Allah grant us the ability to value His blessings.
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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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The Greatest Jihad
Jihad for Truth
A man asked the Messenger of Allah (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) “What is the most virtuous struggle (Jihād)?” The Prophet said, “A word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler.” [1]
When people think of Jihād today, they often think of it in the military sense only because of rogue groups and with the help of the media notoriously tarnishing the word ‘Jihad’, the mass hold a misconception of it’s deeper meaning. In both cases thus the true essence of Jihad—such as standing up against injustice and oppression—is forgotten.
In Islām, truthfulness is the very cornerstone of the upright Muslim’s character and the springboard for his/her virtuousness deeds. Allāh says:
“O you who believe! Fear Allāh, and be with those who are true (in word and deeds).” [2]
‘Abd-Allāh ibn Mas’ūd (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said: “The Messenger of Allāh (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said: ‘You must be truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man will keep speaking the truth and striving to speak the truth until he will be recorded with Allāh as a siddeeq (speaker of the truth). Beware of telling lies, for lying leads to immorality and immorality leads to Hellfire. A man will keep telling lies and striving to tell lies until he is recorded with Allāh as a liar.” [3]. This hadīth indicates that truthfulness leads to righteousness (al-birr), an all-embracing concept that includes all kinds of goodness and different kinds of righteous deeds.
It is narrated in the hadīth in al-Bukhāri and Muslim that no baby spoke in the cradle except three (and some say four), those being ‘Īsā (ʿalayhi al-Salām), Juraij, and another baby from the Banī Isrā’īl, and others mention the story of the Companions of the Trench, where a baby spoke to its mother to become a martyr. What you will notice is that Allāh made all the babies speak out of some impetus for justice. He made ‘Īsā (ʿalayhi al-Salām) speak to absolve his mother of charges of indecency; the baby in the story of Juraij spoke for a similar reason, the child of the Banī Isrā’īl spoke to differentiate a man that was a tyrant from a girl that was falsely accused. Allāh made miracles speaking for justice. And if Allāh made babies speak up for what is right, do you not think this is expected of you and me? [4]
As we can see from the above, it is from the fundamental teachings of Islām that truth cannot make concessions with falsehood. We are taught that wherever we see falsehood, we should run towards it to confront it with the truth, however bitter it may sound. Indeed this was from the way of the Messenger of Allāh (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam), the following is a very good example of this.
When the Prophet’s (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) uncle, Abū Tālib died, you can imagine the anxieties he was facing now that he lost his main protection from among the people. During this period, one of the biggest enemies of Islām and of those who caused most suffering to the Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam), Abū Lahab said: “O Muhammad, pass on freely as you want. Do whatever you did when Abū Tālib was alive. No, by al-Lāt (an idol), I swear no harm will befall you before I die.”
When the Quraish heard this, they said to Abū Lahab, “Ask your nephew where your father has been sent”. So he then went and queried this with the Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) who said that Abū Lahab’s father (who of course is the Prophet’s grandfather) ‘Abd al-Muttalib was with “his people”. When Abū Lahab told the people of Quraish this, they said to him “ask your nephew is ‘Abd al-Muttalib in the hell fire”. So Abu Lahab asked the Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) this. Now before giving you his response, think about the Prophet’s (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) predicament – he has lost one of his most important pillars of support which now made him an open enemy of the Quraish and they could do with him what they wished and yet surprisingly, he now had gained the support from one of his biggest enemies, Abū Lahab.
He could have easily given him a vague response to please him, to have dressed his response up in order to ensure that Abū Lahab remained on good terms with him. But such was the firmness of the Messenger of Allāh (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) and his certainty in his greatest ally and protector, Allāh jalla wa’alā and his principle in standing with the truth that he responded as follows, and in doing so, invited on himself once again the wrath of Abū Lahab:
“Na’m (yes), whoever dies in the state of ‘Abd al-Muttalib was in, goes into hell-fire.”
On hearing this, Abu Lahab announced, “By God, I shall always be your enemy for your claiming that he is in the fire!”.[5]
Fulfilling the needs of people is one of the greatest acts of worship, and proof enough for this are the Prophet’s words, (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam):
“For me to walk along with my brother to fulfil his need is more beloved to me than to make I’tikaf in this mosque of mine for a month.” [6]
To our brothers who are being maligned in this difficult time, we pray that Allāh keeps you firm, protects you and makes these deeds of yours weigh heavily on the scale of deeds. And know that you have done what many great men have done before you such as Ibrahīm (ʿalayhi al-Salām) against Nimrūd, Mūsā (ʿalayhi al-Salām) against Fir’awn, and Malcolm X RH against the oppressive racist powers of his time; in each case, accounting the powers that be and inviting scorn on themselves in the process. Dear brothers, I leave you with the statement of the great sage and scholar of Islam, Ibn al-Qayyim RH which I hope you will take heart from in this testing time you are facing:
“Truthfulness is the greatest of stations, from it sprout all the various stations of those traversing the path to God; and from it sprouts the upright path which if not trodden, perdition is that person’s fate. Through it is the hypocrite distinguished from the believer and the inhabitant of Paradise from the denizen of Hell. It is the sword of God in His earth: it is not placed on anything except that it cuts it; it does not face falsehood except that it hunts it and vanquishes it; whoever fights with it will not be defeated; and whoever speaks it, his word will be made supreme over his opponent. It is the very essence of deeds and the well spring of spiritual states, it allows the person to embark boldly into dangerous situations, and it is the door through which one enters the presence of the One possessing Majesty. It is the foundation of the building of Islām, the central pillar of the edifice of certainty and the next level in ranking after the level of prophethood.” [7]
Source: www.islam21c.com
Notes:
[1] Ahmad
[2] Al-Qur’ān 9:119
[3] Muslim
[4] Riyād as-Sālihīn
[5] [Ibn Katheer’s, Life of the Prophet (S.A.W) Volume 2.
[6] Al-Tabari
[7] Madārij al-Sālikīn
~ Nikah ~
When a man and a woman get married, both their Iman also get completed.
So may your bond be strong as husband and wife,
And may Allah ta’ala grant you a happy, blissful and beautiful life.
May Allah ta’ala fill your marriage with honesty and care,
And make sure you treat each other fair.
May your hearts be filled with everlasting love,
But make sure you always remember and obey the One above,
May you become a piece of each other’s heart,
So that you miss each other when you’re apart.
May you become a means of each others happiness,
And also help each other through sorrow and sadness.
May Allah ta’ala grant you blessings in this Nikah,
As He did to the marriages of the Holy Prophet to
Sayyidah Khadijah RA and Sayyidah A’ishah RA
May Allah ta’ala bless you with righteous and pious children,
Who’ll become a means for you all to get united in heaven.
But if in your marriage you face test after test,
Observe patience and show gratitude and you will become the best.
If either of you makes a mistake please learn to forgive and forget,
Because this is the teaching that the Holy Prophet has set.
If ever you have any arguments please remember it’s from Shaytan,
Who will always try to destroy one’s marriage and Imaan.
Always try to fulfil each other’s right,
And then In Sha Allah the future for you will be bright.
Finally, may Allah ta’ala grant you in this life tranquillity,
Happiness and abundant Barakah,
Subsequently in the life after
Grant you both the highest level in Jannah. Ameen.
Source: Al-Mumin Magazine
29th JamadulThani 1436
Categories
The Gentle Giant
30 Episodes on the Life of Umar (Allah be pleased with him)
Quotes of ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu)
Umar bin Al-Khattab, the second caliph and Companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) once said that if it were not for three pleasures, he would not find any joy in life.
One of these three pleasures was “sitting in the company of men who like to pick good topics for conversation just as people like to pick good dates from a tree.”
“Beware of excessive meat, for it has an addiction similar to that of wine”- (Muwatta Imam Malik, Hadith: 2702)
“Get used to a tough life, for luxury does not last forever.”
“I have never regretted my silence. As for my speech I’ve regretted it many times.”
“Allah loves moderation and hates extravagance and excess.”“I thought of all types of wealth, but couldn’t find a better wealth than contentment in a little.”“Let not your love become attachment, nor your hate become destruction.”“May God bless the man who says less and does more.”“Patience is the healthiest ingredient of our life.”“Doing good for a good done to you is simply repayment, whereas doing good for an evil done to you is a tremendous virtue.”
Umar ibnul Khattab (ra) said: ”Invite people to Islam even without words” They asked ”How?” He replied ”With your manners.”
“I fear the day where disbelievers are proud of their falsehood and Muslims are shy of their faith.”
“The biggest gift after Iman (Faith) is your wives.”
وجدنا خير عيشنا بالصبر “We found the best of our lives through patience.”
Sayyiduna ‘Umar ibn Al Khattab (radiyallahu ‘anhu) wrote to his his governors saying, “In my view, the most important of your affairs is Salah. Whoever protects it and performs it [habitually and timeously], is protecting his Din. Whoever is negligent about it will be even more negligent about other matters…” (Muwatta Imam Malik, Hadith: 6)
‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with him)was an excellent judge of character, and he said:“Do not be deceived by a man’s eloquence rather whoever fulfills trusts and refrains from impugning people’s honor is a real man.”
And he used to say: “Don’t look at a man’s prayer or fasting, rather look at his reason and honesty.”
And he said: “There are two types of men I do not fear for you: A believer whose faith is obvious and a kafir whose kufr is obvious. Rather I fear for you the hypocrite who hides behind a show of faith but strives for some other purpose.
“When you see that any scholar loves the world, then his scholarship is in doubt.”
Umar RA series Click above or try this
![1422040968296[1]](https://mylittlebreathingspace.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/14220409682961.jpg?w=300&h=300)
Justice of Caliph Umar RAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwNa2vn4UicMawlana Tariq Jamil Sahebhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n37MLZbJBvM
The famous Tabi’i; Sayyiduna Sa’id ibn Musayyab (rahimahullah) reports that Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) laid eighteen sterling advices for the people, each one filled with wisdom:
1. When someone disobeys Allah in matters that impacts on you, you can retaliate in no better way than obeying Allah in matters that impact on him.
2. Always assume the best about your brother unless you learn something about him that you cannot reconcile.
3. Never assume the worst about any statement that a Muslim makes as long as you are able to make a good interpretation.
4. One who exposes himself to suspicion must never blame anyone who holds a bad opinion of him.
5. Whoever guards his secrets will retain the choice [and control of it] in his hands.
6. Ensure that you keep true friends to stay under their wings because they are a source of beauty during times of prosperity and a means of protection during times of hardship.
7. Ensure that you speak the truth even if it leads to your death.
8. Never delve into matters that do not concern you.
9. Do not ask about matters that have not occurred because that which has already taken place is enough to keep you occupied from that which has not.
10. Never seek your needs from one who does not love to see your success.
11. Never keep the company of a sinner, as you will learn his sinful ways.
12. Keep away from your enemy.
13 & 14. Beware even of your friends, except for the trustworthy one and none can be trustworthy unless he fears Allah.
15. To be humble in speech.
16. Lower yourself in obedience of Allah.
17. Stand firm against His disobedience.
18. Consult in your matters those who fear Allah, indeed Allah says:
انما يخشى الله من عباده العلمؤا
It is those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. (Surah Fatir, Verse: 28)
(Rawdatul ‘Uqala of Imam Ibn Hibban (rahimahullah), pg.82-83 with a chain of reliable narrators)
Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)30 Sha’ban 1436
Categories
Solar Eclipse 2015
27th Jumādal Ulā 1436 AH ~ Tuesday 17th March 2015
SOLAR ECLIPSE
by Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh
Abū Bakrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu relates: “We were with Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam when the sun eclipsed. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam stood up dragging his cloak1 till he entered the masjid. We also entered. He sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam led us in a two raka’āt salāh till the eclipse cleared. Then the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, ‘The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of anyone’s death.2 So whenever you see these (eclipses), perform salāh and make du’ā until the eclipse is cleared.’” (Al-Bukhārī)
1 This indicated urgency.
2 Prior to the advent of Islām, it was a widely held belief in Arab society that eclipse would occur upon the death of a great personality. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam had a son named Ibrāhīm radhiyallāhu ‘anhu who passed away in infancy, on the same day as a solar eclipse. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam dispelled this false notion.
WHAT TO DO AT THE TIME OF SOLAR ECLIPSE
…So whenever you see these (eclipses), offer salāh and make du‘ā till the eclipse has cleared. (Al-Bukhārī)
…So when you see the eclipse, make du’ā to Allāh and say takbīr, perform salāh and give sadaqah… (Al-Bukhārī)
…He (the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) went to the Masjid (on the occasion of solar eclipse) and offered the salāh with the longest qiyām, rukū‘ and sujūd that I had ever seen him doing. (Al-Bukhārī)
From the ahādīth above we learn that we should engage in:
1) salāh;
2) du‘ā;
3) rememberance of Allāh ta‘ālā; and
4) spend in causes that bring the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā.
It is sunnah to perform two raka’āt salāh with congregation which is to be led by the imām of jumu‘ah salāh or any imām of the masjid. It is sunnah to perform this salāh with qiyām, rukū‘ and sujūd that are long.
After the salāh the congregation should engage in du‘ā which should last until the eclipse clears.
Mas’alah: Adhān or iqāmah will not be called for this salāh. Announcements can be made to gather the people.
Mas’alah: If whilst engaged in du‘ā the time for a fard salāh commences, then du‘ā should be concluded and fard salāh should be performed.
During such occasions we must not remain neglectful. Many people are more keen to witness the eclipse, rather than following the teachings of our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.
May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us the tawfīq to turn to Him during such moments in light of the teachings of our Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.
© Islāmic Da’wah Academy
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بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
All praise is due to Allah, the all-knowing, the all-seeing and we beseech Allah to send His noblest blessings on the Seal of the Prophets, Our Master and Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alayhi Wasallam).
Dear respected Brothers and Sisters,
Please see below a synopsis of the conference I attended, Sunday 8 March 2015. Alhumdu Lillah, there were hundreds, rather thousands of brothers who attended from all across the country. Nice to see so many brothers under one roof, seeking knowledge of Deen. Amazingly organised and orchestrated by each and every volunteer at the Islamic Da’wah Academy, once again – Ma Sha Allah!
A reminder for those who attended.
A backup for those who missed it.
Mawlānā Yasir Saheb, AlRahma Academy, Chorley.
Mawlana started by saying how Islam has taught us everything, from going to the toilet to running a government. Islam has the answers. He narrated the story of how a Jewish man once sarcastically asked Salman Farsi (Radhi Allahu Anho), “Is it true your Prophet teaches you how to go to the toilet?” He replied, “Yes, our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has taught us everything. Even how to relieve ourselves. Not to use our right hand. Not to use bones to clean ourselves.” Islam covers all aspects of life.
The religion of Allah is being portrayed as barbaric and violent. A religion of terror! Whereas the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) was most-compassionate & gentle & merciful. The most blessed person to walk on the face of the earth.
But who is to blame?
The inflammatory media?
For how they portray Islam, magnifying certain individuals and groups. And tarnishing all Muslims with same brush. But the Muslims themselves are also to blame, for their conduct, for their ill-character. We really are not presenting Islam the way it should be presented.
Allah says, “It is due to the mercy from Allah you (O Muhammad) were gentle with them. Had you been harsh or hard-hearted they would have disperse from your company.” (Surah Ale Imran) If we want to attract people to Islam, we need to adopt the same characteristics and values; being gentle and merciful. Look at our Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), how each of his companions (Radhi Allahu Anhum) felt the most closest to him. Simply because he treated each one equally and fairly. How do we treat people?
The Prophet’s (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) mercy was not constricted to the Muslims or one nation: “We have sent you as a mercy to the worlds.”
Tufayl ibn Amr alDawsi (Radhi Allahu Anhu) was sent to the tribe of alDaws, to teach them and invite them to Islam. They ignored the message. He returned to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and said, “Pray against them, for they have ignored the message!” The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) raised his hands, “O Allah guide alDaws. And bring them to us.”
Similarly in Uhud, the Prophet’s (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) face was bleeding. If there were a time when He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) would have made Dua against anyone, it would have been in the battle of Uhud. But despite all of this, He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) raised his hands, “O Allah forgive my people, for they do not know.”
We need to adopt this example of mercy and compassion. We must be conservative of how we deal with people. Allah on the Day of Judgement will be very lenient in His rights, but strict in the rights of others.
Mawlana then continued with a story of a man, who reached his death. When angel of death came to him, he asked him if he had done any good actions. He said I have nothing! The angel said think carefully, think of anything. He said actually there is one thing, I used to be a tradesman. If people came to me and they wanted more time, I would grant it to them. This man was forgiven for this one deed.
Allah grant us love, mercy and compassion to deal with his creation. Ameen.
Mawlānā Farhan Saheb, London
There are many reasons for the corruption and destruction of the Ummah: Allah says, “Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” (30:41) Every time we sin, we are disobeying Allah collectively. We are placing a black dot on our hearts, and for every sin our hearts are getting darker and darker. The more we sin, we are distancing ourselves from Allah.
Let us look into ourselves, you look into your life and I will look into mine. We will find some of us have become so immodest, we sin in the open; in school, or college or at work. We sin in front of our parents, friends, colleagues and even your local Imam! Then there are some of us who wear Islamic attire, have a religious look, but we sin when nobody is around. When everyone is away, when we are alone, we think nobody is watching, we sin. But, Allah is watching – He always is. We need to inculcate Taqwa (fear of Allah) in our hearts.
If we do not fear Allah, let us look at how Allah dealt with previous nations:
“So each We seized for his sin; and among them were those upon whom We sent a storm of stones, and among them were those who were seized by the blast [from the sky], and among them were those whom We caused the earth to swallow, and among them were those whom We drowned. And Allah would not have wronged them, but it was they who were wronging themselves.” (29:40)
Once the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) heard that his companions have become relaxed and enjoying themselves a bit too much. He informed them, “Informed them if you knew what I knew, you would laugh little and cry more often.”
Mawlana then recited:
“O mankind, fear your Lord. Indeed, the convulsion of the [final] Hour is a terrible thing. On the Day you see it every nursing mother will be distracted from that [child] she was nursing, and every pregnant woman will abort her pregnancy, and you will see the people [appearing] intoxicated while they are not intoxicated; but the punishment of Allah is severe.” (22:1-2)
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, “We will sweat so much, 70 yards we will drown in our own sweat.” He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) also said, “The man with the least amount of punishment on Qiyamah will be a man, who has two pieces of coal from Jahannam from under his feet. This will cause his brain to boil. He will think nobody has punishment worse than him.”
Do we feel safe and secure from Allah’s wrath despite sinning abundantly? “Do the people of the city feel that the punishment of Allah will not come on them at night whilst they are sleeping.” Surah Anfal
Les us stop sinning! If we are fornicating with someone’s sister, tomorrow someone will fornicate with your sister. If we are messing around with someone’s daughter, someone will do the same to your daughter. If you steal from someone, someone will steal from you.
Don’t think Allah is unaware. Hadith informs us: “Allah gives respite to a Dhalim. But when he grips him/her they won’t be let off!” Shaytan encourages us to continue sinning, and shows us there is no harm in sinning.
Mawlana ended saying how youngsters look of to Umar ibn al-Khattab (Radhi Allaho Anho). Because of his dynamic and charismatic character. Even youngsters who are not on the deen, look up to Umar (Radhi Allaho Anho).
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) told us if there were to be a Prophet after him it would have been Umar RA. From the sayings of Umar (Radhi Allaho Anho) is: “If Allah sends everyone to Hell on Qiyamah, except one person, I fear it will be me!”
Hadhrat Shaykh Mawlana Muhammad Saleem Dhorat Saheb (Hafidhahu Allah)
Allah Ta’ala through his grace and mercy has granted us all the opportunity once again to participate in this 22nd Annual Youth Conference. Allah grant us acceptance, make it a means of hidayah and soul purification, and everlasting salvation in the hereafter. Ameen.
Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alayhi Wasallam) gives 3 very important instructions:
1. Tie the bond of kinship with those who break this tie.
2. Forgive those who oppress us
3. Be good to those who are bad to us.
Be good to those relative/kin who don’t behave correctly with you.
Good to near and distance relatives – very important command of Shariah.
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, “The one who does not stay in good terms with his relatives will not enter Jannah.” (Even if he departs with Iman) he will not enter Jannah, without going into the fire of Jahannam first)
When The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) received first revelation. He came to Khadija (Radhi Allahu Anha). He didn’t doubt that he was made a Prophet, but he was very humble so he felt that there was a possibility that he would not be able to carry out the responsibility.
He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “I fear over myself. I might not be able to fulfil the responsibility.” So if a person can’t fulfil responsibility then the mission is a failure and results in disgrace.
Khadijah (Radhi Allahu Anha) said, “Allah will Never disgrace you!”
Why?
Because you have 5 qualities.
Whoever has these will not be disgraced.
1. You tie the bond of kinship. (Your are kind to them. Look after their well being).
2. Take the responsibility of those people who are burdensome. (Mentally/physically handicapped. Those who are seen as burdensome by the community and even their own families).
3. You look after and help the poor.
4. Hospitable to guest.
5. Anyone you see suffering you are ready to help them.
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) remained silent. His remaining silent is affirmation that whoever has these 5 qualities he will not be disgraced.
Nowadays friends are more important than relatives. Those people are important to us who’s company we enjoy. Friend circle keeps changing.
Why?
Because where ever we realise he is more fun than him we change friends. So we have no friends and no-one is our friend. We are selfish. We are looking for enjoyment.
Those people who are friends for real, their friendship stays until death, Qiyaamah and in Jannat.
Friends will become the enemy of a friend in the court of Allah Ta’ala except for those friends whose friendship was based on Taqwa,
– For the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala.
– Friendship based on deen.
– Friendship for character
It is not WHAT you do, it is WHY you do it!
So, if you love someone it should be for his knowledge, his character, his morals and his deen. And if you hate someone, it should be because he is a dhalim or disunites the community.
Hadeeth: One who loves for the please of Allah and hates for the pleasure of Allah who gives for the pleasure of Allah and who prevents for the pleasure of Allah then his Iman is complete. Those people who love each other for the sake of Allah Ta’ala will be granted the shade of the throne of Allah Ta’ala.
Allah Ta’ala will announce: “Where are those who use to love each other for my sake?”
Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:
From the people of the past. A person left his town (from Banu Israeel) to visit his friend in another town. Allah Ta’ala sent and angel to ask this person. Where are you going?
I am going to visit my friend.
Are you visiting him because you are in need?
No
Are you visiting him because he done you a favour?
No
So why?
Only because I love him for the sake of Allah Ta’ala.
The Angel said, I have a message from Allah Ta’ala. I love you just as you love that person .
Let us not look at colour, race, background, wealth but let us love for the sake of Allah Ta’ala.
In the time of Umar Radhiyallahu Anhu. He was sitting in a room. First Abu Sufyan (Radhi Allaho Anho) entered – Father-in-law of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), who was the leader of the Quraysh after Abu Jahl. Umar (Radhi Allaho Anho) looked up and carried on what he was doing.
Next Umar (Radhi Allaho Anho) looked up, Bilal (Radhi Allaho Anho) entered. No status as family lineage, non-Arab but Umar (Radhi Allaho Anho) said make way for Bilal.
He used to say I have 2 masters, Abu Bakr (Radhi Allaho Anho) our master – who freed our master Bilal (Radhi Allaho Anho).
Equality and Justice is a teaching of our religion.
Let us look at the Conquest of Makkah. After 8 years of exile. In this day of glory who is sitting on his camel. Entering Makkah as a liberator. head lowered. He had with him 10-14,000 companions (Radhi Allaho Anhum) he was constantly praising Allah:
“There is no God but Allah – the Alone, He has no partner.”
“It is only Him, who helped His slaves.”
“It is only Him, who fulfilled the promise.”
“It is only Him, who defeated the coalition.”
What was amazing, was the person sat on the camel, behind him; not Abu Bakr (Radhi Allaho Anho), nor Umar (Radhi Allaho Anho), nor Hasan (Radhi Allaho Anho) or Husayn (Radhi Allaho Anho), it was Usamah son of Zaid (Radhi Allaho Anho) (freed slave). He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “O Usamah! You are one of the most beloved to me and your father was one of the most beloved ones to me.”
The first Salah after the conquest of Makkah. “Where is Bilal? Climb the Kabah and call out the first Adhan after conquest of Makkah.”
One of the people of Makkah said, “My father is lucky to have died to not see this dark day. One said could Muhammad not find a better person that this black crow.”
Jibraeel came with wahy:
“O people, we have created you from one male and female, and we have made you into tribes and different families so that you are able to recognise each other. The most honourable amongst you is the one who has the most Taqwa.” Surah Hujurat
It is not your beauty or your wealth that counts, it is the Taqwa in your heart. Bilal (Radhi Allaho Anho) had this Taqwa – so it elevated him.
The one who does good to those who are good and doesn’t do good those to those who are not good is not a reconciler. The one who when his relatives misbehave with him he does good to them is the real reconciler.
Tie the bond of kinship even if your not at fault for the sake of Allah Ta’ala.
• Salaam
• Send gifts
• Help them
The closest of kin are parents, above relatives. What does everyone want in life? Long life and lot of money. One who desires he has a long life and a lot of wealth he should tie kinship.
2nd command.
Forgive that person who wrongs you – This is a very courageous action.
“The person who practices patience (when trouble when innocent) and also forgives, this is a action that requires a lot of courage.”
What did (Yusuf Alayhis Salam) say to his brothers?
“There’s is no blame upon you. May Allah forgive you.” ( He also made dua for them)
When he met his father he made an excuse for his brothers. “Allah has united us after shaytaan put enmity between us.”
Conquest of Makkah- He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam forgave Abu sufyan (Radhiy Allahu Anho) but also honoured him. “Who ever enters the house of Abu Sufyan is forgiven.”
PRINCIPLE:
‘We should never do anything that we have say sorry to Allah or his creation, and if we do make a mistake don’t hesitate in asking for forgiveness’.
Saying sorry is not enough, until the person hasn’t forgiven us. If anyone from the creation makes a mistake then without him asking we should forgive him.
“And forgive, do you not wish that Allah Ta’ala forgives you?”
Who ever swallows his anger when he has the ability to punish the wrong doer. Allah Ta’ala will call him in the stage of the whole audience and say from all these hūrs choose which you desire.
A person does not swallow something which is more beloved in the eyes of Allah Ta’ala, than the swallow of anger.
Moosa (Alayhis Salam) Asked: “O Allah! Who is the most honourable in your eyes?”
“The one who forgives when he has the upper hand.”
Conquest of Makkah Rasoolullah (Sallalahu Alayhi wa sallam) asked: What do you expect from me? They said you are a noble brother and the son of a noble brother. Rasoolullah Sallalahu alayhi wasallam said what Yusuf Alayhi Salam said. “There is no blame on you, may Allah Ta’ala forgive you.”
Nowadays we hear people say: I will never forgive you! I will see you in the day of judgement.
We should think do we not make mistakes? Will people not ask from us on Qiyamah?
There is a saying in Arabic:
ان قلت لى واحدة تسمع مني عشرة
The basic translation of which is, of you say one (bad) thing to me. You will get ten in return. Shaykh Saheb said, we should be such if we hear 10 bad things from someone. We don’t say ONE in reply!
Be good to the person who is bad to you. Shaykh Shibli some people opposed him, he went out for a walk. He was in a state of anxiety and fatigue. Reclined against a date-palm, Allah gave him a miracle – karamah. The date-palm spoke to him, “O Shibli! Become like me, people throw stones at me and I throw fruit at them.”
Conclusion:
1. Tie the bond of kinship
2. Forgive those who oppress us
(Forgive everyone even without them asking)
3. Be good to those who are bad to us.
If you do this your heart will be at rest In Sha Allah.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us all the ability to practise on this.
Ameen.
May Allah grant Shaykh Saleem Saheb a long life, accept his efforts, grant him perseverance and may we all benefit from such luminaries. Ameen Ya Rabb!
Further info/talks/lit: http://idauk.org/
Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia
23 Jumadal Awwal 1436
Categories
Why Earthquakes Occur
Having just experienced an earthquake last night in the East Midlands and with similar tremors occurring in other parts of the world recently, we would like to share with you an editorial of the respected Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh which appeared in the monthly journal ‘Riyādul Jannah’ after the earthquake that occurred in February 2008 in the UK.
Why Earthquakes Occur
by Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh
At 12:56am on 27th February the UK was shaken by an earthquake of a significant enough magnitude to make the headlines. Buildings shuddered, furniture shook, and people were woken from their sleep. By morning, everyone was talking about it.
The largest earthquake to strike the UK in over 25 years was regarded by most people as no more than an exciting incident. Their curiosity was satisfied by scientific explanations, and there their interest ended. They did not see the shaking of the earth beneath their feet as an opportunity to learn valuable lessons.
The question we need to ask is: ‘Why do earthquakes occur?’
We can learn a lot about the world around us by using the ‘aql (intellect) that Allāh ta‘ālā has given us. ‘Aql, however, has its inherent limitations, and as believers we should not remain content with the often incomplete picture of events that it can present. Where ‘aql reaches its limits, wahy (Revelation) takes over. As Muslims, we should turn to the teachings of our beloved Nabī Muhammad sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam to understand the significance of the recent earthquake.
Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has declared the cause of earthquakes to be disobedience to Allāh ta‘ālā exceeding limits. Whatever the scientific explanation may be – and there is no need to reject or ignore scientific explanations – Allāh ta‘ālā made the earth shake. Allāh ta‘ālā uses physical agencies to bring about physical events in the universe, e.g. a child is born as a result of the union of its parents, yet Allāh ta‘ālā is the Originator; He gives children via the agency of the parents. Allāh ta‘ālā may cause an earthquake to occur through the means of huge stresses building up at fault lines in the earth’s crust or, if he wishes, without it. But, in either case, it is Allāh ta‘ālā Who causes earthquakes.
Allāh ta‘ālā first causes small earthquakes, like the 5.2 quake felt in the UK, which do not result in any major harm. They do, however, affect the hearts of people, causing a moment of fear, awe and a sense of one’s mortality. These minor earthquakes can be described as wake-up calls from Allāh ta‘ālā, inviting His servants to take stock of their lives and turn to Him in repentance. In this way, they are a mercy from Him. It is reported that on the occasion of an earthquake occurring in the time of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam he turned to the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum and said: ‘Your Rabb wants you to turn to Him in repentance, so repent.’
Allāh ta‘ālā states in the Glorious Qur’ān:
Calamities have appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned, that Allāh may make them taste a part of what they have done, in order that they may turn back. (30:41)
When people do not heed these warnings and continue to disobey Allāh ta‘ālā, He may repeat the wake-up calls of magnitude 4 or 5 before suddenly unleashing a magnitude 8 quake, resulting in Qiyāmah-like scenes. Whole localities are razed to the ground, as if they had never existed. And these things are not hypothetical, they are happening now, in our lifetime.
Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam foretold that as Qiyāmah nears, earthquakes will become more frequent, a prediction we are seeing come true with our very eyes. The reason for the increase in earthquakes foretold by Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam is an increase in disobedience to Allāh ta‘ālā.
When, as a result of excessive disobedience, a large earthquake occurs anywhere, the Qur’ānic principle is that everyone, good and bad, is afflicted.
And beware of a scourge that will not afflict the wrongdoers among you only… (8:25)
Everyone suffers: people die or suffer bereavement, injury, fear, financial loss, anxiety and depression etc. The victims of a catastrophic earthquake can be divided into four groups:
1. Good people who die. They are classified as shuhadā (martyrs) and will enter Jannah. Their suffering will be a means of elevating their status in Jannah.
2. Bad people who die. Due to their disobedient and unrepentant ways they will be destined for Jahannam. Their suffering will be a punishment.
3. Good people who survive. The calamity is a test for them. By remaining patient and content with taqdīr and the Will of Allāh ta‘ālā they will be rewarded with closeness to Him.
4. Bad people who survive. The calamity is a warning and admonition for them to repent and change their ways.
What we need to do
1. Accept that the earthquake was a result of disobedience to Allāh ta‘ālā. Each individual should think: ‘Out of all the disobedient people, I am top of the list. It was because of me that the earthquake struck.’
2. Thereafter, make tawbah and istighfār with sincerity.
3. When the earth quakes, so does the heart. Treat it as an opportunity to rectify your life. Make use of the fear that developed in your heart. Think: ‘I commit many sins; what if the earth had split and swallowed me up? Allāh ta‘ālā has saved me. O Allāh, forgive me.’
4. Give sadaqah. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:
‘Truly, sadaqah extinguishes the anger of the Rabb and prevents an evil death.’ (At-Tirmidhī)
5. Having experienced the disturbing effects of a small earthquake, try to imagine Qiyāmah. What will the mighty earthquakes of Qiyāmah and the Resurrection be like?
It is very serious that the land we live on shook; it means that so much disobedience is taking place on it that Allāh ta‘ālā is displeased. We must turn to Allāh ta‘ālā and do tawbah, istighfār and rectify our lives. We should also have concern in this regard for those around us. May Allāh ta‘ālā make this earthquake a mercy for us and may it prompt us to change our lives for the better. Āmīn.
© Riyādul Jannah
Categories
The Messenger of Mercy SAW
I am a vagabond
Wayfaring the desert sands
You are an oasis
My life’s in your hands
I look upon a mountain
And you are it’s peak
You are the summit
Of every truth I seek
In the rivers and lakes
In the oceans and seas
You’re the blue in the sky
The greenery in the trees
I’m a smitten stargazer
You; the cosmos of my heart
You’re the entire universe;
Gods priceless verse of art
Here I am, yearning to be
The dust on your blessed shoe
I’m the beggar at your door
Your love is the alms I pursue
صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم
Abu Esa Hashim.
We need men like Umar ibn Khattab R.A.
‘Umar رضي الله عنه once ascended the pulpit, praised and glorified Allāh, and said, “Listen carefully! Do not be extravagant in the dowries of women, for if I hear of anyone having given more than the amount the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave or received (for his daughters رضي الله عنهن), I will order that extra amount to be added to the treasury.”
He then descended, upon which a woman from the Quraysh approached him and said, “O the leader of the believers! Is the Book of Allāh more worthy of being followed or your word?”
He replied, “Why? Obviously the Book of Allāh عز وجل!”
The woman said, “You have just prohibited the people from being extravagant in relation to the dowries of women, whereas Allāh mentions in His Book: ‘…and you have given her plenty of wealth…’ (4:20)”
Click the link above for full post…
Categories
Du’a – A Great Gift
by Shaykh 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 Allāh ta‘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 wasallam said:
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 Allāh ta‘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 sahib rahimahumallāh 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‘ālā granted 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.
Courtesy Riyādul Jannah