A monthly newsletter from Masjid Bani Hashim Jumeirah Islands, Dubai Issue#44 June 2017
A Monthly Newsletter by Masjid Bani Hashim, Jumeirah Islands, Dubai Issue #44 June 2017 بسم اهلل الرحمن الرحيم السالم عليكم و رحمة اهلل و بركاته So, what do we do now? Alhamdulil Allah, we finished our Ramadan and we ask Allah SWT for the acceptance of our fasting, our prayers, our charity and all other imperfect good deeds that we performed during this blessed month. As the month departed, there is both a feeling of happiness and sadness. Happiness as Alhamdulil Allah we were blessed with one more Ramadan in our lives, which beidhnil Allah we hope, it means a heavier scale of good deeds on the Day of Judgement and all this is only possible with the taufeeq, guidance from Allah Ar Rahman Ar Rahim. There is sadness as the most beautiful and long recitations of the Qur’an that we used to listen to in our Masajid, during the Tarawih and Qiyam prayers, have now gone silent! The beautiful discipline that the month of Ramadan instilled in us, made us focused towards attaining the pleasure of Allah SWT and running to those acts where we felt the rewards were multiplied. The priority in our lives changed in Ramadan, Allah SWT was the focus and everything else became secondary. Our life changed in a way, where we could taste the sweetness of faith as the performance of good deeds was made easier by Allah SWT. The listening and the recitation of the Wise Qur’an gave life to our sad and dead hearts; these became alive and happy. After all this, as Ramadan has left us, what does stay behind? Subhanal Allah, Allah SWT! Yes, indeed Ramadan left us and we knew, it was a guest for a certain number of days; but Allah SWT is still with us. He established Ramadan for us so that we finish Ramadan with taqwa or more taqwa, depending on our level of obedience and taqwa before Ramadan. If we have finished Ramadan closer to the One who established Ramadan for us, then we must do shukr and by doing so, Allah SWT will bring us even closer to him and in shaa Allah by the time of next Ramadan, our level of faith and taqwa would have increased and we would be beidhnil Allah ready to grow even further in the next Ramadan.
A Monthly Newsletter by Masjid Bani Hashim, Jumeirah Islands, Dubai Issue #44 June 2017
Hence the key is to be grateful and to make sabr, i.e. persevere as much as we can to maintain a certain level of additional worship that we did during Ramadan. It will not be easy, unless we rely in Allah SWT and we ask Him for His support and strength. To those, who felt they were not able to make the most of Ramadan, then your Rabb is ready to accept your excuses if you realise your weaknesses and mistakes and return to Him, make tauba and see His forgiveness, istighfar. This will raise your status in front of Allah SWT and beidhnil Allah, Allah will open doors of goodness outside Ramadan. At the end of the day, only Allah SWT is the Judge, so to Him we turn for the acceptance of our imperfect efforts in Ramadan and ask Him SWT to forgive our shortcomings and to accept our imperfect efforts by His Mercy, which covers all things. Alhamdulil Allah Rabb al alameen, wa Salato Wa salamo Ala Rasulil Allah.
A Monthly Newsletter by Masjid Bani Hashim, Jumeirah Islands, Dubai Issue #44 June 2017
This Issue Introduction: Pages 1 - 2 Names of Allah ()سبْحَ انَ ُه َو تَعَالَى: ُ Pages 4 - 7 The Real Superstars: Pages 8 - 10 Ehsan in Ramadan: Pages 11 - 13
NEW!
Cheer up: Page 14 Surah Yusuf #85-88: Pages 15 - 21 Remaining Steadfast after Ramadan: Pages 22 - 24 Due Measure in Rain: Pages 25 - 27 The Beauty of Prayer in Islam: Pages 28 - 30 Masjid Bani Hashim: Pages 31 - 33
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ALLAH AL WADOOD ()الودود THE MOST LOVING
بسم اهلل الرحمن الرحيم السالم عليكم ورحمة اهلل وبركاته Taken from: فقه اإلسماء الحسنى لشيخ عبد الرزاق عبد املحسن البدر The name of Allah Al Wadood has been mentioned twice in the Quran. Surah Hud 90: (ٌ۬ي ۬مٌ َودُودLL Lَح ِ ى رLL Lِّ ٓوا ْ إِ َليۡ ِۚه إِ َّن َربL LُوبLL Lُ َّم تL Lُڪُ ۡم ثL Lََّٱست َ ۡغ ِفرُوا ْ َرب ۡ "( )وAnd ask forgiveness of your Lord and turn unto Him in repentance. Verily, my Lord is Most Merciful, Most Loving.") Surah Al Burooj 13-14: (١٤) َو ُه َو ٱ ۡل َغفُو ُر ٱ ۡل َودُو ُد (١٣) إِنَّ ُه ۥ ُه َو يُبۡ ِدئ ُ َويُعِ ي ُد Verily, He it is Who begins (punishment) and repeats (punishment in the Hereafter) (or originates the creation of everything, and then repeats it on the Day of Resurrection). (13) And He is Oft-Forgiving, full of love (towards the pious who are real true believers of Islâmic Monotheism), (14).
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And the meaning is the One Who loves His prophets, messengers and their followers, and they love Him. He is the most beloved to them from all things and their hearts are filled with loving Him. Sheikh As Sa’ady may Allah have mercy on him said: ‘Al Wadood is the One Who attracts the love of His creation with His beautiful attributes, vast favors, and subtle gentleness. He is Al Wadood, the One Who loves His believing slaves and they love Him. He is the One Who loves them and placed in their hearts their love for Him. And when they love Him, He loves them more as a reward for their love for Him’. So all favors return back to Allah SWT because He is the One Who placed all the means to love Him and He is the One Who pulled their hearts to His love. He attracted their love by mentioning His vast, beautiful and great attributes. The hearts long and are pulled towards the love of perfection. Complete and absolute perfection belongs to Allah SWT alone and each description of His attributes brings forth a special quality in the worships. It pulls the hearts to its Rabb, then the hearts love Him SWT because of the many blessings He SWT has bestowed upon them. He SWT made them to exist, He SWT fixed their affairs, He SWT gave them what they need, He SWT guided them to faith and Islam, He SWT guided them to the truths of ihsan, He SWT relieved their worries, He SWT removed their difficulties, and He SWT made it clear how to reach the Straight Path with deeds and utterances. The hearts are attracted to those who do good to them, and is there any ihsan greater than His SWT ihsan? Every blessing from Him SWT fills the heart of the slave with loving Him SWT, praising Him SWT, thanking Him SWT and exalting Him SWT. And from His SWT love, the slave falls into sins, has shortcomings in his obligations and Allah SWT still conceals him, is forbearing with him and grants him blessings. Then He SWT brings forth means, reminders, admonitions and directions which bring him back to Him SWT. So the slave repents and returns back to Allah SWT and He SWT forgives and erases his sins. Then He SWT returns His SWT love for him and perhaps this, and only Allah SWT knows, is the secret between joining the name Al Wadood with Al Ghafoor in Surah Al Burooj 14: (ُ( ) َو ُه َو ٱ ۡل َغفُو ُر ٱ ۡل َودُودAnd He is Oft-Forgiving, full of love (towards the pious who are real true believers of Islâmic Monotheism),). And from His SWT perfect love towards the repentant ones, He SWT is happy with their repentance and is more merciful to them than their parents, children and all people combined. And from His SWT love towards His SWT awliya, He SWT is with them by His SWT knowledge, hearing and seeing. He SWT guides them on the spot in their actions and their stillness. And He SWT answers their supplications. Hadith: (َّىL َقرَّبَ إِ َلL َا تLL َو َم، ِرْبL ْح L َ الLLت ُ ُه ِبL ْ َق ْد آذَنL َيًّا فL ِي َولLLِادَى لLL ْن َعL الَ َمLLلم " إِ َّن اهللََّ َقLLليه وسLLلى اهلل عLLولُ اهللَِّ صLLَس L ُ الَ رLLالَ َقLL َق،َ َرةL ْ َريL ي ُهLL ْن أ َ ِبL َع ُص َرهL َ َ َوب،ِهLسمَ عُ ِبL ْ َذِي يLمْ َع ُه ا َّلLس L Lَ ُن ْتLبَبْت ُ ُه ُكLَحLْ ِإذَا أLَ ف،ُبَّهLت َّى أ ُِحLح Lَ ِلLنَّوَا ِفLالLىَّ ِبLت َ َقرَّبُ إِ َلLَبْدِي يLزَالُ َعLَا يL َو َم،ِ َليْهLتُ َعLَض L L L ْ تَرLْمَّ ا افLمLِ َّىLبَّ إِ َلLَح L َ شىْ ٍء أL َ بْدِي ِبLَع اLLَىْ ٍء أَنLش L Lَ ْنL َر َّددْتُ َعLَا تLL َو َم،ُهLَّيذَنLLي أل ُ ِعLLتَعَاذَ ِنLاس L ْ ِئِنL َو َل،ُطيَنَّه ِ Lنِي أل ُ ْعLأ َ َلLس L َ َو إِ ْن،هَاLمْ شِ ي ِبLLَتِي يL َل ُه ا َّلLِج L ْ هَا َورLُش ِب ُ بْطLَتِي يL َدهُ ا َّلLَ َوي،ِهLْص ُر ِب ِ بLُذِي يLا َّل ." ُهL Lَسا َءتL َ L L َرهُ َمL Lا أ َ ْكLL َوْتَ َوأَنL Lَ ْ ْك َرهُ املL Lَ ي، ِنLL L ْؤ ِمL Lُ ْْسامل ِ فL Lَ ْن نL L َر ُّددِي َعL Lَ ُل ُه تL Lا ِعLL َ( )فNarrated Abu Huraira (ra): Allah's Messenger ()ﷺ said, "Allah said, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; 5
and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.") - Sahih al-Bukhari 6502 The impacts of His SWT love towards His SWT believing slaves cannot cross the minds, or be captured by pen. As for His SWT believing slave’s love for Him SWT, it is their soul, life and happiness. In it is their success and joy and by it they establish their worships. By it they praise Him SWT and thank Him SWT, and by it their limbs are at His SWT service. By it their hearts are sufficient from attaching to anything besides Him SWT, or fearing or having hope in anyone else. Their limbs do not oppose Him SWT in any way and all of their love, spiritual and natural, is based on their love for Him SWT. As for the spiritual love, when they love their Rabb, they love His SWT prophets, messengers and other believing slaves. They love all deeds which bring them closer to Him SWT and they love whatever He SWT loves from times, places, deeds and doers. As for the natural love, they eat, drink, take rest and get clothed which are all matters instilled in us, but they do it for a great goal. They do while enacting on the commands of Allah SWT when He SWT says ‘to eat and drink’. They have turned their habits to worships and their times have become occupied with drawing close to their Beloved. All of these impacts become stronger depending on how much love for Allah SWT is inside the heart, for this love is the soul of faith, the reality of tawheed, and the foundation of drawing near. Just as there is no one like Allah SWT in Himself or attributes, His SWT love in the hearts of His SWT believing slaves is like no other. There is nothing that can resemble it in its taste, happiness, and purity. When a person knows his Rabb is Wadood and that He SWT loves His SWT believing slaves and loves those who obey Him SWT, He SWT loves the believers and the muttaqeen, He SWT loves the patient ones and those who put their trust in Him SWT, He SWT loves the repentant ones and those who clean themselves, He SWT loves the truthful ones and those who do things in excellence, He SWT loves those who obey Him SWT, and He SWT does not love those who are unjust and those who disbelieve, He SWT does not love those who betray their trusts and transgress, and He SWT does not love those who are vain and arrogant, then it’s required from the person to obey His SWT commands, 6
and to do what He SWT loves and is pleased with from speech and deeds. Also a person should love His SWT words, His Messenger ( )ﷺand his Sunnah, and to strive in following it because by this a person will attain Allah’s SWT love. Surah Al Imran 31: (ىLL L L L ِبعُو ِنL L L LَّٱتLL L L َحِ بُّو َن ٱهللََّ فLL L L ُنت ُ ۡم تLL L L كLُ لۡ إِنLL L L ُق ٌي ۬مLL Lَّح Lِ فُو ۬رٌ رL L ُك ۡۗم وَٱهللَُّ َغL L َوبLL L ُ ُك ۡم ذُنL L ( )يُحۡ ِببۡ ُك ُم ٱهللَُّ َويَ ۡغ ِف ۡر َلSay (O Muhammad ﷺ to mankind): "If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.")
Reported by Anas (RA): Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Three follow a dead body: members of his family, his possessions and his deeds. Two of them return and one remains with him. His family and his possessions return; his deeds remain with him”. (Bukhari & Muslim - Riyad us Saliheen, Chapter 11, 104)
We ask Allah SWT the following dua which is found in the Sunnah. ()أ َْسأَل َُك حُ ب ََّك وَحُ بَّ َم ْن يُحِ ب َُّك وَحُ بَّ عَمَ ٍل يُ َقرِّبُ إِلَى حُ ب َِّك (I ask You for Your love and to love whoever loves You and to love deeds which will bring me closer to Your love) – At Tirmidhi Book 47, Hadith 3543
Reported by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abi Qatada (RA): My father said, ‘The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘When I stand for prayer, I intend to prolong it but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut it
Reported by Abu Huraira (RA): Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) said, ‘If anyone of you leads the people in the prayer, he should shorten it for amongst
short, as I dislike to trouble the child’s mother.’ (Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 11, Number 675)
them are the weak, the sick and the old; and if anyone among your prays alone
Reported by Abu Qatadah (RA): The Mes-
then he may prolong (the prayer) as much
senger of Allah (peace be upon him) was
as he wishes.’
asked about fasting on Mondays. He said,
“That is the day on which I was born
(Bukhari Volume 1, Book 11, Number 671)
and the day on which I received Revelation.” [Muslim] 7
A’ishah (RA) said about Zaynab (RA): "Zaynab was very proud of Allah’s Messenger. The Prophet (SAWS) would frequently visit her. She was always engaged in much fasting and prayer. She was a skilled craftswoman and would give charity with the proceeds of her own hand.” Zaynab (RA) worked with her own hands and would spend in charity whatever she earned. A’ishah (RA) despite being one of the co-wives , had only good things to say about Zaynab (RA). This tells a lot about the character of both the women.
We continue with the story of one of the Umahatul Mu’mineen whose marriage to the Prophet (SAWS) was done in the heavens above by Allah SWT Himself. What an honorable and exalted marriage SubhanAllah ! There must have been something really special about Zaynab (RA) that Allah SWT chose her for his Beloved Prophet (SAWS). Through the marriage of the Prophet (SAWS), a few beliefs had to be abolished, the chief of which was the belief that one couldn’t marry adopted son’s divorced wife. It was important to show that an adopted son is unlike one’s biological son. Zaynab (RA) was a very pious woman as were the rest of the Ummahaat. She would pray and fast a lot and would give in charity extensively.
Whenever A’ishah (RA) would remember Zaynab (RA), she would pray for her, especially because she was deeply touched that Zaynab (RA) didn’t involve herself in the incident of Ifk, where Aisha (RA) was slandered. Zaynab (RA) said,” I do not wish to be involved, and do not want to defile and taint my ears, my eyes and my tongue with such terrible accusations. I swear by Allah, I find 'A'ishah to be a truly God-fearing lady of exemplary character. I have found her have integrity, sincerity and honesty. I haven’t seen in anything in her except goodness and virtue” A’ishah (RA) later had said, “Allah protected her by (her) abstention (i.e she abstained from indulging in the slander).” A'ishah (RA) remarked that Zaynab (RA) very easily could have taken advantage of the situation and passed derogatory remarks about her, for after all, in a sense they were rivals. 'A'ishah says she never forgot the fact that she stood by her at the worst time in her life when almost the whole world had turned against her.
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There was an incident that happened because of which the following ayah was revealed, ۚ ْضاتَ أَزْوَاج َِك َ يَا أَيُّهَا الن َّ ِبيُّ لِ َم تُحَ ِّر ُم مَا أ َحَ لَّ اهللَُّ ل ََك ۖ تَبْت َغِ ي َمر وَاهللَُّ َغفُو ٌر رَّحِ ي ٌ م “O Prophet! Why do you forbid (for yourself) that which Allah has allowed to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merci ful.” [Surah Tahrim 66:1] The Prophet (SAWS) used to visit all his wives at a set routine after ‘Asr to enquire about their well being and to spend time with them. Once Zaynab (RA) had received some honey which was the Prophet (SAWS)’s favorite. Whenever she would offer it to him, he (SAWS) would stay a little longer than usual. The other wives would wait for him and would get a little restless. So 'A'ishah, Sawdah, and Hafsah thought of some way to stop this. They decided that when the Prophet (SAWS) would come to visit them after visiting Zaynab (RA), they would say that there was a peculiar smell coming from him. The Prophet (SAWS) was very particular about his hygiene and the way he smelt. This was not done out of spite but out of love for the Prophet (SAWS) and because they wanted him to come to them sooner. When they told the Prophet (SAWS) that he was smelling unpleasant, he (SAWS) made the honey haram on himself Since the Prophet (SAWS) swearing not to have something that was not forbidden by Allah SWT could lead to others swearing something similar and making halal haram upon themselves, Allah
SWT revealed this ayah after which the Prophet (SAWS) broke the oath he had taken, and performed the penance for this in accordance with the rulings of Allah SWT. When Zaynab (RA) passed away, 'A'ishah recalled the time when the Prophet (SAWS) had said that among the Mother of the Believers, the one with the longest arms would meet him first. Zaynab (RA) was short compared to the others and naturally her arms were also shorter. The Ummahatul Mnu’mineen took this statement literally and started measuring their arms. It was only upon the death of Zaynab that they realized what this meant. It really meant that the person with the longest arms was the most generous or liberal person, who only thought of how she could benefit others. Ibn Sa’ad reported on the authority of al-Qaasim ibn Muhammed that Zaynab (RA) stated on her death bed, “I have prepared my own shroud, though 'Umar is going to send a shroud for me. Give one of them in charity and if you are can also give (away) my loin cloth in charity - if you can do so.” 'Amrah bint 'Abdur-Rahmaan al-Ansaariyyah reported the following: “Umar sent five Harranee cloths, each one of them was incensed with which she was shrouded. Her sister, Hamnah gave in charity the shroud which she (Zaynab) had prepared for her own burial.” 'Amrah (rahimahallah) narrated that she heard 'Aa'ishah (RA) saying,
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“The praiseworthy woman, the devoted worshipper and the refuge of the orphans and the widow has now gone (i.e. passed away).” Muhammed ibn K'ab al-Quradhi said: “Zaynab bin Jahsh’s annual grant was twelve thousand, which she took only once, (after which) she began saying, “O Allah! Do not let this money be with me next year because it is a trial!” She then distributed among both her kith and kin, as well as the needy. When 'Umar heard of this he said of her, ‘This is a blessed woman.’ He then sent greetings to her and the message of, ‘The news regarding what you have done has reached me.’ He then sent her one thousand dirhams that would be sufficient for her needs. She treated the money in the same way as she had done previously.”
Reported by Anas bin Malik (RA): Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Let none of you wish for death on account of an affliction that befalls him. If he has no alternative, let him pray: 'Allahumma ahyine ma kanatil-hayatu khairan li, wa tawaffani idha kanatil-wafatu khairan li (O Allah! Give my life so long as the life is good for me, and take away my life if death is good for me).'" [Bukhari & Muslim - Riyad us Saliheen, Chapter 67, 586]
Reported by ‘Abdullah bin Umar (RA): Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) said, “The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer of-
Zaynab died in the year 20 AH at the age of 53. 'Umar (radhi Allahu 'anhu) performed her funeral prayer.
fered by person alone.” (Bukhari)
Reported by Haritha bin Wahb (RA): I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying, “Shall I tell you of the people of Paradise? They comprise every poor humble person, and if he swears by Allah to do something, Allah will fulfill it; while the people of the fire comprise every violent, cruel arrogant person.”
Reported by Abu Said Al-Khudri (peace be upon him): Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) said, ‘The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every Muslim who has attained the age of puberty.’ (Bukhari Volume 2, Book 13, Number 20)
(Bukhari) 10
EHSAN IN RAMADAN
ِ ِسم ِ ٱهللَِّ ٱلرَّحۡ َٰمنِ ٱلرَّحِ يم ۡ ب ني َ ٱلۡحَ مۡ ُد هللَِِّ رَبِّ ٱ ۡل ٰعَ َل ِم Ehsan in Ramadan Ehsan is something very elevated in deen, as first we have Islam, then Eman and at the highest level we have Ehsan.
Are you “ahsante” in every movement in prayer? The more you do “ahsante” in religion, the more you are closer to Allah SWT. You can be a Mohsin in everything you do to become closer to Allah SWT.
However, to be a Muhsin (the one who is doing Ehsan) you can start with small things. You can attain Ehsan with gradual striving. If you can do Ehsan in small things, then you will be a Muhsin in the general sense of the word. You must practice Ehsan in prayer, in fasting, in giving charity amongst other acts of worship. It does not mean you will be all the time in Ehsan. When you start prayer, you make the intention that you will Ehsan but then you get distracted and hence you are not Muhsin during all the prayer. You must strive to be a Muhsin in small things in life up till you get to the big things. Ehsan is in the heart. To be a Mohsin is a disposition of your heart and hence is difficult. Practice is required to bring the heart together. Ehsan is like you are collecting points. It will be a small number in the beginning but in shaa Allah gradually you will get higher and higher in shaa Allah.
How Ehsan is related to Ramadan? The big benefit of Ramadan is to be a Mohsin. But what is Ehsan? Ehsan is to do something good. In the Arabic language, we call someone “ahsante” if she is doing something good. Look at your life all together and ask yourself if you deserve to be called “ahsante” in your relationship with Allah SWT. Do you deserve the “kalimate ahsante”?
On the authority of Abu Ya'la Shaddad bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Verily Allah has prescribed Ehsan (perfection) in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.” Ramadan is the time to practice Ehsan, Allah SWT is inviting us to Jannah. Surah An Nahal, Allah SWT is ordering us Ehsan, i.e. Ehsan is not a choice, it is a commandment from Allah SWT:
90.
ِسانِ َو إِيت َا ِء ذِي ا ْل ُق ْربَىٰ َويَن ْ َهىٰ عَن َ َْاإلِح ْ ۞ إِ َّن اهللََّ يَأ ْ ُم ُر بِا ْل َعدْلِ و شا ِء وَاملْ ُن ْ َك ِر وَا ْلبَ ْغيِ ۚ يَعِ ظُ ُك ْم َل َع َّل ُك ْم تَذَ َّكرُو َن َ ْا ْلفَح
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In Surah Al Baqarah, Allah SWT tells us that He loves the Muhsinin, those who do good.
Allah SWT clarifies the reward for the Muttaquin and Muhsenin in Surah Al Mursalat:
195.
41.
ۛ سبِي ِل اهللَِّ و ََال تُ ْلقُوا ِبأَيْدِي ُك ْم إِلَى الت َّ ْه ُل َك ِة ۛ َوأ َحْ سِ ن ُوا َ َوأَنْ ِفقُوا فِي
ٍني فِي ظ َِاللٍ َو ُعيُون َ إِ َّن املْ ُت َّ ِق Verily, the Muttaquin (pious - see V.2:2) shall be
ني َ إِ َّن اهللََّ يُحِ بُّ املْ ُحْ سِ ِن
amidst shades and springs.
And spend in the Cause of Allâh (i.e. Jihâd of all kinds,) and do not throw yourselves into
42.
َشتَهُو َن ْ َوفَوَا ِك َه مِمَّ ا ي And fruits, such as they desire.
destruction (by not spending your wealth in the Cause of Allâh), and do good. Truly, Allâh loves
43.
َاش َربُوا َهنِيئ ًا بِمَ ا ُكنْت ُ ْم تَعْمَ لُو َن ْ ُكلُوا و
Al-Muhsinin (the good-doers).
“Eat and drink comfortably for that which you used to do.
The more Ehsan you do, the more Allah SWT will love you. All of this is a feeling that you should realise within yourself; you should feel in your heart the closeness to Allah SWT due to the Ehsan that you are doing, even if it is in small steps. In Surah An Nahal, Allah SWT reminds us that He is with those who do Taqwa, that is, those who behave the way Allah SWT likes them to behave and avoid doing anything that displeases Allah SWT. And these are the Muhsinin. 128.
ني َ إِنَّا َكذَٰل َِك نَجْ زِي املْ ُحْ سِ ِن Verily, thus We reward the Muhsinin (good-doers see V.2:112)
We can summarise in 4 points, the virtues of doing Ehsan: 1.
Allah SWT will love you.
2.
Allah SWT will be with you.
3.
Allah SWT will reward you in dunya and akhirah. Allah SWT loves the Muhsenin, and will protect them with His Knowledge, with His support and all other favors.
4.
They are ready to meet Allah that means Allah is pleased with them and Allah will please them.
إِ َّن اهللََّ َمعَ ا َّلذِي َن اتَّ َقوْا وَا َّلذِي َن ُه ْم مُحْ سِ ن ُو َن Truly, Allâh is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinin (good-doers)
So how do you get Taqwa? You must be a muhsin. If you do not have Taqwa you will not be a Muhsin. In Surah Al Baqarah, Allah SWT clarifies the purpose of fasting as to make us of the Muttaquin, and as we saw above, in ayah 128 of Surah An Nahal, those who have Taqwa are the ones who are Muhsenin. 183.
44.
الصيَا ُم كَمَ ا ُكتِبَ َعلَى ا َّلذِي َن ِم ْن ِّ يَا أَيُّهَا ا َّلذِي َن آ َمن ُوا ُكتِبَ َع َليْ ُك ُم َقبْلِ ُك ْم َل َع َّل ُك ْم تَتَّقُو َن
In summary, the fruit of Ramadan is that you will be a Muttaqui. If you keep working on Ehsan in Ramadan, then you will end the month of Ramadan with more Eman and more Taqwa. We ask Allah to give us firmness both during Ramadan and thereafter. We reached this great a great Season and we ask Allah SWT to be pleased with us. In Ramadan, to reap the full reward promised by Allah SWT, you need to act in accordance with the sunnah of the Prophet SAWS and with sincerity to-
12
wards Allah SWT, i.e. to do every worship only to please Allah SWT. When you know Allah SWT, you will love Him and you will have hope in His acceptance of your efforts, while you will be afraid of displeasing Him. There are two categories of Ehsan: 1.Towards People, by fulfilling their rights, such as sharing our blessings and giving Zakah and Sadaqah. 2.Towards Allah SWT, which also includes doing Ehsan to His creation. In every minute in Ramadan you want to be a Muhsin, you need to collect your heart so that it can reach Allah SWT. To be able to do Ehsan, you need to rely in Allah SWT, keeping Surah Fateha at your heart (To you we worship only and thy help only we ask for). If you rely in your ability to do Ehsan, you will not attain Ehsan. You need to ask Allah SWT all the time. There is neither Power nor strength except from Allah SWT. Allah SWT will give you strength. Ehsan is to have the feeling that Allah is Al Ghani and He does not need us. Bad thoughts, laziness, these are from shaytan. You seek refuge in Allah SWT and you move on. You do what you can, it may be little but aim to do it with Ehsan. Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.” Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 4240, Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani When you keep striving by gradually adding ehsan in your ibadah, you will notice the difference in your life and you will have the beautiful feeling that Allah SWT will reward you for your efforts. Ehsan is about doing your worship with a heart that is alive. Your key battlefield is your heart: keep this striving to have an attentive and responsive heart to Allah SWT.
Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ”There is an hour (or a moment) of particular significance on Friday. If it happens that a Muslim is offering a prayer and invoking Allah for some good at that very moment, Allah will grant him his request.” (The sub-narrator placed the top of his finger on the palm of the other hand between the middle finger and the little one.) (Bukhari)
Reported by Abu Hurairah (RA): The Messenger of Allah said: “Allah the Exalted and Majestic said: ‘Every act of the son of Âdam is for him, except As-Siyam (the fasting) which is (exclusively) for Me, and I will reward him for it.’” (Bukhari & Muslim - Riyad us Saliheen 1215)
May Allah SWT accept all our efforts and complete these efforts with His forgiveness and Mercy.
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Heartfelt advice to a friend by Imam Ibn Qayyim al- Jawziyya (d.751H) ِ ن الرَّحِ يم ِ ِسم ِ اهللَِّ الرَّحْ مَ ـ ْ ب In the name of Allah, The Lord of Mercy, The Giver of Mercy We thank Allah SWT for this opening. In shaa Allah T’Ala we will continue sharing with you the translation in English of Ibn Qayyim’s “Risalatu Ibn al-Qayyim ila Ahadi ikhwanihi” “I have never regretted anything as much as my regret over a day on which the sun sets and my life span decreases while my good deeds have not increased” Ibn Mas’ud (radiy Allahu’anhu)” ii. Heedlessness (al-ghafla) and Desire (al-hawa) If heedlessness (al-ghafla) of Allah SWT and the Hereafter is coupled with following ones’ own whims and desires (ittiba’ al-hawa), then only evil emanates from such relation- and it is often that both exist hand in hand and never are apart from each other. If a person ponders on the corrupt state of the world, in general and that heedlessness stands as a barrier between the servant [of Allah SWT] and understanding and knowing Allah SWT. Following of whims and desires keep one away from searching for the truth and following it. In the case of the former, such a person becomes from those who are astray, and in the case of the latter, he becomes among those upon whom Allah SWT evoked His anger. In shaa Allah T’Ala TO BE CONTINUED. 14
He said : I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah , and I know from Allah that which you do not know. 12:86 This is a beauDful answer, the cure for sorrow and grief. The messengers are an example for us, and they are able to withstand the trials. That is why they are honored and exalted; they are in the most difficult posiDons, and succeed.
سورة يوسف Surah Yusuf # 85-88 ني َ َضا أ َ ْو تَكُو َن ِم َن ا ْلهَالِ ِك ً ُوسفَ حَ تَّىٰ تَكُو َن حَ ر ُ قَالُوا تَاهللَِّ تَفْتَأ ُ تَذْ ُك ُر ي They said, “By Allah , you will not cease remembering Yusuf until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish.” 12:85 The brothers could see the sightless eyes of their father, it wasn't hidden from them any more. AAer so many years, his feelings for Yusuf عليه السالمremained as intense as before, and he sDll missed Yusuf عليه السالمso much. The sons tried so hard to remove the love of Yusuf عليه السالمfrom the heart of their father, but they did not succeed. The brothers told their father, who is also a messenger of Allah, that if he persists in behaving in this way, his intense grief and sorrow would result in him becoming paralyzed, unable to move or talk, and would be destroyed. The picture they drew was of a man alive, but in a coma, unable to move or speak, at the mercy of others. This condiDon of Ya'qub عليه السالمdid not negate his faith in Allah SWT. He was a human being, with human emoDons. But he was also a prophet, so his belief was unshakable. قَالَ إِنَّمَ ا أ َْشكُو بَث ِّي وَحُ زْنِي إِلَى اهللَِّ َوأ َ ْع َل ُم ِم َن اهللَِّ مَا َال تَ ْعلَمُ و َ ن
Ya'qub عليه السالمwas dealing with his sons, and it would have been easy to complain to other people; this is easy. But to complain to slaves like yourself is useless. People will not understand your feelings, and that will make you angry. However intense your situaDon, no one can be in your shoes. People may sympathize, but their percepDon of your problem will be different from yours. When you complain to people, they might misunderstand, thinking you are jealous. When you complain to Allah, you are never disappointed. Allah understands your feelings completely, and it all remains a complete secret, like a private counseling. When you complain to Allah SWT, you don't need many words, because He SWT knows your heart; He can see your hurt. Allah SWT also respond to your complaints in the best manner. When someone want to complain, he wants everyone to know and sympathize. SomeDmes people complain to get aTenDon. Allah SWT is the Only One to understand your heart. When there is no soluDon to your problem, don't tell people; that will not help. Tell Allah SWT, don't deal with Him in an abstract manner. He SWT has all the power to change the situaDon. Cry to Him SWT; there is no one closer to you than Allah SWT. The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلمsaid: أَنَا ِعن ْ َد ظَ ِّن َعبْدِي ِبي: َُّقَالَ اهلل ٧٥٠٥ # صحيح البخاري ‘ حديث Allah said : I am to My slave as he thinks of Me. Ya'qub عليه السالمhad full faith in Allah SWT, that He would never disappoint him. ُوسفَ َوأ َخِ ي ِه و ََال تَيْأ َُسوا مِن َّر ْوح ِ اهللَِّ ۖ إِنَّ ُ ه ُ سوا مِن ي ُ س َّ َيَا بَ ِنيَّ اذْ َهبُوا فَت َح 15
َال يَيْأ َُسمِن َّر ْوح ِ اهللَِّ إ َِّال ا ْل َق ْو ُم ا ْلكَا ِفرُو َ ن O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah . Indeed, no one de spairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.” 12:87 The knowledge of Ya'qub عليه السالمabout Allah SWT, made him have so much faith and trust in Him SWT. Ya'qub عليه السالمhad 12 sons, and lost 3 of them. But he did not lose hope with Allah SWT, that they would all be returned to him. He asked all of them to go and search for the missing brothers. Ya'qub عليه السالمtells his sons to make an effort to search for their brothers, to strive to collect any news they might get of them, and to follow the clues so that they might lead them to their brothers. He asked them to go and search for Yusuf عليه السالمand Binyameen, not the eldest son, because he remained behind by his own will. He menDoned Yusuf عليه السالمfirst, because this son was the dearest to him. Yusuf عليه السالم was also a messenger, so he held a special posiDon in his heart. The brothers didn't know that Yusuf عليه السالمwas the minister who kept Binyameen behind. Ya'qub also didn't know that Yusuf عليه السالمand Binyameen were together, but Allah SWT inspired him to menDon them together.
many characters in the story of Yusuf عليه السالم. There are two messengers in one family. It was narrated from Mus’ab bin Sa’d that his father, Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas, said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which people are most se verely tested?’ He said: ‘The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his relig ious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious com mitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.’” قَاالَ حَ َّدثَنَا، َُست ْ َويَحْ يَى بْ ُن ُدر،ُُّوسفُ بْ ُن حَ مَّ ا ٍد املْ َ ْع ِني ُ حَ َّدثَن َا ي ِس ْع ِد بْن َ ،ِ َع ْن أَبِيه،ٍس ْعد َ ُِصعَبِ بْن ْ َع ْن م،ٍ َاصم ِ َع ْن ع،ٍحَ مَّ ا ُد بْ ُن زَيْد َّاسأ ََش ُّد بَالَ ًء قَالَ “ األَنْ ِبيَا ُ ء ِ َسولَ اهللَِّ أ َُّى الن ُ قَالَ ُقلْتُ يَا رvٍأَبِي َوقَّاص سبِ دِي ِن ِه فَ ِإ ْن كَا َن فِي دِي ِن ِ ه َ َثُ َّم األ َ ْمث َلُ فَاأل َ ْمث َلُ يُبْتَلَى ا ْل َعبْ ُد َعلَى ح سبِ دِي ِن ِه فَمَ ا َ َاشت َ َّد بَالَ ُؤهُ َو إِ ْن كَا َن فِي دِي ِن ِه ِر َّق ٌة ابْتُلِيَ َعلَى ح ْ ص ْلبًا ُ ْض َومَا َع َليْ ِه ِمن ِ يَبْ َر ُح ا ْلبَالَ ُء بِا ْل َعبْ ِد حَ ت َّى يَت ْ ُر َك ُه يَمْ شِ ي َعلَى األَر “.ٍخطِيئَة َ ٤٠٢٣ # حديث، سنن ابن ماجة
Ya'qub عليه السالمhad so much hope with Allah SWT, which Sheikh Ibn Taymiyah said: was the result of his experience, belief and knowledge of ما خال جس ٌد من حس ٍ د Allah SWT. The believer with experience increases in hope, while the disbeliever with experience increases in despair. there is no body which is empty of jealousy To be negaDve about the past is a result of lack of knowledge about Allah SWT. Old age and experience with knowlThis story also shows us that humans beings are the same. edge about Allah SWT result in wisdom. The brothers of Yusuf عليه السالمlived in the desert with their father, who was a messenger. They were not exIn the mercy of Allah SWT, there is happiness, relief, vastposed to any bad influence. The 10 brothers all helped ness, like a pleasant breeze, giving life to the soul. All each other in feeding their jealousy for one person, Yusuf these things are needed in a situaDon os sadness and عليه السالم. This made the intensity of their jealousy grief. Ya'qub عليه السالمwas in distress, and needed the stronger. The strength of a group is always more than an mercy of Allah SWT. In a despairing situaDon, it is easy to individual. The brothers didn't have any other vices, they lose hope, so a bigger dose of mercy is needed. were jealous for the love of their father; they did not commit shirk or disbelief. Allah SWT reformed them. With To be proud and arrogant, and also despairing, both are knowledge, you know more about yourself, and recognize sins. There must be a balance. Don't ever give up with your weaknesses and the sicknesses of your heart. This is Allah SWT. This is the way of the disbelievers. There are nurturing. When confronted with your weakness, you 16
the stronger your hope. Your hope saves you from despairing. ألسباب اليأس من َروْح اهلل reasons for despairing from the mercy of Allah .1الجهل باهلل تعالى الجهل برحمة اهلل الجهل قدرة اهلل الجهل علم اهلل بحالة العبد
might react more strongly in a negaDve manner, but eventually, with the help of Allah SWT, you will be able to remove it from your heart. When you are in a trial, you must not despair of the mercy of Allah SWT. Ya'qub عليه السالمreminds them not to lose hope. The mercy of Allah SWT is very vast, more than you can imagine. The one who does not believe in Allah despairs of His mercy, whereas the one who believes in Allah has hope with Him. Ya'qub عليه السالمnever told his sons to search for Yusuf earlier. Now was the Dme to acDvate the worship of hope in the heart. When someone is sick, the hope springs in the heart strongly. When the sickness is prolonged, the hope wanes. For Ya'qub عليه السالم, aAer many years of losing Yusuf عليه السالم, the hope is sDll intact in his heart, increasing with Dme. The more you know Allah SWT, you never despair of His mercy. When you depend on means, this can give rise to despair, affecDng the belief in Allah SWT. An example is when someone has a sickness, deemed incurable by the doctors, he will lose hope in ever recovering. Technology makes reliance upon Allah weak. People in previous Dmes were sick with many of the same 'incurable' diseases. They recovered, and someDmes died if it was Dme; they didn't die of the stress of being incurably sick. Our test in life is to believe in the غيبor the unseen. Ya'qub عليه السالمwas diplomaDcally trying to reform his sons. Whenever you try to reform and correct someone, do it gently, not to break or hurt someone. This is how Allah reforms us, very gently and kindly. Ya'qub عليه السالمsDll loved his sons aAer all they did. The more faith you have in Allah SWT, the more hope you will have with Him. Consequently, the more prolonged the trial,
When you are in a trial, you must not despair of the mercy of Allah SWT. Ya'qub عليه السالمreminds them not to lose hope. One of the reasons of despair is lack of knowledge about Allah SWT, His ability and power, and His perfect knowledge about the condiDon of His slaves. Ya'qub عليه السالمlost Yusuf عليه السالمalmost 40 years previously. Any other person would despair of ever finding him again, but his hope was strong. The mercy of Allah SWT prevails His anger. The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلمsaid: خالَ ِئ ِق فَ ِبهَا يَتَرَاحَ مُ ون َ َني جَ مِيعِ ا ْل َ ْ َس َم ِمنْهَا رَحْ مَ ًة ب َ إِ َّن هللَِِّ مِائ َ َة رَحْ مَ ٍة ق ِس َع ً ة ْ خ َر ت َّ َ ش َعلَى أ َ ْوالَ ِدهَا َوأ ُ َْو ِبهَا يَتَعَاطَفُو َن َو ِبهَا تَ ْعطِفُ ا ْلوَح ني رَحْ مَ ًة يَرْحَ ُم ِبهَا ِعبَا َدهُ يَ ْو َم ا ْل ِقيَا َم ِ ة َ ِِسع ْ َوت ٤٤٣٤ # حديث،٣٧ # كتاب، سنن ابن ماجة Allah has one hundred (degrees of) mercy, of which He has shared one between all of creation, by virtue of which you show mercy and compassion towards one an other and the wild animals show compassion towards their young. And He has kept back ninety-nine (degrees of) mercy by virtue of which He will show mercy to His slaves on the Day of Resurrection. Allah SWT was الرحمنeven before He created anything. Abu Hurayra said : A man came to the Prophet صلى اهلل عليه و سلمwith a child which he began to embrace. The Prophet صلى اهلل عليه و سلمsaid : Do you show mercy towards me? The man replied : yes. He said : Allah is more merciful towards you than you are to
17
wards this child. He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.
 ‍مŘتا؏ ؼليه‏ The level of fear is to stop you from sinning against
‍ ŘŮŽ َّد؍َن َا يَزŮ?ŮŠ Ů?ŘŻ بْ Ů? ن‏:َ‍ Ů‚ŮŽŘ§Ů„â€ŹŘŒŮ?‍ ŘŮŽ َّد؍َن َا ŮŽŮ… Ů’ŘąŮˆŮŽŘ§Ů†â€Ź:َ‍ Ů‚ŮŽŘ§Ů„â€ŹŘŒŮ?‍ŘŮŽ َّد؍َن َا َؚبْ Ů?ŘŻ اهللŮ? بْ Ů?ن Ů…Ů?ŘŮŽ Ů…Ů‘ŮŽ د‏  ‍ أَتَى الن Ů‘ŮŽ Ů?بيَّ ؾلى اهلل‏:َ‍ ŮŽŘš ْن أَبŮ?ŮŠ Ů?ه َعيْ َع؊َ Ů‚ŮŽŘ§Ů„â€ŹŘŒŮ? ‍ ŮŽŘš ْن أَبŮ?ŮŠ ŘŮŽ ا Ů?Ř˛Ů…â€ŹŘŒŮŽâ€ŤŮ’ŘłŘ§Ů†â€Ź ŮŽ â€ŤŮŽŮƒŮŠâ€Ź  ‍ ٠َقَالَ الن Ů‘ŮŽ Ů?بيّŮ? ŘľŮ„Ů‰â€ŹŘŒŮ?‍َ؜مّŮ? Ů?ه ŘĽŮ? َليْه‏ Ů? ‍ Ů ŮŽŘŹŮŽ َؚلَ ŮŠâ€ŹŘŒŮŒŮ‘â€ŤŘľ Ů?بي‏ ŮŽ ‍ؚليه ŮˆŘłŮ„Ů… عَ؏Ů? Ů„ŮŒ ŮŽŮˆ ŮŽŮ… ŮŽŘš Ů?ه‏ ‍ ŮŽŮˆ Ů?ه ŮŽâ€ŠŮˆâ€ŹŘŒŮ?‍ ٠َاهللَّŮ? أَعْŘŮŽ Ů?Ů… ب ŮŽŮ?Ůƒ Ů?من ŮŽŮ’Ůƒ Ů?به‏:َ‍ Ů‚ŮŽŘ§Ů„â€ŹŘŒŮ’â€Ť نَ َؚم‏:َ‍ أَتَعْŘŮŽ Ů…Ů? هŮ?Ř&#x; قَال‏:‍اهلل ؚليه ŮˆŘłŮ„Ů…â€Ź  .‍ني‏ ŮŽ ‍أَعْŘŮŽ Ů?Ů… العَّاŘŮ? Ů?م‏  ‍ؾـŘŮ€ŮŠŮ€Ř Ř§ŘŁŮ„Ů„Ř¨Ř§Ů†ŮŠâ€Ź  ٣٣٧ # ‍ ŘŘŻŮŠŘŤâ€ŹŘŒ ‍األدب امل٠عد‏ Allah SWT is able to do whatever He wants and wills.He was able to bring Yusuf ‍ ؚليه السالم‏back. He SWT is able to protect and cure without any means. Life in dunya is associated with means. ATachment to means is an obstacle to belief and reliance upon Allah SWT. Allah SWT knows the situaDons of all His slaves. He SWT knows their feelings, challenges, heartaches, hopes and fears. Allah will never leave you or disappoint you. Incorporate the belief in these three points in your life, and you will never despair. Belief is the test of life: ‍ني‏  َ Ů? َ‍٠َمَ ا ظَنّŮ?ŮƒŮ?Ů… Ů?بعَبّŮ? ا ْلَؚامل‏ Then what is your thought about the Lord of the worlds? 37:87
Allah, you don’t need more than that A small dose of fear is enough; more than that will lead to despair.   ‍ مؾاŘب؊ القانءني‏.3 Accompanying those who despair. Their hopelessness can aect you into also losing hope. So when you see someone without hope, try to lift their spirits by being positive.   ‍ التؚلق باألسباب‏.4   ‍⏇ đ&#x;”ťŘ§Ů„شعؚي‏   â€ŤŘ§Ů„ŮƒŮˆŮ†ŮŠâ€Ź ATachment to the means, whether legislaDve, or universal. Examples of legislaDve means is honey and zamzam water. Examples of universal means is doctors and medicines, a car and mobile. The word ‍ السبب‏is used for a rope in the Arabic language. It is a rope you climb to reach your goal. Do not hang onto this rope, by giving it power and depending upon it. No one will go to Jannah because of their good deeds; they are only a means to enter Jannah. ATaching to them will lead to disappointment. The Messenger of Allah ‍ ؾلى اهلل ؚليه Ůˆ سلم‏said:
Ibn Al Qayyim said that despairing from the mercy of Allah is a major sin. It implies that He has no mercy, or ability, and is unaware of His slaves.
 ‍ ŮˆŮ…Ů†â€ŹŘŒ ‍ ŮˆŮ…Ů† ŘłŘŘą Ů Ů‚ŘŻ ŘŁŘ´ŘąŮƒâ€ŹŘŒ ‍من ؚقد ŘšŮ?Ů‚ŘŻŘŠŮ‹ ŘŤ Ů‘ŮŽŮ… ن٠؍ ٠يها Ů Ů‚ŘŻ ŘłŘع‏  ‍تؚلَّق بشي Ů?ŘĄ Ů?ŮˆŮƒŮ?Ů„ ؼليه‏  - ‍ التعغيب ŮˆŘ§Ů„ŘŞŘąŮ‡ŮŠŘ¨â€Ź:‍ املؾدع‏- ‍ املنذعي‏:‍ ŘŁŘ¨Ůˆ هعيع؊ املŘد؍‏:â€ŤŘ§Ů„ŘąŘ§ŮˆŮŠâ€Ź
  ‍ Ř§Ů„ŘşŮ„Ůˆ Ů ŮŠ Ř§Ů„ŘŽŮˆŮ Ů…Ů† اهلل‏.2
 4/87 :‍الؾ٠ŘŘŠ ŘŁŮˆ العقم‏
Exaggerated fear of Allah also leads to despair. The punishments menDoned in the Qur'an and sunnah are enough to create a healthy fear, which will deter from sinning, without making the person despair. Worship,should be with love, then hope and fear will follow in balance.This will make it forever, not for a short Dme. Do not scare people into worship or change, because it will not last, and will destroy their love for Allah. Ibn Al Qayyim said do not let the fear increase so that it leads to despair; watch your heart all the Dme. It must be in balance with the love and hope. Ibn Taymiyah said: â€Šâ€ŤŘ Ů‘ŘŻ Ř§Ů„ŘŽŮˆŮ Ů…Ř§ ŘŘŹŘ˛Ůƒ ؚن مؚاؾي اهلل Ůˆ ما زاد ؚنه Ů Ů‡Ůˆ غيع‏
 ‍ ŮˆŮ„Ů… يسمؚ Ů…Ů†Ů‡â€ŹŘŒ ‍ ]٠يه[ الŘسن ؚن أبي هعيع؊‏:‍؎الؾ؊ ŘŮƒŮ… املŘد؍‏  ‍ؚند Ř§Ů„ŘŹŮ…Ů‡ŮˆŘąâ€Ź The one who ties knots, then blows on them, is perform ing magic, and whoever performs magic is committing shirk, and whoever attaches to any means, will be left with it.
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and seek help (of Allah) at morn and at dusk and some part of night. Taking the difficult way in deen is not taqwa, whereas using the ease Allah gave us is. Shortening and combining the prayer while traveling is taqwa, while not doing so is extremism. It was narrated that Abu Salamah said: I said to Abu Sa’eed Khudri: Did you hear the Mes senger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلمmention anything You will be leA with the thing you are aTached to, to benefit you, which it cannot, so you will be disappointed. Allah will close the heart, blocking all good. When you feel despair in your heart, look at yourself; are you aTached to some means? Busy yourself and be occupied only with Allah. When Ya'qub عليه السالمtold his sons not to despair, he was actually telling them not to aTach to means. The believer uses the means, aTaching only to Allah; anyone else aTaches to the means. Means are a test of belief. الت ََّشدُّد في الدين و ترك األخذ بالرُّخص.5 Extremism in religion and not taking the ease. This exhausts the person. The religious person is viewed by others as a strict and harsh individual. Do not make religion so severe, take it slowly and with ease. The real scholars of Deen are very easygoing; the ones who imitate are strict and harsh. The more you know Allah the more approachable you are. The ones who are extreme make the religion difficult. Everyone is on different level as far as the voluntary worship is concerned, whereas obligatory are a must. The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلمsaid: فسددوا وقاربوا، ولن يشاد الدين إال غلبه،إن الدين يسر واستعينوا بالغدوة والروحة وشيء من الدلجة،وأبشروا ١٤٥ # حديث،١ # كتاب، رياض الصالحني، واه البخاري The religion (of Islam) is easy, and whoever makes the religion a rigor, it will overpower him. So, follow a middle course (in worship); if you can’t do this, do something near to it and give glad tidings
about the Haruriyyah (a sect of Khawarij)?’ He said: I heard him mention a people who would ap pear to be devoted worshippers: Such that anyone of you would regard his own prayer and fasting as insignificant when compared to theirs. But they will pass through Islam like an arrow passing through its target, then he (the archer) picks up his arrow and looks at its iron head but does not see anything, then he looks at the shaft and does not see anything, then he looks at the band: that which is wrapped around the iron head where it is connected to the shaft, then he looks at the feather and is not sure whether he sees anything or not. ١٧٤ # حديث، ١ # كتاب، سنن ابن ماجة صحيح: حكم ِقلّة الصبر و إستعجال الن ّتائج.6 Lack of paDence and haste in gefng the results. This makes you restless and sad. The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلمsaid : The supplication of the servant is granted in case he does not supplicate for sin or for severing the ties of blood, or he does not become impatient. It was said: Allah’s Messenger, what does: If he does not grow im
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patient imply? He said: That he should say like this: I supplicated and I supplicated but I did not find it being responded. and then he becomes frustrated and abandons supplication. c٢٧٣٥ # حديث،صحيح مسلم تعلق القلب بالدنيا.7 ATachment of the heart to the worldly life. Dunya is always changing; there is some good with some bad. This can lead to despair. جئْنَا ِ الض ُّر َو ُّ َسن َا َوأ َ ْه َلن َا َّ خلُوا َع َليْ ِه قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا ا ْل َعزِيزُ م َ فَلَمَّ ا َد َصدَّقْ َع َليْن َا ۖ إِ َّن اهللََّ يَجْ ِزي َ ِضا َع ٍة ُّمزْجَ ا ٍة فَأَوْفِ َلن َا ا ْل َكيْلَ َوت َ ِبب ني َ َص ِّد ِق َ املْ ُت So when they entered upon Yusuf, they said, O ‘Aziz, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allah re wards the charitable. 12:88 People lose hope as Dme goes by. For instance, when someone does not have children aAer many years of marriage, they lose hope of ever having any. But for Ibraheem and Zakaria عليم السالم, this was not the case; their hope increased as Dme went by, even though they were very old. They knew that the more hope you have, the easier the problem becomes. Your happiness is your responsibility; don't depend on others to make you happy, or, in essence, you become their slave. Be a means to make someone happy too. Do not depend on objects or acDviDes to bring you happiness either, like shopping and new bags and shoes. The inner happiness is with Allah. Ya'qub عليه السالمsent all his nine remaining sons back to Egypt. They all went back to the Aziz, who was their brother Yusuf, but they didn't realize it. The words portray a picture of Yusuf عليه السالمbeing in a
certain place, like a hall in the palace, looking aAer the affairs of the country, and they entered. Similar words are in ayah 69, where Binyameen entered and Yusuf welcomed him and told him that he was his brother. Similarly, in ayah 58, the brothers meet Yusuf for the first Dme, in the sefng of the royal court, as a powerful minister. He recognized them immediately, whereas they didn't know that the minister was their younger brother, whom they had disposed of when he was a child. They knew him as the minister whom they could barter with for food, and were meeDng for the first Dme. This Dme when they go to Yusuf, they have already had dealings with him. The Aziz or minister earlier was the one who bought Yusuf as a slave, the husband of the woman who wanted to seduce Yusuf. Now, Yusuf was the Aziz, the minister in charge of the finances of Egypt. The brothers approach him diplomaDcally and respeciully. They describe their situaDon to him. This is a similar way to beggars; when they want money from you, they call you by a respeciul name, and tell you about their dire circumstances and needs. They don't menDon Binyameen, which was clever. They try a different approach. They want to show Yusuf that they are in a very distressful situaDon. They don't specify the problem, but tell him that they are afflicted by harm. They tell him straight away that they don't have good quality barter goods. They imply that they went to other places before coming to him, and their goods were rejected by all of them; this is not true. They want the Aziz to see them as very needy, so that he would help them. The way they talk to Yusuf shows he is very approachable, in spite of being the most powerful man in Egypt. This shows his good character, that people were not afraid to talk to him. The brothers ask him to give them the full ensure of food grains, in spite of the fact that their trade goods are not of good quality. They are asking for more than their goods, as help. Human nature is very complicated; we use small tricks to get our way someDmes. The brothers were grown men; they were beseeching him, which was not easy for them. It was as if they were made to pay him back for their earlier cruel acDons towards Yusuf عليه السالم, by being so humble before him. Allah was consoling Yusuf, with-
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Reported by Anas (RA): Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) said, ‘Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?’ The Prophet said, ‘By preventing him from opout his asking. This was a way to encourage Yusuf to be charitable. When someone asks for your help for the sake of Allah, you have to help him, even if you know they are liars; you must magnify the name of Allah. Their lies will harm them, but you cannot disappoint them, whether they deserve your help or not. Do not spoil your heart by thinking badly of them..
pressing others.’ (Bukhari Volume 3, Book 43, Number 624)
Reported by Abu Hurairah (RA): The Messenger of Allah said: The one who fasts, experiences two joys: he feels pleasure
Abu Hurairah RA reported: Messenger of
when he breaks the fast. He is joyful by
Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said,
virtue of his fast when he meets his
"On every joint of man, there is charity,
Rabb.”
on everyday when the sun rises: doing
justice between two men is charity, and
(Bukhari & Muslim - Riyad us Saliheen
assisting a man to ride an animal or to
1215)
load his luggage on it is charity; and a good word is charity, every step which one takes towards (the mosque for) Salat is charity, and removing harmful things from the way is charity." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Anas RA reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "No one of you becomes a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself." (Bukhari and Muslim) 21
Remaining Steadfast After Ramadan Sufyaan ibn `Abdillaah radhiallahu `anhu said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam, which I cannot ask anyone else besides you." He (Sallallahu Alayhi wasallam) said: "Say: 'I believe in Allah' and then be steadfast (upon that)." [Sahih Muslim (38)] The hadith is proof that the servant is obligated, after having eemaan in Allah SWT, to persevere and be steadfast upon obeying Him SWT by performing the obligatory acts and avoiding the prohibited ones. This is achieved by following the Straight Path, which is the firm Religion without drifting away from it, to the right or to the left. If the Muslim lives through Ramadan and spent his days in fasting and his nights in prayer and he accustomed himself to doing acts of good, then he must continue to remain upon this obedience to Allah SWT at all times. This is the true state of the slave, for indeed, the Lord of the months is One and He is ever watchful and witnessing over his servants at all times. Indeed, steadfastness after Ramadan and the rectification of one's statements and actions are the greatest signs that one has gained benefit from the month of Ramadan and striven in obedience. They are tokens of reception and signs of success. Furthermore, the deeds of a servant do not come to an end with the end of a month and the beginning of another, rather they continue and extend until he reaches death. Allah SWT says: (٩٩) ني ُ ك ٱ ۡليَ ِق َ َك حَ تَّىٰ يَأ ۡ ِتي َ َّعبُ ۡد َرب ۡ وَٱ "And worship your Lord until the certainty (death) comes to you." [al-Hijr: 99] If the fasting of Ramadan comes to an end, then indeed the voluntary fasting is still prescribed throughout the entire year. If standing in prayer at night during Ramadan comes to an end, then indeed, the entire year is a time for performing the night prayer. And if the Zakaat-ul-Fitr comes to an end, then there is still the Zakaah that is obligatory as well as the voluntary charity that lasts the whole year. This goes the same for reciting the Qur'an and pondering over its meaning as well as every other righteous deed that is sought, for they can be done at all times. 22
From the many bounties that Allah SWT has bestowed upon his servants is that He SWT has placed for them many different types of righteous acts and provided many means for doing good deeds. Therefore, the ardor and zeal of the Muslim must be constant and he must continue to remain in the service of his Lord SWT. It is unfortunate to find that some people perform worship by doing different types of righteous deeds during Ramadan. They guard strictly upon their five daily prayers in the masjid, they recite the Qur'an a lot and they give in charity from their wealth. But when Ramadan comes to an end, they grow lazy in their worship. Rather, sometimes they even abandon the obligations, both generally, such as praying in congregation, and specifically, such as praying the fajr prayer. And they commit forbidden acts such as sleeping over the time of prayers, indulging in places of foolishness and entertainment, and mingling in parks, especially on the day of `Eid. Obtaining help from these evils is only through the grace of Allah SWT. Thus, they demolish what they have constructed and destroy what they have established. This is an indication of deprivation and a sign of perdition. We ask Allah SWT for His safeguarding and protection. (Ameen) Indeed, this type of people take the example of turning in repentance and ceasing from committing evil deeds as something specific and restricted to the month of Ramadan. And they stop doing these (good) acts when the month stops. Thus, it is as if they have abandoned sinning for the sake of Ramadan, and not out of fear of Allah SWT. How evil are these people who do not know Allah SWT, except in Ramadan! Truly, the success that Allah SWT grants His servant lies in the fasting of Ramadan. His assisting him to do that is a great favor, thus the calls for the servant to be grateful to his Lord. This understanding can be found in the statement of Allah SWT after completing the favor of the month of fasting: َصمۡ ُۖ ه ُ ٱلشہۡ َر فَ ۡلي َّ شہِ َد مِن ُك ُم َ ن فَمَ ن ِۚ َى وَٱ ۡلفُ ۡرقَا ٰ م َن ٱ ۡل ُهد ِّ ٰت ٍ۬ َّاس َوبَيِّنَـ ِ هدً۬ى لِّلن ُ ن ُ ِى أ ُنزِلَ فِي ِه ٱ ۡل ُق ۡرءَا ٓ ن ٱ َّلذ َ َضا َ شہۡ ُر َرم َ َُس َر َولِتُڪۡ ِملُوا ْ ٱلۡعِ َّدة ۡ ُس َر و ََال يُرِي ُد ِبڪُ ُم ٱ ۡلع ۡ خ َۗر يُرِي ُد ٱهللَُّ ِبڪُ ُم ٱ ۡلي َ ُ م ۡن أَيَّام ٍ أ ِّ ٌ۬سفَ ٍ۬ر فَعِ َّدة َ ٰع َلى َ ِيضا أ َ ۡو ً مر َ ن َ َومَن ڪَا (١٨٥) ن َ َش ُكرُو ۡ ه َدٮٰ ُك ۡم َو َل َع َّلڪُ ۡم ت َ ع َلىٰ مَا َ َََّولِتُڪَبِّرُوا ْ ٱهلل "(He wants that you) must complete the same number of days, and that you must magnify Allah (by saying Allahu Akbar) for having guided you, so that you may be grateful to Him." [2:185]
The one who is grateful for having fasted, will remain upon that condition and continue to perform righteous deeds. Verily, the true way of the Muslim is that of one who praises and thanks his Lord for giving him the ability to fast and make qiyaam. His condition after Ramadan is better than it was before Ramadan. He is more receptive to obey, desiring to do good deeds and quick to enforce the obligatory acts. This is because he has gained benefit form this prominent institute of learning. It is that of one who fears for having his fast not accepted, for indeed Allah SWT only accepts from those who fear Him. The righteous predecessors would struggle to complete and perfect their deeds, hoping afterwards, that it would be accepted and fearing that it would be rejected. From the reports of `Ali (radhiallahu `anhu), "Be more concerned with having your deeds accepted than the deed itself. Did you not hear Allah SWT say: َال َ ك ق َۖ َّخ ِر قَالَ َأل َ ۡقتُ َلن َ َ ٱأل ۡ ع َليۡہِ ۡم نَبَأ َ ٱبۡنَىۡ ءَا َد َم بِٱلۡحَ قِّ إِذۡ َق َّربَا ُق ۡربَانً۬ا فَتُ ُقبِّلَ ِم ۡن أ َحَ ِدهِمَ ا َو َل ۡم يُتَ َقبَّلۡ ِم َن َ ُوَٱتۡل (٢٧) ني َ إِنَّمَ ا يَتَ َقبَّلُ ٱهللَُّ ِم َن ٱملۡ ُتَّ ِق 'Verily Allah, only accepts those from those who fear Him. (i.e. possess taqwaa).' [5:27] `Aa'ishah (radhiallahu `anhu) said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah concerning the ayah: 'And the one who are given what they are given and their hearts tremble with fear.' Are they the ones who drink alcohol and steal?" He (Sallallahu Alayhi wasallam) said: "No, o daughter of as-Siddeeq. Rather, they are the ones who fast and pray and give in charity yet fear that it won't be accepted from them. They are the ones who rush to do good deeds and they are the first to do them." [Saheeh Sunan atTirmidhee 3/79-80] So be warned and again be warned of turning backward after having attained guidance of going astray after persevering. And ask Allah SWT to provide you with duration in doing righteous deeds and continuity in performing good acts. And ask Allah SWT that He SWT grant you a good end, so that He SWT may accept our Ramadan from us. O Allah ! O Merciful ! O the One, Who transforms the hearts! Make my heart Steadfast upon your religion! (Aameen)
DUE MEASURE IN RAIN
(١١) خرَجُ و َن ۡ َُنش ۡرنَا ِبهِۦ بَ ۡل َدةً۬ َّميۡتً۬اۚ َكذَٲل َِك ت َ ٱلسمَ آ ِء مَآ ۢءَ ِب َق َد ۬ ٍر فَأ َّ وَٱ َّلذِى نَزَّلَ ِم َن And He is the One who sends down water (rain) in due measure from the sky, to revive dead lands therewith, and even so you will be brought forth (from the graves). (Qur'an, 43:11) RAIN is one of the gifts of Allah (SWT) to man. In the verse above, Allah (SWT) says that the rain has its own mathematics and that it is sent according to "due measure." Water on earth is subject to an impeccable process and passes in due order from the state of liquid to the state of gas and solid. It has a marvelous balancing power, as it balances energy while satisfying the vital needs of the living being. You would not have gotten an answer if you were, a century back, to ask a scientist whose field of interest was rainfall in particular, "Is there a measure in the rainfall; can it be quantified?" Being ignorant of the meteorological phenomena going on in every part of the world, the scientist would not have been in a position to say anything on the issue. The Qur'an told us 1,400 years ago that the rainfall had a certain measure. Research conducted in the last century revealed the proc-
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ess of rainfall, shedding light over the cyclical characteristics of water. One of the facts discovered was that the earth's annual rainfall was always of the same amount. The amount per second varied between 16-17 million tons. Thus, the amount of rain falling was above 500 trillion tons a year while an equal amount evaporated. These yearly values remain constant. This constancy was of great significance in establishing the ecological balance of the world. The scientist of a few centuries back could not have estimated the amount of the rainfall in the region where he lived since the precipitation yearly changed according to region. He might have concluded, therefore, that rain is not quantifiable. Calculations related to water cycle The rainfall and cycle of water involve complicated calculations. To give you an example, researchers were curious to know the reason for the maximum temperature of the upper portion of the tropical ozone layer which was maximum 28 degrees Celsius, despite the sun's continual warming of the water. Their research produced the following finding: the factor that prevented the overheating of the ozone layer in warmer regions was not merely water vapor, but at the same time the shadow cast by clouds. In the shade, the temperature dropped. The shield prevented the earth from overheating. Water vapor also exerts a greenhouse effect. Along with carbon dioxide, methane and other gases, it creates an invisible insulation layer in the atmosphere. This layer prevents the totality of every radiation coming down on earth under normal conditions from getting lost in the space where cold is reigning. Water vapor forms 60 percent of the "natural greenhouse effect," making the basic climate of the earth relatively warm. All these things are finely calculated; we can gain an insight into this if we examine the greenhouse clouds revolving around the planet Venus. The dense clouds muffle it, so that only half of the sun's rays reach it. The quantity of 97 percent carbon dioxide there creates a super greenhouse effect and the temperature rises up to 500 degrees Celsius. This temperature far exceeds the temperature range in which man can live. The water cycle on earth, passing through the states of liquid, cloud and water vapor, is calculated with precision. In contradistinction with the general properties of water, the clouds do not freeze, even at a temperature of - 30 degrees Celsius. As it is stated in the Qur'an, there are masses of clouds as large as mountains, but they do not freeze into mountains of ice to fall upon the earth. Had it not been for this precise calculation in the formation of clouds and the rainfall and for the ideal arrangement of the chemical composition of water by its Creator, the system would certainly not function.
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When we throw an object of a few kilograms from a balcony, we can follow its descent. If we empty a large pan full of water from the balcony, we can observe the splash on the ground. The fall of tons of water from above, thanks to Allah’s (SWT) programming, is so arranged that water coming down in drops from above is a blessing rather than a natural disaster. This is the wonderful artistry in the physical rules imposed by Allah (SWT). Such a balancing of acceleration is definable in physical formulas. This definability, this calculation is due to Allah’s (SWT) creation of rain in "due measure." Rain is life In the same verse, Allah (SWT) speaks of the rain's regenerative power. It is a well-known fact that dry land is revitalized by rain and the vegetation becomes lush once again. The basic element of the animate being is DNA in which the hydrogen bonds keep changing, perpetuating life. This hydrogen is exchanged with the hydrogen that emerges during the ionization of water. A dehydrated living being is like a frozen skeleton even though it may preserve its DNA and genetic code; it cannot reproduce or move. Only when the water comes up and lends the hydrogen from its disintegrated ions can the code be activated. Such characteristics can be observed in living microorganisms like microbes. The more developed living beings cannot recover their vitality when fresh water is supplied, as their tissue surfaces have already deteriorated. Rain is thus the source of regeneration of plants and bacteria. The last sentence of the verse that reads: "Similarly you will be raised (brought forth from the graves)" evokes the following association in our mind: Allah (SWT) sends down rain in predetermined amounts, by which plants and bacteria that are near death are resuscitated. The rising of man from the dead is no problem for Allah (SWT), Who knows the measure of all things. Allah (SWT), who devised the system of regeneration of plants and bacteria through a well-calculated amount of rain, will raise man from the dead according to the measures and knowledge in His wisdom. The sprouting of vegetation from the dead soil is something our eyes behold. What we see is the evidence of the facility with which our Creator will re-create His creation whose measure, calculation and formula are known only to Him.
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THE BEAUTY OF PRAYER IN ISLAM Going deeper into our spiritual state during Salah requires that we have a present heart and have understood our words. Our prayer will feel shorter, yet when we look at how much time we actually spent, we will think, “Did I just spend 10 minutes?” or even 15 and 20 minutes. One person who began applying this said that he wished the prayer would never end. A feeling that Ibn Al-Qayyim describes as “what the competitors compete for… it is nourishment for the soul and the delight of the eyes,” and he also said, “If this feeling leaves the heart, it is as though it is a body with no soul.” The Love of Allah (SWT) Some people’s relationship with Allah (SWT) is limited to following orders and leaving prohibitions, so that one does not enter hell. Of course, we must follow orders and leave prohibitions, but it needs to be done out of more than fear and hope; it should also be done out of love for Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an: ََُّسوۡفَ يَأۡتِى ٱهلل َ منُوا ْ مَن يَ ۡرتَ َّد مِن ُك ۡم عَن دِي ِنهِۦ ف َ يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱ َّلذِي َن ءَا علَى َ ني أ َ ِعزَّ ٍة َ علَى ٱملۡ ُؤۡ ِم ِن َ ۥۤ أ َ ِذ َّل ٍة ُِب َقوۡ ٍ۬م يُحِ بُّہُ ۡم َويُحِ بُّونَه ََِّضلُ ٱهلل ۡ كف َ ِم َة َآلٮِٕ ۬ۚم ٍ ذَٲل َ ۡن َلو َ سبِي ِل ٱهللَِّ و ََاليَخَافُو َ ن فِى َ يُجَ ـٰ ِهدُو (٥٤) علِي ٌم َ ٌَشآ ُۚء وَٱهللَُّ وَٲسِ ع َ يُؤۡتِي ِه مَن ي {… Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him} (AlMa’idah 5:54) We often find that when a lover meets the beloved, hearts are stirred and there is warmth in that meeting. Yet when we meet Allah (SWT), there is not even an ounce of this same feeling. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an: َِّۖن ٱهللَِّ أ َندَادً۬ا يُحِ بُّونَہُ ۡم كَحُ بِّ ٱهلل ِ َّاسمَن يَتَّخِ ذُ مِن دُو ِ َو ِم َن ٱلن ن َ َش ُّد حُ بًّ۬ا هللَِِّّۗ َو َلوۡ يَرَى ٱ َّلذِي َن ظَلَمُ وٓا ْ إِذۡ يَ َر ۡو َ منُوٓا ْ أ َ وَٱ َّلذِي َن ءَا
(١٦٥) ِشدِي ُد ٱ ۡل َعذَاب َ ََّن ٱهلل َّ َ ن ٱ ۡل ُقوَّةَ هللَِِّ جَ مِيعً۬ا َوأ َّ َ ٱ ۡل َعذَابَ أ {And [yet] among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah} (Al-Baqarah 2:165) And those who believe are stronger in love for Allah (SWT). There should be a feeling of longing, and when we raise our hands to start the prayer, warmth and love should fill our hearts because we are now meeting with Allah (SWT). A du`a’ of the Prophet, peace be upon him: “O Allah, I ask You for the longing to meet You” (An-Nisa'i, Al-Hakim). Ibn Al-Qayyim says in his book Tareeq AlHijratain that Allah (SWT) loves His Messengers and His believing servants, and they love Him and nothing is more beloved to them than Him. The love of one’s parents has a certain type of sweetness, as does the love of one’s children—but the love of Allah (SWT) far supersedes any of that. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Any person who combines these three qualities will experience the sweetness of faith: 1) that God and His messenger are dearer to him than anything else; 2) that his love of others is purely for God’s sake; and 3) that he hates to relapse into disbelief as much as he hates to be thrown in the fire.” (Bukhari) Thus, the first thing he mentioned was: “…that God and His messenger are more beloved to him than anything else…” Ibn Al-Qayyim says: جا َو ِم َ ن ً۬ م ۡن أ َنفُسِ ُك ۡم أَزۡوَٲ ِّ ۡضجَ عَلَ َلكُم ِۚ َٱألَر ۡ ٱلسمَ ـٰوَٲتِ و َّ فَاطِ ُر
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ُٱلسمِيع َّ َهو ُ شىۡ ۬ۖءٌ َو َ ۡس َك ِمثۡلِهِۦ َ جاۖ يَذۡ َر ُؤ ُك ۡم فِي ِۚه َلي ً۬ ٱألَنۡ َعـٰم ِ أَزۡوَٲ ۡ (١١) َصي ُر ِ ٱ ۡلب {Since ‘there is nothing like unto Him} (Ash-Shura 42:11), there is nothing like experiencing love for Him.” If you feel this love for Him (SWT), it will be a feeling so intense, so sweet, that you would wish the prayer would never ever end. Do you truly want to feel this love? Then ask yourself: ‘why do you or should you love Allah (SWT)?’
If you feel this love for Him, it will be a feeling so intense, so sweet, that you would wish the prayer would never ever end
Allah (SWT) made all His Prophets have a certain beauty so that people would have a natural inclination towards them. And beauty is more than what is in the face, because beauty is in all of creation and somehow has the ability to take our breath away and give us peace simultaneously. The glimmer of the crescent moon on a calm night, the intensity of a waterfall as the water drops for thousands of feet, the sunset by the sea… certain scenes of natural unspoiled beauty stirs something in us. As Allah (SWT) is the One who made it beautiful, so what of Allah’s (SWT) beauty? Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “And it is enough to realize Allah’s Beauty when we know that every internal and external beauty in this life and the next are created by Him, so what of the beauty of their
Know that you love people for one (or all, in varying degrees) of three reasons: for their beauty, because of their exalted character or/and because they have done good to you. And know that Allah (SWT) combines all of these three to the utmost degree.
Creator?” This fitrah for loving what is beautiful is because Allah (SWT) is beautiful. One of His (SWT) Names is Al-Jameel (the Most Beautiful). Ibn Al-Qayyim states that the beauty of Allah (SWT) is something that a person cannot imagine and only He (SWT) knows it. There is nothing of it in creation save for glimpses.
All-Embracing Beauty We’ve all been touched by beauty. It is almost fitrah (natural disposition) to love what is beautiful. Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said about the Prophet, peace be upon him, that it was “as if the sun is shining from his face.” Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allah was more handsome, beautiful, and radiant than the full moon” (Tirmidhi)
Ibn Al-Qayyim says if all of creation were the most beautiful they could be (so let’s imagine, ever single human being looked as beautiful as Yusuf, peace be upon him, and the whole world was like Paradise), and all of them combined from the beginning of time until the Day of Judgment, they would not even be like a ray in comparison to the sun when compared to Allah (SWT). Allah’s (SWT) beauty is so intense that we will not even be able to take it in this life. In the Qur’an, Allah (SWT) describes Musa’s, peace be upon him, request:
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ك َۚ ۡۥ قَالَ رَبِّ أ َ ِر ِنىٓ أ َنظُ ۡر إِ َلي ُۥ َربُّه ُُوسىٰ ملِ ِي َقـٰ ِتنَا َو َكلَّمَ ه َ وَملَّ َا جَ آ َء م ۥ ُمڪَانَه َ ٱستَ َق َّر ۡ ن ِ ن ٱنظُ ۡر إِلَى ٱلۡجَ بَ ِل فَ ِإ ِ قَالَ لَن تَ َرٮٰنِى َو َلـٰ ِك
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with
خ َّ ر َ ۥ َدڪًّ۬ا َو ُۥ لِلۡجَ بَ ِل جَ َع َله َُسوۡفَ تَ َرٮٰ ِنىۚ فَلَمَّ ا تَجَ َّلىٰ َربُّه َ ف
him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu
ُك َوأَنَا ۟ أَوَّل َ ۡك تُبۡتُ إِ َلي َ َسبۡحَ ـٰن ُ َصعِ ۬قًاۚ فَلَمَّ آ أَفَاقَ قَال َ ُٰوسى َ م
’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Richness is not
(١٤٣) ني َ ٱملۡ ُؤۡ ِم ِن {And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said, “My Lord,
the abundance of wealth, rather it is self-sufficiency." (Bukhari and Muslim)
show me [Yourself] that I may look at You.” [Allah] said, “You will not see Me but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me.” But when his Lord appeared to the mountain He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious} (Al-‘A’raf 7:143) Even the mountain could not bear the beauty of Allah (SWT) and crumbled, and when Musa, peace be upon him, saw this (he did not even see Allah (SWT)), he fell unconscious. This is why on the Day of Judgment it is Allah’s (SWT) light that will shine on everything. We talk about breathtaking beauty, but we have yet to experience Allah’s (SWT) beauty. While things in this world can be beautiful or majestic or if they combine both they are finite, true majesty and beauty are for Allah (SWT): (٢٧) ِ َٱإل ۡكرَام ِ ۡ ك ذُو ٱلۡجَ َلـٰ ِل و َ َِّويَبۡ َقىٰ وَجۡ ُه َرب
Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "By Him in Whose Hand is my life, when a man calls his wife to his bed, and she does not respond, the One Who is above the heaven becomes displeased with her until he (her husband) becomes pleased with her." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Anas RA reported: The Prophet (sallal-
{And there will remain the Face of your Lord,
laahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allah says:
Owner of Majesty and Honor}(Ar-Rahman 55:27)
'When a slave of Mine draws near to Me
Keeping all of this in mind, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Allah directs His Face towards the face of His servant who is praying, as long as he does not turn away” (Tirmidhi). Remember this in your prayer, and ask Allah (SWT) to allow you the joy of seeing Him (SWT) in Paradise.
a span, I draw near to him a cubit; and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.'" (Bukhari)
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Masjid Bani Hashim At Jumeirah Islands, Dubai
Masjid Bani Hashim by the Grace of Allah ()سبْحَ انَ ُه َو تَعَالَى ُ عز وجل, opened its doors on 2nd Ramadan 1434; July 10th, 2013 and is a Non-Profit Organization. It envisions to offer intensive courses, lectures, workshops, Tafseer el Quran with Taddabur, Tajweed, Seerah of the Prophet & صلى اهلل عليه وسلمother important subjects in Islamic Studies. Our Mission Masjid Bani Hashim’s mission is to provide authentic understanding of Islam based on Qur'an & Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Mohammed ()صلى اهلل عليه وسلم. Masjid Bani Hashim welcomes all and provides a golden opportunity to access Islamic Courses to all seekers of Ilm. Without rushing back home, you can make a stop at Masjid Bani Hashim to nurture your soul, pray and recite The Quran.
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