Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Firday) -- Acquiring Beneficial Knowledge

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Islam is a treasure chest of wisdom totally relevant to our daily life. It is amazingly beautiful that Allah makes seeking knowledge an obligation upon every Muslim.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “The seeking of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim.” [At-Tirmidhi] What is meant by knowledge here is knowledge of shari’ah (Islamic knowledge). It is the knowledge of how a servant should behave with respect to his Lord. Al-Thawri said: “It is the knowledge for which no person has any excuse for not knowing.”

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: Allah, His angels and all those in Heavens and on Earth, even ants in their hills and fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct others in beneficial knowledge. [At-Tirmidhi]

This shows us the great excellence of the seekers of knowledge. For whoever sets right his intention in seeking knowledge and desires only Allah's pleasure, is on a road to salvation and happiness.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Whoever goes down a path searching for knowledge, Allah will make it easy for him the road to Paradise." [Muslim]

If seeking knowledge is easy, then so many people would be doing it. The fact is that those who are on the path of knowledge are blessed but you need patience to keep going. So many people fell by the wayside because they don't have patience.

The story of Musa and Al-Khidr (peace be upon them) in Surah Kahf is teaching us patience in seeking knowledge. Thus, we are being reminded about this every week for those who follow the Sunnah of reading Surah Kahf every Friday and reflecting on the verses.

Musa (peace upon him) has a distinct position in the comity of prophets. This has been mentioned explicitly in the Qur'an, and Sunnah. The special distinction of having conversed with Allah is his hallmark. Allah had blessed Musa (peace be upon him) with an intense desire to seek knowledge. As soon as he smell the scent of knowledge elsewhere too, knowledge that he did not have, he was all set to go for it traveling like an ardent student and it was Allah Himself that he turned to for the address of that servant of His, al-Khidr.

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَ‌حُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَ‌يْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا ﴿٦٠

And [mention] when Musa to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period." (60)

[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:60]

Had it been the will of Allah that Musa should meet al-Khidr at that spot, He could have arranged that easily. Or, if Musa himself was Divinely destined to travel, he could have been given a clear address to help him reach it without any bother. But, what happened here was different. The address given to him was far from being precise - 'when you reach the place where the dead fish stirs and disappears, that will be the place you will find Our servant.

The address of al-Khidr was left imprecise in a manner that it would not remain easy to pinpoint it. Obviously, this too was nothing but a trial and test for Musa. As though this was not enough, when they had reached the exact spot but then they forgot the fish. This was yet another test. After having reached the projected destination, the fish came alive and disappeared into the sea. The reality had unfolded and the place was pinpointed. But, that was not the end. The seeker of knowledge had to undergo yet another test -- hunger and fatigue, and there is no food. When Musa finally saw Al-Khidr and followed him so he could learn from him, this was when he faced the most difficult test.

We should be constantly be seeking and acquiring knowledge. Knowledge is that reality whereby the unknown becomes known within us and it is knowledge and worship for which the reason Allah created the heavens and the earth. If this is the reason, every single one of us should have a great portion of it.

First, we should all understand what knowledge is. Second, we strive to seek it, and third, we should strive even further to make it a reality within ourselves. Knowledge is something great. If you give it all of yourself it will give you part of it. If you give part of yourself, it won’t give you anything. This is the general principle. This is the Sunnah of Allah relating to knowledge. Seeking knowledge is not easy. You have to make sacrifices, which means you have to get out of your norm in order to attain knowledge. We all have gone through this to some degree. When test time, we stop everything, get sleep deprivation, we eat whatever it is quickly so we can get back to study. Knowledge require a lot of exertion and effort to acquire it.

All of that effort we put in to achieve knowledge, any type of knowledge especially religious knowledge, putting that knowledge into practice in a religious sense, making that knowledge a reality within ourselves, is even more difficult. Even though we learn, review and teach, there isn’t a sense of a special relationship to that knowledge. Knowledge doesn’t fully become a reality within us and we don’t really have true possession until we are living by it. So when we spend our time in learning we should also spend just as much time putting the knowledge we have into practice,constantly seeking forgiveness from Allah for falling short in them.

Not only do we need to seek knowledge, implement the knowledge that we seek, there is also the element of being save from our knowledge. So it is a struggle to seek knowledge, but a greater struggle is to implement that knowledge and a much greater struggle is to be save from our knowledge.

Beneficial knowledge is going to open the door for us to be save us from our knowledge. In order to do that we have to have a sound heart (qalb salim), free from all blemishes, free from all diseases whereby we might either become impress of ourselves, lead to ostentation or arrogance, or other disease of the heart that might appear as a result of our knowledge.

So we should have a wird of reading useful (beneficial) knowledge.

A sign of a life community or city is that there are numerous of gatherings of knowledge and remembrance of Allah. If there is no gatherings of knowledge and remembrance, it is a sign of that place is dead.

Knowledge relates to sacred law and other than sacred law. All religious knowledge are praiseworthy except to the extent that some people who misunderstand certain aspects of religious knowledge and use them for some other purpose. When that happens, the way it is used becomes blameworthy.

As for knowledge that is not related to sacred law, they either be praiseworthy, blameworthy or permissible.Praiseworthy knowledge is knowledge that we need in order for us to establish benefits in this world, e.g. mathematics, medicine, agriculture, hijama. Knowledge that is blameworthy in of itself is like magic. Permissible knowledge is like poetry and history. All knowledge which related to sacred law is in of itself praiseworthy.

Beneficial knowledge will remove from you the love of this fleeting world and will lead you to the love of the next world, which is permanent. The more that you love the next world, the less that you love this world. It will lead you to zuhd (to renounce, to turn away, to abstain from the various things in the world and a desire for the akhirah) and give you knowledge and insights into your faults. Most people don't want to confront their faults, their dark aspects of their ego. If we want to take the path seriously, we have to have courage to confront our faults. Remember, shaytan is an apparent enemy and he is trying to lead us astray and making our bad actions and sins look good. So we have to learn about his tricks and plots.

Knowledge of tauhid, fiqh, spiritual excellence and correct practice, is the essence of what is considered beneficial knowledge. Beneficial knowledge is not mental gymnastics. Beneficial knowledge is knowledge that is accompanied and followed by righteous actions and it is cast into the heart. By this definition, in the age of information today, much of what people are learning today, in reality, is not considered to be knowledge.

May Allah purify our intentions for seeking knowledge, help us be steadfast and productive seekers of knowledge, and increase us in beneficial knowledge and keep us away from blameworthy knowledge.

رَ‌بَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَ‌حْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِ‌نَا رَ‌شَدًا

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

Ameen.

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

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

Wassalaam

Tawfiq and Success

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Tawfiq is success or the ability to attain what truly benefits you in this life and the next.  Tawfiq is precious and rare as it is not mentioned in the Qur'an except once:

وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّـهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ ﴿٨٨ ...

... And my success is not but through Allah. In Him alone I have placed my trust and to Him alone I turn in humbleness. (88)

[Qur'an, Hud 11:88]

How do we climb the ladder of success?

First, we have to know that tawfiq comes only from Allah, not from you or anyone else. As mentioned in the Qur'an, Prophet Shu'aib (alayhissalaam) said,

إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا ٱلْإِصْلَـٰحَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّـهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ ﴿٨٨

... I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allah. In Him alone I have placed my trust and to Him alone I turn in humbleness. (88)

[Qur'an, Hud 11:88]

The best of guidance is when Allah grants you tawfiq. When Allah gives you tawfiq, your affairs are gathered together and you are able to achieve your goals. However, it is extremely important that you take the first step and put in your best effort.

In order for Allah to choose you for this specific form of guidance, you need to actively seek tawfiq from Him in all your affairs, big or small, for this world or the Hereafter.

Some Causes of Tawfiq

Having sincere intention

It is very important to have sincere intention in all your undertakings. Your intention must be correct--you are doing it to seek the pleasure of Allah Almighty. When your intention is sincere and when you wish for that which is good and correct, then Allah will grant you tawfiq. That is why the scholars mentioned sincerity to be from the biggest of causes of tawfiq. So wish for the truth and for yourself to attain goodness and correctness in your affairs and keep reminding yourself about the importance of a sincere intention in all you do for Allah.

Having certainty, trust in Allah and turn to Allah

Another cause for being granted tawfiq is to have yaqeen (certainty) that this tawfiq can only come from Allah and, very importantly, to rely on Him and turn to Him in repentance. How many times do people attribute success in their career or having done good deeds to themselves, without even thinking it was only by the tawfiq of Allah? So have true belief that tawfiq only comes from Allah, put your trust in Him and repent.

Desiring Paradise and asking for it

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said:

Whoever makes the Hereafter his preoccupation, then Allah places freedom from want in his heart, gathers his affairs, and dunya (worldly life) comes to him despite being reluctant to do so. And whoever makes dunya his preoccupation, then Allah places his poverty in front of his eyes, make his affairs scattered, and nothing of the dunya comes to him except that which has been decreed for him.

[At-Tirmidhi]

Allah gives tawfiq for the slave when he asks for Paradise, so ask for it.

A bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah whilst he was travelling and he took hold of his camel’s halter or reigns and said: O Messenger of Allah! Tell me of something that will draw me closer to Paradise and distance me away from the Hellfire. He said, the Prophet turned and looked to his companions and said: Indeed he has been granted tawfiq. Indeed he has been granted tawfiq. Then he said: What did you say? So he (the bedouin) repeated and the Prophet said: That you should worship Allah and associate none with Him, that you establish prayers, pay the zakah and join ties (kindred). Let go of the camel. [Muslim]

The bedouin’s will to attain Paradise is an example of tawfiq.

May Allah grant us the highest Paradise without reckoning. Ameen.

Praying the istikharah prayer

Praying this sunnah prayer when proceeding with decisions in your life means you seek tawfiq. Praying this prayer with the du'a for istkharah included in it is a cause for being granted tawfiq.

Asking for a good end

Realize the importance of being granted tawfiq in the last moments of your life. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said:

If Allah wishes good for a slave, he utilizes him. It was said: How does He utilizes him, O Messenger of Allah? He said: He grants him tawfiq to perform righteous deeds before death.

[At-Tirmidhi]

May Allah make us of those He utilized and grant us an excellent ending. Ameen.

Reflecting on your friendships

The righteous predecessors used to say: If a person of the sunnah is granted tawfiq, then the biggest blessing that Allah bestows on him is to give him tawfiq in finding (another) companion of the sunnah who takes him by the hand and leads him to the truth.

A beautiful example is Khaythamah ibn Abi Sabra who said: I came to Madinah and I asked Allah to facilitate for me in finding a righteous companion, so He facilitated for me Abu Hurayrah. I sat with him and said: Indeed I asked Allah to facilitate for me righteous companionship so I was granted tawfiq. He said to me: Where are you from? . . . (until the end of the narration). [At-Tirmidhi]

This is how those who were true to Allah in their intentions were granted tawfiq in meeting those from the Companion.

So ask Allah for tawfiq in friendships. May Allah grant us righteous companions. Ameen.

Being grateful whenever you are given tawfiq

Whenever Allah enabled you to carry out that good deed you wanted to do, thank Allah. And whoever is grateful, Allah will give him more.

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ

And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.' " (7)

[Qur'an Ibrahim 14:7]

So be grateful for any tawfiq and He will give you more. May Allah make us of those who are grateful. Ameen.

May Allah make us of those who always ask for tawfiq, recognize tawfiq is from Him only and put our trust in Him.

May Allah grant us tawfiq in all that is good, utilize us on His path and distance us from the Fire and all deeds that lead to it. Ameen.

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

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

Wassalaam

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- The Righteous Attracts Allah's Help and Support

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Allah Almighty says in Surah Kahf,

وَٱصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُۥ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُۥ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُۥ فُرُطًا ﴿٢٨

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)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:28]

The Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam was being addressed in this ayah, showing us that our company does affect each and every one of us. If the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam is being instructed with the company he should keep, what then of us?

Keeping righteous company is mentioned after the story of Ashaabul Kahf is of significance. Ashaabul Kahf chose to be amongst the group who remember Allah and not of those who seek the dunya (world). Indeed, our next life depends on our company. If we chose righteous companions, we will be amongst them in the hereafter.

Allah Almighty is giving us a direction in this verse: He, the Exalted, is guiding us to what is best for us and instructing us about what to avoid. The righteous attracts Allah's help and support in this life and the next, and in the hereafter -- "you will be with those you love." So if you love the righteous, then you will be in their company on that Day when a man would flee from his brother and his mother and his father and his wife and his children - (Qur'an, Abasa 80:34-35].

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا ﴿٣٠

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)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:30]

In this verse, Allah tells us whose company we should keep: مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُۥ - with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. This is an exclusive quality of the righteous - they remember Allah under all conditions and what they do is exclusively for the good pleasure of Allah. All these conditions around them are conditions that attract the help and support of Allah. Such are the people to whom comes the help of Allah.

Allah Almighty alerts us in the beginning of the verse, وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ , and be patient with yourself, hold yourself. Sabr (patience) is not only when a difficulty or calamity occurs, but keeping with righteous company and continuing with the remembrance of Allah requires sabr.

Allah Almighty says, وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا - [and do not let your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life.] The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam did not desire the dunya, but this part of the ayah is a reminder to not be impressed by the nobility and wealth of those of high status but to remain with those who remember Allah.

Allah Almighty compares those who call upon Him (they make du'a) and those who seek the glamor of this worldly life, because no one can have both at the same time – you are either from those who remember Allah, or of those who seek the dunya.

It is not enough for us to be with good company, but we must leave the bad company as well. Allah Almighty instructs us to avoid those people who do not have any interest in the remembrance of Allah and follow their desires. Following one’s desires leads to their affairs being fruitless because there is no purpose or goal. And being in gatherings where there is no mention of Allah -- like musical concerts, theaters, ball games, hookah-shisha places, arcades, etc -- decreases one’s Iman (Faith), because a heart without His remembrance is like a fish out of water and those who remember other than Allah in their gatherings are prone to sinning – such as indulging in backbiting and slander -- and worldly because our nafs (lower self) naturally incline to the adornment of this life. The chiefs of Makkah were heedless of the remembrance of Allah; everything they did was subservient to their physical desires, and these conditions guaranteed that they stood alienated far from the mercy and support of Allah.

The righteous lives a conscious life, they are not heedless, from morning to night they are conscious of what they are doing and they have their goal and purpose. Ashaabul Kahf had a goal in their life, to seek Allah’s pleasure, and they acted upon this goal and Allah granted them success.

May Allah protect us from bad company and heedlessness and grant us righteous company and steadfastness and make righteous deeds beloved to us and grant us victory over the disbelieving people. Ameen.

Ameen

Have a blessed Friday.

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) -- Manners in Seeking Knowledge

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Allah, Exalted is He, relates in the Quran about the journey of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), with his young companion. If there ever existed a person who had no need to travel to seek knowledge, it was Prophet Musa, for Allah had spoken to him and given him the Torah. Nonetheless, when Allah informed him of a man who had been favored with knowledge, Prophet Musa inquired about meeting him, and then set out with his companion to find this man, Al-Khidr alayhissalaam.

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَىٰهُ لَآ أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰٓ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِىَ حُقُبًا ﴿٦٠

And [mention] when Musa said to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period." [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:60]

Upon meeting Al-Khidr, Prophet Musa asked of him,

قَالَ لَهُۥ مُوسَىٰ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا ﴿٦٦

Musa said to him, "May I follow you on in order that you may teach me of the knowledge you have been given." [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:66]

قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْرً‌ۭا ﴿٦٧﴾ وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ‌ عَلَىٰ مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِۦ خُبْرً‌ۭا ﴿٦٨﴾ قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ صَابِرً‌ۭا وَلَآ أَعْصِى لَكَ أَمْرً‌ۭا ﴿٦٩﴾ قَالَ فَإِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَنِى فَلَا تَسْـَٔلْنِى عَن شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرً‌ۭا ﴿٧٠

He (al-Khidr) said, "Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience. (67) And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?" (68) [Moses] said, "You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in [any] order." (69) He said, "Then if you follow me, do not ask me about anything until I make to you about it mention." (70) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:67-0]

The Islamic tradition teaches us that both students of sacred knowledge and their teachers have lofty principles and refined codes of conduct that they must adhere to in order to ensure that they can truly achieve virtue through their knowledge and that Allah opens up for them (futūḥ) the full extent of wisdom and perception.

Humility is an essential characteristic that a student must have to truly benefit from his or her teacher.

In the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), when the angel Jibrīl (alayhissalaam) came to ask the Prophet ( sallallahu alayhi wassallam) about Islam, Imān, and Iḥsān, he is described as having, “put his knees against the knees [of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam] and placed his hands on his thighs.” [Muslim]

When the Companions used to sit with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam), they did not used to raise their heads up to him out of their reverence for him. It is reported on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), “If the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) used to enter the mosque, none of us used to raise our heads except Abū Bakr and ʽUmar. They used to smile at him and he used to smile at them.”

It is also reported on the authority of ʽUbāda b. al-Ṣāmit that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said regarding respecting scholars and honoring them, “He is not from my community who does not venerate our elders, have mercy on our youth, and know the rights of our scholars.”

Imam ʽAlī ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) would say regarding the manners of respect a student should have with his or her teacher, “From the rights of the scholar over you is that you give greeting to people generally and greet him specifically, that you do not ask him questions excessively, you do not meet his answers with discord, you do not pressure him if he tires, you do not grab his garment if he sets forth, you do not reveal to him secrets, you do not back bite anyone in his presence, you do not seek out his shortcomings, and if he makes a mistake you accept his excuse. It is incumbent upon you to respect and honor him for the sake of Allah as long as he adheres to the commands of Allah. And [you must not] sit with your back towards him, and if he has a need you should hasten before everyone in serving him.”

It is related by Shaʽbī that, Zayd b. Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) led a funeral prayer. He then brought his riding animal near so he could ride it and Ibn ʽAbbās came to assist him in mounting. Upon this, Zayd said, “Do not do this O, son of the Messenger of Allah’s uncle.” Ibn ʽAbbās replied, “This is how he ordered us to treat our scholars and elders.”

Sufyān al-Thawrī entered the gathering of Imām Mālik while his students around him were seated as if there were birds perched on their heads. He later recited the following poem to describe this:

يأبى الجواب فلا يراجع هيبة والسائلون نواكس الأذقان

أدب الوقار وعز سلطان التقى فهو المهيب وليس ذا سلطان

He refuses to answer [excessive questions and the questioner] will not return out of awe

Those who ask [in his presence] sit with their necks bent

Refined manners, grace, and the dignity of a chief of piety

He inspires awe [in hearts] yet he is no king

Al-Shāfiʽī said: “Out of my reverence for him, I used to turn pages while being seated in the presence of Mālik with gentleness so that he does not hear the pages turn.”

It is related by Ṣāliḥ b. Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, “Al-Shāfiʽī came one day to visit my father while he was ill. He [Ibn Ḥanbal] lept towards him, kissed him between the eyes, made him sit in his place and he sat in front of him.” He said, “Then he spoke to him for an hour. When al-Shāfiʽī got up to leave, my father rose and took hold of his saddle and walked with him. When [news] of this reached Yaḥya b. Maʽīn, he questioned my father saying, ‘O Abū ʽAbd Allāh, subḥānallah! Were you forced to walk by the side of al-Shāfiʽī’s riding animal?' My father replied, ‘And you O Abū Zakariyya, had you walked on the other side you would have benefited.’ Then he said, ‘Who wishes for goodness should follow the tail of that beast.’” It was said to Iskandar, “Why is your reverence for your spiritual guide (al-muʽaddib) greater than your reverence for your father?” He said, “Because my father is the cause of my temporary life while my spiritual guide is the cause of [success] in my eternal life.”

Many of the Muslim rulers and caliphs also used to give immense importance to knowledge and the reverence of scholars. It is related that Hārūn al-Rashīd used to send his two sons al-Amīn and al-Māʼmūn to learn from Imām al-Kisāʼī who was one of the seven reciters of the Qur’an. One day after class was finished; al-Amīn and al-Maʼmūn were competing to carry the sandals of the shaykh. Each one wanted to carry them and then they settled for each of them carrying one sandal. Meanwhile, Hārūn al-Rashīd was watching them from an elevated place in his residence. He later invited him to a table he had prepared for him. He then asked him during the meal, “Who is the happiest of people?” The Shaykh said to him: “You are O Leader of the Believers.” He said, “No. The happiest of people is the one who the two heirs of the Leader of the Believers (amīr al-muʼminīn) quarrel to carry his sandals.”

From amongst the forms of respect that students must have for teachers is that they should listen with complete attentiveness, even if the teacher is saying something which they already know from a quote, story, or poem. ʽAṭāʼ said, “I listen to a hadith from a man and I am more knowledgeable of it than him. However, I do not show him that I surpass him in anything.” Similarly, he should not precede the teacher in explaining a matter or answering a question posed by one of the students. It is said, “Learn silence the way you learn to speak. And be more vigilant about listening than speaking.”

As for humility, this not only means that students should be in a state of humbleness while learning but that they must also humble themselves to knowledge in the exertion of their efforts to seek it. Ibn ʽAbbās (may Allah be pleased with both father and son) used to say, “I lowered myself seeking, and then I became sought (dhalaltu ṭāliban fafiztu maṭlūban).” It is also related that he said, “When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) died, I said to a man from the Anṣār come lets seek out the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) for they are many today. He said, ‘I am surprised by you, O Ibn ʽAbbās! Whom amongst the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) do you see as better than yourself?’ He said, ‘So I left him and I set out to ask the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) and [news of] a hadith from a man had reached me. I came to the door of the one saying [the hadith] and I spread my cloak on his doorstep, all the while the wind was blowing sand in my face.

He came out and saw me and said, ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah’s (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) uncle, what brought you here? Had you sent for me, I would have come.’ I said to him, ‘It is more fitting that I should come to you.’ He said, ‘And I asked him about the hadith. This man of the Anṣār then lived until he saw me when people had gathered around me asking me, and he would say ‘This youth is more intelligent than me.’”

It is also related that Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī would not abandon anyone he knew to possess any knowledge except that he sought him out and found him. Ibrāhīm b. Saʽd said, “I asked my father, how did Ibn Shihāb surpass you?” He said, ‘He used to come to the center of gatherings and not leave an elderly person except that he asked him and not leave a youth except that he asked him. Then he used to go to the homes of the Anṣār and he would not leave a youth he did not ask or an elderly person he did not ask. He used to even speak to the women of the households.’”

It is incumbent that a student does not acquire pride or vanity after having gained an amount of knowledge, remembering that it is ultimately Allah who granted this to him or her. Also because the amount of knowledge that one has accumulated regardless of the heights a student has reached is insignificant in comparison to the knowledge of Allah the Exalted and High.

Allah Most High says in the Qur’an,

عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

He has taught humans what they knew not.[Qur'an, Al-Alaq 96:5]

وَٱللَّهُ أَخْرَ‌جَكُم مِّنۢ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ‌ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ ۙ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُ‌ونَ ﴿٧٨

And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful. (78) [Qur'an, Al-Nahl 16:78]

وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلرُّ‌وحِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلرُّ‌وحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ‌ رَ‌بِّى وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿٨٥

And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." (85) [Qur'an, Al-Isra' 16:85]

Have proper adab (manners)– you can only have adab if you learn it. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said, “The only reason I have been sent is to perfect good manners”.

May Allah grant us noble character and remove our blameworthy traits and replace them with praiseworthy traits. 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

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Towards Success

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

Assalaamu alaykum

If you haven't been reciting Surah Kahf every Friday,  make it a goal to recite it every Friday. In it there are many lessons to help us in our personal transformation and achieving a successful life inshaa Allah.

Other than reciting it, we should take the opportunity today to really understand Surah Kahf by first, know what you read in terms of the meaning, and find a good tafsir and commit to finish reading it today. This may take a few hours, but it is well worth your day. Don't put this off for procrastination is one of the potent tricks of Shaytan to prevent us from achieving success in this life and the next.

As Muslims we should constantly be assessing our lives and setting goals and making resolutions, rather than waiting for special days during the year to perform the exercise. This is the attitude of successful people.

We don't need to dig far to know this. We see a powerful example in the life of Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) whose endless efforts and perseverance with the help of Allah, brought guidance to humanity at large and as a result of which we see more than a billion Muslims on this planet today. He was committed to Allah's religion, and through his wisdom, hard work, commitment, perseverance, and Allah’s will, he achieved what he had set out to achieve.

In the stories of Surah Al-Kahf, we can see more great examples:

The young companions of the cave were committed to Allah's religion that they were willing to leave the comfort of their "homes" and retreated to a cave. Allah complimented them and increased them in guidance.

The neighbor of the man with the two splendid gardens was committed to the religion of Allah that he, despite the man's arrogance and his put downs towards him, he patiently remained with the man to help him repent to Allah. He was successful, by the help of Allah.

Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was committed to seeking knowledge that he was willing to travel a long and difficult journey to find the teacher who Allah says is more knowledgeable than him. He was successful in finding him and learned valuable lessons.

Zulkarnain, a powerful King, was committed to a mission and so he traveled east and west and established good and justice.

The question you need to ask yourself is where do you stand in your commitment to the religion of Allah and what are you doing to achieve it?

You can start thinking about it now and set some goals and resolutions. If you don’t set your goals, you don’t move forward. If you set them and don’t follow through, you still don’t move forward. Goals are the specific steps that propel your life forward toward your goals while still immersed in the daily chores of life; resolutions are about how your behavior impacts other people’s lives; More importantly, resolutions are about your relationship with your Creator and how you strengthen that relationship by living life in accordance to His guidance.

If you are not in the habit of setting goals and resolutions, you should review the direction of your life and assess how your actions are contributing to your betterment and to your family and loved ones in accordance with the teachings of your Creator?

If you have a mere general idea on where you are heading simply because you are too busy to chart out a more directed course of action, you may not be fully harnessing your God-gifted abilities.

Setting goals and resolutions therefore enable you to step away and analyze the clutter in your life; they let you rise above the daily chores that keep you busy and keep you from organizing. The process is therefore about prioritizing and highlighting what is more important to make your life more meaningful.

It is about “actions” and execution – Setting a resolution is much more than dreaming, thinking and planning about what you want to change. It is about real execution – about doing something – about undertaking a course of action that actually starts bringing you closer to what you want to achieve. Many a people, organizations and countries fail in their lives and in their pursuits simply because of lack of execution. They plan but then can’t follow through; they talk but they can’t perform.

Even in the religion of Islam that emphasizes asking your Creator and Sustainer about your needs, there is an equal and parallel importance of your personal actions and deeds. Once 'Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) got very angry with youth who were simply spending time in the masjid and told them: “Go out and seek sustenance, for the sky does not send down rain of gold or silver.” Confucious, a famous philosopher once said: “The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.” Florence Nightingale who had a lasting contribution in founding the modern nursing profession once said: “You ask me why I do not write something...I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words, they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which bring results.”

How many times have you planned but failed to execute? Isn’t it time to actually get on with a sustained course of action?

It is about using time wisely – Setting resolutions helps us maximize our time in life instead of squandering the valuable moments away. We all know how time flies but unfortunately many times we do not make full use of our time and life in general. The big fitnah (trials) of our time is the internet/wifi and social media at our fingertips. Lots of people, young and old, waste a lot of time with and in it, as if their lives revolve around it.  Some use it in the name of the religion. Just look around you.

Mu`adh ibn Jabal reported the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) as saying: “A servant of Allah will remain standing on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about four things: his life and how he spent it, his youth and how he used it up, his property and how he acquired and managed it and his knowledge and how he utilized it.”

We should therefore remind ourselves that we too have an end that is approaching. So, why squander our time away on nonessential pursuits?

It is about focused actions and tasks – Resolutions and goals help you focus on the right actions and tasks. Think about when you are about to take a long trip away from home. Our productivity in the number of tasks we complete before we take a trip is phenomenal simply because we have a deadline to meet and our energies are extremely focused. The closer you get to your time of travel, the more you ensure that you utilize each and every second available to you.

Can you imagine how much you will be able to accomplish daily only if you became half that productive and efficient?

It is about behavioral change – Setting goals and resolutions involves completely stepping away from behaviors you want to change – In Islam, this parallels the concept of “Repentance” or “Taubah” because the psychological, spiritual and physical dynamics is almost the same. Repentance in Islam entails stopping bad behavior, regretting past indulgence in that behavior, understanding the need to shy away from the bad behavior, making a strong intention not to return to the old behavior and finally substituting bad with good behaviors (better deeds).

Why not then apply the same dynamics to change any of your undesirable behaviors and habits, and embark on a major journey of personal progress?

It is about clarity of vision – Setting goals requires that you are clear about who you are and what you want to achieve. A confused mind can not set meaningful goals. A person not confident about his beliefs and values is rarely successful in charting out a meaningful course of action. This is why the Sahaba (companions of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) were able to unilaterally commit to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and his cause. They clearly understood their role in this life. Once when in Madinah, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had to send a group to Yemen for teaching new Muslims there about Islam. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) picked Mu’adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) as their leader (even though Muadh was very young – perhaps in his early twenties). The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “The most knowledgeable of my ummah [community] in matters of Halal [permitted, allowed, lawful or legal] and Haram [forbidden] is Mu’adh bin Jabal.”

If Muadh was able to get that clarity at such a young age where he was chosen by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to lead a group of mentors and teachers to a foreign land, why can’t we get clearer on who we are?

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

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

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