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Ramadhan Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

Valuing the Month of Ramadān

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

We have all been blessed with the month of Ramadān many times during the course of our lives. For some, the number will be a single figure, and for others double figures. However, for the majority of us, the month of Ramadān is just another month; it comes and goes like any other.

In relation to valuing this great month, there are many questions we need to ask ourselves. We may be well acquainted with all the virtues of the month of Ramadān; but do we take advantage of these virtues? The most important way of measuring whether we value the month of Ramadān or not is to ask the question: Have we acquired the goal of Ramadān during any of the previous months of Ramadān, which is to acquire taqwā?

If we have not yet achieved this goal, then we need to ask ourselves whether we have made it an objective in this coming Ramadān? Remember that in the famoushadīth of Kā‘b ibn ‘Ujrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallamand Jibra’īl ‘alayhis salām cursed those who fail to attract the Forgiveness of Allāhta‘ālā during the month of Ramadān. To help us truly value the month of Ramadān, we need to take lessons from the Ramadān of those who did value this blessed month. Let us take a glimpse at how our pious predecessors spent the month of Ramadān:

•  Aswad ibn Yazīd rahimahullāh would complete the Qur’ān every second night in Ramadān. (Siyar-A‘lām-An-Nubalā’)

•  Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr rahimahullāh would spend the time between Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ [which normally people spend in resting] in tilāwah and would recite the whole Qur’ān in one sitting. (The ‘Ishā’ salāh would be delayed.) (Ibid)

•  Hammād ibn Abī Sulaymān rahimahullāh would feed 500 people for iftār during Ramadān. (Ibid)

•  Qatādah rahimahullāh would complete the Qur’ān every third day during the first twenty days of Ramadān and every night in the last ten days. (Ibid)

•  Ibn Shihāb Zuhrī rahimahullāh would say, “Ramadān is nothing but for tilāwah of the Qur’ān and to feed people.” (Latā’if-ul-Ma‘ārif)

•  Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullāh and Imām Shāfi‘ī rahimahullāh would complete the Qur’ān twice daily in the month of Ramadān, with the latter completing the Qur’ān one more time during the night of ‘Īd and yet again during the day.

•  Imām Mālik rahimahullāh and Sufyān Thawrī rahimahullāh both would leave their everyday engagements and spend the whole time in the recitation of the Qur’ān. (Latā’if-ul-Ma‘ārif)

•  Imām Bukhārī rahimahullāh used to complete the Qur’ān 41 times in the Month of Ramadān; once every day, once during the whole month in the tarāwīh prayer, and ten juz daily in Tahajjud salāh.

•  Hājī Imdādullāh rahimahullāh never slept in the blessed month of Ramadān. After the Maghrib salāh, two huffāz led him in nafl salāh, reciting one juz each until ‘Ishā’ salāh. After ‘Ishā salāh, two huffāz would recite one after the other until half the night, and then another two huffāz would recite one after the other in Tahajjud salāh. In essence, the whole night was spent in worship.

•  Hadrat Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī rahimahullāh, even at the age of seventy, would spend all his time in worshipping Allāh ta‘ālā, fasting – despite the heat, and performing twenty raka‘āt nafl after the Maghrib salāh, reciting at least two juz in them. He would then also spend two and a half to three hours during the night in Tahajjud salāh, amongst his many other devotions during the day.

•  Shaykh-ul-Hind rahimahullāh would spend the whole night listening to the Qur’ān. It was common that he would stand in one place and the reciters would change over and take rest.

•  Qāri Fatah Muhammad Pānipattī rahimahullāh during his later life would spend the time after tarāwīh salāh until subh sādiq reciting ten juz of the Qur’ān, taking extra care in tajwīd.

•  Mawlānā Manzūr Nu‘mānī rahimahullāh states that Mawlānā Ilyāsrahimahullāh daily average of tilāwah in Ramadān was 35 juz, with concentration and understanding of the text. Moreover, the women folk in his home, together with their daily practices of dhikr and tasbīhāt, at times, would complete a whole Qur’ān in one day.

•  It is stated about Hadrat Mawlānā Yahyā rahimahullāh that, during one Ramadān which he passed in mīrat, he would recite the Qur’ān once daily and would complete it by the time of iftār.

•  Shāh Abd-ur-Rahīm Raipūrī rahimahullāh used to spend the whole night reciting the Qur’ān, and in twenty four hours he would rarely sleep more than an hour.

•  Shaykh-ul-Hadīth, Mawlānā Muhammad Zakariyyā rahimahullāh himself completed one Qur’ān daily during the month of Ramadān, and he kept up this practice for more than forty years.  

Let us also value this blessed month and make the most of this great opportunity granted to us by Allāh ta‘ālā by making full use of its every moment and by using it to maximise our rewards, acquire taqwā and achieve salvation in the Hereafter. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 23 No. 5, May 2014)

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

The Qur’ān – A Clear Proof

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Indeed, We have sent down the Dhikr [the Qur‘ān], and indeed We are its guardian. (15:9)

In this verse Allāh ta‘ālā proclaims that it is He, and He alone, who has revealed the Glorious Qur’ān to mankind, which means it is His Word. This claim is followed by a proof to validate it: that Allāh ta‘ālā Himself is its guardian and protector. When Allāh ta‘ālā protects something, nothing and no one can ever interfere with it, so the continual preservation of the Qur’ān is a proof that it is the Word of Allāh ta‘ālā. There are many other proofs of the Divine origin of the Qur’ān, including its i‘jāz (inimitability) – the challenge to mankind to invent even a single verse to match the Qur’ān in its perfection. However, the preservation of the Qur’ān is a proof that even a child can understand.

Over 1,400 years have passed and it is still plain for everyone to see that not a single change has occurred in the Qur’ān. To fulfil the promise of protecting the Qur’ān, Allāh ta‘ālā has created a comprehensive system consisting of scribes who accurately copy the text; huffāzwho accurately memorise its words; qurrā who preserve its mode of recitation; and mufassirīn, muhaddithīn, fuqahā and ‘ulamā who protect its meaning and message.

Non-Muslim experts, while arguing over the authorship of the Qur’ān, nevertheless acknowledge that despite the passage of over fourteen centuries it has not undergone even the slightest alteration – not of a single letter or diacritical mark.

It is obvious that a very powerful being must be safeguarding the Qur’ān for it to have been preserved over so many centuries.

The Protected Book

‘Allāmah Al-Qurtubī rahimahullāh narrates an interesting story about the preservation of the Qur’ān. Once a stranger attended one of the debates that the ‘Abbāsid Khalīfah Ma’mūn Ar-Rashīd used to hold at his court. The man spoke eloquently during the debate, and afterwards Ma’mūn summoned him. Sensing that he was not a Muslim he asked him whether he was a Jew. The man replied that he was. Ma’mūn then invited him to embrace Islām and, as a test, offered him incentives for doing so. However, the man preferred to keep his religion, the religion of his forefathers.

A year later the same man attended the court of Ma’mūn as a Muslim and spoke learnedly on Islamic jurisprudence. Afterwards, Ma’mūn called him and asked him if he was the same man who had come the year before. He replied in the affirmative, and upon being asked how he had come to become a Muslim he told his story.

After he had left the debate the previous year he had decided to examine the different religions. Being a good calligrapher he made three copies of the Tawrāt, making some additions and omissions in the process. He took the copies to its adherents and they bought them from him. He then made three copies of the Injīl, again making some additions and omissions, and took them to its adherents, who bought them. Then he did exactly the same with the Qur’ān and took the copies to the Muslims. They checked them and when they noticed the additions and omissions they discarded the copies and refused to buy them. “I realised then that this was a Protected Book, and that was how I came to embrace Islām,” concluded the man.

Enthusiasm for Memorising the Qur’ān

The preservation of the Qur’ān is a great miracle, and the means Allāh ta‘ālā employs in its preservation are also amazing. Parents who encourage their children to memorise the entire Qur’ān are aware of the rewards they and their children will receive for doing so, but the children themselves are not. If you were to ask the students of a typical tahfīz-ul-Qur’ān class what the rewards for memorising the Qur’ān are, majority would not be able to reply. Despite this, the desire Allāh ta‘ālā places in their hearts to memorise the Qur’ān is such that very few if any would dream of giving it up.

Wherever you go you will see that there are never enough tahfīz-ul-Qur’ān classes and that they are always oversubscribed! Just think, what power is there besides Allāh ta‘ālā that is keeping our children committed to memorising the Qur’ān? There are countless other well-known good deeds that promise great rewards, yet people do not adhere to them with such commitment and dedication as to memorising the Qur’ān. Allāh ta‘ālā Himself puts the love of memorising His Word into the hearts of young people!

Nowhere in the whole world will you see classes full of children memorising a book that they do not understand. It is a miracle of the Qur’ān that people are able to learn a whole foreign alphabet and how to read in the foreign language, without learning to understand the language; furthermore, then they memorise a whole book in that language, and then keep it memorised for the rest of their lives.

Remarkable Huffāz

Throughout history there are examples of people who memorised the Qur’ān at a very young age and also in a very short time. Ibn Labbān rahimahullāh memorised the entire Qur’ān in just one year, remarkable in itself, but even more amazing is that he completed his memorisation at the age of five! Hāfiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalānī rahimahullāh became a hāfiz by the age of nine, and at the age of eleven led the Tarāwīh Salāh in Al-Masjid Al-Harām. Imām Ash-Shāfi‘ī rahimahullāh memorised the Qur’ān in just one month. When Imām Muhammadrahimahullāh went to study under Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullāh he was asked whether he had memorised the entire Qur’ān or not, for admission to his classes was conditional on being a hāfiz. He replied that he had not, but his desire to acquire knowledge was so great that he returned after just one week and told Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullāh that he was now a hāfiz!

Connect Yourself to the Qur’ān

After learning something of the miraculous nature of the Glorious Qur’ān, we need to take some practical steps to connect ourselves with it:

1.  Reciting the Qur’ān regularly. Recite one juz daily, or if that is not possible then half a juz or a quarter, but recite daily. If the remembrance of Allāh ta‘ālā in its various forms such as tasbīh, tahmīd, salāt ‘alan-Nabī, du‘ā etc. are compared to individual ‘vitamins’ beneficial to a person’s spiritual health, the Qur’ān can be likened to a multivitamin, for it contains them all.

2.  Attend tajwīd classes in your locality in order to learn how to recite the Qur’ān properly, which is one of the rights of the Qur’ān.

3.  Attend the Durūs (lessons) of the Qur’ān delivered by the ‘ulamā in your locality in order to understand the message of the Qur’ān.

4.  Practise upon the teachings of the Qur’ān.

5.  Propagate the teachings of the Qur’ān.

6.  Respect the people of the Qur’ān, i.e. the huffāz and ‘ulamā. Refrain from disrespecting them and talking ill of them at all costs. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd-ul-‘Azīzrahimahullāh used to say, “Become an ‘ālim if you can. If you cannot then become a student of ‘ilm. And if you cannot then have love for them [the ‘ulamā and students]. And if you cannot then do not have hatred for them.”

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us love for and affinity with the Qur’ān, the ability to memorise it, recite it in the proper manner, understand it and act according to it. Āmīn.

© Islāmic Da’wah Academy

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Listening Attentively

A Requisite for ‘Ilm and Hidāyah

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

The great muhaddith and faqīh, Sufyān Ibn ‘Uyaynah rahimahullāh states:

The first step towards acquiring ‘ilm is istimā‘ i.e. listening attentively, then to understand, then to memorise/remember, then to act upon it and propagate.

The importance of listening with full attention is the first step and an essential requisite for success in acquiring ‘ilm, which is the prerequisite to acting according to the Wishes of the Creator. It is for this reason Allāh ta‘ālā used the word istimā‘ (listening with intent) instead of sam‘ (merely to listen with or without intention), followed by the word insāt (to become silent), when stating the adab of listening to the Qur’ān in the following verse:

When the Qur’ān is recited, listen to it attentively and be silent, so that you may be showered with mercy. (7:204)

Allāh ta‘ālā has promised to bestow His Mercy upon those who listen attentively, which will manifest in the form of the ability to abstain from wrong and engage in good deeds. Allāh ta‘ālā states: 

..those who listen to the word attentively (of Allāh ta‘ālā and His Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, and follow (it, knowing that it is) the best of it (of all speech). These are the ones whom Allāh has guided, and these are the ones who possess (true) intelligence (wisdom). (39:18)

The importance of istimā‘ can be further understood by how Allāh ta‘ālā addressed Mūsā ‘alayhis salām when sending revelation to him. Allāh ta‘ālā states:

I have chosen you (for prophethood), so listen attentively to what is revealed. (20:13)

The commentators of the Qur’ān have mentioned that when Mūsā ‘alayhis salām was commanded that he should listen attentively to what is revealed to him, he stood on a rock, leaning against another, placed his right hand over his left, dropped his chin on his chest and stood listening attentively. 

From the above it is clear how important it is to listen attentively when seeking knowledge or listening to a discourse: only those people will genuinely benefit who listen attentively with sound understanding.

How to Listen Attentively

The pious predecessors have defined the term istimā‘ in detail. Wahb Ibn Munabbihrahimahullāh further explains the essence of istimā‘ by stating that it comprises of the following:

a. Keeping the body motionless.

A person should not engage any part of his body in anything whilst listening. He should become motionless. Fidgeting, playing around with clothes and other such actions dilute the concentration one needs when listening to religious discourses and lessons. The Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, when in the company of Rasūlullāhsallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, would sit so still that they were described with the phrase, “as if birds were sitting on their heads.” If a bird was to sit on a person and he desired that it does not fly away, he will need to be extremely still. This was the condition of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum whilst sitting in the company of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and listening to him.

b. Lowering the gaze.

In essence, lowering the gaze means that one should not be distracted by anything and be totally focused towards the lesson being imparted. Hence, a person needs to abstain from looking here and there. Focussing in a manner which will prevent one from being distracted is essential to listening attentively. This can be achieved by either looking down or at the speaker. Furthermore, it portrays interest to the speaker which will further enhance the quality of delivery.

c. Attention of the ears.

During the discourse or lesson, a person should lend his ears only to the speaker.

d. Attention of the mind.

Whilst listening, the mind should also be alert and attentive. Being preoccupied or thinking about other things will be a hindrance in giving the required attention. It is for this reason students are advised to disengage from all such activities and devices which occupy the mind.

e. Firm intention to act.

If a person does not intend to act upon the knowledge being imparted, his attention will not always be completely focused. Having a firm intention to practice will motivate a person to focus on everything being said.

When a person adopts such a manner of listening then he will fulfil the requisites of istimā‘ and gain the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Allāh ta‘ālā will in return, grant him the correct understanding of knowledge and enlighten his heart with a special Nūr. Consequently, he will become from those who have been guided and granted a deep level of understanding, i.e. wisdom, as stated in the verse of the Glorious Qur’ān:

..those who listen to the word attentively (of Allāh ta‘ālā and His Rasūl sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, and follow (it, knowing that it is) the best of it (of all speech). These are the ones whom Allāh has guided, and these are the ones who possess (true) intelligence (wisdom). [39:18]

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us the tawfīq to implement the act of listening attentively so that we may acquire true benefit from religious discourses and lessons. Āmīn.

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 25 No. 9, September 2016)

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How to Become the Beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Imām Al-Bukhārī rahimahullāh narrates a hadīth qudsī:

Allāh ta‘ālā says: “…My bondsman does not acquire my closeness through anything that is more beloved to me than that which I have made compulsory upon him…

The performance of the farā’id is by far the greatest and most effective tool in achieving the closeness of Allāh ta‘ālā, as nothing can bring a person closer to Allāh ta‘ālā than the farā’id. farā’id encompass every obligation, be it from the DOs or the DON’Ts; just as it is fard to perform the five times salāh, it is fard to abstain from adultery, stealing etc. The struggle and effort in accomplishing the farā’id creates a special bond between the servant and his Master.

Once this bond is created, the servant becomes consistent and steadfast in fulfilling his obligations. This results in his closeness and relationship becoming stronger and his love for Allāh ta‘ālā increases. As a result, the urge to progress further intensifies and the servant begins to enhance and add to his worship by way of nawāfil (optional deeds) and non-obligatory actions. This struggle and striving of his attracts the special attention of Allāhta‘ālā and the servant now becomes the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā as the hadīth continues:

“…and then my bondsman continues to acquire my closeness through nawāfil until I love him…

What more can a servant desire? He is now the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā? Allāh ta‘ālā’s special attention is now directed towards him and he reaches such a level that Allāh ta‘ālā takes care of all his affairs. Allāh ta‘ālā protects him from all directions; he is safeguarded from going astray, he is protected from vice, he is protected from physical and mental calamities as the hadīth further states:

“…And when I love him, I become his ears with which he hears, and his eyes with which he sees, and his hands with which he grasps, and his feet with which he walks. And if he asks from Me, I will surely grant it to him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I surely grant it to him.” (Al-Bukhārī)

Our pious predecessors, after striving, had acquired this status of becoming the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā. We find many incidents from their lives which testify to this fact:

1.   Sayyidunā Ibn ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhumā relates that Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu once proposed, “Take us to the province of our people.” Sayyidunā Ibn ‘Abbāsradhiyallāhu ‘anhumā further narrates that we left towards our destination. Sayyidunā Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b radhiyallāhu ‘anhu and I were amongst those travelling behind the convoy. Along the journey, a cloud emerged which indicated rain. Sayyidunā Ubayyradhiyallāhu ‘anhu (seeing the predicament they would face) turned towards Allāh ta‘ālāand supplicated, “O Allāh! Save us from its troubles.” When we met up with the rest of the convoy who were soaked with rain, Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu enquired, “Did you not get caught up in the rainfall?” I replied, “Abul-Mundhir supplicated to Allāh that we are saved from its troubles, hence we are dry.” Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu complained, “Why did you not include us in your prayer?” (Mawsū‘at Ibn Abi Ad-Dunyā)

2.   Sayyidunā Anas radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates that we visited a very sick man from the Ansār. He passed away during our visit. After his soul had departed, we covered him. Turning towards his old mother at his bedside, one of us consoled her by encouraging her to have hope of reward upon this tribulation from Allāh ta‘ālā. She asked, with concern, “Has he passed away?” We said, “Yes.” She lifted her hands towards Allāh ta‘ālābeseeching, “O Allāh, you are aware that I adopted Islam and migrated towards your Prophet hoping that you will assist me during all circumstances; favourable and difficult; do not burden me with this difficulty today.” Sayyidunā Anas radhiyallāhu ‘anhu says that she uncovered his face and before long he was eating with us. (Mawsū‘at Ibn Abi Ad-Dunyā)

3.   It is narrated that Abū Qilābah rahimahullāh was travelling for Hajj whilst fasting. During a scorching hot day he became extremely thirsty. Abū Qilābah rahimahullāhturned towards Allāh ta‘ālā and beseeched, “O Allāh! You are powerful enough to remove my thirst without me breaking my fast.” Immediately, a cloud shaded him and rained upon him until his clothes became wet, and his thirst vanished. He then got off his conveyance made a ditch in the ground and it filled with water from the rain. When his companions met up with him, they drank from the water but not a drop of rain had touched them. (Jāmi‘ul ‘Ulūm wal-Hikam)

4.   It is stated about Ibrāhīm Ibn Adham rahimahullāh that once he set out on a journey by sea. During the journey the ship got caught in severe winds due to which destruction seemed imminent. Ibrāhīm rahimahullāh wrapped his head in his shawl and went to sleep. The people exclaimed, “Do you not see the great difficulty we are in?” He replied, “This is not difficulty.” “What is difficulty then?” they enquired. He stated, “The need towards people (i.e. to be dependant and in need of the creation).” He then turned towards Allāh ta‘ālā and prayed, “O Allāh! You have displayed your great power, show us you pardon.” The sea immediately calmed down as if it was a pot of oil (coming off the boil). (Sifat-us-Safwah)

5.   ‘Abdullāh ibn Al-Mubārak rahimahullāh passed by a blind man who requested him to pray to Allāh ta‘ālā to restore his sight. The narrator states that ‘Abdullāh ibn Al-Mubārakrahimahullāh prayed to Allāh ta‘ālā and Allāh ta‘ālā restored the blind man’s sight in my presence. (Sifat-us-Safwah)

6.   Abul-Husayn An-Nūrī rahimahullāh once entered a river. A thief came and stole his clothes which were on the bank. He remained in the water. It was not long before the thief returned with the clothes and placed them before Abul-Husayn, however his right hand had become paralysed. Abul-Husayn rahimahullāh turned to Allāh ta‘ālā and implored, “O My Lord! He has returned my clothes, You return (to him the strength of) his right hand.” Allāh ta‘ālā restored his right hand. (Al-Hilyah)

Let us all hold fast to the farā’id and progress towards nawāfil, so we too become the beloved of Allāh ta‘ālā.  

© Riyādul Jannah (Vol. 25 No. 5/6, May/June 2016)

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Shaykh Saleem Dhorat

The Ummah is One

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

“All the believers are like one body. If the eye experiences pain then the whole body will experience pain. If the head experiences pain then the whole body will experience pain.” (Muslim)

Together we all form a single body. We are like the limbs and organs of the same body. If we constitute a single body, then if an organ of the body experiences pain, the whole body should feel it. When a person suffers from a severe headache, his eyes will not say, “I have read too much today, therefore I want to rest!” The rest of the body will not say to the head, “It is your problem, you solve it yourself.” The ears will not say, “I am feeling very tired. It is twelve o’ clock midnight; therefore, I want to go to sleep. You sort your problem out.”  

This headache becomes a problem for all the organs of the body. The brain thinks, “What shall I do? How may I bring cure to this pain?” The legs will walk towards the telephone, the hand will pick up the receiver, the finger will dial, the ear will listen, the tongue will speak and the mind will absorb what the doctor is saying, hence the whole body will function to bring relief to the head.

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, through this similitude, has taught us that if we see a Muslim brother/sister in pain, then we should also feel pain and grief. How many of us today experience pain at the sight of someone’s suffering? How many of us try to solve the problem? How many of us even listen to the problem? How many of us even bother to say a few words to comfort and console the person? And if we find ourselves helpless in doing anything, then how many of us pray for this person, “O Allāh, remove his/her difficulty.”  

This is an extract from the booklet ‘Love & its Limits’
published by the Islāmic Da’wah Academy

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Friends

Friends

By Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

It is very important for every Muslim to make sure that his choice of friends and the company he keeps is correct. It has been proven through experience that the habits and behaviour of friends and associates slowly enter into an individual. Without realising, a person begins to adopt the style and behaviour of his friends. We are all witnesses to this fact. Sadly, I can recall many incidents where those who were pious, religious and good in character lost all of their good qualities because they kept bad company and associated with an inappropriate circle of friends. I have also seen others who were drowning in sins and evil, who underwent a complete revolution in their lives after adopting the company of a pious person of high moral standards. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam advised,

A person is on the way of his friend. Therefore he should think very carefully whom he is making a friend. (At-Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd, Ahmad)

Sincere Friends

We need friends who are sincere, genuine and, true in their friendship. Those who care for our well-being from every aspect are true friends. Those who have concern not only for the needs of this temporary life but also for the requirements of our everlasting life are our real friends.

Allāh is Sufficient for Love

There is only one Supreme Being Who is worthy of ‘true’ love and friendship and this is Allāh ta‘ālā. For love and friendship, He alone is enough. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam commented,

If I were to take a khalīl (intimate friend) other than my Lord, I would have taken Abū Bakr. (Al-Bukhārī) 

Here, despite such close ties and such a strong bond of friendship with Sayyidunā Abū Bakr radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam explains that the highest level of intimacy is reserved only for Allāh ta‘ālā. However, when one becomes engrossed in Divine love and then in the light of this love, one befriends and loves somebody, then inshā’allāh this form of friendship will prove beneficial in both worlds.

This is an extract from the booklet ‘Friendship & our Young Generation’
published by the Islāmic Da’wah Academy

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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

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

Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafidhahullah)

 http://www.idauk.org/

Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafidhahullah) was born on the 7th of November 1962 in Bhoria; a small, rural village in India and from a very young age displayed the signs of piety, trustworthiness, zeal for knowledge and concern for humanity for which he is now well known.

Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafidhahullah) arrived in England in 1973 at the age of 11 with his mother and siblings to join his father, Hafiz Ibraheeem Dhorat (Rahmatullahi alayh). Shaykh’s father was serving as an Imam in Leicester

In 1980, Shaykh Muhammad Saleem (Hafidhahullah) Dhorat enrolled to study Islamic Theology at Darul Uloom Al Arabiyah Al Islamiyah which is based in Bury, Lancashire and at that time it was the only institute of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafidhahullah) after Graduation

After graduating with honours, Shaykh Saleem Dhorat remained at the Darul Uloom for a further five years as a lecturer: a testimony to his academic brilliance and capability. He taught books such as Usulus Shashi, Hidaayatun Nahw, Mirqaat, Hidaayah and the well known book of Hadeeth, Riyaadus Saliheen.

In 1991 Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafidhahullah) founded the Islamic Dawah Academy to help people, especially the young, undertsand the teachings of Islam. Initially starting from his home, the Academy has now grown to provide religious guidance, information and courses, advice services, da’wah amongst non-Muslims, youth activities and publications. It regularly holds talk and tours for visiting luminaries from around the world and is recognised for it’s monthly English journal, Riyadul Jannah.

Shaykh’s (Hafidhahullah)  regular discourses throughout the UK and around the world attract huge audiences and many of Shaykh’s thought provoking lectures are recorded and available via a range of media. Perhaps the reason for Shaykh’s widespread appeal and acceptance is because he has a keen awareness of what is going on in our world and he understands what we experience in our day to day life.

Shaykh Saleem Dhorat’s beneficial lectures, talks and programmes can be heard on the Islamic Dawah Academy website.

Adapted from Islamise website.

Maulana Saleem Dhorat's Da'wah Academy

May Allah swt give good health and long life to Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafidhahullah) in order that the ummah continue to benefit from his presence, lessons and knowledge, Ameen.

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