Ilm Fruits

The Meaning of Fitnah

In the old days, back when people used to actually use gold coins, forgeries abounded; so how do you tell the difference between a real gold coin and a fake gold coin? How can you tell the percentage that's real or not?

The answer is, you put it through a test.

Translation: Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested? And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known the truth of those who are true, and will certainly make known the falsehood of those who are liars (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test). [Surah Ankabut, 29:2-3]

In fact, the very same word used here for "test" is fa-ta-na (same root as fitnah). Allah is telling us, that he will test us, for sure; and this will be the tool to differentiate the real Muslims and Mu'mins from the smack-talkers.

May Allah () make us all successful in all our tests, and make us strong for the tests that are to come! Ameen!

• As-Salaamu ‘Alikum: The Adab of Greeting
• Khalid bin Walid: From General to Foot-Soldier
• Emotions Misguide
• The Sea, the Boat, and the Governers
• Wild Rumors

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What do YOU want for your children?

Most parents love their children so much -- they sacrifice their time, wealth, and energy in ensuring all their children's needs are met or surpassed! They pray for their well-being, and also plan in advance to give them the best educate them accordingly to have the best career, so they can get the best house and car. But how often do we see parents planning for their child's deen? If we want the best in this life for our children, then why don't we want the best ETERNAL life for them in the akheera? To a regular person, this is the order for their needs:

1. Physiological needs: food and shelter
2. Psychological needs: friends, family and a social life.
3. Spiritual needs: religion, belief in higher purpose of life.

Looking at the best examples in history, we find incident of when Ibrahim left his family in the barren valley of Mecca. What did Ibrahim Alayhisalam desire for them? Upon departing them, he makes the following dua to Allah:

Translation: "O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer: so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks." [Surah Ibrahim, verse 37]

He does not ask for the food and shelter first, even though he leaves his family in a place without cultivation. He asks for their guidance first and foremost. That they worship Allah alone and establish salah. Then he desires good companionship and food for them. This part of his du'a would be listed in the worldly needs. But even when he desires for them the worldly good, he connects his du'a to ibadah, he requests from Allah to give them the fruits in this world so that they may be thankful to Him! And thus obtain the reward for ibadah even then.

Truly, what an amazing du'a! When we make du'a for our children, THIS is what to ask for. For the best in this world, but also the best in the eternal hereafter. May Allah bless our children to obey and submit to Him alone, and make them thankful for all the blessings that are bestowed upon them (ameen).

• The Pen is Lifted From Three
• The Role of the Masjid
• Rules of Engagement
• The Best Teacher
• Inheritance That Benefits

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Du’a for Travelling

Whether you travel by foot or by bike, by bus or by car, by train or by plane, you should recite the du'a the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) taught us -- because du'as are always for our protection.

This du'a, in particular, comes in handy these days, since so many people have to commute to school or work.

Allah says in the Qur'an:

Translation: In order that you may mount firmly on their backs, and then may remember the Favour of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: "Glory to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!" [Surah Zukhruf, verse 13-14]

• The Fruit of Ilm: Where has it Gone?

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The Nearest Heaven

Space: a black, velvety landscape. It stretches infinitely in every direction, a perfect paradox, an unconquered unknown. Stars, hundreds of thousands of stars—their light usually dimmed by the effects of pollution, electric lights, and daylight—glimmer like a quilt of fireflies, shimmering and twinkling.

Even the space itself shimmers and dances with colour—here, a blue nebulae with ghostly-transparent particles. There, a shimmering cascade of yellows and browns and pinks and reds that dance and weave their way through space.
And the stars—so many types of stars!--white dwarves, their light now gone, like dim diamonds; red dwarfs, like small garnets; black holes, like great, vacuous spaces; a small, pale reflective white orb of a moon; and the crown, the Lamp, the sun, a brilliant golden-yellow burst of light and heat and warmth.

The planets themselves lay like beads on a necklace, aligned and strung-together one moment then each twirling in their own orbit the next. Jupiter, a great big red ball, like a bouncy kids rubber-ball, with its centuries-old, perpetual Earth-sized storm; Pluto, a cold ball of dead ice; and of course, Earth, a blue marble warmed with oceans of water, green-sized fields, mountains, and of course, people.

All this, a gift from Allah (سبحانه وتعال) , to the people:

Translation: And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps missiles to drive away the Shayateen, and prepared for them the torment of the blazing Fire. [Surah Mulk, verse 5]

If this is the nearest heaven, what about the higher heavens?

• Chain of Command
• The Love of Your Life
• Times Blessed with Barakah
• Jafar ibn Abu Talib’s Speech to the Negus
• The Prophet’s Sermon on the Reception of Ramadan

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Mecca’s War Criminals

In the eight year after Hijrah (8AH), the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) and his companions conquered Mecca--without a single sword-swing. 10,000 Muslim warriors arrived at the gates, and the inhabitants of Mecca raised their arms in surrender.

The norm during those days was that when a land is conquered, ALL its people are killed, and its women and children are taken as slaves and property. So when the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) conquered Mecca, the Meccans became frightened. And they should've been--this is the man who they slandered, tortured, ridiculed, persecuted, and fought for 21 years.

So what did he (صلي الله عليه وسلم) do when he entered?

He forgave them all.

Translation: And We have not sent you (O Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم)) except as a mercy for the universe. [Suratal Anbiyyah, 21:107]

However, there were certain individuals who were not forgiven--war criminals whose opposition reached such a level of intensity and evil, that they could not be forgiven. The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) gave this list out--these men and women were to be executed, immediately, and there would be no mercy for them--not in this life, and not in the next.

Who were these individuals, Mecca's war criminals?

1. Wahshi, a slave who earned his freedom in Uhud by killing the Prophet's uncle Hamza (رضالله عنه) in Uhud.
2. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyaan, who ripped out the liver of Hamza's (رضالله عنه) body, and ate it. Raw. (The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: there was never a day more painful to me then the day I stood over the body of my uncle Hamza.)
3. Abu Sufyaan, who--although decided to become Muslim--had to run for his life to the Prophet, because 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab (رضالله عنه) saw him, and chased after him! (Had 'Umar (رضالله عنه) reached him before Abu Sufyaan (رضالله عنه) reached the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), 'Umar (رضالله عنه) would've killed him! Though, once he said he wanted to become Muslim, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) forgave him.)
4. Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, the son of Abu Jahl; all the Arabs considered the ka'ba sacred, it was their sanctuary--yet, even as he was clinging to the curtains of the ka'ba, they were pulling him away to kill him.
5. Abdullah ibn Sa'ad

Yet, subhanallah, we see the truth of this ayah--because ALL of these four criminals were forgiven, and all of them accepted Islam. Ikrimah (رضالله عنه) pledged to spend double for Islam what he spent against it; Abdullah ibn Sa'ad (رضالله عنه) became the commander of the Muslim navy; Wahshi killed Musaylimah Al-Kathaab, one of the biggest opponents of Islam during the reign of of Abu Bakr (رضالله عنه).

That's Islam for you.

Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. The Shepherd’s Path. University of Ryerson, Toronto. March 2007.

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Inheritance That Benefits

Death. It's inevitable. It's one of the certainties of life. No one denies it and no one can escape it. And once you're dead, your good deeds stop. Except in the following ways:

Abu Hurayrah (رضالله عنه) reported that Allah's Messenger (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "When a human being dies, all of his deeds are TERMINATED, except for three types:
1. An ongoing charity (aka sadaqah jariyah)
2. A knowledge (of Islam) from which others benefit,
3. A righteous child who makes du'aa for him." [Muslim and others].

Ongoing charity is basically a charity given for the sake of Allah that continues to bring benefit. It's like a system that you establish (or help establish): once its in place, you reap rewards while it remains!

Ongoing charity may mean building a mosque, buying Mushafs (copies of the Quraan) to be placed in a place of worship, establishing an endowment fund to help the poor, the orphans, the needy, the seekers of knowledge, etc. It can even be a good word that you speak to someone, and as a result of it the person is inspired to do some good deed.

So find out (or start) a means of sadaqah jariyah, help them out with your time and money, encourage good deeds and speak good, and finally (and most importantly) pray that Allah accepts and blesses your efforts! It's the tried and tested way of the pious predecessors and the 'ulema (scholars) before us!

This is knowledge of an aspect of Islam that you learned and then conveyed to someone, and they act upon it. It can be an ayah of Quran, a blessed hadith of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), or a reliable scholarly opinion.

The first step before imparting knowledge onto others is that you learn it yourself first!! How, you ask? Read the Quran daily, read ahadith daily (Riyadh us Saliheen is excellent), attend the Quran halaqah at the local Masjid, travel to seek knowledge (e.g. AlMaghrib classes in Toronto) ... and pray rabbi zidni ilma (My Lord, Increase me in knowledge)! KNOW that there is NO EXCUSE for not seeking knowledge! Not having time ain't gonna cut it on the Day of Judgement.

Remember:

Translation: Allah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illa huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness)" [Surah Al-Imran, verse 18]. SubhanAllah, look the EXALTED company that Allah mentions the people of knowledge in! Don't you want to be a part of this?

Once you have some knowledge, spread it. Talk to your friends about what you learned. Tell your parents, your siblings, and your relatives. Start a blog. Reflect upon that amazing ayaat that you learned yesterday, and keep talking about it. And most importantly, pray that Allah accepts and blesses your efforts!

The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "A man's status will be raised in Paradise, and he will ask, 'How did I get here?' He will be told, 'By your son's du'aa's (prayers) for forgiveness for you." (Reported by Ibn Maajah, no 3660; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 1617)

So make du'aa for your parents, whether they are dead or alive. This is a sign of true love for them (unlike a father's/mother's day gift!) And if you have children, teach them to make du'aa for you! May Allah accept from all of us, ameen.

Allahumma innee as'aluka ilman naafian, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbilan.
Oh Alllah! Give me ilm (knowledge) that is beneficial, and rizq (sustenance) that is clean/pure/halal, and deeds that are accepted. Ameen!

Source: Inheritence that Benefits - True and Good Words

• Why Should I Study?
• You are a Witness
• “Why?”
• Benefits to Not Fighting Back
• Rays of Faith

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Two Uncles of the Prophet

During the 23 years of revelation, the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) had many supporters and opponents, including his two uncles--Abu Talib (the father of Ali (رضالله عنه)), and Abdul 'Uzza ibn Abdul-Muttalib, aka Abu Lahab.

Subhanallah, even within two uncles of the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم), we see great differences. Compare and constrast them:

Abu Talib:

• Extended his protection to his nephew, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), even though the Quresh wanted to kill him
• Wrote strong, emotional poetry during the boycott of Mecca in order to move people towards nullifying it
• Commanded his sons to sleep in the Prophet's (صلي الله عليه وسلم) bed at night, so that if any assassins came, the sons would die instead of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)
• The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said regarding him: because of me, he will be in the lightest part of the Hellfire.

Abu Lahab:

• When the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) stood on Mount Safaa and openly called the people to Islam for the first time, Abu Lahab said May you perish! Have you called us for this?
• Mocked the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) when his son Ibrahim died
• Commanded his two sons, who were married to the Prophet's (صلي الله عليه وسلم) daughters, to divorce them
• The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said regarding him: Every nation has a Fir'awn, and the Fir'awn of our nation is Abu Lahab [1].

What are one of the lessons we can learn from this? It doesn't matter who you are, or who your family is--what matters are your beliefs and your deeds. And Allah says:

Translation: O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

May Allah make us among those who achieve taqwa, irrespective of who we are--ameen!

[1] Abdul Qadeer. "Two Little Warriors." Madani Forum. 19 Feb. 2007. 9 June 2007 <http://madani.16.forumer.com/a/two-little-warriors_post1995.html>.

Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. The Shepherd’s Path. University of Ryerson, Toronto. March 2007.

• Tawaf 101
• “As-Salaah! As-Salaah!”
• Competing to Good Deeds: Abu Dujana and the Prophet’s Sword
• Fantastic Four
• The Status of the Sunnah

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Why Should I Study?

Many years ago in Uzbekistan, a baby boy was born blind. His Mother, the strong mu'minah that she was, did not lose sight of He who had the Power to cure him. She prayed and prayed for her son's sight. And within a few years, the boy regained his eyes.

She was widowed, the boy orphaned. She traveled with him to Makkah so that he could receive an Islamic education. She arranged for him to attend the circles of the scholars, and in those circles, he excelled in the science of hadith. He traveled to distant villages in search of the most authentic sayings of Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم). He would pray two raka'at before accepting a hadith. His mother named him Muhammad ibn Isma'il. And many of us know him today by the book he compiled, the book that stands after the Qur'an in authenticity: Saheeh Al-Imam Al-Bukhari!

In another land, in another time, chilly Baghdad winds would wake up another boy. Much before Fajr, his mother would bundle him in warm shawls and escort him through the darkness, making sure he reached the Masjid safely. After Fajr, she would wait for him as he read hadith to the biggest scholars of the land. Then, long after the sun had come up, she would meet him outside, and together, they would walk home. She was a strong mother indeed, for her son grew up to become an Imam of the Muslim Ummah, an Imam by the name of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

Dear brothers and sisters, why should we try to follow in the footsteps of these--and many other--stars of Islam? The information that we shall in sha' Allah learn is not like anything else. This knowledge is the law of Allah and the inheritance of the prophets. It is our duty to preserve and protect the estate of Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم), something that cannot happen without there being serious and sincere brothers and sisters spending long days and nights reading, reflecting, and teaching others.

May Allah make us among those who are sincere, and whom protect the deen and inherit the inheritance of the prophets, ameen!

Source: Manaaqib Ahmad, by Ibn Al-Jowzee

• Perceiving Isn’t Reality
• Types of Qira’aat
• Best Way to Increase Eman?
• Advice from an Older Brother: Study your Deen
• Know Your Identity? Know Your Roots

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Advice from an Older Brother: Study your Deen

From a lecture given at MIST Nationals 2006 by Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi
Friday July 21st, 2006

"I am here in front of you today, and if I were to choose again, I would go back and do the same thing and do religious studies. I can't even remember what courses I took when I was at UH. My main motivation for choosing to do Islamic studies was that I realized I needed to do something for the ummah. As we speak, we have a crisis going through our ummah. We all know, we don’t need to talk more about it, it is all over the news and everything. I know some of you won't leave what you are doing, and I don't expect you to, and I don’t want you to. This ummah needs the doctors, engineers, and lawyers. Not everyone in this ummah needs to be an 'alim or scholar. And Allah (سبحانه وتعال) definitely doesn’t ask everyone to be a scholar. If you are not going to be a scholar, then you should at least know your religion. To me, I was ashamed that I knew so much about physics, chemistry, and mathematics compared to what I knew about my religion.

Our communities are in need of scholars though. We see it in our communities often, where we have an imam who is from another world practically and doesn’t understand what we are going through. It is true, they are from another world, because they haven’t grown up here. We need to stop importing imams because our communities can't respect them. We see it in our communities that these moulvis and maulanas give fatwa and people don’t respect them, and we can't blame the imams nor can we completely blame the community. There is a big gap between them, we need homegrown scholars and students of knowledge to bridge this gap.

Like I said before, not everyone here is going to be a scholar, and nobody expects everyone here to become one. The least everyone should do is learn your religion. Each and every one of you can read a book a month--it's not that hard and it only requires you to make some time for it. All you need to do is cut back on some of the things we do. I know all of us have things that we can cut back on. I am not saying stop hanging around friends, or going to movies, or whatever it is you do. All I am saying is cut back on some of the things to make time for learning your religion. Our elders came here for whatever reason they came here for, we are growing here, we understand the psychology of Americans, but if we don’t have knowledge of religion how are we going to make them understand our religion? How are we going to make da’wah to them and call them to Islam? There is a need for homegrown scholars and fulfilling that need starts with you.

How to study your religion?

1. Study the Qur’an - If you can memorize US History and the 50 States in alphabetical order, then surely you can read the book of Allah (سبحانه وتعال), you can understand what the book of Allah (سبحانه وتعال) is saying. Make sure you pull the Qur’an down from that shelf for 10-15 minutes a day and read it. If you don’t read Arabic, then read the translation at least. The Qur’an is the most blessed thing to read there is so much barakah in it. It is so blessed; it is the Speech of Allah.
2. Book of Hadeeth – The best statements were the statements of Rasoolullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم). Riyadh As-Saliheen is a very good book for everyone. Read at least one or two hadeeth a day. The book is written for the laymen and thus it is very easy to understand.
3. Study basic theology. We all need to study a little bit of aqeedah. Each and every Muslim needs to know what is the Islamic belief or creed. We need to know the difference between us and them. We need to know what is the difference between God and Father.
4. Another very important area of Islam that we need to study is fiqh. Each and everyone of us needs to know how to worship Allah (سبحانه وتعال). How many of us can list the factors that break your wudoo. Forget the differences of opinion, just know at least one opinion from the madhabs--what it is, and how to do it. This is the least everyone should know.
5. Basic Laws of Islam that govern our everyday life or that determine our everyday decisions.

As the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, "Learning knowledge is obligatory on each and every Muslim!"

This the least we need to do, and with everything else we do, it isn’t that hard at all. Allah (سبحانه وتعال) doesn’t require you to become a scholar, but at least learn your religion a little bit, and this way you will learn to respect the imams and ulemaa. And form personal experience, let this knowledge come to you from someone who is older then you, but not too old.

• The Fruits of Eman (9): Benefit From Advice
• You Can’t Please Everyone
• Perceiving Isn’t Reality
• Helping Out Your Fellow Brother
• Conquest: History of the Khulafa

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Gems From Hassan Al-Basri

Umar Ibn Hubayra Al-Fazari was the governor of Iraq in the period of the Khilafa of Yazid Ibn Abdul-Malik of the Bani Umayyah. Hassan Ibn Yasar Al-Basri once came to the court of Umar Ibn Hubayra and said to him:

"O Ibn Hubayra! Fear Allah when you obey Yazid, and do not fear Yazid when you obey Allah. Know that Allah will protect you from Yazid, but Yazid can not protect you from Allah (سبحانه وتعال)

"O Ibn Hubayra! You are waiting for the angel of death, who will take you from the vast wideness of your palace to a narrow and a short grave. Yazid will not be there in your grave. You will find your deeds that you disobeyed the Lord of Yazid with.

"O Ibn Hubayra! If you are with Allah, Allah will protect you from Yazid, but if you are with Yazid, then Allah will leave you to rely on Yazid."

Umar Ibn Hubayra then started crying until his beard was soaked with tears.

What are some gems we can learn from Hassan Al-Basri in this incident?

1. Set your priorities. Fear the one who deserves to be feared, Allah!
2. Work for the future. You will find your deeds when you go to the grave.
3. Be in the party of Allah. He is the source of Protection and Strength.

Source: Tabi'een Lecture Series - Bashar Shala

• ArabicGems
• What is a Hadith?
• Breach of Covenant
• Your Last Prayer
• Rays of Faith

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