Ilm Fruits

Knowledge, Practice, Da’wah

Answerer: Shaykh Yasir Qadhi

A: Strive. Show interest in the deen. Come closer to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and He will come closer to you. There is a hadith on how to gain knowledge: 'ilm is only gained by studying. It's not gained by hiding in a cave and worshipping Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). Studious study is the only way to gain knowledge. Don't sleep with your head on a book and expect knowledge to osmosize into your brain!

A: The knowledgable is the one who believes and practices what he knows. Even Iblees has knowledge that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is one, and that the Day of Judgement is coming. It is knowledge that enters the heart and manifests itself through practice.

A: Prioritize. Focus on tawhid first: laa ila ha illallah. Da'wah is only Tawhid. Never talk about other things--things like pork, women's issues, etc. are not the primary issue. Tawhid is the #1 issue to focus on. This is the command from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) and his messenger (صلي الله عليه وسلم).

(Editor's note: this is also the approach taken by the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) in his da'wah--he focused primarily on tawhid.)

Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.

• Three Levels of Practice
• Learn Pronounciation in Surah Faitha
• Leadership Lessons: Power With Conciseness
• Have You Ever?
• Fallout From Not Practicing Islam Properly

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Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah

Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah can be roughly translated as "Unity/Oneness of Lordship". It pertains to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and His lordship.

Rububiyyah is from rabb (ربّ), which has three linguistic meanings:

1. Owner: The rabb is the true and complete owner. In one hadith, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "if you find a camel in the desert, leave it till it meets its rabb (owner)".
2. Obediance: The rabb is the one who is to be obeyed. In Surah Yusuf, Yusuf (عليه سلام) said to one of the prisoners: "you're going to give your rabb khamar (the king) ..."
3. Nourisher: The rabb is the one who nourishes and takes care of everything.

We combine these to get the Islamic definition of rabb: Allah is the one who creates, sustains, and owns the entire creation. He alone is the Master, the Controller, the Nourisher, the one who creates from nothing. He has the right to each and every atom of creation.

In Surah Baqarah, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

Translation: To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: everything renders worship to Him. (Surah Baqarah, verse 116)¹

Each and every creation must bow down to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) . No atom escapes Him.

1. Survival: None of us can survive on our own. Therefore, we are not rabbs.
2. Fate: No object can escape its fate.
3. Death: All humans call out to Allah when death comes near them.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) creates, sustains, nourishes, and owns everything, without exception. When Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mentions himself as "Lord of the Worlds", that is an example of general rububiyyah.

Additionally, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) provides spiritual sustance to Muslims.

The majority of du'as in the Qur'an start with rabb. Why rabb? To make us acknowledge our special relationship, our dependance. For this exact reason, one of the best names to use when you make du'a is rabb.

When Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) mentions himself as the Lord of Musa or the Lord of Harun, or something similar, that is an example of specific rububiyyah.

(1) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Al-Baqarah (The Cow).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 27 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/02.htm>.

(2) Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.

• Three Aspects of Tawhid
• Mushrikeen Believed in Allah
• Knowledge, Practice, Da’wah
• The Fruits of Eman (6): Khilafah
• What is Barakah?

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Blessings of Knowledge

The Qur'an and sunnah both praise knowledge. There are many blessings of knowledge--but first, we must define, "what IS knowledge?"

The Prophet said, in one hadith: "If Allah wants to do a favor to somebody, He bestows on him, the gift of understanding the deen." [Bukhari 9/92/415]¹ From this hadith, we know that knowledge, as defined in the Qur'an and Sunnah, refers to knowledge of Islam, and not secular knowledge (such as Chemistry or Meteorology. Which is not to say secular knowledge is not important--Muslims need it to live in a halal way).

So what are the blessings of knowledge?

In Surah Mujadila, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

Translation: Allah will rise up, to (suitable) ranks (and degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge. (Surah Al-Mujadila, verse 11)²

When Adam (عليه سلام) was created, the jinns and angels prostrated to him. They had powers that he did not. Why, then, prostrate? Because Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) gave Adam the names of all things, and when He (سبحانه وتعالى) challenged the angels to name things, they couldn't. This equates knowledge with superiority over all beings.

Similarly, In Surah Imran, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

Translation: There is no god but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels, and those endowed with knowledge, stand firm on justice. (Surah Al-Imran, verse 18)³

Ibn al-Qayim says that this verse of the Qur'an praises people of knowledge more then any other verse. Why would he consider it as such?

1. Company: People of knowledge are mentioned in the same company as Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) and angels.
2. Testimony: This testimony is the greatest testimony--there is nothing more noble, more grand, or more noteworthy then testifying to the oneness of Allah.
3. Praise: Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) praises them by saying that they "stand firm on justice".

Read the story of Qarun in surah Qasas, verses 70-79. Qarun was so rich, he needed a team of bodybuilders to carry around the keys to his treasure. He walked around in pomp with his entrouge. While those deceived by the dunya wished they, too, could have his wealth, the people of knowledge said "The reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is best for those who believe and work righteousness."⁴ Eventually, a fissure opened up and swallowed Qarun, entrouge and all.

Similarly, In Surah Fatir, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

Translation: Those truly fear Allah, among His Servants, [are exclusively those] who have knowledge. (Surah Fatir, verse 28)⁵

The word "innamaa" here is means exclusivity. Knowledge brings hope, recognition, etc. that ignorance cannot. The quantity of worship may be the same, but not the quality; that quality comes from knowledge.

A man came to Abu Darda (رضي الله عنه), a companion of the Prophet, and said "I came to you with the sole purpose of hearing a tradition that you heard from the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)". Subhanallah, he traveled from Medina to Damascus--a journey of one month--to hear one hadith. And we don't travel 10 feet to our bookshelves to retrieve the compilations of ahadith we own.

In any case, Abu Darda (رضي الله عنه) narrated the following hadith from the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم):

If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the learned man over the worshipper is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an big fortune. [Abu-Dawud 25/3634]⁶

This hadith outlines multiple blessings:

1. Ease to Paradise: Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) makes it easier on the one who seeks knowledge to reach Jannah. The more difficult the path for knowledge, the easier the road to Paradise.
2. Protection of Angels: Angels are a sign of Allah's (سبحانه وتعالى) mercy. Here, angels show that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is pleased with the person, and the lowering of the wings implies protection.
3. Du'a of the Creatures: We can all use more du'a ...
4. Inheritence of the Prophets: The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) left only seven silver coins, but a wealth of knowledge. And how do you inherit from the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)? Learn the knowledge he left behind.
5. The Full Moon Over the Stars: Stars light the way when the moon is absent. But when the full moon appears, it's light eclipses the stars completely. Similarly, the learned man ('alim) eclipses the worshipper ('abid). Why? The 'abid benefits himself, but the 'alim benefits the entire community. Consider the example of Imam Bukhari--how many people did he, may Allah have mercy on him, benefit?

May Allah increase us all in our knowledge and in the benefit we bring to the sons of Adam, ameen.

(1) “Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 92: Holding Fast to the Qur'an and Sunnah.” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/092.sbt.html#009.092.415>.

(2) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Al-Mujadila (She That Disputes).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/58.htm>.

(3) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Al-Imran (The Family Of 'Imran).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/03.htm>.

(4) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Al-Qasas (The Story).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/28.htm>.

(5) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Fatir (Orignator).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/35.htm>.

(6) "Partial Translation of Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 25: Knowledge (Kitab Al-'Ilm)." USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 26 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/025.sat.html#025.3634>.

(7) Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.

• About
• Knowledge, Practice, Da’wah
• Seek Knowledge from the Best Sources
• Six Stages of Knowledge
• Lowering Your Gaze: The Six Ps

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On Patience

Patience is active, not passive.

What does this mean? It mains patience doesn't just "happen". You must strive for it. You have to actively remind yourself and make yourself patient.

Also, remember that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) tests you with what you are not patient with. If He (سبحانه وتعالى) tested you with things you already succeed at, how could you ever learn and grow?

For a classic example of patience, consult Surah Yusuf. In Yusuf (عليه سلام) is an excellent, excellent example of patience. Every test becomes increasingly more intense, and yet, you see Yusuf (عليه سلام) bearing with patience, through to the end. (I suggest you read it with tafseer from tafsir.com.)

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) grant us all patience in all aspects of our lives, ameen.

• Victory Comes With Patience
• Benefits to Not Fighting Back
• What is a Museebah?
• Tawaf 101
• Burnt Food: An Opportunity

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Times Blessed with Barakah

Continuing our discussion of barakah, you might ask “what times has Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) blessed with barakah?”

There are six blessed times:

1. Ramadan: The month of Ramadan, in general, is blessed. Also, the night of Laylatul-Qadr is specifically also very blessed. These are ideal times to worship Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), because the reward is greater. The last ten nights of Ramadan are the most blessed nights of the year--more then the days of Dhul Hijjah.
2. Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah: The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are the most blessed days of the year--more then the days of Ramadan.
3. Sacred Months: These are the months of Dhul Qa'dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. Allah has forbidden any kind of agressive hostilities against enemy nations in these months (this applies to Islamic state when it comes into existance inshaAllah). For details, consult tafseer of Surah Tawbah inshaAllah.
4. Friday: Friday, the day of jum'ah, is also blessed: in one hadith, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: On Friday, Adam (عليه سلام) was created; on Friday, he was expelled from Paradise; on Friday, the trumpet for the day of resurrection will be blown; and on Friday, the people will resurrect. [Muslim]¹.
5. Last Third of Each Night: In another hadith, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "Our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, descends every night to the heaven of this world when the last third of the night is still to come and says, 'Who will call on Me so that I may answer him? Who will ask Me so that I may give him? Who will ask forgiveness of Me so that I may forgive him?'" [Bukhari]²
6. Early Each Morning: The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) made du'a for Allah to bless the early mornings for the Muslim ummah. (You'll notice your productivity increases sharply in the morning. Memorizing Qur'an is also easy in the morning. Subhanallah.)

Make use of the blessed times, and perform good deeds in them. And remember, a morning lost is a morning lost (same for a month, or a Friday)--once that time has gone by, it'll never return.

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) allow us to make the best use of the blessed times, ameen!

Related Posts: What is Barakah?

(1) “Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 4: The Book of Prayers (Kitab Al-Salat), Chapter 152: Excellence of Friday.” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 24 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/004.smt.html#004.1857>.

(2) “Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 21: Prayer at Night (Tahajjud).” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 24 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/021.sbt.html#002.021.246>.

(3) Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.

• Increase Your Barakah
• Places that Contain Barakah
• The Barakah of the Ka’bah
• Things that Contain Barakah
• What is Barakah?

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Places that Contain Barakah

Continuing our discussion of barakah, you might ask “what places has Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) blessed with barakah?”

To start, the three blessed massajid:

1. The Ka'bah: it is the most blessed place on the Earth, more-so then the surrounding holy sites.
2. Medina: The city is blessed with barakah, and also, masjid an-nabawi has been blessed with barakah.
3. Masjid al-Aqsa: the masjid, located in Jerusalem, in blessed, as well as the surrounding area of Sham in general.

How do we know Allah put barakah in these places? Because of the hadith of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) where he said: "Do not set out on a journey except for three Mosques i.e. Al-Masjid-AI-Haram, Masjid an-Nabawi, and the Masjid of Al-Aqsa." [Bukhari]¹

In another hadith, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "Prayer in my mosque [i.e. Masjid an-Nabawi] is more excellent than a thousand prayers observed in other mosques, except the Masjid al- Haram." [Muslim]²

And there are more ahadith on this topic.

Also, in general, massajid are places with barakah. This is because the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "The most beloved place of any city are the massajid, and the most hated are the marketplaces and shopping centers."

There are extra blessings to being in these places, so take advantage of it inshaAllah. Worship Allah, make dhikr, and engage in acts of worship.

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) allow us to make the best use of places of barakah, ameen! If you're looking to put more barakah in your life, now you know where to hang out!

Related Posts: What is Barakah?

(1) “Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 21: Prayer at Night (Tahajjud).” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 23 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/021.sbt.html#002.021.281>.

(2) “Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 7: The Book of Pilgrimage (Kitab Al-Hajj), Chapter 90: The Merit of Praying in the Two Mosques, at Mecca and Medina.” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 23 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/007.smt.html#007.3210>.

(3) Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.

• Increase Your Barakah
• The Barakah of the Ka’bah
• Things that Contain Barakah
• What is Barakah?
• Times Blessed with Barakah

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Fight For Sincere Intentions

In the first hadith in Sahih Bukhari, the messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for."¹ The majority scholarly opinion is that this hadith applies to all actions, natural or religious (read more about the distinction here).

Based on your intention, the end result of your action can be one of three things:

1. Reward: If your intention is to please Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), then all good actions will be rewarded (actions not in compliance with Shari'ah will be rejected). For example, if you intend to read a book of seerah because seeking knowledge is an obligation on all Muslims, inshaAllah you will be rewarded in the akhira for it.
   In this case, if something sabotages your intention--like riyaa--it can undercut your reward.
2. Neutral: If you perform an action with the intention for other then Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)--such as if you make a business trip to some city--your action will result in neither reward nor punishment.
   In this case, if you change your intention to be something good--such as to earn money so you can support your family or spend it in the way of Allah--you can be rewarded.
3. Punishment: If your intention is to disobey Allah, you can be punished for the action in the akhira. For example, if you decide to go to the Las Vegas (or Niagra Falls) casino to enjoy a little gambling, your journey becomes haram from day one.

An excellent two-part article on Islamtoday.com sums this up: "The greatest threat to our worship is the threat of insincerity. We can do the noblest of deeds and make the greatest of sacrifices, but if our intentions are not right, those deeds become stripped of virtue. This can leave a person without good deeds on the Day of Judgment."²

So what happens when insincerity creeps into your intentions? What can you do to stave it off?

1. Repent: Make sincere, heart-felt repentance to Allah, and inshaAllah He will forgive you. Pray two rakaahs of tawbah. Vow never to make the same sabotaged intention again.
2. Make Du'a: Pray to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) to purify your intentions. If the issue is riyaa, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) taught us a du'a for it:
   
   "O Allah, I seek refuge in You lest I should commit shirk with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly."³
3. Fight the Insincerity: Realize that an insincere action will not benefit you at all in the hereafter. You might impress this or that person temporarily--but on the day of judgement, they won't care about you, nor will they be able to help you. Read the hadith about the first three people whose fate will be decided⁴ on the Day of Judgement and remind yourself that you don't want to be like them.
4. Renew Your Intentions: Remind yourself of your original pure motives, and think of the tremendous reward that's waiting for you, inshaAllah, if you stick to your motives. Always keep your intentions fresh, and know why you do what you do.
5. Never Despair: Remember, if you truly wish for pure intentions, Allah is watching out for you. What more do you need?

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) protect us all from intentions that devoid our actions of good deeds and grant us sincerity in intentions and in our actions, ameen!

And remember: if you're not worried about your intentions, then you might be in trouble.

Related Posts: 'Ibadah, Natural Actions, Religious Actions

(1) “Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 1: Revelation.” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 21 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/001.sbt.html#001.001.001>.

(2) "'Actions are But by Intentions' (Part 2)." Islamtoday.Com. 21 Apr. 2006 <http://www.islamtoday.net/english/showme2.cfm?cat_id=31&sub_cat_id=559>.

(3) "Du'a - Supplication for Fear of Shirk." Fortification of the Muslim Through Remembrance From the Quraan and Sunnah. 21 Apr. 2006 <http://www.makedua.com/display_dua.php?sectionid=86>.

(4) “Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book 20: The Book on Government (Kitab Al-Imara), Chapter 43: Who Fought for Ostentation and Vanity Deserved (Punishment in) Hell.” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 21 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/020.smt.html#020.4688>.

• The People of the Ditch (12): Sincerity of Du’a
• Az-Zubayr and Yarmuk: The Man Worth 1000 Fighters
• The Qur’an on Battle Tactics
• The Dedication of the Sahaba
• Reap Reward Recurringly

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Things that Contain Barakah

Continuing our discussion of barakah, you might ask "so what has barakah in it?"

1. The Qur'an: In many verses, the Qur'an itself is called "mubarak". There is nothing but good in it--every letter, every verse, every surah, every prohibition, every command. The revelation, the recitation, the understanding, and the memorization, as well, are blessed--because they are the speech of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى).
2. The Prophets: All prophets have barakah, especially the last, Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم). In particular:
1. His Teachings: Every statement, hadith, commandment, sunnah, everything he (صلي الله عليه وسلم) did has barakah. To get more barakah in your life, follow the sunnah. The teachings of Islam are all sources of barakah--the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
2. His Actions and Du'as: Whenever he (صلي الله عليه وسلم) prayed, or made du'a, etc. that action is not like our action. Undoubtedly. How can you compare his du'a to ours? No, his has more barakah.
   One year, during a drought in Medina, a bedouin came in for jum'ah, interrupted the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) during the khutba, and said "Ya rasulullah, the animals have died, the children are starving, the fruits aren't giving crops, so make du'a Allah blesses us with rain."
   Anas bin Malik (the narrater of the hadith) said: We could see the whites of his armpits (i.e. he (صلي الله عليه وسلم) raised his hands high) and he made du'a. Not a cloud in the sky. Before he lowered his hands, clouds like dark shields came and it poured. It rained for a week straight.
   So the next week, during the same khutba, the same bedouin came in and said "Ya rasulullah, make du'a that the rain stops, the cattle are drowning etc." and the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) made du'a that it rain around them, not on them. Anas bin Malik says: we never saw the sun for a week until then.
   That's barakah. May Allah increase us all barakah, ameen.
3. His Person: The body of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) exhuded barakah. There are many occasions when people could not eat or drink enough--like the treaty of Hudaybiyyah. A cupful of water was all they had for the entire army of Muslims. The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) put his hands in the cup, made du'a, and when he removed his hands, water gushed out from between his fingers. The whole army drank plenty and made wudoo and so on. And there are many other occasions like that.
3. Angels: There presence brings barakah. When they leave, there's no barakah. This is perhaps why angels surround gatherings made for the sake of Allah. Wallahu 'alim.
4. Pious People: Pious people have barakah in-so-far as their knowledge and teachings and conduct. This is their barakah. The ayah about Prophet 'Isa (عليه سلام)--"And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be ..." (Surah Maryam, verse 31)¹--the scholars of tafseer say he was blessed through his knowledge. So pious people have some barakah (but not in their person itself). When you see people close to Allah, they bring a love of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) into your heart, and you want to be a better person.

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) increase the barakah in our lives, in our time, and in our gatherings and families.

Related Posts: What is Barakah?

(1) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Maryam (Mary).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 20 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/19.htm>.

(2) Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.

• Increase Your Barakah
• The Barakah of the Ka’bah
• Places that Contain Barakah
• What is Barakah?
• Times Blessed with Barakah

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What is Barakah?

Tabaarak (تَبَارَك) has many meanings. The root word (ba-ra-kaf; like barakah) means:

1. To Remain/Linger. This is why a pool of water is called birkah in Arabic. Same word.
2. To Nurture/Generate. Connotations are that it increases.

Under Shari'ah, the divine law of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), tabaarak means: the presence of divine blessings in an object, and an increase of those blessings. It also means: an increase in the amount of good in something.

All barakah comes from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) alone.

In Surah Imran, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

Translation: Say: Surely all good [comes from] the hand of Allah, He gives it to whom He pleases; and Allah is Ample-giving, Knowing. (Surah Al-Imran, verse 73)¹

Likewise, in Surah Tabaarak (Surah Mulk) Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

Translation: Blessed be He in Whose hands is Dominion; and He over all things hath Power; (Surah Tabaarak, verse 1)²

So now, we know--only Allah has the right to blessings. But, from an 'Aqeeda perspective, this also goes back to rububiyyah and uloohiyyah. No idol, no statue, no rock, no slipper nor hair nor anything else, can do anything for you. Barakah is from the rabb, the Lord--the one who creates and sustains--Allah. The rabb must be obeyed.

To ascribe barakah to other then Allah is to create a false rabb. Shirk-al-rububiyyah.

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) protect us from all kinds of shirk, large and small, hidden and overt.

(1) Shakir, trans. “Al-E-Imran (The Family of Imran).” USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. USC-MSA. 19 Apr. 2006 <http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/003.qmt.html>.

(2) Muhammad, Pickthall M., trans. “Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty).” Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem: Parallel Arabic Text with English Translation. One Ummah Network. 19 Apr. 2006 <http://www.oneummah.net/quran/67.htm>.

(3) Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light of Guidance. University of Toronto, Toronto. March 2006.

• Increase Your Barakah
• The Barakah of the Ka’bah
• Things that Contain Barakah
• Places that Contain Barakah
• Times Blessed with Barakah

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When is a Ya a Ya?

In Arabic, there is the letter Ya: ي. It is pronounced similar to the letter Y in English.

However, there's also another type of ya--the ya without dots, which looks like this: ى. As for that ya, sometimes pronounced as a ya, and sometimes, as an alif (ا).

For example, the word على (ayn-lam-ya) can be read as 'ala (on top: عَلَى) or as 'Ali (as in the name: عَلِي). So how do you know when to pronounce it as a ya, and when to pronounce it as an alif?

There are two signs that indicate that it's a ya:

1. Dots: If the ya has two dots under it, it's a ya!
2. Harakat: If the letter before the ya has a fatha on it, then the ya is pronounced as an alif; if the letter before has a kasra, then the ya is pronounced as a ya.

And if you understand Arabic enough to get the context of the sentence, that helps too.

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