Author: Ismail ibn Nazir Satia

I'm for the truth no matter who tells it. I'm for justice no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being first and foremost and for whoever benefits humanity...

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Love & Reverence for Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Whenever the blessed name of our beloved Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam is mentioned, the one who is fortunate to utter this name and also the one who is fortunate to hear his name should, with utmost love and reverence, say, ‘sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam’. Nowadays, there is great negligence amongst youth in this regard. Some years ago, with the now older generation, we would see such great love and enthusiasm in reciting salāh ‘alan nabi (durūd); whenever the following verse would be recited in the khutbah, everyone would read some formula of salāh ‘alan nabi:

Truly, Allāh and His angels send salutations upon the prophet; o you who believe, send salutations and abundant greetings upon him (too). (33:56)

This verse contains a command from Allāh ta‘ālā to send salāh ‘alan nabi as this is an action performed by both Allāh ta‘ālā and His angels. However, for the youth nowadays this verse doesn’t bring any response. When it is recited we do not see anyone reading salāh ‘alan nabi audibly or even silently.

The ‘Ulamā have deduced from this verse that it is fard (compulsory) to send salutations and greetings upon the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam at least once in a lifetime. Thereafter, whenever one participates in any gathering, be it dars on the Qur’ān or Hadīth, a lecture or even an informal gathering, then the first time the blessed name of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam is mentioned it is wājib (obligatory) to read salāh ‘alan nabi; thereafter, every time, in the same gathering, whenever the blessed name is mentioned it is mustahab (desirable) to read salāh ‘alan nabi each time.

Remember, love and reverence for the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam dictates that even if the sharī‘ah had not stipulated that salāh ‘alan nabi be read when his blessed name is mentioned, we would still send salutations and greetings upon him in abundance.

So, whenever we hear the verse above read in a khutbah we should read salāh ‘alan nabi. There are many formulae for salāh ‘alan nabi. The most virtuous is the formula that we read in salāh. The shortest formula is ‘sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam’. This is the formula commonly used by the Muhaddithīn and is probably the most frequently recited form.

Our love for the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam should be such that we should not think of it to be a burden; rather, we should be eager to read it whenever we can. If, during a lecture, the scholar is explaining a point and happens not to mention the name of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam for some time, we should feel that something is missing and eagerly await when the blessed name is mentioned so that we can say salāh ‘alan nabi.

Love and reverence for the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam also dictates that we do not shorten his name when writing it. Many, instead of writing ‘Muhammad’ in full, suffice with writing ‘Mohd’. We write an article or letter of many pages and the only word that we find that we can shorten is the blessed name of the beloved of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam! Similarly, many do not write, for example, ‘sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam’, sufficing with ‘s.a.w’. Again, in the whole letter, article, etc. are these the only words that we can find to shorten? There is a similar trend in the Urdu language where the letters ‘Sād’ or ‘Sād, Lām, ‘Ayn and Mīm’ are used to represent ‘sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam’. Ponder for a while that who is planting these thoughts in your mind about shortening the name and salutation for our beloved Prophetsallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. What does this show regarding our love and reverence for our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam?

I remember when I was a student in Dārul ‘Ulūm, the way we were taught by our elders and the culture in the madrāsah was such that as the blessed name of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam was mentioned again and again, it was very difficult to take down all the notes from the lectures and also write the name of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam with salutations. Therefore, in our notes, wherever we had to write the blessed name of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and salutations, we would leave out a blank space and after class, in our own time, with our best handwriting we would write the salutations in our note books.

I would also like to bring an important point to the attention of many lecturers, who speak with the most eloquent language and accents, yet, when it comes to salāh ‘alan nabi they quickly mumble the words, void of love and reverence. Is this the level of our love and reverence for our Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam? 

In reading salāh ‘alan nabi there is nothing but benefit for us:

1. Allāh ta‘ālā sends ten mercies upon a person who recites salāh ‘alan nabi once.

2. Ten sins are forgiven.

3. The person’s rank is raised by ten degrees.

4. Ten rewards are written for him.

5. There is acceptance of du‘ā where salāh ‘alan nabi is recited at the beginning and at the end.

6. The person will be blessed with the intercession of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

7. Allāh will forgive his sins.

8. Allāh is pleased with him.

9. The person will be nearer to the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam on the Day of Judgement.

10. The person will have all his worries removed in this world and the Hereafter.

The great luminary in the field of tazkiyah and ihsān, Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Zakariyyā rahimahullāh would often receive letters regarding different problems and he would reply with appropriate answers. However, one point he would emphasise on in every reply was to be punctual in the recitation of salāh ‘alan nabi.

“There is a solution to every problem in sending salutations upon Muhammad sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.”

Finally, the great shaykh, Shaykh Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī rahimahullāh would instruct that salāh ‘alan nabi be read a minimum of 300 times daily by every Muslim. In the beginning, we could read the shortest formula of salāh ‘alan nabi mentioned above. After that we should try to recite salāh ‘alan nabi with the most virtuous salāh ‘alan nabi mixed in after every 10-15 of the shortest formula. This figure of 300 should be increased on the day of Friday, as the day of Friday has a special affinity with the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

May Allāh ta‘ālā enable us to read salāh ‘alan nabi in abundance and have true love and reverence for our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 19 No. 9/10, Sep/Oct 2010)

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

A Simple Step to Success

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

As believers, we all have the responsibility to lead our lives according to the commands set out by Allāh ta‘ālā. While some are guiltier than others, from time to time we all find ourselves in breach of His laws.

While advising the friends who had joined me in I’tikāf during the last ten days of Ramadān this year (1428AH), a thought came to my mind which I strongly felt would be helpful to a believer in keeping within the bounds of Allāh’s set commands. I would like to share this with my dear readers too.

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

Actions are judged on the final outcome (death). (Al-Bukhārī)

In light of this hadīth, every individual should imagine, before carrying out any action, that this may be his/her final action. If we carry out this exercise with full conviction, it will prove sufficient to keep us steadfast in abstaining from sins and fulfilling the commands of Allāh ta‘ālā. Furthermore, it will improve the quality of our good deeds and help us refrain from evil deeds.

Let us take an example to understand this better:

When a person stands for salāh, if he imagines that it could be his final action and that he may not get an opportunity to perform another salāh, he will be able to concentrate to a greater degree and develop greater sincerity. When another person, who intended to miss salāh out of laziness, imagines that these are his final moments, it will encourage him to perform his salāh.

Whenever an opportunity arises to sin, be it casting evil glances, backbiting, adultery or taking intoxicants, it should be imagined that these are one’s final moments. One should ask oneself: what if I was to die whilst in this state of sin? Rasūlullah sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said that every person will be resurrected in the condition in which he/she died, so how will I be able to face my Creator?

Inshā’allah, this exercise will prove helpful in keeping us on the path of Allah ta‘ālā’s pleasure and keeping us away from His displeasure.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 16 No. 10/11, Oct/Nov 2007)

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Safeguarding our Īmān

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ

O you who believe, fear Allāh and be with the truthful. (9:119)

There are three commands given in this verse: īmān, taqwā (safeguarding oneself from sin) and adoption of the company of truthful, god-fearing people. In this verse Allāh ta‘ālā teaches us that if we want to safeguard our īmān we have to save ourselves from sin by adopting taqwā. After accepting faith, failure to safeguard ourselves from sin means our īmān will not strengthen, and instead will weaken. And by continually weakening, the chances are that īmān will be lost altogether and be replaced by disbelief. So the rule is this: in order to safeguard your īmān, it is necessary to protect yourself from sin. And in order to be able to stay away from this, we need to adopt the company of the pious. Through the company of the pious, a person attains the ability to refrain from sin and becomes a Walī of Allāh ta‘ālā. Thereafter, the company of pious, god-fearing people assisits towards more progress in taqwā.

So Allāh ta‘ālā is telling us that if we wish to safeguard our īmān, we need to protect ourselves from sin, and if we wish to integrate the practice of refraining from sin into our lives and if we wish to illuminate our hearts with the light of taqwā then we must remain connected with the pious, i.e. those who are truthful in word and deed, and whose inner condition and external condition are the same. If the company of the pious is not adopted, then the standard of taqwā that is required will not be achieved. And if the standard of taqwā is not achieved, then the standard of īmān that is required will not remain. And it is possible that as the level of taqwā decreases, and sinfulness continues to increase, a time will come when īmān itself will diminish. (May Allāh ta‘ālā save us all. Āmīn)

This is an extract from the booklet ‘Time to Change’ published by At-Tazkiyah.

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Finding Peace and Contentment

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Besides the remembrance of Allāh ta‘ālā there is no other way for the heart to find peace, contentment or tranquillity. The patient suffering from eczema may attain a transient pleasure by scratching, but when he stops scratching, the discomfort returns and the future bodes nothing but difficulty. Likewise, temporary pleasure may be attained by one who disobeys Allāh ta‘ālā, but as soon as he concludes the impermissible activity he is involved in, his heart once again becomes discontent and restless.

No one in the world has a cure for restlessness of the heart. Allāh ta‘ālā has complete control over this condition and has kept its cure solely with Himself. If contentment of heart is lost, the combined efforts of all the world’s doctors, mashā’ikh and resources will be of no avail. Peace and contentment come from one place and one place only – they descend upon the hearts of man directly from the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā; no one else has been allowed power over them.

It is He who sent down peace upon the hearts of the believers… (48:4)

Allāh ta‘ālā is the one who causes peace, tranquillity and happiness to descend, and furthermore, they only descend upon hearts that are capable of accommodating them.

The Airport of the Heart

This concept can be understood by the following analogy. Aeroplanes of different designs do not indiscriminately land at any available airport. Airports are assessed to see what types of aircraft they are suitable for. If the airport is large, of sophisticated design and having a large runway of the best quality then the largest and most advanced aeroplanes will be able to land there. If the airport is not so well equipped then lighter aircraft will use it. If the airport is decrepit, with a runway full of potholes, then even the lightest aircraft will not be able to make use of it.

Our hearts are also airports, with a runway upon which the aeroplane of sakīnah (tranquillity) from Allāh ta‘ālā is designed to touch down. If the airport of our heart is small or if its runway is full of holes and cracks, then the aeroplane of sakīnah from Allāh ta‘ālā will not land. We will need to exert every effort to remove the cracks on the tarmac that have appeared due to our sins. We will need to refrain from sins to stop more cracks appearing. We will need to repent and submit to the commands of Allāh ta‘ālā, for it is with the tarmac of repentance and submission that the cracks of the runway are sealed.

Only after this effort will the aeroplane of tranquillity descend upon the heart. Then, for as long as an individual continues to maintain and rectify the airport of the heart, the aeroplane of sakīnah will continue to land. Its schedule will become fixed and its landings will be continuous.

Those who say: ‘Allāh is our Lord,’ and then remain steadfast, angels will descend upon them and say: ‘Do not fear nor grieve, and be happy with the good news of Jannah that you have been promised.’ (41:30)

At the time of death, Allāh ta‘ālā will send angels with sakīnah to the believers and as a result, they will not fear or grieve. Some mufassirīn state that those believers who strive throughout their lives to keep their hearts pure and clean and shun sin and repent if they slip are visited by angels bringing peace every day. Mufti Shafī‘rahimahullāh has quoted Abū Hayyān rahimahullāh as saying that angels descend upon the believers every day, the effects of which are manifested in their good deeds. The only difference is that until the moment of death, a believer is unable to see or hear the angels as they descend.

This is an extract from the booklet ‘Real Pleasure’ published by
the Islāmic Da’wah Academy.

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Attending a Janāzah

 
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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Make Wudū an Important Part of Your Life

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

 Wudū is not only a means of external cleanliness, it is also a means of internal purification. As well as removing al-hadath al-asghar (the impurity that arises when wudū is broken) it also purifies the soul and the heart and assists the nafs through the lowly stage of ammāriyyah, through lawwāmiyyah, towards itmi’nān, the stage of perfection.

To fully appreciate how wudū contributes towards this internal cleansing we need to understand that our hearts are corrupted or rectified by our actions, and that our actions come into existence through the function of four parts of the body: the face, head (mind), hands and feet. There is a process by which an action normally comes into existence:

1. First, the inclination to do or not do a particular action is born. This happens by coming face to face with and seeing something, for that is how we understand something to be attractive or repulsive. It is possible for this inclination to arise straight away or at some future time after the encounter.

2. Next, the mind weighs up whether to undertake the action or leave it.

3. Thereafter the feet move one towards doing it or avoiding it, and the arms and hands reach out to accomplish it, or deflect it.

So, as a rule, a human uses these four parts of the body in order to acquire or avoid something.

If these four parts of the body are blessed, through the action of wudū, they will incline towards blessed things; if they are left unclean, they will incline towards filthy things. By washing the face, arms and feet and doing masah of the head in wudū we increase both their power of attraction towards goodness and their power to repel evil.

Therefore, we should do wudū as frequently as we can and try to remain in a state of wudū at all times. Wudū is one of the weapons Allāh ta‘ālā has given believers to ward off the insidious whispers of Shaytān. Washing the face frequently will mean that the eyes will be inclined towards goodness and disinclined to evil. Doing masah often will mean that if confronted with temptation, the mind will decide against it, and when encountering goodness it will decide to acquire it. As the hands and feet – the servants of the mind – are also washed frequently they will support and obey the mind. This is why it has always been the habit of the sulahā (pious predecessors) to remain in the state of wudū at all times. They not only do wudū for salāh or tilāwah, but renew it whenever it breaks.

A special effort should be made to also retire to sleep in the state of wudū. Ḥaḍdrat Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Zakariyyā rahimahullāh explains that doing wudū before sleeping wards off bad dreams and Shaytānī whispers during the night, and if combined with the recital of Āyat-ul-Kursī before sleeping, then all the better.

Tahiyyat-ul-Wudū

We should also make a habit of performing two raka‘āt of Tahiyyat-ul-Wudū after completing wudū, as long as it is not a makrūh time to offer salāh and there is enough time before the fard salāh. After Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam returned from mi‘rāj he asked Bilāl radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, “O Bilāl! Tell me in which of the actions you have done in Islām you have the most hope of reward, for truly, I heard the sound of your footsteps ahead of me in Jannah?”

Bilāl radhiyallāhu ‘anhu replied, “I have done no action that I have more hope in than that whenever I do wudū, any time in the day or night, I perform as much salāh with that wudū as Allāh ta‘ālā has ordained for me.” (Al-Bukhārī)

Attentiveness During Wudū

To derive the greatest benefit from wudū we must do it with understanding, concentration and attentiveness. When Imām Zayn-ul-‘Ābidīn rahimahullāh (the son ofHusayn ibn ‘Alī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu) used to sit down to do wudū, his demeanour would change and he would turn pale. Once, someone asked the cause of the change and he explained that when commencing wudū the realisation would dawn that it is time to stand in the court of the Almighty, and thus his heart would be weighed down by a sense of awe at the Greatness and Majesty of Allāh ta‘ālā.

Our pious predecessors would do wudū with the realisation that they were about to present themselves in the court of the Almighty. They would start preparing for salāh up to an hour beforehand, and utter beautiful supplications during the various stages of wudū, remaining mindful of Him from beginning to end. They would enter the masjid with that attentiveness, offer Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid and the sunnah salāh and then sit in anticipation of the fard salāh, neither looking this way nor that, completely engrossed in the remembrance of Allāh ta‘ālā.

Imagine the connection with the Almighty they would have established when they would finally stand for the fard salāh and say Allāhu Akbar! Shaykh Fadl-ur-Rahmān Ganjmurādābādī rahimahullāh used to say that when placing his forehead on the ground in sajdah, he would feel like never lifting it up again, and he would feel he had placed his head in the lap of Allāh ta‘ālā, and Allāh ta‘ālā was stroking his head with affection. That is why when our pious predecessors would finish salāh they would not feel like leaving the masjid.

It is sad to say that our condition is very different. When the time for salāh approaches we rush through wudū and rush to offer salāh, which we regard as a burdensome duty. Even while doing wudū, our minds are occupied with worldly matters, or we chat and laugh. And after salāh we rush out of the masjid.

May Allāh ta‘ālā instead grant us the ability to follow in the footsteps of our pious predecessors by giving wudū an important place in our lives, and doing it frequently and with attentiveness.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 25 No. 4, Apr 2016)

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Du‘ā – A Great Gift

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

 As believers, we all have a deep yearning to attach ourselves to our Merciful and Gracious Creator. Even the sinful aspire to do something that will please their Master and bring them closer to Him. Out of His sheer Grace and Mercy, Allāh ta‘ālā has created many ways for us to acquire this closeness. One of these is du‘ā.

Du‘ā holds special significance among the many important and spiritually uplifting forms of worship we have been bestowed with. It is an act extremely liked by Allāhta‘ālā as it represents the height of humbleness and submission to the Creator. It is for this reason it has been termed the ‘essence of ‘ibādah’ and even simply ‘‘ibādah’. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam states:

Du‘ā is the essence of ‘ibādah. (At-Tirmidhī) 

Du‘ā is ‘ibādah. (At-Tirmidhī)

Du‘ā is so important that Allāh ta‘ālā becomes displeased when His bondsman neglects it. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam states:

Allāh becomes angry with the person who does not ask from Him. (At-Tirmidhī)

By making du‘ā, we create a special connection with Allāh ta‘ālā whereby love for Him increases, faith in Him strengthens and the doors of boundless mercy are opened for us. If we do not ask from our Creator, we will never be able to create that special relationship.

Take the example of two people, one who is poor and needy and the other who is wealthy and eager to find opportunities to assist the needy. If the poor man were never to ask the rich man for assistance, he would never develop any relationship with him. However, by asking for assistance, a degree of recognition is created. If, at every time of need, he asked the rich person for help, and the rich person gave, then this would surely create love for the rich man in the poor man’s heart. Similarly, witnessing the helplessness and neediness of the poor man, mercy would increase in the heart of the rich man, and he would regard this needy person instrumental in gaining the Pleasure of the Creator. He would advise the poor man not to be hesitant in asking him for help whenever the need arises. Soon the relationship would become such that the rich man would not wait for the poor man to ask, but would bestow his generosity upon him even before that. This is just an example of how mere mortals would behave; the Mercy and Grace of Allāh ta‘ālā are beyond imagination!

Remember, du‘ā is the weapon of the believer. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallamsaid:

Verily, du‘ā is beneficial against that (affliction) which has descended as well as that which has not [yet] descended; so hold fast, O bondsmen of Allāh, to du‘ā. (At-Tirmidhī)

So we should always remain steadfast with du‘ā. Holding fast to the following points will inshā’allāh  help in this regard:

1. We need to create a habit of asking Allāh ta‘ālā for all our needs in every situation. Whether a matter is big or small, difficult or easy, we should turn to Allāhta‘ālā. Our attitude should be that even in circumstances where we are fully confident of success, du‘ā is still our first step. Even for trivial everyday needs we need to adopt the habit of turning to Allāh ta‘ālā. Our first recourse should be du‘ā and thereafter asbāb (means). Unfortunately, our approach is to turn to asbāb first and then to du‘ā, or more precisely, when the asbāb do not deliver the desired result we turn to du‘ā. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has advised us that even if the strap of a sandal breaks, we should ask Allāh ta‘ālā first before going about getting it repaired. (At-Tirmidhī)

2. Make it a practice to say a short du‘ā after every good deed, whether you are in need or not. In reality we are always in need, but sometimes we get the impression that we have no needs. Our circumstances all look favourable; we are healthy, we have sufficient finances, we have security, our children are obedient, etc. The question is: Can we be sure that these circumstances will remain same? We also need to think a little deeper: is my death on Īmān guaranteed? What about the stages of the grave? How will I fare on the Day of Resurrection? In reality, we are always in need and so should always adopt the habit of making du‘ā, even for a short while, after every good deed. If we are short of time, then there are some very concise yet comprehensive supplications which we can make at such moments, e.g.

3. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has taught us many beautiful supplications for various occasions that are amazing in their precision, conciseness, depth of meaning and appropriateness to the occasion. Contemplating their meanings increases one’s faith and love for Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. This is such a great favour of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam upon us that we can never repay even if we were to spend our entire lives sending salutations upon him.

    Prior to my recent operation, I thought it opportune to request my akābir (elders) to make du‘ā for me. Amongst those who are especially affectionate to me is my respected Shaykh, Hadrat Mawlānā Qamaruz-zamān sāhib hafizahullāh. During our conversation, only moments before the operation, Hadrat advised me to recite one of the supplications of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam that Hadrat Shāh Wasīyullāh sāhib rahimahullāh used to frequently read.

    O Allāh, I ask You for a pure life and a peaceful death and a return that is neither disgraceful nor dishonourable.

 

    Although, this supplication is of a general nature and not stipulated for this particular situation, however, whilst pondering over the meaning of this du‘ā, I felt as if it was especially devised for the very situation I was in. All supplications of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam are priceless gems, if only we were to value them. We should learn them and make them part of our daily lives. This will also help us maintain the remembrance of Allāh ta‘ālā throughout the day.

4. There are also many supplications of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam that are not specific to any occasion. Our mashāyikh have gone to great lengths to compile these in book form so that we can benefit from them. We should make it a practice to read these compilations so that we can reap their benefits in both worlds.

    Two famous compilations are Al-Hizb Al-A‘zam and Munājāt-e-Maqbūl. It is best if we can read both daily, otherwise at least one. If this is also difficult then at the least the abridged version of Al-Hizb Al-A‘zam should be read. Similarly, Allāh ta‘ālāgranted me the tawfīq to compile those supplications in which Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam sought refuge from certain things. This compilation, called Al-Mu‘awwadhāt, will also bring great benefit if included in one’s daily practices. Istighfār is also a form du‘ā. I was also granted the tawfīq to compile the phrases of istighfār from the Qur’ān in a small booklet, and this will also be of great benefit as part of one’s daily practices.

Let us hold fast to du‘ā. It is a priceless gift and powerful tool granted to us by Allāh ta‘ālā and we should recognise it as such. We should not regard the great gift of du‘ā as a burdensome ritual carried out without any real interest or understanding of its importance.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 23 No. 11, Nov 2014)

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

How to Benefit from Ramadān

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

 In order to fully benefit from this blessed month, the following is recommended:

1. Reading from Fadā’il-e-A‘māl of Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Mawlānā Muhammad Zakariyyā rahimahullāh. We should sit down as a family at a set time, and read and listen to a portion daily. We should study this book before and during Ramadān.

2. Abstain from every disobedience to Allāh ta‘ālā. Safeguard your eyes, ears, tongue and even the mind. As many sins take place as a result of interacting with people we should minimize this.

3. Prepare a timetable and keep yourself occupied at all times. Stay away from every action and speech which has no benefit in this world or the Hereafter.

4. Make an assessment of all the deeds you have carried out daily. Ask yourself two questions:

a) Have I carried out any deed which will attract the Mercy of Allāh ta‘ālā?

b) Have I committed any sin which will deprive me of the Mercy of Allāh ta‘ālā?

5. Spend as much time as possible in reciting the Qur’ān. The Huffāz should set a target of reciting the whole Qur’ān 10 times, and the non-Huffāz at least 5 times.

6. Read salāh ‘alan Nabī sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, the kalimah tayyibah, the third kalimah, istighfār, etc. in abundance.

7. Engage in du‘ā, asking Allāh ta‘ālā for all the needs of this world and the Hereafter, after the performance of good deeds, before iftār and at the time of Tahajjud.

8. Read in abundance:

    

     Lā ilāha illallāh, astaghfirullāh, as’alukal jannah, wa a’ūdhubika minannār.

     There is no diety except Allāh, I seek forgiveness from Allāh, I ask from You (O Allāh) Jannah, and I seek Your refuge from the fire.  

9. Spend in the Path of Allāh ta‘ālā during the days and nights of Ramadān. Allocate a budget and spend accordingly.

10. Spend the last 10 days in i‘tikāf, for these 10 days are the very cream of Ramadān. Every year Laylat-ul-Qadr (The Night of Power) rotates in these 10 nights.

© Riyādul Jannah 

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Love for the Masjid

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

It should be the desire of every Muslim to be in the House of Allāh ta‘ālā at all times. A Muslim should feel that if he had no commitments, he would have spent his entire time in the masjid. The heart should always yearn to be in the place most beloved to Allāh ta‘ālā. Any place beloved to Allāh will certainly become beloved to the person who has love for Allāh ta‘ālā, and Love of Allāh ta‘ālā is an essential requisite of Īmān. In one hadīth Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said: “The most beloved places to Allāh ta‘ālā are the masājid.” (Muslim)

Even when he is occupied with matters of the world, such as family, work, etc., the heart of a Muslim should always be attached to the masjid. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated in one hadīth that the condition of a believer outside the masjid is that of a fish out of water. A fish obviously has no desire to be out of water and if it is taken out, will long to return, and will remain restless for as long as it is out of water. In the same hadīth, the sign of a munāfiq (hypocrite) has been described as a bird in a cage, longing to be released therefrom as soon as possible. A munāfiq anxiously waits for the salāh or speech to end, so he can leave. The point to reflect upon is that do we feel restless outside the masjid, longing to return to it, and if not, then are we not displaying the sign of a munāfiq?

This hadīth encourages us to inculcate love for the masājid, thereby visiting them frequently and remaining within for as long as possible. If for any particular reason, or due to worldly necessities, one cannot remain longer in the masjid, the desire for staying longer and the urge to return at the first opportunity should at least be present in the heart. It is indeed regrettable to witness that even when not preoccupied with necessary commitments, many Muslims, at salāh times, remain sitting at home or wandering the streets instead of attending the masājid and performing salāh. And even if they do attend, they will make a point to come as late as possible and leave immediately after salāh, only to ‘hang around’ outside with friends. Many have become so negligent that in their haste to leave, they discard the performance of sunnah mu’akkadah as well.

The sunnah salāh has been divided into two categories, mu’akkadah and ghayr mu’akkadah. The sunnah mu’akkadah are those, which Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam used to perform with punctuality, and exhorted the Ummah to do the same, except on a journey when there is scope for omitting them. Sunnah ghayr mu’akkadah are the non-emphasised sunnah salāh, which Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallamused to perform on a regular basis but had omitted them at times as well, so that the Ummah could differentiate between the two. Many people never perform these at all.

Nowadays, we tend to believe that the sunnah ghayr mu’akkadah (the non-emphasised sunnah salāh) are those which Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam only performed occasionally. This is the definition that we have in our minds today. This is the very reason why we find a very small number of people performing the sunnah ghayr mu’akkadah. This is indeed a very grave misconception. We should make it a point to perform these with the regularity they deserve.

Coming back to the main topic, I wish to stress once again that love for the masjid (which is indicated by the desire to be present therein) is a necessary requirement. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said: “There are seven (types of persons) whom Allāh will give protection with His Shade on the Day when there will be no shade except His Shade:…(one of them is) a person whose heart is attached to the masjid…” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

If, however, such inclination does not exist within the heart, then it should be created by  compelling oneself to come to the masjid at least fifteen to twenty minutes before jamā‘ah (congregational prayer) time and engage in some form of  ‘ibādah. If one finds it difficult to come any earlier than the jamā‘ah time, then one should try and spend some time after the salāh. Moreover, it would also be beneficial to participate in the regular durūs (lessons of Qur’ān or Hadīth) or similar Dīnī lectures that take place in the masjid. 

The benefits of visiting the masājid are numerous. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said: “He who purifies himself in his house and then walks to one of the Houses of Allāh for performing an obligatory act (salāh), one step of his will wipe out his sins and another step will exalt him in status (in Paradise).” (Muslim)

Furthermore, just by entering the masjid with the right foot, one would be gaining the immense reward of practising a sunnah of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. By reciting the prescribed du‘ā (for this occasion) another sunnah would be accomplished. By making the intention of i‘tikāf, at the time of entering, the entire time spent within the masjid will bear the reward of i‘tikāf as well. Besides, one’s presence in the masjid (provided one does not engage in talking about worldly matters) will save one from impermissible speech and actions, which may possibly have been carried out by one outside the masjid.

It has to be remembered that to engage in anything related to worldly affairs whilst in the masjid is not allowed. The acts permissible in the masjid are those which relate to the Remembrance of Allāh ta‘ālā, such as the recitation of the Qur’ān, dhikr, listening to speeches or durūs (lessons) of Qur’ān & Ahādīth, etc. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said: “The masājid are constructed only for the Remembrance of Allāh and salāh.” (Ibn Mājah)

One more virtue of the masjid pertains to one’s closeness with the imām when insalāh. The closer one is, the more virtuous becomes one’s salāh. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said: “If people came to know of the blessing of (saying) adhān and (performing salāh in) the first row, they would resort to drawing lots if they had to (to secure these privileges).” (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

As we are unaware of the reality of the spiritual world, we have become neglectful of even such great and virtuous acts. In order to understand this, it would help to cite an example in purely materialistic terms. If for instance, a masjid was to announce that all those performing salāh in the first row would be awarded a sum as little as five pounds, for every salāh, one would witness that the first row would be filled up well before the beginning of salāh. Although not a big sum of money, but multiply it by five (for the five daily salāh) and then multiply that by seven (for the seven days of the week), it would add up to a week’s wages. This would certainly attract people to the first row. Unfortunately, we haven’t accorded even the importance and value of five pounds to the virtue mentioned by Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

Dear friends, when we come to the masjid, we should endeavour to obtain a place in the first row. We have plenty of time to talk and gossip outside salāh times. Leave all the mundane activities for another time and come and sit as close to the imām as possible. We should realise that there is a force keeping us away from this reward (and other such rewards) and this is the evil force of shaytān. We have to learn to fight shaytān and endeavour to get closer to Allāh ta‘ālā.  

INTENTIONS FOR GOING TO THE MASJID

Many intentions can be made when going to the masjid. Remember, for each intention a separate reward will be attained. Listed below are some possible intentions that can be made.

1. To perform salāh.

2. For going to the House of Allāh ta‘ālā.

3. To obtain reward for the time spent while awaiting the congregation of thesalāh.

4. For the limbs to be safeguarded from sins.

5. For nafl (optional) i‘tikāf.

6. To remember Allāh ta‘ālā in seclusion.

7. To meet fellow Muslim brothers.

8. For the reward of salām (greeting other brothers).

9. For reciting the du‘ā when entering and leaving the masjid.

10. For reciting the Qur’ān.

11. For an opportunity for amr bil ma‘rūf and nahy ‘anil munkar (to enjoin what is right and forbid what is evil).

May Allāh ta‘ālā forgive our sins and overlook our shortcomings and may He grant us the correct understanding of Dīn and His Pleasure. Āmīn.

© Islāmic Da’wah Academy

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Importance of Small Deeds

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

The aim and objective of every believer is to acquire the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā, and for that one has to carry out good deeds. These good deeds fall into two categories:fard(obligatory) and nafl (optional). Non-compliance with the obligatory deeds will leave a believer sinful; therefore, priority has to be given to the obligatory commands. But, together with this, an ardent effort needs to be made to perform as many optional deeds as possible.

The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam says in a hadīth qudsīyy that Allāh ta‘ālā says:

“My servant does not get proximity to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made compulsory upon him. Thereafter, he continues to gain proximity to Me by performing optional deeds, until I love him.” (Al-Bukhārī)

From this hadīth we understand that in order to acquire maximum proximity to Allāhta‘ālā and become His beloved, together with carrying out the obligatory actions, we need to go beyond and perform the optional deeds; then only will we become the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā. It is therefore of utmost importance that we take the whole package and, whilst carrying out the obligatory deeds, try our utmost to carry out as many optional deeds as possible.

One should, upon seeing his/her weakness in performing obligatory actions, never feel that there is no benefit in performing optional actions. This is an incorrect mindset, as deficiencies in, or lack of obligatory deeds on the Day of Qiyāmah can somewhat be made up through optional devotions. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

“Indeed, the first action that will be judged by Allāh on the Day of Judgement shall be Salāh. Our Lord, the Great, the Mighty, despite knowing, will say to the angels, ‘Check my servant’s account (for his Salāh); did he complete it or leave it incomplete?’ If it is complete, then it will be written as such. And if it is found lacking, then Allāh will say, ‘Check if my servant has any optional Salāh in his account. If he has optional Salāh, then complete his obligatory Salāh with this and then reckon him on this deed.’” (Abū Dāwūd)

Similarly, another benefit of performing optional actions, whilst being weak in obligatory actions, is that the nūr (light) created in the heart by these actions will make the heart healthy making obligatory actions easy to perform. Therefore, any small action should not be undermined or underestimated, as one is not aware of the spiritual effect it will have on the heart.

Moreover, many times optional actions which seemed trivial at the time become the means of Allāh ta‘ālā’s forgiveness. We have the famous story of the transgressing woman who upon seeing a thirsty dog gave it water to drink. On account of this one deed Allāh ta‘ālā forgave her and entered her into Jannah. (Al-Bukhārī) Similar is the story of the man who cut a branch from a tree which was hindering people who used that path. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam mentioned that he had seen the man strolling in Jannah on account of this deed. (Muslim)

Another important point to keep in mind regarding this is that any action, big or small, should be carried out as soon as the thought of performing it comes to mind. These thoughts to do good are like noble guests. If they are not entertained, they will not return.

Finally, with regards to optional deeds, we see people going to two extremes. Firstly, we have those who when hearing of incidents such as those quoted above about the dog and the branch, become complacent. They think that they have done many such optional deeds and helped many people, so they will most definitely go to Jannah! This is definitely not the correct mindset. Rather, the correct way to look at such incidents is to think that the person in the incident was fortunate. Take the example of a person who escapes a fine from the police for doing something wrong, this does not mean that another should also do the same because he too will escape in the same way! We should therefore continue performing as many deeds as possible. The other extreme people go to is thinking that they are so stooped in sin that a small optional deed will do no good for them whatsoever. This is also incorrect, for no matter how sinful a person may be, every good deed, even if it is the mere saying of subhānallāhor alhamdulillāh, will definitely be beneficial in one way or another.

It is therefore important that we do the utmost to maximise our good deeds with the intention of seeking the attention of Allāh ta‘ālā. If we do, then, inshā’allāh, Allāhta‘ālā will grant barakah in our actions and we will soon find ourselves practicing the whole Dīn, performing both the obligatory and optional acts. May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us the tawfīq.

© At-Tazkiyah

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