hadith, more and longer prayers, making lots of du'a, dhikr, put into practice your knowledge of the Qur'an and Hadith, contemplating and reflecting on the meaning of the verses of the Qur'an, read a book on the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace--his life and his characteristics to increase your love for him) and i'tikaf (spiritual retreat) at the masjid. A woman may designate a place in her home for i'tikaf. If you are married you should get the permission of your husband to perform i'tikaf.
It was the practice of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) to spend the last 10 days and nights of Ramadhan in the masjid for i'tikaf.
Try to make your prayers longer, deeper and meaningful. If you are familiar with longer Surahs, read the translation and explanation and then pray reciting these Surahs, carefully reflecting on the meaning while you pray. Even if you are only familiar with the shorter Surahs, read the translation and explanation beforehand, and then pray reflecting on the message of the Surahs. This is a good way to develop the habit of concentration, even in regular prayers, and inshaa Allah this habit will stay with you after Ramadhan.
Ask yourself what you really want from Allah. Make a list of each and everything that you want that is lawful, no matter how small or how big it is, whether it deals with this world or not. The All Generous loves our asking Him. Ask Allah to give you those things and develop a work plan to get those things. Make long and sincere du'as with conviction every night. This can be done using the Du'as of the Sunnah or in your own language. The best thing to ask Allah is what He asks from us--ask Allah that we become firm in our slavehood, become firm in acknowledging His Lordhord and the rights of His Lordhood.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
If you ask Allah for Paradise, then ask him for Al-Firdaus, for it is the highest part of Paradise, in the middle of Paradise, and from it spring the rivers of Paradise, and above it is the (Mighty) Throne of the Most Merciful.
One of the best times to ask Allah for anything is during the last part of the night.
Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
When the last one-third of the night remains, our Lord, the Glorious One descends towards the heaven of the earth and proclaims: Who is that who supplicates for Me, and I grant his supplication? Who is that who begs Me for anything and I grant it to him? And who is that who seeks My forgiveness, and I forgive him?(Bukhari, Muslim).
This means we should strive to wake up an hour or two before suhur and devote ourselves in worship and supplication.
Don't forget your family. Have iftar together and take them to taraweeh and qiyamu lail (night prayers) on these last 10 days. Put your regular work aside and bond with your family.
Don't forget the poor and the needy. Increase your charity. This is a great time to pay your zakat on your wealth and zakat al-fitr.
Abu Hurayra narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
Whoever stands (in prayer) in Laylatul Qadr while nourishing his faith with self-evaluation, expecting reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven.[Bukhari and Muslim).
Choose one night to evaluate yourself and your situation and think about where you want to go for the next 12 months. Then take action. For example, if you haven't memorized Qur'an, ask yourself what prevented you from doing so and adopt a plan to remove the barriers and put a working schedule of memorizing the Qur'an. Don't say, "I can't." If there is a will there is a way and Allah alone gives success. So ask Allah. Nothing is too big for Allah.
May Allah forgive all our sins and make us witness Laylatul Qadr. Ameen.
Please don't forget us and the entire Ummah in your prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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