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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Ramadān: The Month of Generosity


19th Ramadān 1437 AH ~ Friday 24th June 2016

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Spending one’s wealth for the cause of Allāh ta‘ālā is a very important aspect of Dīn and holds great rewards. Allāh ta‘ālā says:

The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allāh is like a grain that grows seven ears, each ear having a hundred grains. And Allāh multiplies [the reward further] for whom He wills. Allāh is All-Embracing, All-Knowing. (2:261)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

The servants [of Allāh ta‘ālā] do not rise any morning except that two angels descend. One of them says, ‘O Allāh, give more to the one who spends [in the cause of Allāh ta‘ālā],’ and the other says, ‘O Allāh, bring ruin to the one who withholds.’ (Al-Bukhārī)

Indeed, sadaqah extinguishes the Wrath of Ar-Rabb, and prevents an unpleasant death. (At-Tirmidhī)

Sadaqah does not decrease wealth. (Muslim)

Allāh says, ‘O son of Ādam, spend; I will spend on you.’ (Al-Bukhārī)

The month of Ramadān is a month of generosity. Spending for the cause of Allāhta‘ālā, just like other good deeds, increases greatly in reward during this blessed month. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, who was the most generous of people, was even more generous during the month of Ramadān. Ibn ‘Abbās t says:

The Messenger of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam was the most generous of people, and he was the most generous in the month of Ramadān, when Jibra’īl‘alayhis salām would visit him. He would visit every night in Ramadān and revise the Qur’an with Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. Indeed, Rasūlullāhsallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam was more generous than the [swift] blowing wind [that brings rain]. (Al-Bukhārī)

We should try our utmost to emulate our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallamby being as generous as possible in this blessed month. The percentage we spend for Allāh ta‘ālā during Ramadān should be greater than the percentage outside of Ramadān. We should spend as much voluntary charity in good causes as we can, at the same time ensuring there is no negligence as far as the obligatory duty of zakāh is concerned.

The consequences of withholding zakāh are indeed severe:

And those who hoard their gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allāh, announce unto them a painful punishment. On the Day when it will be heated in the Fire of Jahannam and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks and their backs. [It will be said to them,] ‘This is what you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard.’ (9:34-35)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said:

He who, despite being given wealth by Allāh, does not discharge his zakāh, his wealth will be made into a poisonous, bald-headed snake with two black spots over its eyes. It will coil itself around his neck on the Day of Qiyāmah and then bite his cheeks and say, ‘I am your wealth! I am your treasure!’ (Al-Bukhārī)

The following advice should be kept in mind when assessing one’s compliance with the rules of zakāh:

1. Fix a date when zakāh is to be calculated. The date is governed by when an individual reached the nisāb of zakāh and must be according to the Islamic Calendar. It must be a set date and not just estimated, as that would mean leaving the obligation of zakāh unfulfilled. Take the example of someone who calculated his zakāh on the 1st of Ramadān last year. This year he has £10,000 on the 1st Ramadān but the day ends without him calculating his zakāh. The next day, the 2nd Ramadān, he spends £5,000, and then on the 3rd Ramadān he finally sits down and calculates his zakāh. In this example he should have paid zakāh on £10,000, but due to not fixing a date he paid only on £5,000, half of what he owed.

2. Just as it is important to give zakāh at the right time, it is also important to calculate it correctly. Some people give a bit here and a bit there and assume they have given enough, when in fact they have fallen short of their obligation. It is essential therefore to learn from authentic ‘ulamā how to set a date and calculate zakāh properly.

Many people give their zakāh in Ramadān and feel they are gaining all the rewards of generosity that the month promises, but they overlook voluntary spending completely or to a large extent. Zakāh and voluntary spending are separate a‘māl in Islam and each should be given due attention. If we give a portion of zakāh to a project to help orphans, we should give some voluntary charity as well. And just as we should look for the most appropriate and rewarding recipients to give our zakāh to, we should also look for the most rewarding places to spend voluntarily. Indeed, the types of recipients of zakāh are limited, as prescribed by the Sharī‘ah, but the avenues where we can spend voluntarily are numerous.

In the Month of Generosity the rewards of voluntary deeds are elevated to the value of obligatory deeds, so voluntary spending should be a major part of our a‘māl. And not just during Ramadān; during every auspicious occasion e.g. 15th night of Sha‘bān, day of ‘Arafah, Laylat-ul-Qadr etc., spending in the cause of Allāh ta‘ālā should be part and parcel of our extra ‘ibādah. One step further, voluntary spending, within one’s means, should be made a routine throughout the year and should be budgeted for accordingly.

Finally, we should make a special point of spending in the nights of Ramadān. Although every moment of Ramadān is special, there is a particularly special night, Laylat-ul-Qadr, which will greatly multiply the reward for spending. If we spend £10 on Laylat-ul-Qadr, we will be rewarded as if we had made a £10 donation every night for over eighty-three years, for the reward of good deeds on that night is better than a thousand months (83 years and 4 months).

Some ‘ulamā say that Laylat-ul-Qadr occurs in the last ten nights of Ramadān, while others are of the opinion that it can fall on any night of Ramadān. As we do not know which night it will be, we should spend in the cause of Allāh ta‘ālā every night of Ramadān to avoid being deprived of the great rewards.

May Allāh ta‘ālā fill our hearts with true generosity, and may He grant us the tawfīq to follow in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and be even more generous this Ramadān. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 21 No. 6, Jun 2012)

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Consequences of Withholding Zakāh

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

 Zakāh is one of the five fundamentals of Islām. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallamsaid:

“Islam is founded on five pillars: bearing witness that there is no deity except Allāh, and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger; establishment of salāh; paying zakāh; performance of hajj; and fasting the month of Ramadān.” (Al-Bukhārī)

After Īmān, salāh is the most important act of worship which is to be performed physically, and zakāh is the main act of worship which is to be performed monetarily.Salāh and zakāh have been mentioned together on many instances in the Glorious Qur’ān, to cite just some examples, Allāh ta‘ālā says:

“And establish regular salāh and pay regular zakāh, and bow down with those who bow down.” (2:43)

“In fact, the mosques of Allāh are built only by those who believe in Allāh and the Last Day, and those who establish salāh and pay zakāh and who fear none but Allāh. So, it is hoped that they are to be among those on the right path.” (9:18)

Such verses of the Qur’ān substantiate that zakāh is the most important fundamental after salāh. Those who fulfil this duty have been promised abundant reward in this world and the Hereafter; and those who evade zakāh have been sternly warned in the Qur’ān and ahādīth of the consequences.

Benefits of Giving Zakāh

The following are some of the many benefits mentioned in the Qur’ān and ahādīth for the one who gives zakāh:

1.      Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā.

2.      Increase in wealth.

3.      Protection from losses.

4.      Forgiveness and blessing from Allāh ta‘ālā.

5.      Safety from calamities.

6.      Protection from the Wrath of Allāh ta‘ālā and from a bad death.

7.      Shelter on the Day of Judgement.

8.      Security from seventy misfortunes.

9.      Safety from the fire of Jahannam.

10.    Safety from grief.

Consequences of Not Paying Zakāh in this World

When Allāh ta‘ālā sends a calamity to punish people for their sins, no power on earth can prevent the onslaught. Men may form thousands of plans, but something decreed by the Lord of the universe must come to pass. Nowadays, the calamities of famine, flood, etc. have become a great problem for the whole world. If we wish to seek relief from such sufferings and cure the malady, we shall have to follow the remedy revealed to us by Allāh ta‘ālā. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has warned us over fourteen hundred years ago, against all those evil practices which bring calamities and afflictions in this world.

These warnings were given long ago and now the world has witnessed their truth through experience. Today, the predictions are coming true. If only people had acted according to the rulings prescribed by Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, who was undoubtedly the wisest of all wise men. It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss how specific evils cause specific afflictions, but I will bring to the attention of the readers the ahādīth related to the subject matter – non payment of zakāh.

Non Payment of Zakāh – A Cause of Famine

Buraydah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu relates that Rasūlullāh said, “The nation that withholds zakāh (i.e. does not pay it), Allāh afflicts famine on them.” (At-Tabrānī)

Ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu relates that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam once said, “O Muhājirūn! There are five (dreadful) sins; if you fall into these – and I take refuge in Allāh from the evil of these sins lest you fall into them – (you will face horrible disasters)…” The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam thereafter enlisted a number of sins and their punishments, amongst which he said, “Thirdly, if people stop paying zakāh, rain will be withheld from them, and were it not for the animals, no rain would fall on them.” (Ibn Mājah, Al-Bazzār, Al-Bayhaqī) A similar hadīth is also reported by Ibn ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhu.

Non Payment of Zakāh – A Cause of Windstorms, Earthquakes, etc.

‘Alī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu and Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu report that Rasūlullāhsallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam prophesied fifteen actions which his Ummah will perpetrate, and from amongst these he mentioned, “When zakāh is looked upon as a penalty (i.e. people will pay zakāh with a heavy heart, as though it is a penalty), then look for violent windstorms, earthquakes, men being swallowed by the earth, metamorphosis, stones raining down from the skies, and calamities following one another in rapid succession, like beads of rosary falling one after the other when its string is cut.” (At-Tirmidhī)

Destruction of Property

‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said,“Wealth is generally lost on the land and the sea because zakāh is not paid on it.” (At-Targhīb)

‘Ā’ishah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said,“Zakāh will destroy wealth in which it is.” (Al-Bazzār, Al-Bayhaqī)

The destruction of wealth upon which zakāh is obligatory will be by way of Allāh ta‘ālādestroying the wealth in which the amount due for zakāh lies, or by removing the barakah from it.

Consequences in the Hereafter

“As for those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allāh, give them news of a painful punishment. On the day it (i.e. the wealth) will be heated up in the fire of Jahannam, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it and (it will be said to them), ‘This is what you had accumulated for yourselves. So, taste what you have been accumulating.’” (9:34-35)

The majority of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum and ‘Ulamā are agreed that the severe punishment mentioned in the verse is for those who do not pay zakāh. May Allāh ta‘ālā protect us from such severe punishments. Āmīn.

“And let not those who hoard wealth, which Allāh has bestowed them with from His grace, think that it is better for them. No, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be made into a collar (in the form of a snake and put around their necks) on the Day of Qiyāmah. To Allāh belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth. Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” (3:180)

Imām Ar-Rāzī rahimahullāh writes in his tafsīr, “This verse does not apply to the cases of nafl (optional) spending. It applies to cases of failure in obligatory spending.” This is substantiated by a hadīth in Al-Bukhārī that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said,“The person on whom Allāh bestowed wealth, and he does not give zakāh on it, then on the Day of Judgement, his wealth will be transformed for him into a large bald snake with two black spots over its eyes; it will wind round his neck on the Day of Judgement, then grab (him) with both his jaws and say, ‘I am your treasure.’” Then Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam recited the above verse.

Abū Hurayrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu reports that Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallamsaid, “If anyone possessing gold and silver does not pay what is due, then on the Day of Judgement his gold and silver will be made into sheets and will be heated in the fire of Jahannam. His side, forehead and back will then be branded with (the heated sheets), again and again, on that day, the duration of which will be fifty thousand years.” (Muslim)

Once, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam saw gold bangles on the hands of two women. He inquired if they had given zakāh for the bangles. They replied, “No.” Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Do you wish that on the Day of Judgement you be made to put on bangles of fire?” They replied, “No.” He said, “Give zakāh on them.” (Ahmad)

The following facts are clear from the aforementioned discussion:

•       Zakāh is fard.

•       The significance of zakāh is very great.

•       Failure to pay zakāh will bring calamity and misfortune in this world and the Hereafter.

Allāh, the All-Merciful has bestowed upon us many favours: He has given us health and wealth, luxury and comfort, friends and children, life and wife. Every penny that we earn is from the Grace of Allāh. He has given us everything and asks for only 2.5% to be spent in His way upon those who are not capable of providing for themselves. Remember, 2.5% at the end of the each Islamic year from the excess wealth (i.e. which remains after spending) is basically nothing. If we pay zakāh in full and abstain from greed, extravagance, etc. there will not remain a single destitute among the Muslims. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam’s ḥadīth is clear evidence for this claim. He said, “In the wealth of rich Muslims, the amount which is sufficient for the poor among the Muslims has been made obligatory. The hardships of the poor among the Muslims regarding food and clothing are because of the deeds of the wealthy (i.e. their refusal to pay zakāh). Beware! Allāh will demand a stern reckoning from them and mete out a painful punishment.” (At-Tabrānī)

Bear in mind that anything we leave behind is not ours. If we want to protect our hard-earned money and save it for use at a time when we shall need it badly, let us spend it in the way of Allāh ta‘ālā and deposit it in the bank of the Hereafter.

© Islāmic Da’wah Academy

 

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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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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

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)

Categories
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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Du'aas

Du’a for Exams: GCSEs/A-Levels/Alim Class

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahmeem

do-dua

As exams kick off this week around the UK, we often get asked for Du’as to help and ease exam pressure. Here is one I have personally read and  found beneficial:

اللّهُـمَّ لا سَهْلَ إِلاّ ما جَعَلـتَهُ سَهْلاً وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزَنَ إِذا شِئْتَ سَهْلاً

O Allah, there is no ease except in that which you have made easy and you make the difficult, if You wish, easy. [1]

P.S. One should read with conviction and certainty. Also, offer two Rak’ah Salatul Hajah before the exam. It can be the night before or the day before, not necessarily the morning of the exam.

 [1] Sahih Ibn Ḥibbān (974);

‘Amal al-Yawm Wal-Laylah (351).

dua

Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)

12 Shaban 1437

Categories
Ruqya

Black Magic and Satanic Possession

black-magic-moon

Praise be to Allah,

People who have had experience with such situations have related that the following are among the signs of a person who is possessed by jinn (or Satan):

Strong repulsion when hearing Qur’an or Adhan (call for prayers).

Episodes of losing consciousness and/or epileptic attacks, especially when Qur’an is recited for the possessed person.

Frequent nightmares during sleep.

Tendency to avoid people accompanied by out-of-the-norm behavior.

The jinn who possesses him might speak when Qur’an is recited for the possessed person.

Madness, as stated in the Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning): “Those who devour usury will not stand except as stands one whom Satan by his touch hath driven to [epileptic] madness…”2:275

Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Saleh al-‘Uthaymīn—رحمه الله—said:

“ينبغي على الإنسان أن يستعين بالله عز وجل في كل شيء حتى في الأمور الصغيرة : كالذهاب والمجيء والأكل والشرب واللباس. حتى يكون بذلك مدركاً لحاجته متعبدا لربه عز وجل لأن الاستعانة من العبادة وإذا استعان العبد بربه يسر له الأمر وسهله عليه.”

“It’s befitting for man to seek assistance with Allāh—عز وجل—in everything—even in the small matters like leaving to and from [somewhere], eating, drinking and dressing—so that with this, he can fulfill his need AND worship his lord—عز وحل. Because al-Isti’ānah (seeking assistance) is from the acts of worship and if the slave seeks assistance from his lord, He (Allāh) will facilitate the matter for him and make it easy.”

Ahkām Min al-Qur’ān al-Karīm, 1/3

As for a person struck by magic, he might experience the following:

Dislike of one’s spouse, as indicated in the Qur’an by the following verse (interpretation of the meaning): “And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife…” (Al-Baqarah, 2:102).

Different attitude in the house from that which is outside the house. For example, a person will feel that he is missing his family when is outside the house but when he goes home, love changes quickly to extreme hatred.

Inability to have sexual intercourse with one’s spouse.

Frequent miscarriage for pregnant women.

Sudden change in behavior without obvious reason.

Complete loss of appetite for food.

Thinking or imagining one has done something when in reality one has not.

Sudden obedience and/or love for a particular person.

It should be noted that if a person experiences some of the above symptoms this does not necessarily mean that he is either possessed by a jinn or struck by black magic. It might be due to physiological or psychological reasons.

As for curing this condition, the following steps are recommended:

Putting one’s trust in Allah with the sincere belief that He is the only cure for everything.

Reading Qur’an and known supplications expressing seeking refuge, the most important and effective of which is surah 113 and 114, Al-Falaq and Al-Naas, which were used to cure the Prophet himself. Surah 112, Al-Ikhlas, is recommended along with them, as well as the opening chapter of the Qur’an, Al-Fatihah. To cure black magic some have successfully used seven lotus-tree leaves. The leaves should be crushed, then mixed them with water enough for taking a bath. The following verses from the Qur’aan are then recited: verse Al-Kursi (2:255), surah Al-Kafiroon (109), surah 112, 113, 114; the verses which mention magic, which are: in surah Al-Baqarah (2:102), Al-A’raf (7:117-119), Yunus (10:79-82), and Taha (20:65-69). The possessed person drinks some of the water, and the rest is used to give him a bath.

Removing the elements of magic as was done by the Prophet SAW when he was struck by black magic by a Jewish man called Lubaid Bin Al-‘Aasim.

Eating seven Aa’liya Al-Barniy dates (among the dates of Al-Madinah) first thing in the morning; if not possible, any dates will suffice, by the will of Allah.

Cupping – removing excess blood.

Supplications/Duas.

And we ask Allah to cure you and ease your hardship, as He is the One who cures and there is no one else who can cure. Ameen

Categories
Poems

Two swords: Of Flesh & Of Steel.

In the name of Allah, the Just

.IMG-20121124-WA006

The truth is the truth; right is right,
To me it is clear – black and white.
At times you feel odd and at times you feel alone,
Tired, troubled and torn.

You may not seem intelligent or even very bright,
But speaking the truth will raise you in Allah’s sight.
It may cause a dispute; it may end up in a fight,
As the truth is bitter and certainly not welcomed with delight.
Sometimes you feel scared and just want to run,
But remember – that’s the cowards way, son.
You’d rather speak with courage and great might,
Go on, give them a fright! They might understand, this matter isn’t light.

We must use our intellect and insight,
To stick up for the truth and keep our left shoulder light.
As the dazzling day ends followed along by the dark night,
Similarly, it is clear what is wrong and what is right.

So dear friend, as I now end,

I hope my words didn’t bite, this is my last and final plight….

Please, stand firmly for truth and for justice and for what is right.

Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)

18 Safar 1436

(Written in memory of my late father, Haji NazirAhmed Daud Satia RH, one year after his demise. I believe he taught me courage, justice, morals, values and principles – Alhumdu Lillah. Out of sight, but not out of mind, Abba. Your voice has left us, but your legacy of justice remains In Sha Allah).