Nov 19, 2008

15 Tips on Earning Rewards from Allah (swt)

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Insha'Allah this reaches you in good health.

I came across this wonderful article. May Allah (swt) reward the brother who wrote it immensely. Allahuma ameen.

15 Tips to Earning Rewards from Allah

1- Avoid Things that Allah has forbidden, including the great sins as well as continually performing the lesser sins, and perform what Allah orders us to perform: The prophet peace be upon him said: "Allah has recorded the good deeds and the evil deeds. Then he made them clear: He who has intended a good deed and does not do it, Allah writes it down with Him as a performed good deed; but if he intends it and does perform it; Allah records for him from ten good deeds to seven hundred times that or more than that. If he intends to do an evil deed and does not do it, then Allah writes it down as a good deed; but if he intends an evil deed and performs it, Allah records it as one evil deed" (Sahih Al-Jami)

2- Reciting the Quran and pondering over it's meanings: The Prophet peace be upon him said, "Whoever recites one word from the Book of Allah will be rewarded for a good deed and ten more like it; and I don't say that Alif Lam Mim is a word but Alif is a word and Lam is a word and Mim is a word" (Alif Lam Mim is 3 Arabic Characters.)

3- Guiding people to righteous deeds: The prophet peace be upon him said, "Whoever guides one to a good thing will get the same reward as the person who performs the deed" (Sahih Al-Jami)

4- Enjoining good and eradicating evil: Allah revealed in the Quran, {Those of the children of Israel who went astray were cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they rebelled and used to transgress. They restrained not one another from the wickedness they did. Verily, evil was that they used to do} (Al-Maida:78)

This is one of the obligatory duties that many people fail to perform today. Due to this reason, sins are being committed openly and without shame and no one is saying anything about them. The prophet peace be upon him said, "If the people see an evil deed and they do not change it, then Allah may inflict them all with a punishment".
Allah says in the Quran: "And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends of one another, they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong .. "

5- Supplications to Allah: It's the best act of worship as the Prophet peace be upon him said, "The most virtuous act of worship is supplication" (Sahih Al-Jami). It's very important to be certain that Allah will answer your supplication, the Prophet peace be upon him said: "There is no Muslim on this earth who supplicates to Allah except that Allah will give him what he asked or He will remove some evil from him, as long as he does not supplicate for something evil or as long as he does not supplicate for cutting of the ties of kinship and as long as he does not become impatient and say, 'I supplicated and supplicated and I was not responded to'"

6- Marrying religious women: The prophet peace be upon him said, "A woman is married for her religion, wealth or beauty; marry the religious women and you will prosper". He also said, "A thankful heart, a tongue that remembers Allah and a pious wife that helps you in your worldly and religious matters, is better than what the people are amassing" (Sahih Al-Jami)

7- Bringing up pious children and training them to have good Islamic character: The prophet peace be upon him said, "A man will be raised some degrees in Paradise and he will say, 'For what reason am I receiving this ?' He will be told, 'Because of your son asking forgiveness for you'"

8- Having good manners and character: The prophet peace be upon him said, "The most beloved of you to me and the closest of you to me in the Hereafter are those of you who have the best manners; the most hated of you to me and farthest from me in the Hereafter are those of you who have the worst manners, those who speak and do not even care about what they are saying" (Sahih Al-Jami), and he also said, "The person of good manners will get the same reward as the person who prays during the night and fasts during the day" (Sahih Al-Jami).

9- Performing many voluntary prayers: This is particularly beneficial during the last third of the night in which the gates of the heavens are opened and the supplications are responded to. The prophet peace be upon him said, "Allah waits until one half or two-thirds of the night has passed and He says, 'My slaves, shall ask from no one except Me. Whoever asks from Me, I shall respond to him. Whoever asks Me for something, I will give it to him. Whoever asks for my forgiveness, I shall forgive him. And this continues until the dawn" (Sahih Al-Jami).

Similarly, performing the Sunnan prayers, is also a way of gaining Allah's pleasure and reward. These Sunnan prayers are two rakats before the dawn obligatory prayer, four before the noon obligatory prayer and four after it, two after the sunset prayer and two after the night prayer and the witr prayer.

10- Being obedient and respectful to one's parents: This is one of the greatest ways to attain Allah's pleasure and reward. Allah mentions worshipping Him together with obeying one's parents. Allah says in the Quran, "Your Lord has decreed that you worship none save Him, and that you show kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain to old age with you, say not 'File' unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy and say, 'My Lord, have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little'" (Al-Isra)

11- Jihad in the way of Allah: A hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him says, "Being on guard in the way of Allah for one month is better than perpetual fasting for a year. Whoever dies while guarding in the way of Allah will be safe from the great frightening. And he will be provided his provisions, and smell the scent from paradise, and receive the reward of the one who guards until Allah resurrects him" (Sahih Al-Jami)

12- Remembering Allah at all times: The prophet peace be upon him stated that Allah said, "I am as My slave thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself. I make mention of him to Myself and if me makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it." (Al-Bukhari).

13- Speaking the truth and not fearing punishment of anyone: The prophet peace be upon him, "The leader of the martyrs is Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib and a person who faces an unjust ruler and advises him to do good and he is killed because of his speech" (Sahih Al-Jami)

14- Giving charity and spending in the way of Allah: Allah says in the Quran, "Those who spend their wealth by night and day, privately and publicity, verily their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve" (Al-Baqara 274). And Allah also says, "And spend of that which We have provided you before death comes to one of you and he says, 'My Lord if only You would reprieve me for a little while, then I would give alms and be among the righteous.' But Allah reprieves no soul when its term comes, and Allah is aware of what you do" (Al-Munafiqoon).

15- Learning the beneficial knowledge: One should learn that knowledge that will benefit him in the Hereafter and act by it in order to be a good example for others. The authentic knowledge is the one that is based on Quran and Sunnah.


Insha'Allah keep your Muslim brothers and sisters in your du'as.

Ma'asalaam (:

Source: Al-Basheer Magazine
Written by: Jamal Zarabozo (Modified by IslamWay Team)

Leia Mais

Nov 17, 2008

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah.

People believe the radiation from mobile phones, blue tooth headsets and phone masts can cause cancer, know that the radiation of wealth can kill off the spirituality of the heart! [Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq]

I'd like to bring this amazing blog to your attention: http://s-stranger.blogspot.com/
Masha'Allah, the sister that runs this blog is such a pious and devoted Muslimah and I felt the need to 'spread the word'. So insha'Allah, please do visit her blog, check out her breath-taking Islamic Wallpapers, or just say hello to her.

Until next time, insha'Allah,

ma'asalaam (:

Leia Mais

Oct 29, 2008

Air Janazah - are you ready?


When we are leaving this world for the next one, it shall be like a trip to another country. Where details of that country won't be found in glamorous travel brochures, but in the Holy Qur'aan and the hadith. Where our plane won't be British Airways, Gulf Air,PIA, or American Airlines, but Air Janazah. Where our luggage won't be the allowed 23 kgs, but our deeds no matter how heavy they weigh.

You don't pay for excess luggage. They are carried free of charge. With your Creator's compliment. Where our dress won't be a Pierre Cardin suit or the like but the white cotton shroud Where our perfume won't be Chanel,Paco Rabanne, but the camphor and attar. Where our passports won't be British, French, Pakistani or American but Al Islam.
Where our visa won't be the 6 months leave but the "La Illaha Illallah.." Where the air hostess won't be gorgeous females but Isra'iil and its like Where the in-flight services won't be 1st class or economy but a piece of beautifully scented or foul smelling cloth. Where our place of destination won't be Heathrow Terminal 1, Islamabaad or Riyadh International Terminal but the Qabarastaan. Where our waiting lounge won't be nice carpeted and air-conditioned rooms but the 6 feet deep gloomy Qabar. Where the Immigration Officer won't be Her Majesty's officers but Munkar and Nakir.They only check out whether you deserve the place you yearn to go.

Where there is no need for Customs Officers or detectors. Where the transit airport will be Al Barzaakh. Where our final place of destination will be either the Garden under which rivers flow or the hell Fire.

This trip does not come with a price tag. It is free of charge. So your savings would not come handy This flight can never be hijacked so do not worry about terrorists. Food won't be served on this flight so do not worry about your allergies or whether the food is Halal.
Do not worry about leg room; you won't need it, as your legs will become things of the past. Do not worry about delays. This flight is always punctual. It arrives and leaves on time. Do not worry about the in-flight entertainment programme because you would have lost all your sense of joy. Do not worry about booking this trip, it has already been booked the day you became a fetus in your mother's womb.

Ah! At last good news! Do not worry about who will be sitting next to you. You will have the luxury of being the only passenger. So enjoy it while you can. If only you can!
One small snag though, this trip comes with no warning.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

Leia Mais

Oct 16, 2008

Jewish Rabbi in Yathrib

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Baraktuhu,

May this reach you all in good health, insha'Allah.

Well, it's been a while since I last posted which was, sometime around 'Eid. Soo, I'll make a comeback with this story taken from Qisas.com. [Don't forget to visit this site insha'Allah, as well as it's sisters sites Sacred Hadith and Drops of Wisdom]

A Jewish rabbi in Yathrib
By Abdul Basit

Al-Husayn ibn Sailam was a Jewish rabbi in Yathrib who was widely respected and honoured by the people of the city even by those who were not Jewish. He was known for his piety and goodness, his upright conduct and his truthfulness.

Al-Husayn lived a peaceful and gentle life but he was serious, purposeful and organized in the way he spent his time. For a fixed period each day, he would worship, teach and preach in the temple.

Then he would spend some time in his orchard, looking after date palms, pruning and pollinating. Thereafter, to increase his understanding and knowledge of his religion, he would devote himself to the study of the Torah..

In this study, it is said he was particularly struck by some verses of the Torah which dealt with the coming of a Prophet who would complete the message of previous Prophets. Al-Husayn therefore took an immediate and keen interest when he heard reports of the appearance of a Prophet in Makkah.

He said: "When I heard of the appearance of the Messenger of God, peace be on him, I began to make enquiries about his name, his genealogy, his characteristics, his time and place and I began to compare this information with what is contained m our books. From these enquiries, I became convinced about the authenticity of his prophethood and I affirmed the truth of his mission. However, I concealed my conclusions from the Jews. I held my tongue...

Then came the day when the Prophet, peace be on him, left Makkah and headed for Yathrib. When he reached Yathrib and stopped at Quba, a man came rushing into the city, calling out to people and announcing the arrival of the Prophet. At that moment, I was at the top of a palm tree doing some work.

My aunt, Khalidah bint al-Harith, was sitting under the tree. On hearing the news, I shouted:

'Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! (God is Great! God is Great!' When my aunt heard my takbir, she remonstrated with me: 'May God frustrate you...By God, if you had heard that Moses was coming you would not have been more enthusiastic.' 'Auntie, he is really, by God, the 'brother' of Moses and follows his religion. He was sent with the same mission as Moses.' She was silent for a while and then said: 'Is he the Prophet about whom you spoke to us who would be sent to confirm the truth preached by previous (Prophets) and complete the message of his Lord?' 'Yes,' I replied.

Without any delay or hesitation, I went out to meet the Prophet. I saw crowds of people at his door. I moved about in the crowds until I reached close to him. The first words I heard him say were:

'O people! Spread peace...Share food...Pray during the night while people (normally) sleep... and you will enter Paradise in peace...' I looked at him closely. I scrutinized him and was convinced that his face was not that of an impostor. I went closer to him and made the declaration of faith that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet turned to me and asked: 'What is your name?' 'Al-Husayn ibn Sailam,' I replied.

'Instead, it is (now) Abdullah ibn Sallam,' he said (giving me a new name). 'Yes,' I agreed. 'Abdullah ibn Sailam (it shall be). By Him who has sent you with the Truth, I do not wish to have another name after this day.'


O Allah! Render the thoughts and inclinations within our heart, to be Your fear and remembrance, and let our endeavours and desires be devoted to what You love and appreciate. Allahuma Ameen.

Insha'Allah make du'a for me :)

Ma'asalaam

Leia Mais

Oct 2, 2008

'Eid Sa'eed!!

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Leia Mais

Sep 24, 2008

Du'as for Forgiveness

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

As we go into the final days of Ramadan (*tear*) one will find the following very useful:

Du'as for Forgiveness
complied by mutmainaa

O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you.
[hadith Qudsi]


Sayyid al-Istighfar - Master supplication for forgiveness

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلا أَنْتَ

Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa Anta Khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ‘ala ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu, A’udhu bika min Sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u Laka bini’matika ‘alaiya, wa Abu’u Laka bidhanbi faghfirli fainnahu la yaghfiru adhunuba illa anta

O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshiped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You.

Shaddad ibn Aws (radiAllahu anhu) relates that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said that the (Sayyid al-Istighfar) most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah is to say (the above du’a). That “If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.”
[sahih al-Bukhari; 8,75,318, at-Tirmidhi; 3393, an-Nasa'i; 5522, Ahmad; 16662]

General supplications for forgiveness

رَبَّنََآ إنَّنَآ ءَاَمنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَ قِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Rabbana innanā amanna, faghfir lana, dhunoobana wa-qinna ‘adhāāban-naar

Our Lord! We have indeed believed: forgive us, then, our sins, and save us from the agony of the Fire
[surah Ali' Imran; 3:16]

...

سُبْحَنَ رَبِّنَآ إنَّا كُنَّا ظَلِمِينَ

Subhāna Rabbina inna kunna dhalimeen

Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!
[68:29]

...

لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

La illaha illa Anta Subhanak, inni kuntu min adh-dhalimeen

There is no God but You; Glory be to You, Truly I have been one of the wrongdoers
[Surah al-Anbiyah, 21: 87]

...

Sa’d ibn Waqas (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu allayhi wasalam) said, “The supplication made by the Companion of the Fish (Prophet Yunus (as)) in the belly of the fish was (the above). If any Muslim supplicates in these words, his supplication will be accepted/responded to.”
In another report we read, “I know words that will cause Allah to remove one’s distress. These are the words (of supplication) of my brother Yunus, peace be upon him”
[at-Tirmidhi; 3500, an-Nisa'i in 'Amal al-yawmi wa al-layla; #656, al-Hakim 1:505 and 2:383. The latter declared it sound (sahih) and Dhahabi confirmed him]

...

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِيْ مِنَ الَّذِيْنَ إِذَا أَحْسَنُوْا اسْتَبْشَرُوْا ، وَ إِذَا أَسَاءُوْا اسْتَغْفَرُوْا

Allahumaj ‘alna minal ladhina idha ahsanus tabasharti, wa idha asa’us-taghfaru

O Allah! make me among those who, when they commit an act of virtue, rejoice; and when they commit a mistake, seek forgiveness
[narrated by A'isha (radiAllahu anhu) - ibn Majah; #3810]

...

سُبْحَنَكَ تُبْتُ إلَيْكَ وَ أنَاْ أوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Subhānaka tubtu ilaiyka wa ‘ana awwal-ul mu’mineen

Glory be to Thee! To Thee I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe
[surah al-A'raf, 7:143]

...

اللَّهُمَّ اعْفِرْلِى ذَنْبِئ كُلَّهُ، و جِلَّهُ، وَ أوَّلَهُ وَ آخِرَهُ عَلا نِيَتَهُ وَ سِرَّهُ

Allahumma-ghfir li dhanbi kullahu, diqqahu wa jillahu, wa awwalahu wa akhirahu, wa ‘ala niyatahu wa sirrahu

O Allah! Forgive me all my sins, great and small, the first and the last, those that are apparent and those that are hidden
[Muslim 1:350]

...

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ ، وَ اخْسِئْ شَيْطَانِيْ ، وَ فُكَّ رِهَانِيْ ، وَ ثَقِّلْ مِيْزَانَيْ ، وَ اجْعَلْنِيْ فِي النَّدِيِّ الْأَعْلى

Allahumagh-fir li dhamdi, wakhsi’ shaytani, wa fukka rihani, wa thaqqil mizani, waj’alni fin-nadiyyil a’la

O Allah! Forgive my sins, expel my Shaytan, and redeem my pledge. Make my scales heavy and make me from among the highest class (in the Hereafter)
[narrated by abu al-Azhar al-Anmari (radiAllahu anhu) - abu Dawud; #4395]

...

اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أسْألُكَ يَا اللَّهُ بِأنَّكَ الْوَاحِدُّ الأحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْيَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أحَدٌ، أنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إنَّكَ أنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الَّحِيمُ

Allahumma inni asaluka ya Allahu bi annakal Wahidul Ahadus-Samadul ladhi, lam ya-lid wa lam youlad, wa lam yakullahu kufuwan Ahad, an taghfirali dhunoobi innaka Antal Ghafūūrur Raheem

O Allah! I ask You, O Allah, You are the One, the Only, Self Sufficient Master, who was not begotten and begets not and non is equal to Him. Forgive me my sins, surely you are Forgiving, Merciful.
[Abu Dawud, an Nasa'i, ibn Majah, at Tirmidhi]

...

أسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَ أتُوبُ إلَيْهِ

Astaghfirullaha wa atūūbu ilai(hi)I seek the Forgiveness of Allah and repent to Him.
[to be reicted 100 times during the day]
[Sahih al Bukhari, Muslim 4:2075]

...


Allahumagh-fir li khatayaya wa dhunubi kullaha. Allahumman ‘ashni, wa ahyini, war zuqni, wah dini lisalihil ‘a’mali wal ‘akhlaq, innahu la yahdi lisalihiha wa la yasrifu sayyi’aha, illa Ant.

O Allah! Forgive all of my sins and mistakes. O Allah! Elevate me, give me life and provisions, and guide me to pious deeds and morals. Verily, no-one leads to the pious deeds and morals, and no-one protects from the evil ones, Except You.
[narrated by abu Ayyub al-Ansari (radiAllahu anhu) - Hakim; #1540 and #5942, Tabarani]

...

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ، أشْهَدُ أنْ لا إلهَ إلَّا أنْتَ، أسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَ أتُوبُ إلَيْكَ

Subhanakal-Lahumma wa bihamdik, ash-hadu allaillaha illa ant, astaghfiruka wa’atoobu ilaiyk

Glory be to You, O Allah, and all Praise, I testify that there is no deity but You, I seek Your Forgiveness and to You do I repent.
[3 times] [recommended for at the end of meetings, atoning for infractions during it]
[at Tabari, an Nasa'i, al Hakim]

...

اللَّهُمَّ اِنّى اسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِذَنْبِى وَ اسْئَلُكَ رَحْمَتَكَ

Allahumma inni astaghfiruka li dhanbi wa as’aluka rahmatak

O Allah! I ask You for Forgiveness for my sins, and for Your Mercy.

...

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْلِى خَطَايَاىَ وَ ذُنُوْبِى كُلِّهَا

Allahummaghfirli khatāyaya wa dhunubi kullaha

O Allah! Forgive all my sins and ommissions.

...

رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

Rabbana la tu’a-khidhna in-nasina aw akta’na, Rabbana wa la tahmil ‘alaiyna isran kama hamaltahu ‘alal-ladheena min qablina. Rabbana wala tuham-milna mala taqata-lana beh. Wa’fu-’anna, waghfir-lana war hamna, Anta maulana fansurna ‘alal qawmil kaafireen

Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us, Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against Faith
[surah al-Baqarah; 2:286]

...

أسْتَغْفِرُ اللّهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِي لا إلَهَ إلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ، غَفَّارُ الذُّنُّوبِ ذُو الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ، وَ أتُوبُ إَيْهِ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْمَعَاصِي وَ الذُّنوبِ وَ الآثامِ، وَ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ أذْنَبْتُهُ عَمْدًا وَ خَطَأً، ظَاهِرًا وَبَاطِنًا، قَوْلًا وَفِعْلًا، فِى جَمِيع حَرَكَاتِي وَسَكَاتِي وَخَطَرَاتِي وأنْفَاسِي كُلِّهَا دَائِمًا أبَدًا سَرْمَدًا، مِنَ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِي أعْلَمُ، وَ مِنَ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِي لا أعْلَمُ، عَدَدَ مَا أحَاطَ بِهِ الْعِلْمُ وَ أحْصَاهُ الْكِتَابُ وَ خَطَّهُ الْقَلَمُ، وَ عَدَدَ مَا أوْ جَدَتْهُ الْقُدْرَةُ وَ خَصَّصَتْهُ الإرَادَةُ، وَمِدَادَ كَلِمَاتِ اللّهِ، وَ كَمَا يَنْبَغِي لِجَلالِ وَجْهِ رَبِّنَا وَ جَمَالِهِ وَ كَمَالِهِ، وَ كَمَا يُحِبُّ رَبِّنَا وَ يَرْضَى

اَللّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِكُلِّ ذَنْبٍ لِّيْ وَأَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِيْ مَا أَحْصَيْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ مَّظَالِمِ الْعِبَادِ قِبَلِيْ فَإِنَّ لِعِبَادِكَ عَلَيَّ حُقُوْقًا وَّمَظَالِمَ وأَنَا بِهَا مُرْتَهِنٌ اَللّهُمَّ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ كَثِيْرَةً فَإِنَّهَا فِيْ جَنْبِ عَفْوِكَ يَسِيْرَةٌ اللّهُمَّ أَيُّمَا عَبْدٍ مِّنْ عِبَادِكَ أَوْ أَمَةٍ مِّنْ إِمَائِكَ كَانَتْ لَهُ مَظْلِمَةٌ عِنْدِيْ قَدْ غَصَبْتُهُ عَلَيْهَا فِيْ أَرْضِها أَوْ مَالِها أَوْ عِرْضِها أَوْ بَدَنِها أَوْ غَابَ أَوْ حَضَرَ هُوَ أَوْ خَصْمُهُ يُطَالِبُنِيْ بِهَا وَلَمْ أَسْتَطِعْ أَنْ أَرُدَّهَا إِلَيْهِ وَلَمْ أَسْتَحْلِلْهَا مِنْهُ فَأَسْأَلُكَ بِكَرَمِكَ وَجُوْدِكَ وَسِعَةِ مَا عِنْدَكَ أَنْ تُرْضِيَهُمْ عَنِّيْ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ لَّهُمْ عَلَيَّ شَيْئًا مُّنَقِّصَةً مِّنْ حَسَنَاتِيْ فَإِنَّ عِنْدَكَ مَا يُرْضِيْهِمْ عَنِّيْ وَلَيْسَ عِنْدِيْ مَا يُرْضِيْهِمْ وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لِسَيِّئَاتِهِمْ عَلىٰ حَسَنَاتِيْ سَبِيْلاً.

Allahumma inni astaghfiruka li kulli dhambin,

O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for all my sins. I ask You to forgive me for all my wrongdoings [mazalim] against people that You have recorded, for there are many rights [huquq] and dues [mazalim] owed to Your servants that I am burdened with and for which I am hostage [murtahin]. O Allah, even if these (wrongdoings) are many they are insignificant in comparison with the magnitude of Your forgiveness. O Allah, any male or female servant of Yours who has rights upon me, in either that I have unjustly taken from him [ghasabtu] in regards to his land, possession, honor, body; whether he was absent or present; or he or his representatives demanded it from me and neither was I able to return it to him nor did I seek release of it from him. So I ask You through Your benevolence, generosity, and abundance of what You possess that You satisfy them on my behalf, and not give them a position over me that will decrease my good deeds; for You possess what You can satisfy them with on my behalf and I do not possess what to satisfy them with; and do not allow for their bad deeds to find a path over my good deeds on the Day of Judgment.
[From 'The Prayers of Forgiveness that Save from the Hellfire' by Hasan al-Basri]

May Allah (swt) accept our fasts, prayers, and du'as. Ameen.

Keep me in your du'as insha'Allah :)

Wassalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah.

Leia Mais

Sep 20, 2008

When the Night Equals a Thousand

When the Night Equals a Thousand
by Muhammad Al-Shareef


It was narrated that in the days that Musa (alayhis salam) wandered with Bani Israel in the desert an intense drought befell them. Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain to come. Then, to the astonishment of Musa (alayhis salam) and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that were in the sky vanished, the heat poured down, and the drought intensified.

It was revealed to Musa that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Israel whom had disobeyed Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) for more than forty years of his life. 'Let him separate himself from the congregation,' Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) told Musa (alayhis salam). 'Only then shall I shower you all with rain.'

Musa (Alahi salaam) then called out to the throngs of humanity, 'There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah for forty years. Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought.' That man, waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did. Sweat poured forth from his brow and he knew that he was the one.

The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst and that if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity.

He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before, with a humility he had never tasted, and as tears poured down on both cheeks he said: 'O Allah, have mercy on me! O Allah, hide my sins! O Allah, forgive me!'

As Musa (Alahi salaam) and the people of Bani Israel awaited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured. Musa (Alahi salaam) asked Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), 'O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward.' And Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) replied, 'O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israel with water.'

Musa (Alahi salaam), wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked, 'Show him to me O Allah!' Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) replied, 'O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?'

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) revealed the Qur'an in the most blessed month; the month of Ramadan, the month in which the Qur'an was sent down.

On the most blessed night, the Grand night: Laylatul Qadr; 'Verily, we revealed the Qur'an on the night of Qadr.'


Ibn Jareer narrates, on the authority of Mujaahid that there was a man from Bani Israel who used to spend the night in prayer. Then in the morning he would fight the enemy in the Way of Allah during the day, until the evening and he did this for a thousand months.

And so Allah revealed the Surah:

'Verily, We sent it down in the night of Al-Qadr? until the verse 'The night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months' That is, standing in prayer on that night is better than the actions of that man.

Sufyan ath-Thawri reports, on the authority of Mujaahid (also), that the night of Al-Qadr being better than a thousand months means that the good deeds performed on it, fasting on it, and standing in prayer on it are better than a thousand months? good deeds, prayers and fasting.
[Ibn Jareer]

Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) reported, 'When the month of Ramadan came, the Messenger of Allah said: 'The month of Ramadan has come, a blessed month in which Allah has made it obligatory for you to fast; in it the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained. In it is a night better than a thousand months, whoever loses the benefit of it has lost something irreplaceable.?'
[Imam Ahmad and An-Nasa'i].

It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that Allah's Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'Whoever stood in prayer on the night of Al-Qadr, in faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, he will have all of his previous sins forgiven.'
[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

This one night surpasses the value of 30, 000 nights. The sincere believer who worries day and night about his sins and phases of neglect in his life patiently awaits the onset of Ramadan. During it he hopes to be forgiven by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) for past sins, knowing that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) promised that all who bear down during the last ten days shall have all their sins forgiven. To achieve this, the believer remembers the Prophet's (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) advice in different sayings wherein he used words like 'seek', 'pursue', 'search' and 'look hard' for Laylatul Qadr.

Laylatul Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. The Mu'min should search for it in the last ten nights of Ramadan, passing the nights in worship and obedience.

For those who catch the opportunity, their gift is that of past sins wiped away.



The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) illustrated for us some of the things we should be doing on this Grand Night. From his blessed Sunnah we find the following:


Praying Qiyaam (night prayer):

It is recommended to make a long qiyaam prayer during the nights on which Laylatul Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many ahadeeth, such as 'Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in Laylatul Qadr [and it is facilitated for him] out of faith and expectation (of Allah's reward), will have all of his previous sins forgiven.' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the addition 'and it is facilitated for him' is recorded by Ahmad from the report of 'Ubaadah Bin as-Samit; it means that he is permitted to be among the sincere worshippers during that blessed night.]


Making Supplications:

It is also recommended to make extensive supplication on this night. 'A'ishah reported that she asked Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) 'O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul Qadr, what should I say during it?' And he instructed her to say:

'Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu anni - O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love forgiveness. So forgive me.'
[Ahmad, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi.]


Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship:

It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the nights on which Laylatul Qadr is likely to fall. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala).

'A'ishah reported: 'When the (last) ten started, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would tighten his izaar (i.e. he stayed away from his wives in order to have more time for worship), spend the whole night awake (in prayer) and wake up his family.'
< [Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

And she said: 'Allah's Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to exert more (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights.'
[Muslim]


Have we estimated Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) correctly?

The opportunity of Laylatul Qadr is coming in the next few days. Life is about people that take advantage of their opportunities to win the love of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), and this is indeed one of those chances.

Abu Dah Daah was one of those who found an opportunity and won that which is greater than the heavens and the earth. An adult companion of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) cultivated his garden next to the property of an orphan. The orphan claimed that a specific palm tree was on his property and thus belonged to him. The companion rejected the claim and off to the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) went the orphan boy to complain. With his justness, the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) measured the two gardens and found that the palm tree did indeed belong to the companion. The orphan erupted crying. Seeing this, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) offered the companion, 'would you give him the palm tree and to you is a palm tree in Jannah?' However, the companion in his disbelief that an orphan would complain to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) missed the opportunity and went away angry.

But someone else saw the opportunity, Abu Dah Daah (radiAllahu anhu). He went to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and asked, 'Ya Rasul Allah, if I buy the tree from him and give it to the orphan shall I have that tree in Jannah?' The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) replied, 'Yes.'

Abu Dah Daah chased after the companion and asked, 'Would you sell that tree to me for my entire garden?' The companion answered, 'Take it for there is no good in a tree that I was complained to the Prophet about.'

Immediately, Abu Dah Daah went home and found his wife and children playing in the garden. 'Leave the garden!' shouted Abu Dah Daah, 'we've sold it to Allah! We've sold it to Allah!' Some of his children had dates in their hand and he snached the dates from them and threw them back into the garden. 'We've sold it to Allah!'

When Abu Dah Daah was later martyred in the battle of Uhud, Rasul Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) stood over his slain body and remarked, 'How many shady palm trees does Abu Dah Daah now have in paradise?'

What did Abu Dah Daah lose? Dates? Bushes? Dirt? What did he gain? He gained a Jannah whose expanse is the heavens and the earth.

Abu Dah Daah did not miss his opportunity, and I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) that we do not miss our opportunity of standing to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) on Laylatul Qadr.


Dear brothers and sisters, we do not obey, worship and revere Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) in a way befitting of His Majesty.

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) revealed: 'No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him. On the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be but His handful, and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand: Glory to Him! High is He above the partners they attribute to Him'
[Surah al-An'aam; 91].

Everything that we have belongs to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala). When someone dies we say, Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon, Indeed to Allah we belong and indeed to Him we shall return. This is not a supplication just for when a soul is lost. It is a supplication for every calamity that befalls a believer, even if his sandal were to tear. Why? Because everything belongs to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) and everything shall come back to him. Sit and try to count the blessings Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) has bestowed upon you. Have you ever tried to count stars?

"And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favors of Allah, never will ye be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude"
[Surah Ibrahim, 34].

We have not understood the weight of this Qur'an that we rest on our high shelves, this Noble book that was sent to give life to the dead. For even if our hearts were as solid as rock they would have crumbled to the ground in fear and hope of Allah's (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) punishment and Mercy. Could it be that our hearts are harder than that mountain?

"Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, verily, thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and split asunder in fear of Allah"
[Surah al-Hashr, 21].


Dear brothers and sisters, as you fill the Masajid for Qiyamul Layl in the last ten nights of Ramadan, remember what Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) wants you to know:

"Know ye that Allah is strict in punishment and that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."

There shall be a night, some night in your life that you shall awaken in Jannah or Hell fire. Anas ibn Malik, on his deathbed, prayed to Allah, (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), 'O Allah, protect from a night whose morning brings a journey to hell fire.' Think about that morning.


Peace shall descend on Laylatul Qadr until the dawn. It may be that you shall leave the Masjid after Fajr one day soon forgiven by Allah, Glorious and Most High.

Leia Mais

Sep 17, 2008

Reaping the Benefits the Ramadan

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Reaping the Benefits of Ramadan
by Ali Al-Timimi
adapted from a lecture


In the month of Ramadan it is very important that we spent a few moments to understand some of the wisdoms and lessons that we can learn from this month of fasting.

Unfortunately, many Muslims come in to this month and they are as a companion of the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Let it not be that the day that you fast and the day that you break fast be equal." Meaning, one's behaviour, attitude and outlook are the same whether one fasts or not, i.e. fasting has no effect upon that person. This is why we need to reflect on some of these lessons.

LESSON 1: Gaining Taqwa

Allah legislated fasting for gaining taqwa, "O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain taqwa." [2 :183]
Taqwa in this case means to make a shield between oneself and Allah’s anger and Hellfire. So we should ask ourselves, when we break our fasts, ‘Has this fasting day made us fear Allah more? Has it resulted that we want to protect ourselves from the hellfire or not?

LESSON 2: Drawing closer to Allah

This is achieved by reciting and reflecting on the Qur’an during night and day, attending the taraaweeh prayers, remembering Allah, sitting in circles of knowledge and, for those who can, making `ummrah. Also for those who can, making I`tikaaf (seclusion) in the last ten nights of Ramadan, so as to leave all worldly pursuits and seclude oneself in a masjid just thinking of Allah, so as to bring oneself closer to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala). When one sins, one feels distant from Allah. That is why one might find it heard to read the Qur’aan and come to the masjid. However, the obedient worshipper feels closer to Allah and wants to worship Allah more, because he is not shy from his sins.

LESSON 3: Acquiring patience and strong will

Allah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Qur’an and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. So when one fasts, and gives up one’s food and drink, and one’s marital sexual relations for those hours, one learns restraint and patience. This Ummah needs men and women that are strong willed, who can stand upon the Sunnah and the Book of Allah and not waver in front of the enemies of Allah. We do not need emotional people, who just raise slogans and shout, but when the time comes to stand upon something firm, they cannot do so, they waver.

LESSON 4: Striving for Ihsan (righteousness and sincerity) and staying away from riya’ (showing off)

Ihsan means to worship Allah as if one seeks Him, and even though one does not see Him, He sees all. Hasan al-Basri said, "By Allah, in the last twenty years, I have not said a word or taken something with my hand or refrained to take something with my hand or stepped forth or stepped back, except that I have thought before I have done any action, ‘Does Allah love this action? Is Allah pleased with this action?' So when one is fasting, one should gain this quality of watching oneself and also staying away from riya’ (showing off). That is why Allah said in a hadith qudsi, "Fasting is for Me and I reward it."
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

Allah singles out fasting from all other types of worship saying, "Fasting is for Me", because no one knows whether you are fasting or not, except Allah. For example, when one is praying or giving charity or making tawaf, one can be seen by the people, so one might do the action seeking the praise of the people. Sufyan ath-Thawri used to spend the nights and the days crying and the people used to ask him, "Why do you cry, is it due to the fear of Allah? He said, ‘No.’ They said, "Is it due to the fear of the Hellfire?" He said, ‘No. It is not the fear of Hellfire that makes me cry, what makes me cry is that I have been worshipping Allah all these years and doing scholarly teaching, and I am not certain that my intentions are purely for Allah.’"

LESSON 5: Refinement of manners, especially those related to truthfulness and discharging trusts.

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) has no need that he should heave his food and drink."
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

What we learn from this, is that we must pay attention to the purification of our manners. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "was sent to perfect good manners."
[Malik]

So we must check ourselves, are we following the behaviour of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)? For example: Do we give salaam to those we don’t know and those we do know? Do we follow the manners of Islam, by telling the truth and only telling the truth? Are we sincere? Are we merciful to the creation?

LESSON 6: Recognizing that one can change for the better

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Every son of Adam sins and the best of the sinners are those who repent."
[Ibn Majah]

Allah provides many opportunities to repent to Him and seek His forgiveness. If one was disobedient they can become obedient.

LESSON 7: Being more charitable

Ibn `Abaas (ra) said, "The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was the most charitable amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadaan when Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of the month…"
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, without nothing being reduced from the fasting person’s reward."
[at-Tirmidhi]

LESSON 8: Sensing the unity of the Muslims

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "…Those of you who will live after me will see many differences. Then you must cling to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khalifahs. Hold fast to it and stick to it."
[Abu Dawud]

In this month we sense that there is a possibility for unity, because we all fast together, we break fast together, we all worship Allah together, and we pray Salat al-Eid together. Therefore we sense that the unity of Muslims is possible. It is possible for Muslims to be a single body, but this will only be achieved when obedience is only to Allah and His Messenger.

LESSON 9: Learning discipline

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) made us adhere to discipline and strictness, strictness that does not lead to fanaticism or going outside the bounds that Allah has laid down. One cannot knowingly break the fast before the sunset, as this will not be accepted by Allah. Muslims should learn to be very strict in their lives, because they are people of an important message, which they mould their lives around.

LESSON 10: Teaching the young to worship Allah

It was the practice of the people of Madinah, that during the fast of Ashura (which is now a recommended fast of one day) to get their children to fast with them. When the children would cry of hunger and thirst, their parents would distract their attention by giving them some sort of toy to play with. The children would break their fast with their parents.
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

So the young should be brought to the masjid and they should pray with their parents, so that they are able to get into the habit of becoming worshippers of Allah. If one does not encourage children to fast when they are young, they will find it very difficult to fast for thirty days at the age of puberty.

LESSON 11: Caring for one’s health

Fasting has many medical benefits and it teaches Muslims to take care of their health and too build strong bodies. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "A strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone."
[Muslim]

May Allah subhanahu wata'ala accept our fasts and du'as. Ameen.

Insha'Allah, keep my family and I in your du'as,

Wassalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.

Leia Mais

Sep 15, 2008

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah,

SubhanAllah! Ramadan is going by so quickly; half of it has already passed. For the remaining 15 days, I will try to update as much as possible with Ramadan-related articles. The following is an article about the History of the month:

Ramadan in History
Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick


All praises to Allah, Lord of the worlds. He who revealed in His Glorious Qur'an,

"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your duty to your Lord (having taqwa),"
[2: 185]

And may blessings and peace of Allah be upon His last Messenger Muhammed ibn Abdullah, forever.


O you who believe, Ramadan is a sacred month wherein Almighty Allah is constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to achieve infinite, endless bliss. Fasting is a complete purification and a means to developing the consciousness of Allah's presence. The consciousness of Allah (taqwa) is a protection against the schemes of Shaitan, and the suffering of this world. Allah has informed us that,

"whoever keeps his duty to Allah (has taqwa), He ordains a way out for him and gives him sustenance from where he imagines not. And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah attains His purpose. Allah has appointed a measure for everything"
[65: 2].

Many Muslims today have a misconception about fasting and the activities of a fasting person. They go into a state of semi-hibernation, spending most of their daylight hours in bed. If they fear Allah, they wake up for prayer, but then return to sleep immediately. This unnatural sleep makes them become lazy, dull-witted and often cranky.

Ramadan is actually a time of increased activity wherein the believer, now lightened of the burdens of constant eating and drinking, should be more willing to strive and struggle for Allah. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) passed through approximately nine Ramadans after the Hijrah. They were filled with decisive events and left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission to Allah.

In the first year after the Hijrah, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) sent Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib (radiAllahu anhu) with thirty Muslim riders to Saif al-Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had camped suspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about to engage the disbelievers in battle, but they were separated by Majdy ibn Umar al-Juhany.

The hypocrites of Al-Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims, built their own masjid (called Masjid al-Dirar). The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) ordered this masjid to be destroyed in Ramadan.

On the seventeenth of Ramadan, 3 A.H., Almighty Allah separated truth from falsehood at the Great Battle of Badr. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and 313 of his companions set out to intercept a caravan of their own goods that had been left in Makkah. Abu Sufyan himself led it, the caravan having an estimated value of 50,000 dinars. They were met, instead, by a well-equipped army of the nobility of Quraish, intent on putting out the light of Islam. Despite being outnumbered three to one and appearing weak and unseasoned, the Muslims defended their faith with a burning desire to protect the meeting with their Lord through martyrdom. Allah gave them a decisive victory on this day of Ramadan that would never be forgotten.

In 6 A.H., Zaid ibn Haritha (radiAllahu anhu) was sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area. Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led by Zaid and had succeeded in plundering its wealth. She was known to be the most protected woman in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her home. Fatimah was equally infamous for showing open hostility to Islam. She was killed in a battle against these Muslims in the month of Ramadan.

By Ramadan of 8 A.H., the treaty of Hudaibiyya had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the north. Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquer the city of Mecca. Allah had declared His Sanctuary a place of peace, security and religious sanctity. Now the time had come to purify the Kaabah of nakedness and abomination. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) set out with an army having more armed men than Al-Madinah had ever seen before. People were swelling the army's ranks as it moved towards Makkah. The determination of the believers, guided by the Will of Allah, became so awesome that the city of Makkah was conquered without a battle, on the 20th of Ramadan. This was one of the most important dates in Islamic history for, after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month, after smashing the idols of Makkah, detachments were sent to the other major centres of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols of Arabia, were destroyed.

Such was the month of Ramadan in the time of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). It was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding evil, and striving hard with one's life and wealth. After the death of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), Muslims carried on this tradition and Allah used the true believers to affect the course of history. Ramadan continued to be a time of great trials and crucial events.

Ninety-two years after the Hijrah, Islam had spread across North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. Spain was under the tyrannical rule of King Roderic of the Visigoths. Roderic had forced his six million serfs and persecuted Jews to seek the aid of the Muslims of North Africa in order to be delivered. Musa ibn Nusair, the Umayyad governor of North Africa, responded by sending his courageous general Tariq ibn Ziyad at the head of 12,000 Berber and Arab troops. In Ramadan of that year, they were confronted with a combined Visigoth army of 90,000 Christians led by Roderic himself, who was seated on a throne of ivory, silver, and precious gems and drawn by white mules. After burning his boats, Tariq preached to the Muslims warning them that victory and paradise lay ahead of them and defeat and the sea lay to the rear. They burst forth with great enthusiasm and Allah manifested a clear victory over the forces of disbelief. Not only was Roderic killed and his forces completely annihilated, but Tariq and Musa also succeeded in liberating the whole of Spain, Sicily and parts of France. This was the beginning of the golden age of Al-Andalus where Muslims ruled for over 700 years. In the year 582 A.H., Salahuddin al-Ayyubi, after battling with the Crusaders for years, finally drove them out of Syria and the whole of their occupied lands in the month of Ramadan. The Muslim world was then destined to meet one of its most frightening challenges.

In the seventh century A.H. the Mongols were sweeping across Asia destroying everything that lay in their path. Genghis Khan called himself "the scourge of God sent to punish humanity for their sins". In 617 A.H., Samarkand, Ray and Hamdan were put to the sword causing more than 700,000 people to be killed or made captive. In 656 A.H. Hulagu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, continued this destruction. Even Baghdad, the leading city of the Muslim world, was ransacked. Some estimates say that as many as 1,800,000 Muslims were killed in this awesome carnage. The Christians were asked to eat pork and drink wine openly while the surviving Muslims were forced to participate in drinking bouts. Wine was poured in the masjids and no azan (call to prayer) was allowed. In the wake of such a horrible disaster and with the threat of the whole Muslim world and then Europe being subjected to the same fate, Allah raised up from the Mamluks of Egypt, Saifuddin Qutz, who united the Muslim army and met the Mongols at Ain Jalut on 25th Ramadan, 458 A.H. Although they were under great pressure the Muslims, with the help of Allah, cunning strategy and unflinching bravery, crushed the Mongol army and reversed this tidal wave of horror. The whole of the civilised world sighed in relief and stood in awe at the remarkable achievement of these noble sons of Islam.


This was the spirit of Ramadan that enabled our righteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of intense activity, spending the day in the saddle and the night in prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.

Today, the Muslim world is faced with drought, military aggression, widespread corruption and tempting materialism. We are surely in need of believers who can walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Qutuz, Salahuddin and the countless heroes of Islam. We are surely in need of believers who are unafraid of the threats of the disbelievers, yet kind and humble to the believing people - Muslims whose fasts are complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst.


May Allah raise up a generation of Muslims who can carry Islam to all corners of the globe in a manner that befits our age, and may He give us the strength and the success to lay the proper foundations for them. May Allah make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadan and after it, and may He not make us of those who say what they do not do. Surely Allah and His Angels invoke blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad. O you who believe! Send blessings and peace to him forever. Ameen.

Please remember to keep me and my family in your du'as, insha'Allah :)

Wassalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.

Leia Mais

Sep 8, 2008

The Beautiful names of Allah (swt)

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,

Insha’Allah this reaches you in a high state of iman and ihsan.

...

This month’s Glorious Name is Al-Mu'min (The Giver of Peace).

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلۡمَلِكُ ٱلۡقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَـٰمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُ ٱلۡمُهَيۡمِنُ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡجَبَّارُ ٱلۡمُتَڪَبِّرُ‌ۚ سُبۡحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشۡرِڪُونَ
"He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peaceable, the Giver of Peace." (59:23)

Allah is the real giver of security. Only by being faithful to Him can one feel truly secure and have no fear at all. "Which of the two parties has a better title to security? Tell me if you know the truth. Those who believe, and have not confounded their belief with evil-doing, shall surely earn salvation." (6:81-82)

Security here means the peace one feels in his heart issuing from faith. Besides, Allah promised His loyal servants that their faith would be firmly established, so that they would live in peace and security instead of suffering and persecution. "Allah has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely make them successors in the land, just as He made their ancestors successors, and that He will surely establish their religion for them that He has approved for them, and will give them in exchange, after their fear, security." (24:55)

Allah never fails the faith others place in Him; and His promise is genuine and never broken: "This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His messenger have spoken truly." (33:22)

Thus, in this world of uncertainty and spiritual loss, there are people who lead their lives untouched by its misery and distress: "Surely those who say, 'Our Lord is Allah' and then go straight, shall have nothing to fear or regret." (46:13)

مِّنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ۬ صَدَقُواْ مَا عَـٰهَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيۡهِ‌ۖ فَمِنۡهُم مَّن قَضَىٰ نَحۡبَهُ ۥ وَمِنۡہُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ‌ۖ وَمَا بَدَّلُواْ تَبۡدِيلاً۬ "This is what Allah and His messenger promised us, and Allah and His messenger have spoken truly." (33:22)

Leia Mais

Sep 6, 2008

Scientific Evidence on the Benefits of Fasting

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah.

Insha'Allah this reaches you all in the highest state of Iman.

I was doing some reading and came across this site that laid down some scientific proof of the benefits of fasting:

...

The material I found proves one of the recommendations of the Prophet (saw) –namely that of the BEST fast that there is – fasting one day and then not fasting the next and repeating the cycle so it’s an alternate day fast or an intermittent fast.

Here is the hadith:

He said, ‘Then fast one day and break the fast the next. That is the fast of Dawud, peace be upon him, and it is the fairest fast.’ (One variant has, ‘It is the best fast.’) I said, ‘I can do better than that.’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘There is nothing better than that.’
(Riyadh-us-Saliheen, hadith 150)

And here is the scientific proof.


Dietary restriction has been shown to have several health benefits including increased insulin sensitivity, stress resistance, reduced morbidity, and increased life span. The mechanism remains unknown, but the need for a long-term reduction in caloric intake to achieve these benefits has been assumed. We report that when C57BL/6 mice are maintained on an intermittent fasting (alternate-day fasting) dietary-restriction regimen their overall food intake is not decreased and their body weight is maintained. Nevertheless, intermittent fasting resulted in beneficial effects that met or exceeded those of caloric restriction including reduced serum glucose and insulin levels and increased resistance of neurons in the brain to excitotoxic stress. Intermittent fasting therefore has beneficial effects on glucose regulation and neuronal resistance to injury in these mice that are independent of caloric intake.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=156352

But mice that were fed regularly only every other day—receiving the same average calorie intake as the dieting mice—showed “[dramatically] increased neurogenesis,” and also showed an increase in learning and memory abilities, Thuret said.

http://www.dana.org/news/brainwork/detail.aspx?id=10380

SubhanAllah...truly amazing eh?

May Allah (swt) accept our fasting and du'as during this blessed month and may He reserve for us all a spot in Paradise. Ameen.

Wassalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah.

source: muslimology.org

Leia Mais

Sep 1, 2008

Ramadan Mubarak!

Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah,

Insha'Allah this finds you all well in this blessed month :)

Here are some useful du'as for the holy month of Ramadan.

Happy fasting :)

When beginning the fast- Suhur

وَبِصَوْمِ غَدٍ نَّوَيْتَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ

Wa bisawmi ghadinn nawaiytu min shahri ramadan

I intend to keep the fast for tomorrow in the month of Ramadan
[abu Dawud]


When breaking the fast- Iftar

اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ امنْتُ [وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ] وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ
Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika aamantu [wa 'alayka tawakkaltu] wa 'ala rizq-ika aftarthu

O Allah! I fasted for You and I believe in You [and I put my trust in You] and I break my fast with Your sustenance
["wa 'alayka tawakkaltu" is quoted in some books of knowledge - but not all, hence it is in brackets]
[abu Dawud]


ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَ ابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَ ثَبَتَ الأجْرُ إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

dhahabadh-dhama'u wab-tallatil 'urūūqi, wa thabatal arju inshaAllah

The thrist is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is confirmed, if Allah [Ta'ala] Wills
[abu Dawud 2:306]


اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسأَلُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي

Allaahumma inni as’aluka birahmatika al-lati wasi'at kulli shay’in an taghfira li

O Allah, I ask You by Your mercy which envelopes all things, that You forgive me.
[a du'a that Abdullah ibn Amar (radiAllahu anhu) used to say when breaking his fast - as reported by Ibn abi Mulaykah (radiAllahu anhu)]




When someone offers you food when you are fasting and you decline



When you are invited to eat, then reply to the invitation. if you are fasting, then invoke Allah's blessings (on your host), and if you are not fasting then eat
[Muslim; 2:1054]




Upon reaching month of Rajab and Sha'ban



When the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) sighted the moon of Rajab (two months before Ramadan) he used to pray to Allah in the following words:

اَللّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِى رَجَبَ وَ شَعْبَانَ وَ بَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَان

Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Sha'ban wa ballighna Ramadan

O Allah! Make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings)
[Narrated by at-Tabarani and Ahmad]




When you are fasting, and someone is rude to you



اِنَّيْ صَائِمٌ ، اِنِّيْ صَائمٌ

Inni sa'iimu, inni sa'iimu

I am fasting, I am fasting
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Fath al-Bari of Al-Asqalani; 4:1-3, Muslim; 2:806]




Upon Sighting of the new Moon



اللَّهُ اَكْبَرُ ، اَللَّهُمَّ اَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالآَمْنِ وَلاِيمَانِ ، وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالاِسْلَامِ ، وَالتَّوْفِيقِ لِمَا تُحِبُّ رَبَّنَا وَتَرْضَى ، رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ

Allahu Akbar. Allahumma ahillahu 'alayna bil-amni wal-imaani, was-salaamati, wal-Islami, wat-tawfeeqi lima tuhibbu Rabbana wa tardha. Rabbuna wa RabbukAllahu

Allah is the Greatest. O Allah bring us the new moon with security and faith, with peace and in Islam, and in harmony with what our Lord Loves and what pleases Him. Our Lord and your Lord is Allah
[at-Tirmidhi 5:504, ad-Darimi 1:336]




Upon seeing the first dates of the season



اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي ثَمَرِنَا ، وَ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مَدِينَتِنَا وَ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي صَاعِنَا ، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مُدِّنَا

Allahumma barik lana fi thamarina, wa barik lana fi madinatina, wa barik lana fi saa'ina, wa barik lana fi muddina

O Allah! Bless us in our dates, and bless us in our town, bless us in our saa' and in our Mudd'
(saa' and Mudd' are dry measures used for agricultural produce by the Arabs in the Prophet's time)
[at-Tirmidhi 5:504, ad-Darimi 1:336]




Recited at intervals of taraweeh prayers



سُبْحَانَ ذِى الْمُلْكِ وَ الْمَلَكُوْتِ سُبْحَانَ ذِى الْعِذَّْْةِ وَ الْعظْمَةِ وَ، الْهَيْبَةِ وَ الْقُدُرَةِ ، وَالْكِبْرِيَآءِ وَ الْجَبْرُتِ، سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْحَىِّ الَّذِىْ لايُنَامُ وَ لا يَمُوُتُ، سُبُّوحٌ ، قُدُّوْسٌ، رَبُّ الْمَلَئِكَةِ وَ الرُّوُحِ لَآ اِلهَ اِلَّا اللَّهُ نَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ ، نَسْئَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَّ وَ نَعُوُذُ بِكَ مِنَ النّارِ


Subhana dhil Mulki wal Malakuti, Subhana dhil izzati wal aDhmati wal haybati wal Qudrati, wal kibriyaa'i wal jabaroot Subhanal Malikil hayyil ladhi, la yunaamu wa la yamūtu, Subbuhun, Quddusun, Rabbul malaa'ikati war-rooh
La ilaha illal lahu, nustugfirullahi
nas 'alukul jannati, wa na udhubika min an-naar

Glorified is the Owner of the Kingdom of the earth and the heavens; Glorified is the Possessor of Honour and Magnificence and Awe, and Power and Greatness and Omnipotence
Glorified is the Sovereign, the Living, Who does neither sleep nor die
O all Glorious, All Holy one, Our lord and the Lord of the Angels, And the soul.
There is no God but You, Forgive us, Grant us Paradise, and save us from (hell) fire.




Upon breaking the fast in someone's home



أفْطَرَ عِنْدَكُمُ الصَّائِمُونَ، وَ أَكَلَ طَعَامَكُمُ الأبْرَارُ، وَ صَلَّتْ عَلَيْكُم ُ الْمَلائِكَةُ

Aftara 'indakumus saa'imuna, wa akala ta'aamakumul-abraaru, wasallat 'alaikumul mala'ikat

May those who are fasting break their fast in your home, and may the dutiful and pious eat your food and may the angels send prayers upon you.
[abu Dawud 3:367, ibn Majah 1:556, an Nasa'i]




On Lailatul Qadr - the Night of Power


Aishah (radhiya Allahu Ta'ala anha), that she said: "O Messenger of Allah! What if I knew which night Lailatul-Qadr was, then what should I say in it?" He said 'Say

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ ، تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي


Allahumma innaka 'affuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'anni' "

O Allah You are The One Who pardons greatly, and loves to pardon, so pardon me.
[at Tirmidhi]


Ma'asalaama

Leia Mais

Aug 15, 2008

The Beautiful Names of Allah (swt)

Assalamu'alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,

Insha’Allah you are all enjoying the blessings of Allah subhanahu wata’ala.

I haven't posted a Name for the past month or so because I was very busy. Insha'Allah I will do so from this month on.

This month’s Glorious Name is Al-Salam (The All-Peace).

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

"He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peacable." (59:23)

True peace comes in this life to those who recognize and serve Allah. "Say: 'Praise belongs to Allah, and peace be on His servants whom he has chosen.'" (27:59)

And in the next life, "their greeting, on the day when they shall meet Him, will be 'Peace!'" (33:44)

In times of fear, anxiety and hardship, a believer finds peace with Allah. "Say: 'I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak from the evil of what he has created.'" (113:1-2)

A believer, by following the will of Allah, lives in peace with himself, with other human beings, with the universe and with His Lord, "There has come to you from Allah a light and a Book Manifest whereby Allah guides to the paths of peace whoever follows His good pleasure, and brings them forth from the darkness into light." (5:15-16)

Believers spread peace amongst themselves and in the world. Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, "By the One in whose hand is my soul! You do not enter Paradise until you believe, and you do not believe until you love each other. Shall I tell of something to do so that you may love each other? Spread peace amongst yourselves." (Muslim)

"Allahumma! You are the All-peaceable and peace is from You; Blessed be You, O possessor of Majesty and Nobility!" (Muslim)

"Say: 'I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak from the evil of what He has created.'" (113:1-2)


Wassalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.

Leia Mais

Aug 5, 2008

Ibn al-Qayyim: How to Give Da'wah to Those Who Love the Dunya

Assalamualaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Many a time, we find it difficult to give Da'wah to those who love the Dunya. The following are useful 'tips' by Ibn al Qayyim:

"...The smart one does not command people to abandon the dunya, because this is impossible for them. Rather, he has them abandon sins while they are established in their dunya. This is because abandoning the dunya is an optional virtue while abandoning sins is an obligation. So, how can he command them with something optional while they have not even fulfilled what is obligatory?

If it is difficult for them to abandon sins, he should then strive to get them to love Allah by reminding them of His signs, blessings, Kindness, perfection, and Loftiness. This is because the hearts are naturally designed to love Him, and if they become attached to loving Him, it then becomes extremely easy to abandon sins and to detach oneself from them.

Yahya bin Mu'adh said: "The intelligent one seeking the dunya is better than the ignorant one abandoning it."

The smart one calls the people to Allah from their dunya, and this makes it easier for them to respond to him. The zahid calls them to Allah by way of abandoning the dunya, and this makes it hard for them to respond, since it is very hard to pull someone away from the breast that he has developed his mind while suckling on..."


Wassalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.

Leia Mais

Jul 24, 2008

Something to reflect upon...

Assalamu 'alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Something to reflect upon...

“The year is like a tree, months are its branches, days are the branch sticks, hours are its leaves, and the breaths are its fruits. Therefore, if one’s breaths are in obedience [to Allah and His Messenger], the fruits of his tree are good. If they are in disobedience, his fruits are bitter. The harvest is on the Appointed Day, when one’s fruits are found out to be either good or bitter.” - Ibn al Qayyim




Barak Allah feek,

ma'asalaam :)

Leia Mais

Jul 16, 2008

Knowledge and Hydrocephalus

Assalamu 'alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

"...Allah's way of building the human soul is to develop it gradually, just like a building. You build a building floor by floor, placing one brick over the other, etc. until the human soul is fully built.

The human soul cannot be built overnight, it cannot be built overnight. It needs a long time to be built...build it gradually, just like the body grows gradually. When a person is born, he is half a meter tall, for example. One day, he will be seven years old, and one day he will be seventy-five years old. He will grow from being a meter tall to being a meter and a quarter tall, etc. When he gets to be twenty years old, he will be between 170 to 175 centimeters tall.

The human soul is exactly like this when it comes to gradually growing in the religion. This is why the Lord of Honor would reveal the Qur'an one, two, or three verses at a time and would require them to act upon those verses. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah would take one, two, or three verses - never more than ten at a time - and then go act on them. They would then come back, learn some more, and go act on what they learned. As Ibn Mas'ud said: "We learned knowledge and action with the Qur'an."

Therefore, it is very dangerous for you to have a lot of knowledge while having only a modest level of action. The one who hears you thinks to himself 'Ma Sha' Allah!' He hears you talking about this verse from the Qur'an, this hadith, the hadith being authentic, the hadith being weak, 'Aqidah, Islamic history, the Khulafa', 'Umar said this, Abu Bakr said that - may Allah be Pleased with them all. However, you are ten centimeters when it comes to action, and when it comes to knowledge, you are over three meters. There is no balance! This is a disease. Having a lot of knowledge without action is a disease just like having a lot of action without knowledge.

There is a disease in the medical field known as hydrocephalus. It is when someone's head becomes so enlarged that his body is unable to carry it. I saw someone with his head like this, his body was thin, and his knees were unable to support his head. It could not! This is what many people look like: they learn a lot of knowledge - they memorize, they do not learn - they memorize. However, his head is poised like this while his body and limbs cannot support it. The size of a person's head must be consistent with the size of his body. Otherwise, he will be considered diseased if any part of his body grows larger while the rest of his body doesn't grow. If the medicine he takes all goes to one part of his body - for example, it all goes to his nose - his nose will become bigger than the rest of his head, and he will be deformed!

So, the Religion of Allah is a gradual divine method of developing the human soul just like this. Just like a medicine dropper administers the medicine gradually, they would take two verses or two ahadith, and they would go act upon them just like this..."

['at-Tarbiyah al-Jihadiyyah wal-Bina''; 3/182-183] - Abdullah Yusuf Azzam.


May Allah (SWT) protect us from riyaa'. Ameen.

Ma'asalaam

Leia Mais

Jul 1, 2008

Assalamu 'alaykum,

Insha'Allah this finds you in the best state of health and Emaan.

“The example of a believer, who recites the Qur’an and acts on it, is like an orange (utrujjah) which tastes nice and smells nice.
And the example of the believer who does not recite the Qur’an but acts on it is like a date that tastes sweet but has no smell.
And the example of the hypocrite who recites the Quran is like a sweet basil which smells good but tastes bitter.
And the example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur’an is like a colocynth (bitter apple) which tastes bitter and has a bad smell.”
[Allah’s Messenger (صلي الله عليه وسلم), reported in Saheeh al-Bukhari]


SubhanAllah! If only we could all be more like the orange...



ma'asalaam :)

Leia Mais

Jun 27, 2008

Think about it...

Assalamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,

Here is something to think over:

Ibn `Abbas [may Allah be pleased with him] said:

‘Indeed good actions are a light in the heart,

a strengthening for the body,

a glow on the face,

a cause for extensive provisions and

love in the hearts of the creation.

Indeed bad actions are a darkness in the heart,

a blackness on the face,

a weakness for the body,

a cause for decrease in provisions and

hatred in the hearts of the creation.”

as mentioned by ibn al-Qayyim [rahimahullah] in al Jawab al Kafi.

May Allah subhanahu wata’ala increase our good deeds and decrease our bad deeds. Ameen.

Wassalamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh :)

Leia Mais

Jun 22, 2008

Pain - a blessing from the Most High

Assalamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Insha’Allah this finds you all in the best of health and Emaan.

Reflect back on the past week – how many times have we complained about pain we felt? As a matter of fact, how many times did we actually feel pain – whether it be stubbing a toe, getting a paper cut, or missing the last step on the stairs? We have all gotten grumpy when hurt and may even get mad at ourselves but have we ever taken the time to actually thank Allah subhanahu wata’ala for the pain we feel? SubhanAllah, we have so much to be grateful for.

I recently saw a video (at the end of this post) about a rare genetic disorder called CIPA (Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis). SubhanAllah, it is a very frightening disorder. “CIPA is an extremely rare inherited disorder of the nervous system which prevents the nociception, heat, and cold. A person with CIPA cannot feel pain or differentiate extreme temperatures. "Anhidrosis" means the body does not sweat, and "congenital" means that the condition is present from birth. CIPA is caused by a genetic mutation which prevents the formation of nerve cells which are responsible for transmitting signals of pain, heat, and cold to the brain. Overheating kills more than half of all children with CIPA before age 3.” SubhanAllah - isn't that scary? The video below made me realize what we are given pain for and alhamdulillah, it has made me thankful for it. Insha’Allah, with the help of Allah subhanahu wata’ala, I will try not to complain about any pain that I feel ever again because clearly, some people have got it far worse.


Discovery Health spotlight on Roberto & CIPA from Help Roberto on Vimeo.

:|

May Allah subhanahu wata’ala make it easy for any child who is born with CIPA. Ameen.

Wassalamu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh :)

Leia Mais

Jun 15, 2008

Du'a on Injustice and Oppression

Assalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,

Insha'Allah this finds you all in the best of states.

Knowing what type of world we live in, I am sure each and every Muslim has faced some sort of injustice and/or oppression. SubhanAllah, I receive it on a day to day basis but, I'm not complaining cause it could be so much worse. Like, what I experience is nothing in comparison to what our brothers and sisters are going through in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, and Kosovo (to name a few). Anyways, I found a few du'as that one should say when they face injustice or oppression:


رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

Rabbana la tu·akhidhna in nasina aw akhtaana, rabbana wala tahmil alaiyna isran kama hamaltahu ala alladhina min qablina, rabbana wala tuhammilna ma la þaqata lana bihi wa'fu anna waghfir lana warhamna anta maulana fa'nsurna ala alqaumil-kafiriin

Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith
[surah al-Baqarah; 2: 286]


حَسْبِى اللَّهُ لِمَا اَهَمَّنِىْ, حَسْبِىْ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ بَغى عَلَىَّ , حَسْبِىْ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَسَدَنِىْ, حَسْبِىْ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ كَادَنِىْ بِسُؤءٍ , حَسْبِىْ اللَّهُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ

Allahumma hasbi-Allahu liman hamani, hasbi-Allahu liman bagha 'alyya, hasbi-Allahu liman hasadani, hasbi-Allahu liman kaadani bisuu'in, hasbi-Allahu liman 'indal-mauti

O Allah! Suffice me in my wishes and inclinations. O Allah! suffice me against anyone who oppresses me. O Allah! suffice me against those who envy me. O Allah! suffice me against those who wish to harm me. O Allah! suffice me in the last moments of death


اللَّهُمَّ اِنَّا نَعُوْذُبِكَ مِنْ اَنْنَّزِلَّ اَوْنُزِلَّ اَوْنُضِلَّ اَوْ نَظْلِمَ اَوْ يُظْلَمَ عَلَيْنََآ اَوْ نَجْهَلَ اَوْ يُجْهَلَ عَلَينَآ اَوْ ضِلَّ اَوْ اُضَلَّ

Allahumma inna na'udhubika min an nazillaaw nuzilla, aw nadhilla aw nadhlima, aw yudhlama 'alaina, aw najhala aw yujhala alaina, aw aDhilla aw uDhala

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from being over-powered by others, or that I would over-power others (unjustly), or that I should seduce or tyrannize others, or be oppressed by them; or that I be shown ignorance and vulgarity by others, or I be vulgar to them; or from going astray myself, or be mislead by others


And a personal favourite:

اللَّهُمَّ عَذِّبِ الْكَفَرَةَ وَ اَلْقِ فِىْ قُلُوْبِهِمُ الرُّعْبَ وَ خَالِفَ بَيْنَ كَلِمَتِهِمْ وَ اَنْزِلْ عَلَيْهِمْ رِجْزَكَ وَ عَذَ ابَكَ

Allahumma adh-dhibil-Kafarata wa alqi fi qulubihim-urr-'uba wa khalfi baina kalimatihi wa anzil 'alaiyhim rijzaka wa adhabak

O Allah! Punish the kafirs, and cause in their hearts terror (about the true believers) and cause friction among them, and send down Your wrath and punishment on them.


May Allah subhanahu wata'ala grant victory to His religion, His book, and the Sunnah of His Messenger, and His monotheist slaves. Ameen.



Insha'Allah, Keep this sister in your prayers :)

Wassalamu 'alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

source: Mutmainaa

Leia Mais

Jun 10, 2008

The Beautiful Names of Allah (swt)

Assalamu'alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,

Insha’Allah you are all enjoying the blessings of Allah subhanahu wata’ala.

This month’s Glorious Name is Al-Quddus (The Holy).

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The All-Holy: "he is the King, the All-Holy." (59:23)

Allah is free from imperfection, shortcomings, or need, He is the One to whom are attributed all good and beautiful Names, "The son of Adam calls Me a liar, and he has no right to. He reviles me, and he has no right to. He calls Me a liar when he claims that I cannot recreate him, and he reviles Me when he says I have a son. I am exalted and I take no spouse and no son." (Al-Bukhari)

The origin of the word quddus is quds which means 'purity' and 'integrity'. Yet people confuse the attributes of God and associate other things or beings with Him, hence the need for revelation. "They underrate the might of Allah. But on the Day of Resurrection, He will hold the entire earth in his grasp and the heavens shall be rolled up in His right hand. Glory be to Him! be He exalted above any that they associate with Him! (39:67) 'Hand" here, as attributed to Allah, is not the physical hand we know. We must not try to explain or imagine what it really is. Allah is independent of our time, space and matter. "Like Him there is naught" (41:2). "His is the loftiest likeness in the heavens and on the earth" (30:27).

The angels call Allah by this name all the time: "We proclaim our praise and call Your Holy" (2:30). And the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to say in his prayer: "Praise and Holiness be to Your, Lord of the angels and souls" (Muslim).

"We Proclaim our Praise and call Your Holy" (2:30).


Keep me in your du'a insha'Allah,

Was salaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaathu

Leia Mais

Jun 6, 2008

The Dangers of Mockery

Assalamu'alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Baraktuh,

Insha'Allah you are all enjoying the blessings of Allah subhnahu wata'ala.

I was taking a break from studying (I have exams coming up :| ) and I came across this hadith:

Imam Al-Bayhaqee narrates in Shu’ab al-Iman, that RasulAllah (saw) said: “Verily those people that make fun of people – for them a gate of Jannah will be opened. It will be said to them: Come (and enter). That person will come with all their anguish and depression – but when he gets close, the gate will be closed in his face. Then another gate (to Jannah) will be opened and it will be said: Come (and enter). So that person comes with all his anguish and depression. But when he gets close, the gate will be closed in his face. This will keep happening to him until it gets to the point where it will be said: Come (and enter), and he will not come from the despair of ever entering paradise.”

And then I found this ayah from the Qur'an:
O you who believe let not one group of people make fun of another, perhaps the (one’s being made fun of) are better then them. And let not women make fun of other women perhaps the (woman being made fun of) is better then them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by (offensive) nicknames. Wretched is the name (i.e. mention) of disobedience after (one’s) faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the Dhaalimoon (the wrongdoers).(Al-Hujurat 49:11).

:'(

Perhaps the one that is being made fun of is more beloved to Allah. SubhanAllah, let us remember this if we ever try to make fun of someone, perhaps Allah loves them and does not love us. Didn’t the Mushrikeen make fun of Rasul Allah (SAW) and we know Allah loved him and not them. Didn’t the Munaafiqeen make fun of the Sahabah – and we know Allah loved the Sahabah and not them.

Rasul Allah (SAW) said, “Verily a person will speak words from those that Allah hates, paying no heed to what he is saying, and with those words he will plummet in to hellfire.” [Bukhari]

There are different reasons why a person would want to insult, make fun of and ridicule other community members:

Firstly: They have weak Iman and their fear of Allah is poor. This is one of the major reasons.

Secondly: They spend a lot of their time in gatherings that bring no benefit.

Thirdly: They themselves may want others to praise them. Sadly, when there is a student or a community member that insults others, often it is they that want to be the ‘cool’ one. How can they be ‘cool’ if they are doing something that Allah and His Messenger hate?

Fourthly: They forget the punishment for those that make fun of others.

Fifthly: Those that make fun of others may do so out of love for the Kuffar and a love to imitate them. How many times do we see the comedians mocking people and everyone laughing? Indeed, mocking others and insulting them is a characteristic of Jaahiliyyah and kufr, and it is never a characteristic of a believer.

Allah ta’ala shows us in Surah Al-Mutaffifeen (Ayah 29) how this characteristic of laughing at others is a characteristic of the Kuffar:

“Indeed, those who committed crimes used to laugh at those who believed.”

The seriousness of this sin varies in accordance to the subject being insulted:

On the highest level of seriousness is to make fun of Allah or His Ayaat or His Messenger – (SAW).

A group of Munaafiqeen started joking one day about their Qurr’aa, i.e. the Companions of Allah’s Messenger. They described in ridiculing terms that they were large in stomachs, having lying tongues and being cowardly. Allah ta’ala tells us in the Qur’an (9/65-66):

“And if you ask them, they will surely say, “We were only conversing and playing.” Say, “Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?” / Make no excuse; you have disbelieved (i.e. rejected faith) after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you – We will punish another faction because they were criminals.”

Sadly, I’ve come across many people who claim it is hard to hold themselves from laughing because some people are so “laugh worthy”. Well, when in doubt, just think of this:



May Allah subhanahu wata'ala save us from committing these grevious acts with our tongues and may He help us purify our intentions. Ameen.

Insha'Allah, keep this sister in your prayers :)

Was salaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaathu

source: Last Island

Leia Mais

May 28, 2008

Its Price is Paradise...

Assalam'alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,

Insha'Allah, this finds in you in the best state of Iman and Ihsan.

Get yourself out of this limited world of diseases to the wide world of the hereafter, which has what the eyes have never seen. Nothing is impossible there, and love is not lost. O you who sold yourself for the sake of something that will cause you suffering and pain, and which will also lose its beauty, you sold the most precious item for the cheapest price, as if you neither knew the value of the goods nor the meanness of the price. Wait until you come on the Day of mutual loss and gain and you will discover the injustice of this contract. “There is no God but Allah” is something that Allah is buying. Its price is Paradise, and the Messenger is its agent, and you will be pleased to part with a small part of this worldly life to obtain it. The part you lose is a small part of something that as a whole is not worth a mosquito’s wing.(Ibn al-Qayyim al Jawziyyah)


So beautifully put. May Allah have mercy on Ibn al-Qayyim's soul.

May Allah subhanahu wata'ala keep us firm upon the straight path. Ameen.



Was salaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaathu :)

source: IslamicQuotes

Leia Mais

May 23, 2008

Imam Shafi - deathbed poem

Assalamualikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Insha'Allah you are all in the best of states,

Whilst clicking refresh, I came across this on Drops Of Wisdom:


إلَيكَ إلـهُ الخَلْـق أرْفَــعُ رَغبَتِي *** و‘نْ كُنتُ يَا ذا المَنّ والجُودِ مُجْرِما

‘To You, the Creator, I raise my longing,
And even if I am, O Possessor of kindness and generosity, an evildoer, a criminal

ولمَّا قَسَـا قلبي وضَـاقت مَذاهِبي *** جَعَلتُ الرَجـا مِني لِعَفوكَ سَلِمــا

When my heart became constricted and my paths became narrow,
I took my hope in Your pardon and forgiveness as an opening and an escape

تعَاظَمَنـي ذنبـي فلمَّـا قرِنتـُـهُ *** بعَفوكَ ربِّي كَانَ عَـفْوكَ أعْظَمــا

My sins seemed very great to me but when I compared them to Your forgiveness,
I found Your forgiveness to be much greater

فمَا زِلتَ ذا عفو عَن الذنْبِ لَمْ تَزُلْ *** تَـجُـود وتعـفو منةً وتَكَرُّمـــا

You are and still remain the only One who can forgive sins,
You grant and forgive out of Your benevolence and generosity

فلولاكَ لَـمْ يَصْمُـدْ لإبلـيسِ عَابدٌ *** فكَيفَ وقدْ أغْوَى صَفْيَك آدِمـــا

Were it not for You, then a servant could never defy Iblis
And how can that be when he mislead Your friend Adam

فيَاليْتَ شَعْــرِي هَل أصَيرُ لِجنة *** أهنـــا؟ وأمَّـا للسَّعِير فأنْدَمــا

If only I knew! Will I arrive at Paradise that I may take delight
Or at Hellfire, that I may regret?

فللّهِ دَر العَـــارِفُ الـنـدبُ إنَّه *** تَفيض لفرْطِ الوَجْد أجفانُه دَمَّـــا

How capable is Allah! For the one acquainted with lament,
blood almost flows from his eyelids due to the excess of his emotions (lament)

يَقيـمُ إذا مَـا الليلُ مَدَّ ظَلامَــه *** على نَفسِهِ مِن شدَّةِ الخَوفِ مَأتمـا

He stands when the night extends out its darkness
Stands against himself out of extreme fear, sinful

فصِيحاً إذا ما كـانَ في ذكْـرِ رَبِّه *** وفيما سِوَاهُ في الوَرى كان أعْجَمـا

Eloquent when he makes mention of his Lord
And in the mention of others than Him, he is speechless

ويَذكُرُ أيَّامـاً مَضَـتْ مِن شَبَابـه *** وما كان فيها بالجَهَـالة أجْرَمـــا

He remembers days gone by of his youth
And what was in it of ignorance, he was a criminal

فصَارَ قَرينُ الهمِّ طُولَ نهَـــارِه *** أخا السَّهدِ والنجوى إذا الليل أظلمـا

And so for the whole of his day, the companion of grief has become
the brother of sleeplessness and secret conversation when the night darkens

يقول: حَبيبي أنـتَ سُؤلِي وبَغيتي *** كفى بكَ للرَّاجـيـنَ سُؤلاً ومغنمـا

He says, ‘My beloved, You are what I request and desire
You are enough of a longing and benefit for those who have hope

ألـسْتَ الذي غذيْتني وهَــدَيْتني *** ولا زلتَ مَنـَّانـا عليّ ومُنعِـمــا

Are You not the One who has provided for me and guided me
And You have not ceased being gracious to me and full of favours

عسَى مَنْ لَـهُ الإحْسَانَ يَغفِرُ زَلتِي *** ويَسْترُ أوْزارِي ومـا قـدْ تقدَّمــا

Perhaps the Beneficent One will forgive my mistakes
And cover up my crime and what has gone forth

تعاظمَني ذنبـي فأقبلتُ خاشِعــاً *** وَلوْلا الرِّضَـا ما كنتُ يَاربِّ مُنعَمـا

My sins seemed very great to me, so I turned (to You) in humility
Were it not for my contentment in you, I wouldn’t, O my Lord, have seen any comfort at all

فإنْ تعْفُ عَني تعْفُ عَـنْ مُتمَرِّد *** ظلوم غشــوم لا يَـزايَـلَ مأتمـا

So if You forgive me, You would have forgiven a sinner,
A rebellious, oppressive tyrant still sinning

فإن تنتـقـِمْ مِني فلستُ بآيـسٍ *** ولو أدخلوا نفسي بجـُـرْم جَهَنَّمـا

So if You were to seek revenge from me, I would not despair
Even if they entered my soul into Jahannum, due to the sins

فجُرْمِي عَظيم مِن قديم وحـَـادِث *** وعفوكَ يَأتي العَبْـدَ أعْلى وأجْسَمــا

For my crimes are great, past and present
But Your forgiveness comes to the servant, more exalted and more great

حوالي َّ فضلُ الله مِن كلِّ جَانِـب *** ونورٌ مِن الرَّحمـَن يُفترش السَّمــا

The bounty of Allaah surrounds me from all sides
And Light from the Most Merciful has spread in the sky

وفي القلبِ إشراقُ المحب بوَصْلِه *** إذا قارب البُـشرَى وجَازَ إلى الحمى

And in the heart is the radiance of the beloved when he is reunited
And when glad tidings draw close, it becomes feverish

حوالي إينــاس مِن الله وَحْـدَه *** يُطالعَني فِي ظلـمـةِ القبرأنجَمــا

Exhilaration surrounds me, only for Allaah
It overlooks me in the darkness of the grave, apparent and clear

أصُونُ وَدادي أن يُدنّسـه الهَوَى *** وأحفظُ عـَهْدِ الـحُبِّ أن يَتثلمــا

I protect my love, lest my desires should pollute it
And I preserve the contract of love, lest it be defiled

ففي يَقظتِي شَوْقٌ وفي غَفوَتِي منى *** تلاحـِقُ خُـطوَى نـشوَةً وترنمـا

In my wakefulness is yearning and in my slumber is destiny
That’s pursuing my footsteps in ecstasy

ومَن يَعْتصِمْ بالله يُسَلم مِن الوَرَى *** ومَن يَرْجه هَـيْهَاتُ أنْ يَتندُمـــا

Whoever holds fast to Allaah, he is protected from men
And whoever hopes for Him, then never will he regret


Imam Shafi’s Poem - Extended version of the poem he said, whilst on his deathbed.

Allahu Akbar! So beautifully put.

:'(

May Allah subhanahu wat'ala have mercy on his soul. Ameen.

Make du'a for your sister,

ma'asalaam

Leia Mais