Helping Out Your Fellow Brother

January 20, 2007 – 12:56 pm

Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sa) said:

“A Muslim is a brother of (another) Muslim, he neither wrongs him nor does hand him over to one who does him wrong. If anyone fulfils his brother’s needs, Allah will fulfil his needs; if one relieves a Muslim of his troubles, Allah will relieve his troubles on the Day of Resurrection…” [Bukhari and Muslim].

Subhanallah! — look at the reward for helping out your fellow Muslim, to simply help them and to assist them in their needs, you will get the help and assistance of Allah Almighty.

What else can we ask for?!

But not only will Allah fulfil us in our needs in this world, but by you also helping your Muslim brother or sister out in times of hardships and difficulties — Allah will help us in the most difficult time in our life, being the Day Of Judgement, when we will all be in such a frantic, in need of help, and Allah promises us in this Hadith that He will relieve us our troubles on that day if we simply relieve the troubles of a Muslim in this world.

Allahu Akbar! So what are you waiting for? Get Busy!!

In another Hadith, Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sa) said:

“He who removes from a believer one of his difficulties of this world, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and he who finds relief for a hard-pressed person, Allah will make things easy for him on the Day of Resurrection; he who covers up (the faults and sins) of a Muslim, Allah will cover up (his faults and sins) in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah supports His slave as long as the slave is supportive of his brother…” [Muslim]

So strive hard to lend a hand to your Muslims in need, no matter how big or small their need may be — help them for the sake of Allah and not for any worldly matter (otherwise your actions will be fruitless). Be there for them in times of calamity and be assured that Allah will remove from you your difficulties, and not only that … Allah will cover up your faults and sins in this world and the Hereafter because you simply covered up the faults and sins of your brother.

So next time if a situation arises for you to help your fellow Muslim out, don’t hesitate whether to do it or not, don’t think or have the attitude ‘What will I get out of it?’ – just rememeber the words of Your Prophet Muhammad (sa), when he said:

“Allah supports His slave as long as the slave is supportive of his brother…”

So, never leave your brother standing after asking for your help, if he is in need of your help… help him fesabeelillah…

For it is YOUR DUTY to do so —

and it is a RIGHT he has over you.

External Link:

Tafseer of the Hadeeth of Six Rights of every Muslim – Bahjatu Quloob il-Abraar wa Qurratu ‘Uyoon il-Akhyaar fee Jaami’ il-Akhbaar

By Ilm Seeker | Posted in Articles, Islam | Comments (6)

The Disease of Kibr

January 19, 2007 – 10:35 pm

The following is a short and beautiful advice regarding the arrogance or pride. This advice is taken from the transcribed lecture of Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo


“…The second characteristic that everyone has to be cautious of, but especially those people who are studying the `ilm, who have been given by Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa), who have been blessed by Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) to have knowledge and to be making da`wah, these people have to be very careful about a disease that comes to people of this nature many times, unfortunately, and this is the disease of kibr, of arrogance and pride. And sometimes the way this is reflected is where the person refuses and does not want anyone to correct him, or at least he will not accept correction from certain people. He may accept correction or be told that he is wrong by someone who is from his group, someone who is a close friend of his, but anybody else, he will look down upon anyone else, and he will not accept any kind of criticism from anybody else, and this is kibr. This is pride and arrogance, as described in the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam).

The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said that no one who has even a mustard grain seed weight of kibr in his heart, no one who has this in his heart will enter Jannah.

Someone asked the Prohpet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam), he said that a man loves to have nice clothing on, put nice shoes., and he understood this is may kibr; the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “Allaah is beautiful and loves beauty,” this is not kibr, but kibr is “to reject the truth and to look down upon the people”, to reject the truth for example when it comes to you from the source you do not like, when it comes to you from someone perhaps who is not as much upon the right path as you think you are, and to look down upon other people and to disgrace them, this is kibr.

You have to realize that, I don’t care if you are the biggest `aalim in the world, you could make a mistake sometimes, that some child could come up to you and say, you know, that was a mistake. Al-Bukhaaree was just 11 or 12 years old the first time he corrected his shaykh.

This is something that we have to be very careful about especially as I said when we are involved in da`wah and in giving knowledge. Because it is really when one gets knowledge that he feels, who are you to talk to me,… don’t talk to me, you have a problem with me,… go talk to the ulamaa’, and have the ulamaa’ come and talk to me. This is a problem, and it is very dangerous unfortunately.”

Action Plan for the Muttaqun:

  • be humble with the people
  • avoid despising, mocking, degrading the people with speech and actions
  • accept the truth from whatever source it comes from and be sincere in correcting yourself

External Links:

By abdurrahman.org | Posted in Akhlaaq, Articles, Da'wah, General, Islam, Tazkiyyah | Comments (0)

The Kuffaar Ask Who Created Allaah

January 17, 2007 – 10:30 pm

Question: I tell non-Muslims that Allaah created everything in this universe. They say to me, who created Allaah? How can Allaah have been there since the beginning? How can i answer them?

Answerer: Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, Islam QA

Praise be to Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى).

1. This question which the Kuffar have asked you is inherently false and self-contradictory. If we were to say – for the sake of argument – that someone created Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى), then they would ask you, Who created the creator of the creator? Then, who created the creator of the creator of the creator?! And so on, ad infinitum. This is irrational and impossible.

All of creation goes back to the Creator Who created all things. No one created Him; He created everything other than Himself. This is what makes sense and is logical. This creator is Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى), may He be glorified and exalted.

2. With regard to what our religion tells us, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) told us about this question, where it comes from, and how to respond to it.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “People will keep on asking question until someone will say, ‘Allaah created the universe, but who created Allaah?’ Whoever encounters anything like that, let him say, ‘Amantu Billaah (I believe in Allaah).’”

The Messenger of Allaah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “The Shaytaan will come to one of you and say, ‘Who created the heaven? Who created the earth?’ He will say, ‘Allaah’” – then he mentioned something similar (to the previous report), and added, “And His Messengers.” [i.e., amantu Billaah wa Rusulihi = I believe in Allaah and His Messengers]

The Messenger of Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan will come to one of you and say, ‘Who created such and such?’ until he says to him, ‘Who created your Lord?’ When it reaches that stage, let him seek refuge with Allaah [say A’oodhu Billaahi min ash-shaytaan ir-rajeem = I seek refuge with Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) from the accursed Shaytaan] and stop thinking about it.”

The Messenger of Allaah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “The Shaytaan will come to a person and say, ‘Who created such and such…’” and he narrated the whole report. (Imaam Muslim, 134).

In these ahaadeeth we see:Where this question comes from – from the Shaytaan;How to deal with it, which is:

  1. to stop pursuing these thoughts and these tricks of the Shaytaan and to say, “I believe in Allaah and His Messengers”
  2. to seek refuge with Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) from the Shaytaan.

    3. It was also reported that one should spit drily three times to one’s left, and recite Qul Huwa Allaahu ahad. (See “Problems and Solutions” in the Shaykh’s Books section of the IslamQA site).

  3. With regard to the prior existence of Allaah, our Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) has told us about this, for example:
    1. He (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “O Allaah, You are the First and there is nothing before You; O Allaah, You are the Last and there is nothing after You.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2713)
    2. He (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “Allaah existed when there was nothing apart from Him.” According to another report: “There was nothing before Him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari; the first report 3020; the second report 6982).

This is in addition to what is stated in the ayaat of the Qur’aan.

The believer believes without a doubt, the kaafir denies and the munaafiq doubts.

We ask Allaah (سبحانه وتعالى) to grant us sincere and certain faith with no doubts. And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Source: Kuffar Ask Who Created Allah? – Islam QA

External Links:

By abdurrahman.org | Posted in Aqeeda, Articles, Da'wah, Islam, Q&A | Comments (1)

Prostrate to Thank Allah

January 16, 2007 – 1:35 am

Sajdat al-Shukr is prescribed for anything that makes one happy, whether it is attaining some benefit or warding off some harm.

The evidence (daleel) for this is to be found in the Ahaadeeth and Aathaar (reports). Among the Ahaadeeth is the Hadeeth of Abu Bakrah (رضي الله عنه), who said that when the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) heard any news that made him glad, he would fall down prostrating to Allaah, may He be exalted. (Reported by the five except al-Nisaa’i; al-Tirmidhi said, it is hasan ghareeb). According to the version narrated by Ahmad: he saw the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), when news reached him that his troops had prevailed over their enemy, he was lying with his head in ‘Aishah’s lap, then he got up and fell in prostration. (Reported by Ahmad, 5/45; al-Haakim, 4/291).

Another hadeeth is that narrated by ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (رضي الله عنه), who said: the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) went out to the place where the sadaqah (charitable donations) was kept, then he faced the Qiblah and fell in prostration, remaining like that for a long time. Then he raised his head and said, “Jibreel came to me with good news, he said, ‘Allaah says to you, “Whoever sends blessings on you, I will send blessings on him, and whoever sends greetings of peace to you, I will send greetings of peace to him,”’ so I prostrated in thankfulness to Allaah.” (Narrated by Ahmad. Al-Mundhiri said: the hadeeth of Sajdat al-Shukr came from the hadeeth of al-Baraa’ with a saheeh isnaad, and from the hadeeth of Ka’b ibn Maalik and others.)

Other cases of companions prostrating in thankfulness include:

  1. Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) prostrated when he heard the news that Musaylimah had been killed. (Reported by Sa’eed ibn Mansoor in his Sunan).

  2. ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (رضي الله عنه) prostrated when he found Dhu’l-Thadiyah among the Khawaarij. (Reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad)

  3. Ka’b ibn Maalik prostrated at the time of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) when he was given the glad tidings that Allaah had accepted his repentance. (The story is agreed upon)

And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

Source: Sajdat al-Shukr (Prostration of thankfulness) – Islam Q&A

External Links: Thankfulness Towards Allah – various ways you can Thank Allah

By abdurrahman.org | Posted in Akhlaaq, Articles, Islam, Tazkiyyah | Comments (0)

Do Not Reveal Your Sins

January 14, 2007 – 10:46 pm

Bismillah Ir-Rahmaan Ir-Raheem

From among the teachings of Allah’s Messenger (صلي الله عليه وسلم) is to keep sins a secret matter. If someone commits a sinful act which is against the Commandments of Allah, or is against the moral character, or is such an act that may cause harm to one’s honor, then he should keep it a secret and seek forgiveness from Allah in the darkness of night.

he Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “My entire nation is safe, except al-Mujahirin (those who boast of their sins). Among the Mujaharah is that a man commits an (evil) act, and wakes up in the morning while Allah has kept his (sin) a secret, he says: “O so-and-so! Last night I did this and that.” He goes to sleep while Allah has kept his (sin) a secret but he wakes up in the morning and uncovers what Allah has kept a secret!” [Saheeh al-Bukhari]

Abdullah Ibn Masoud (رضي الله عنه) related, ‘A man came to the Prophet and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I have mingled with a woman in the far side of al-Medina, and I fulfilled my desire short of actually having sexual intercourse with her. So, here am I, judge me according to what you decide.’ Umar Ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) then said: ‘Allah had kept your secret, why did not you keep your secret?’ [Sharh Muslim] Similarly, if one becomes aware of somebody else’s sin, he should keep it a secret. Allah’s Messenger (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “He, who relieves a hardship of this Dunya (world) for a believer, Allah will relieve (from him) a hardship of the Day of Resurrection; he who makes easy an indebted person, Allah will make it easy for him in the Dunya and the Hereafter; he who covers a Muslim (meaning his mistakes and shortcomings), Allah will cover him in the Dunya and the Hereafter …” [Muslim]

Today, there are also many novel channels through which sins are propagated in the society, such as books, magazines, and television programs that mention the crimes of others, illicit acts, and immorality under the name of creating awareness among the people. These programs–which are meant to help the people against the crimes–are in reality, helping the crime to spread faster in the society! Crimes, which were previously unknown to people have become common offenses! It is therefore necessary for the Muslims to avoid all such avenues which may lead to the destruction of our Muslim Ummah.

Action Items for the Muttaqun:

  • Do not reveal your sins (whether major or minor), not even to your close ones such as your spouse or parents
  • Ask Allah for the forgiveness for the sins you committed and also ask Allah to help you to save from the same in the future
  • Hide and do not reveal the sins of your Muslim brothers and sisters, and non-Muslims, to others
References
  • Lecture by Allama Ehsan Ilahi Zaheer (رحمالله), Qawaaid wa-Fawaaid min al-Arabeen an-Nawawi by Shaikh Nathim Sultan, Tafseer Ibn Katheer, and others.

Sources:

External Links:

By abdurrahman.org | Posted in Akhlaaq, Articles, Islam, Tazkiyyah | Comments (6)

Thank You Allah

January 13, 2007 – 11:44 am

Innal-Hamdu lillah was-Salaatu was-Salaam `alaa Rasoolillah

"Lucky escape … hmmm … Nah! It just wasn’t my time to go yet; Allah saved me and gave me a little longer …”

Driving home from work after having a late staff meeting, it was an ordinary evening not much traffic on the road. I got onto the dual carriage, I was in the right lane doing around 60-70 miles an hour, then all of a sudden *BANG* the bonnet of my car flew open and smashed against my car windscreen, *SMASH* all the glass cracked and from the great impact, my back view mirror had completely broken off. It took me a few seconds to comprehend what had actually happened; I thought I had lost my eyesight as the bonnet was completely up against the windscreen blocking my whole view.

Straight away I started to read ‘La elaha illallah’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’.  I pressed the hazard button to let the cars around me know that I’m in trouble – all this while still doing 60-70 miles an hour!  I thought ‘that’s it, your time has come; it’s time for you to go.’ Alhamdulillah none of the windscreen glass actually fell on top of me, although all the glass had cracked, however was not given permission by Allah to fall!

Without any panic, I started to reduce my speed – Subhaanallah, I could not see a thing from the front or the back and it was pitch black outside… I managed to keep the car straight without swerving into the cars in the left lane, how I don’t know! All I say is ‘Alhamdulillah’. Once my car had stopped, I quickly jumped out as I had now become an obstruction in the road. I looked at the car and looked at myself, and could not believe what had just happened within less than a minute. 

I thank Allah Almighty for saving me. I thank Allah that I did not even get a scratch on my body or any sort of injury at all. Throughout the whole event, I had such peace in my heart that I knew Allah was with me, I did not panic and I did not scream.  Allah could’ve ended my life there and then but He chose not to, it was simply not written for me to go yet. I am fully aware that we are all going to die, death is the only definate thing in life but the reason why I am so thankful to Allah is for the fact that He has given me a bit more time in this world to obey Him, to do the good deeds, to live by the Sunnah of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad sallallahu’alayhi wasallam, in hope of earning Allahs Love and Mercy and making it to our true home – Al Jannah.

I ask Allah to make us among those who spend their whole lives striving hard for His Religion and not be among those who took His Religion for a joke, disobeying Him and His Messenger Muhammad (sa) and preferring the life of this world over the life in the hereafter.

For Allah says in the interpretation of the meaning:

And this life of the world is only amusement and play! Verily, the home of the Hereafter, that is the life indeed (the eternal life that will never end), if they but knew. [Surah al-'Ankabut, 29: 64].

So let’s take heed from these words of Allah and understand that this life is temporary, it’s going to come to an end sooner or later – this is a fact, even if we choose to ignore it. 

“For Indeed we come from Allah and to Him is our return”. [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:156].

But the question is:  How are we spending our lives here on this earth? Because the way we spend our lives here will determine the final outcome of our ETERNAL LIFE in the hereafter. Only the individual can answer that question: “Only you know how you are spending your life.”

Just like anything in this world, you’ve got to work very hard for it: that good job, that slick car, that nice house… Well Jannah isn’t cheap and it doesn’t come easy either!

Just sit back and imagine …

Do you want to live in your own palaces and mansions of which its bricks are made out of gold and silver and pebbles of pearls and sapphire?

Do you want to drink from rivers of Milk, rivers of Honey, rivers of Wine and rivers of Water?

Do you want to eat from gardens, with trees that have everlasting fruits, and all that’s required for you to do is simply stretch out your hand and eat to your hearts desire?

A place in which you will be wearing crowns of rubies, of which 1 ruby alone is better than this world and all that is in it! Allahu Akbar.

A place in which there is no sadness, no grief, no sorrow – only total happiness, joy, bliss and tranquillity. Whatever you wish for Allah will grant you, whatever you want Allah will give you.

A place in which, being there for 1 second will erase all the hardships you went though in this life, all the struggling you went through obeying Allah when so much was calling you to disobey Him – just 1 second in Jannah, the joy of 1 second alone will completely wipe out all those difficult times and calamities you faced in this world.

A place in which all the people of Jannah will gather together in a market place every Friday: all the righteous believers, all the Prophets of Allah (alayhi salaam), the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (sa), and the Prophet Muhammad (sa) himself!

A place in which the people of Paradise will have conversations of the time they spent on this earth, such as “Do you remember that time when we were afraid of so-and-so, or such-and-such but Allah guided us, and look how gracious Allah has been to us by saving us from the hellfire.

Now these are just some examples of Jannah told to us from the Qur’aan and the Hadith, we can talk about Jannah all day and night, it will not suffice its delights, because it is too much for us to comprehend. But the main thing is that Jannah is real, same as the Hellfire – and we will end up in one or the other…

But the question is:  What are we doing to get to Paradise and what are we doing to save ourselves from the horrors of the Hellfire? Are we willing to sacrifice the chance of getting to Jannah, in exchange for the limited pleasures of this world by giving into our desires?

View this life as an exam, and as with any exam you’ve got to revise to pass – what would you think of a person going into an exam without any preparation, even though he had been given all the answers? Well this is the analogy of our lives here on earth; Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (sa) have told us how to get to Jannah and how to save ourselves from the Hellfire – Now it’s up to us whether or not we want to respond to this call….

Did you know that Allah has already created the paradise and has already created the hellfire? And we all have a place in them both awaiting us?

Now depending on how we spent our life here in this world, one of them will be destroyed. We pray to Allah that we all get that place in Jannah, and our place in Hellfire is destroyed.

Understand once we have died, that’s it – we have no more chances to do the good deeds, no more chances to repent and say sorry to Allah. Each day is a blessing from Allah that we have another day to do the good deeds. How foolish would we be, if we knew the truth about Islaam but spent our lives not believing and worshiping Allah in His Oneness, not living by the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad (sa), not praying to Him 5 times a day, not fasting the month of Ramadan, not paying our zakah and not making the Hajj?

What would we say to Allah… that we were too busy?

Is Allah asking us for too much?

Has he not given us everything: good health, wealth, a home, a family, food, clothing, countless blessings (we could never re-pay him back even if we tried)… and all He asks us to do is worship Him without associating partners, and to live our lives according to the Sunnah (way) of His Prophet Muhammad (sa)… Is this too much? And if we simply did that, Allah promises us Paradise? And if we didn’t Allah also promises us the Hellfire.  He says in the interpretation of the meaning:

“And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment.” [4:14]

So we need to ask ourselves: Are we in or are we out? Do we want the Jannah or do we want this world? And if we want Paradise, are we willing to sacrifice all that we have got for Allah?  We have to decide what we want. The choice is ours…

It’s never too late, we must rectify ourselves now before the Angel of Death comes and takes our souls, only then it will be too late.  Remember nothing in this world, no pleasure of this world, is worth loosing Paradise.

Remember, Allah says in the interpretation of the meaning:

“Every soul shall have taste of death; In the end to Us shall ye be brought back" [Surah Al-'Ankabut, 29:57]

By Ilm Seeker | Posted in Articles, Gems, Islam, Islamic Work, Tazkiyyah | Comments (7)

The Best Days of the Year

December 20, 2006 – 7:19 pm

Are you a student, or working? Are you depressed or frustrated that you could not take the advantage of the last ten nights of Ramadan? There were midterms, assignments, and projects for all the working folk, all those cliched reasons, or maybe you did take advantage. Here is another chance. Its on our doorsteps, the most beloved days to Allah, the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.

It was reported by Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنه) that the Rasoolullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” The people asked, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight, giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing.” (al-Bukhari)

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) in surah al-Fajr says (interpretation of the meaning): “By the dawn; by the ten nights” [89:1-2]. Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujaahid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: “This is the correct opinion.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/413)

In the ayah Allah swears an oath by the dawn and the ten nights, and Allah swearing an oath signifies the importance of these days.

What can we do to reap the fruits of these days?

Fast

In a hadith qudsi: “Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: ‘All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except for fasting, which is for Me and I am the One Who will reward him for it.’” (al-Bukhari)

Fasting on the best days, means – jackpot – INSHALLAH more rewards.

And our Rasoolullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) for sure used to fast on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah. As Hunaydah ibn Khalid reported from his wife that some of the wives of the Prophet (رضي الله عنهنّ) said: “The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, on the day of ‘Ashoora’, on three days of each month, and on the first two Mondays and Thursdays of each month.” (al-Nisaa’i, Abu Dawud)

Say Takbeer, Tahmeed and Tahleel

It is reported that our Rasoolullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh (“Subhanallah”), Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillaah”) and Takbeer (“Allahu akbar”) during this time. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) reported that the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “There are no days greater in the sight of Allah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Tahleel (“La ilaha ill-Allah”), Takbeer and Tahmeed.” (Ahmad, Ahmad Shaakir stated that it is saheeh).

There are so many other good deeds to do, so we should take advantage of these days as much as we can.

By Taymullah | Posted in Articles, Islam, Sawm, Tazkiyyah | Comments (1)

Descriptions of the Believers

December 20, 2006 – 2:37 pm

How does it feel after reading Qur’an? Does it make a difference in us? How much do we implement it regularly, or even within the same day of reading an ayah?

When learning from the Qur’an and the seerah of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), Allah mentions a believers qualities in the Qur’an. The believers hearts become fearful and their eyes tear. This is a sign of the true believers, as Allah describes them in the Qur’an:

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَاناً وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقّاً لَّهُمْ دَرَجَاتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ

Translation: “The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His verses are recited unto them, they increase their faith, and they put their trust in their Lord (alone), who perform the prayers and spend out of that which We have bestowed upon them. It is they who are truly the believers. For them are grades of dignity and a generous provision” (al-Anfaal 2-4).

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَاباً مُّتَشَابِهاً مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ

Translation: “Allah sent down the best speech, a Book, its parts resembling each other and oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their lord shiver from it. Then their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah” (al-Zumar 23).

We should all try to compare ourselves to the description of the believers Allah mentions in Qur’an. Do we fear Allah when we recite or hear the Qur’an? Does it affect our hearts? Do we cry thinking about what we have done and how we will be able to meet Allah in the Hereafter? These verses give us some clear signs of being a true believer. These characteristics should occur within us at least sometimes. If they never do, then we must improve our eman and seek guidance from Allah!

May Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) help us reflect upon these verses as a true believer would (ameen)!

External Link: 25 Promises of Allah to the Believers by Shaykh Anwar al-Awlaki

By Slave of arRahman | Posted in Articles, Islam, Tazkiyyah | Comments (0)

Love of Allah

December 11, 2006 – 9:00 pm

Want to earn the love of Allah? Imagine! To be loved by the greatest, the self-sufficient, the lord of the universe! Who doesn’t want that? Read on inshallah and find out how to achieve that lofty goal!

Love of Allah

Ibn al-Qaiyim (رحمالله) mentioned ten causes that result in Allah’s (سبحانه وتعالى) love for His slave and the slave’s love for his Lord. [These ten are:]

First, recite the Qur’an while pondering over its meanings and what is meant by it.

Second, get closer to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) by performing voluntary deeds after completing obligatory deeds. This is as is stated in a Hadith Qudsi: “My slave continues getting closer to Me by performing voluntary deeds until I love him.” [al-Bukhari]

Third, continually remember Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) under all circumstances, with one’s tongue, heart and actions. The extent of one’s love of Allah is determined by this.

Fourth, favour what He loves over what you love when you are overtaken by your desires.

Fifth, cultivate a heart avid of Allah’s (سبحانه وتعالى) Names, and Attributes and a heart that roams in that garden of knowledge.

Sixth, observe Allah’s (سبحانه وتعالى) kindness, goodness and bounties, both hidden and open.

Seventh, and this is the most wonderful, acquire a soft heart, subdued and meek before Allah.

Eighth, be alone with Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) during the time when the Lord descends during the last portion of the night while reading His Book and ending that by asking for forgiveness and with repentance.

Ninth, sit with the beloved and sincere, benefit from the most fruitful of their speech. And do not speak unless speaking is more beneficial and you know that it will improve your state and be beneficial to others.

Tenth, remain away from every cause that comes between the heart and Allah (سبحانه وتعالى).

These ten causes take the lovers to the station of true love and bring them to their Beloved.

[Edited slightly for style, voice, and directness.]

References

Abdullah Bin Al-Jarullah. The Delight of Faith. Trans. Jamil Zarbozo. Dar as-Salaam, 1996.

By Ilm Seeker | Posted in Articles, Islam, Tazkiyyah | Comments (0)

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s … MuminMan?

December 2, 2006 – 7:29 pm
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … MuminMan?

By night, a city slicker patrols the streets. Seen but not seen, he’s just another face in the crowd, unnoticed with trendy glasses and the slickest new Nike running shoes. He breezes in and out through bars and clubs. He chills with his friends. And if she’s not mad, maybe he’ll call his girlfriend for a date. Just your ordinary homeboy or girl. No hijab, no beard. No one knows he or she is Muslim.

Dawn comes, a visual thread of white among the black of night. Bleary-eyed, he makes wudoo, dons his thobe, and transforms into … MuminMan! Faster than a speeding jinn! Able to recite Surah Al-Baqarah in a single prayer! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s MuminMan! (Or MuminWoman!)

Sound familiar? If it does, you’re not alone–many Muslim youth today, living in the West, face conflicting values. There are pressures from one side pulling us back to our cultural or Islamic roots, and there are pressures from school and friends, pushing us to be more “Western”, an anonymous face with no religion. These pressures force many of us to develop double identities between Islam and un-Islam.

And is this hypocrisy?

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), in Surah Al-Baqarah of the Qur’an, describes all of mankind as being of one of three groups of people: The believers, the disbelievers, and the hypocrites. All of us need to look deep into our hearts and contemplate on this. If we’re not truly disbelievers, and we’re not truly believers, then where does that leave us?

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) also says in the Qur’an:

مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ لاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء وَلاَ إِلَى هَـؤُلاء وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً

Translation: [The hypocrites] sway between this and that, belonging neither to these nor to those; and he whom Allah sends astray, you will not find for him a way [to the truth -- Islam]. [Surah an-Nisaa 4:143]

Living in the West ain’t easy, there is no doubt about that. Everywhere you look, society is producing temptation, to stop us from being who we are and practicing our faith. How many of us, in order to be “cool” and to appease our non-Muslim friends, have shaved our beards, taken off our hijabs, and made statements like “I’m praying because my family makes me” or “I’m fasting because I have to”? We should be aware that the disease of hypocrisy lives in our hearts. But rest assured that recognizing it is the first step towards a cure.

And if we find our hearts fertile soil for the disease of hypocrisy, what should we do? Is there any hope?

There is always hope! Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in the Qur’an:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

Translation: “Say: O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Al-Ghafuwr, Ar-Raheem (the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful).” [Surah az-Zumar, 39:53]

There are many steps that we can take in order to earn the mercy of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and to free ourselves from these characteristics, so that we establish an integral connection with Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and purify our hearts in the process.

Ground Zero: Understanding. Understand that you cannot live that double-life forever. Harmony may exist, but by and far, the two are opposing forces. Which one do you choose?

Once you take the time to think it through, you’ll see that Islam is the answer for the long-term. This life is limited, while the next life, the Akhira, is eternal. Ask yourself: if I die, where do I wake up? Your heart delights in supreme happiness only when it feels Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). So purify your heart, resist the call of temptation and have firm belief that you are going to change. You’ll notice and experience the change within yourself with your own eyes.

Step One: Repentance. Make sincere, heart-felt repentance to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) for the sins you have committed. Pray the forgiveness prayer (two units), and your forgiveness will be granted, inshaAllah. The messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said in a hadith, “There isn’t a man who, when he commits a sin, rises, makes ablution, and offers two units of prayer, but Allah forgives his sins.”

Step Two: Your choices. Ultimately, what happens in the next life is your choice, the actions you perform now, today. To obtain true success, choose the best choices that will allow you to maintain that fire in your heart.

Your friends. Take care in choosing your friends properly, for our friends are a reflection of ourselves–we become like them, and they become like us. Are our friends calling us to the religion of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and to Paradise, or are they calling us to Hellfire?

Your clothes. Clothing is a small, yet often-neglected part of our personality. Your clothes are part of your identity, whether you choose them or your mother chooses them for you. Choose your clothes well–make sure they are clean, neat, presentable, and, above all, modest according to the standards of Islam. You don’t have to wear a thobe or burqa, but clothing should not be tight or revealing–rather, loose and baggy.

Your activities. In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, “Health and free time are two of the gifts that many people are deceived with.” Your free time is the only time you have. Once it’s gone, it never comes back. If you spend your time doing things which take you away from Islam, you enlarge the gap between yourself and success. Instead of spending 5-6 hours in front of the TV, why not try studying the Qur’an for 10-20 minutes, or praying some extra prayers? You’ll feel the difference, inshaAllah.

Your school. If you have the luxury of choosing a school, choose one that will help bring you closer to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). If you are in high school, ask your parents if they can enroll you in an Islamic school. If you’re graduating, pick a university with a good Muslim Students Association. Involve yourself in the remembrance of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) constantly.

Step Three: Put a plan. Set up a goal of where you would like to be within a certain time frame–next week or next month. Personalize your own development plan and modify it as you proceed. Plan carefully! Don’t run, because you’ll burn out quickly. Instead, maintain a regular pace of development.

Step Four: Never despair. Never despair of the mercy of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), for Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in a hadith: “I am close to the thought that My servant has of Me, and I am with him whenever He recollects Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I remember him in Myself, and if he remembers Me in a gathering I remember him better than those in the gathering do, and if he approaches Me by as much as one hand’s length, I approach him by a cubit. If he takes a step towards me, I run towards him.”

If you follow these steps diligently, then inshaAllah your eman will increase. You can do it! Stick to your plans, and inshaAllah you will find yourself further and further away from hypocrisy and disbelief. You will maintain the fire in your heart, feel that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is with you everywhere you go, and you will inshaAllah transform into a true MuminMan or MuminWoman.

By Ilm Seeker | Posted in Articles, Islam, Tazkiyyah | Comments (2)