Honey For The Heart by Taha Chaudhary Part 5

1998

Mingle because Aloofness Disliked

• The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The Muslim who

participates in social matters with other men and shows forbearance if he suffers any pain from them is a far better person than the one who isolates himself from people and is dismayed at

the hardships caused by others.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

1999

•

Maintain amicable social relations with your friends and relatives. Avoid adopting an attitude of annoyance with them or keeping aloof from them.

•

“When a person lives in the society of other men and has to participate in social matters, it is inevitable that he suffer different kinds of shocks. Sometimes his sentiments are hurt, at other times his reputation is tarnished, one time his peace is disturbed, at another his usual activities are interfered with.

Sometimes things are done against his temperament and

desires, at other times his patience and endurance are severely tried, and at times he has to suffer great financial loss. In other words, he has to face all kinds of trials and tribulations.

•

“But when a person suffers these hardships, his heart is strengthened, and he gains in wisdom and experience. Good morals develop in his personality and passing through a natural process of training and purification he makes rapid spiritual and moral progress. He thus acquires the sublime virtues of patience, forbearance, selflessness, affection, sympathy,

humanity, respect, loyalty, devotion and co-operation, sincerity and love, generosity and gallantry, kindness and favor to the highest degree and he becomes an instrument of goodness and blessing for human society.” [Etiquettes of Life in Islam by

Muhammad Yusuf Islahi]

2000

2001

2002

The Needy King and a Sage A Sage was passing through the capital city of the famous king.

While he was walking, he noticed a single currency coin on the road. He picked it up. He was satisfied with his simple living and he had no use of that coin. So, he planned to donate it to the one who is in need of it. He strolled around the streets throughout the day but didn’t find anyone such. Finally, he reached the rest area and spent a night there.

Next morning, he wakes up in the morning for his daily activities and sees that a king is going for his invasion of another state with

his war ready army. When the king saw the sage standing, he ordered his army to be stopped. He came to the Sage and said, “Oh Great Sage, I am going to war to win another state so that my state can be expanded. So bless me to be victorious”.

After thinking, Sage gave a single currency coin to the king! The king was confused and annoyed with this because what use he has for a single coin while he is already one of the richest kings! He curiously asked a sage, “what’s the meaning of this one coin?”2003

The Needy King and a Sage A Sage explained, “Oh Great King! I found this coin yesterday while strolling around the streets of your capital city. But I had no use of it. So, I had decided that I will donate it to someone needy. I strolled around till the evening in your capital, but found no one such. Everyone was living a happy life. It seemed that they were satisfied with what they had. So I found no one to give this coin. But today, the king of this state, still have the desire to gain more and not satisfied with what he already has, I felt you were in need of this coin.�

The King realized his mistake and gave up the planned war.

Moral: We all should learn to be happy with what we have.

Yes, we all desire more or better than we already have, but do not waste a chance of enjoying what you already have. There

are those who may not have what you have, and there will be some who have lots more than you have. Do not always compare, be happy and lead a healthy life.

2004

2005

Morning and Evening • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “When any one of you dies, he is shown his position (in Paradise or Hell) morning and evening. If he is one of the people of Paradise,

he will be shown his position in the Garden as one of the people of Paradise, and if he is one of the people of Hell, he will be shown his place

in Hell as one of the people of Hell, and he will be told: ‘This is your position until Allah resurrects you to it on the Day of

Resurrection.” [Sahih Muslim]

2006

• Whoever dies, regardless of where he is buried, or how his body is disposed of, is shown his place in the gardens of Paradise or the fire of Hell, morning and evening.

• Being shown their everlasting homes in Jannah is an additional reward for the people who are about to enter it. They, thus, spend their time in Barzakh

in happy anticipation of their destination. Being shown their homes in Hell is an additional punishment to the people deserving Jahannum because being constantly reminded of the horrors that they are soon going to face is scary.

May Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) make us one of the people of Jannah. Ameen.

2007

Give and Take with Right • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Let any one of you eat with his right hand, drink with his right hand, take with his right hand and give with his right hand, for the Shaytaan eats with his left hand, drinks with his left hand, gives with

his left hand and takes with his left hand.” [Sunan ibn Majah]

2008

• If we know that something is one of the things that Shaytaan likes, or is one of his characteristics, then we must do the opposite. From early childhood we practice how to use our hand to eat, drink, write, draw, and do all manner of things with it. We just need to ensure that we teach our children to use the right one for eating, drinking, giving and taking. If a child is inclined to use the left, gently remind him/her, holding their hand back, till they get used to using the right one.

• There is no advantage to eating, drinking, giving or taking with the left hand. Nobody who says so should be believed. The Shaytaan always comes in the form of one keen to offer sincere advice, for if he said, “I hate you and the goal of my life is to send you and your family to Hell, so listen to me” nobody would listen to him.

2009

• Since Shaitaan is a liar and deceiver one has to do the opposite of what he says, i.e., do exactly what Allah and His Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) tell us to do.

• Shaitaan should be told, “If you want to offer sincere advice to anyone, offer it to yourself, for you have doomed yourself to Hell and brought upon yourself the wrath of the Almighty. How can anyone offer advice to others when he cannot take it himself?” [Islamic Creed Series:

The World of the Jinn and Devils In the Light of the Quran and Sunnah, by Dr. Umar S. alAshqar]

2010

2011

2012

2013

Evil Thoughts • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah has forgiven my followers the evil thoughts

that occur to their minds, as long as such thoughts are not put into action or uttered.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2014

• Sometimes evil thoughts come to us the occurring of which we have no control over. When Shaytaan or our nafs puts such thoughts in our minds, and we do not entertain them, then Allah in His Infinite Mercy and Justice does not hold us accountable for them. Not entertaining such thoughts means to not continue to think about

them, not speak of them, and not act according to them. • If our mind keeps mulling the thoughts over, or God Forbid takes pleasure in such thoughts, then we will not automatically be forgiven them, for we chose then to think on such lines. In order to stop thinking about something it helps to get up and

start doing some physical work.

2015

Masjid in Mind • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “The man whose heart is devoted to the Masjid will rest in the shade of Allah’s Throne.” [Sahih alBukhari]

2016

• The best portion of the earth in the sight of Allah is that upon which a Masjid is raised. The distinctive feature of the devotee of Allah is that he loves the Masjid. On the Day of Judgment, when there will be no other shade anywhere, Allah will keep that person in the shade of His Throne whose heart was devoted to the Masjid.

2017

2018

2019

2020

Mirror Mirror on the Wall • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “Each one of you serves as a mirror to his brother. Hence, if you see any fault in your brother, eliminate it.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2021

•

When a person stands in front of a mirror, it causes him to remove any apparent defect on his person and adorn himself. Let’s look at what qualities a mirror has so that we can be proper mirrors to our Muslim brothers and sisters:

1)

A mirror that works well is one that is clean. If a mirror is dirty, smudgy, has oil stains on it, or is rusty,

it won’t give a good reflection. To be a good mirror, you have to purify yourself of defects first. In the light of your exalted conduct and character others will see the shortcomings in their own, without your even

having to say anything. For example, when a person witnesses your scrupulous honesty, their own untrustworthiness will strike them.

2)

Since a dirty mirror will project onto you the dirt that is on it, look for your reflection only in another Momin, not in a Faajir, Faasiq or Kaafir.

2022

3) A mirror reflects the spots and stains on your person when you stand before it. When you stand aside, the mirror ceases to reflect these blemishes. Similarly, you should expose the foibles of your friend only if he

presents himself before you for criticism. Make sure his heart is receptive and eager to accept suggestions. In the absence of these conditions, keep silent and put the matter off wisely for a later occasion.

4) A mirror honestly reflects shortcomings; it neither hides their number nor adds to them. Likewise, you should present a true picture, neither suppressing the exposure of faults, nor exaggerating their dimensions or number.

5) A mirror only reflects those deformities that are outward and apparent. It doesn’t expose hidden blemishes, nor does it probe inward. So a Momin points out only those faults which are exposed in the normal conduct of life without curiosity about others’ secrets or searching out their faults.

2023

6) A mirror shows your reflection but doesn’t store the image to show it to others. Likewise, don’t expose the shortcomings of your Muslim brothers and sisters to others.

7) A mirror informs a person of how they look without any motives. A mirror nurses no grudge against anyone, nor wreaks vengeance on them. You should also be unaffected by personal motives. A Muslim is an emblem of sincerity and love for other Muslims. If the criticism is offered with sympathy, love and sincerity it will unite hearts and correct wrongs.

8) No one feels annoyed at seeing his true image in a mirror, nor commits the blunder of breaking the mirror in a fit of rage. Instead, they begin to remove defects on their persons and adorn themselves based on what they see. Similarly, when someone presents your true picture to you, do not retaliate in annoyance; express your gratitude to him and be thankful.

2024

Goodness of the Good Won't Save

• Aisha (radi Allahu anha) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “In the end of this Ummah there will be a collapse, transformation, and Qadhf.” She asked: “O Messenger of

Allah! Will they be destroyed while there are righteous among them?”

He said: “Yes, when evil is dominant.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi] 2025

• “Maskh” is “transformation.” It means that the appearance of some humans will be transformed, for example, into dogs or monkeys. “Qadhf” means to have stones cast down upon it from the heavens.

• This hadith is explicit on the point that when sinfulness and moral depravity become rampant in society, and people of goodness and virtue find themselves powerless to stand up to it, or choose not to resist it, then the people

shall suffer Allah’s retribution, and not even the goodness of the good among them shall save them.

• Death has to come to all creatures. For evil people it is the beginning of eternal punishment, while for the righteous it is the end of suffering.

2026

2027

2028

2029

Excessiveness in Religion • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Beware of going to extremes (in religion), for those before you were only destroyed through excessiveness.” [Sunan an-

Nasai]

2030

• Allah Most High says in the Quran, “Say: O people of the Book, do not be excessive in your religion.’”

[4:171]

• Imam Qurtubi says, “According to exegetes, this refers to the extremism of the Jews concerning Eesa (pbuh) in accusing Maryam (may Allah be please with her) of fornication, and the extremism of the Christians in considering him to be a god.

For both excessiveness and remissness are evil, and both may be unbelief.” [Al-Jami’ li ahkam al-

Quran] • Ibn Taymiya says regarding this hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), “His saying ‘Beware of going to extremes in religion’ is a general prohibition applying to all types of extremes, whether in beliefs or works.” [Fayd al-Qadir sharh al-Jami’ al-saghir]

2031

• Going to an extreme means to leave the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and define piety for oneself. Once a group of three men came to the house of the Prophet (pbuh) and comparing their worship to that done by the Prophet (pbuh) thought that they should do more. So one of them said, “I will offer the prayer throughout the

night forever.” The other said, “I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast.”

The third said, “I will keep away from women and will not marry ever.” Prophet (pbuh) said to them, “By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep, and I also marry

women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers).” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 2032

•

What the Christians invented in terms of monasticism and the extremes they went to in it was partly due to the fact that they did not have with them the original or comprehensive teachings of Eesa (pbuh). But with the

comprehensive code of conduct that Allah Most High has revealed to us in the form of the Quran and Sunnah, there is no justification to make anything up, add anything to the religion or leave anything that is in it. In fact, to do so

is to reject what Allah has revealed in favor of one’s personal opinion, and this is shirk. •

On the one hand are those Muslims who Shaitaan misguides by making them subject their bodies to deprivation and pain in the name of greater piety. On the other hand are those Muslims who Shaitaan misguides by telling them that to follow the religion of Allah in those

areas one finds difficult, is to go to extremes. Such Muslims then consider following the original teachings of Islam as extremism. May Allah save us from both these extremes of excessiveness and remissness.

2033

Misers Cursed • Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Every morning two angels come down to earth. One of them says, ‘O Allah! Give full

recompense to the spender (in good causes).’ The other one says, ‘O Allah!

Ruin and destroy the miser.’” [Sahih Muslim]

2034

• Those who spend in the cause of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) remain in His sight and shelter in both the states of plenty and adversity. The angels send blessings on them and wish for increase in their wealth.

• As for those who hoard money miserly, the angels pray for their loss and ruin.

• Will anyone’s wealth remain with them forever?

The wealth has come to us from others and will again go to others.

• The only way we can make the wealth ours forever, is by spending it in the Path of Allah.

2035

2036

2037

2038

Pressurizing for Batil • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “He who presses for something he knows is false (Batil) remains under the hatred of Allah until he gives it up.” [Sunan

Abu Dawood]

2039

• We should be very careful about asking, let alone insisting, on things contrary to Allah’s likes and dislikes. For example, sometimes parents don’t like the practice of Islam by their children, and harass their daughter to take her scarf off, or their son to shave his beard off. Many times this insistence is subtle, yet more powerful.

• This pressure to live by standards set by Shaitaan is commonplace in society. It is “normal” to tell friends/relatives to buy a house on mortgage, or

go to events where men and women socialize together, or to take an interest-bearing loan for education, etc. Asking a person to do anything that is Haraam (forbidden) or Makruh (disliked) or telling them to avoid a Fardh (obligatory deed) or Sunnah (recommended deed), is to press for Batil.

2040

• There are many ways in which a person may press for something that is false. Sometimes, in business transactions or lawsuits, people insist on

what is not rightfully theirs in Allah’s Sight, only because their feelings or the law of the land allows them to ask for it.

• People who apply pressure for Batil should know that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) hates them so long as they don’t repent, ask for His forgiveness, and

try to make up for their wrongs. There can be nobody more ruined than one who is hated by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). May He save us from

joining the ranks of the ruined.

2041

Make Extra Use of Your Sajdas • The Messenger of Allah (salla

Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The slave is nearest to Allah at the moment when he is in Sajda before Him. Hence, while you are performing Sajda, pray fervently.”

[Sahih Muslim]

2042

• When you are praying remember that you are in the presence of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

Even though you do not see Him, He is with you and watching you. The moment that you are most beloved to Him is when you are in Sajda. So, utilize this time to ask of Him whatever you want.

2043

2044

2045

2046

Every Disease has a Cure • Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be

pleased with him) that the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no disease that Allah has sent down except that He also has sent down its treatment.” [Sahih alBukhari]

2047

•

The reason that Muslims advanced so much in Medicine is because the Prophet (pbuh) had told them that for every disease there is a cure and that they should seek treatment. He pointed to many cures himself. He encouraged the women of his household to learn medicine from those who knew it.

Women, in the time of the Prophet (pbuh), excelled in medicine. The Prophet (pbuh) had pitched a tent in the yard of his mosque in Madina and appointed a lady named Rufaidah to run it as a field hospital, nurse the wounded and care for

homeless newcomers to Madina. [Tarikh at-Tabari] •

In Baghdad in 1168 C.E., there were no less than sixty wellorganized medical institutions and the Mustansiriyya Medical College at Baghdad had magnificent buildings, luxurious

furniture, library with rare scientific books and a great dining hall to serve good food to students.

•

The first hospital in Europe was set up by Louis IX in Paris after his return from the Crusades (1254-60 C.E.). The

Crusaders were inspired by the magnificent hospitals (Bimaristans) of Damascus and Cairo and the establishment of hospitals in Europe in the fourteenth century resulted. [Islam and Evolution of Science, by Muhammad Saud] 2048

•

Muslims developed the institutions of hospitals in the eighth century. Many of their hospitals had their own gardens in which medicinal plants were cultivated.

The Muslims invented teaching hospitals. Large

hospitals had medical schools attached to them. The rules for the practice of medicine were very progressive. According to al-Razi a physician had to be well versed in new and old medical literature and

have worked in hospitals as a house surgeon before he could be employed in one. •

Al-Razi was the most outstanding physician of the ninth century. The first hospital in the history of Baghdad was established on his advice under the rule of Abbasi khalifa Harun al-Rashid. In order to find a suitable site for the hospital, al-Razi hung pieces of meat around the city and chose the site based on where the meat rotted last. There were also a large number of traveling hospitals in the Muslim world.

2049

Excellence - Ihsan • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allah has commanded that everything (one

does), they should do with excellence (ihsan). When you sacrifice, sacrifice well. Sharpen your knife and make it easy for the animal to be slaughtered."

[Sahih Muslim]

2050

• According to another hadith, the Sahabah were preparing somebody's grave. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told them to make it in a straight line. He told them that it made no difference to the deceased whether their grave were straight or not, but when Muslims do anything, they should attempt it with excellence.

Don't just aim to be 'good', be outstanding!

This is what is required of a Muslim, in everything they do!

2051

Neighbors • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “He will not enter Paradise whose neighbor is not

secure from his wrongful conduct.”

[Sahih Muslim]

2052

• Make sure that a wedding, construction or other event at your house does not encroach upon the privacy, peacefulness or clean environment of your neighbors or neighborhood. Does noise from your house disturb your neighbor? Did you park your car in such a way as to cause your neighbor inconvenience? Do you even know who your

neighbor is? The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “If you are kind to your neighbor you will be a believer.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2053

2054

2055

1. When the dwellers of Jannah will be entering Jannah, they will be saying the above. (Mariful

Qur’an Vol. 7 P. 350) 2. Ibn Umar (r.a) narrates that Prophet (saw) has said: The reciters of the kalimah will have no fear at the time of death, nor will they experience fear in the

grave, nor on the plains of reckoning. I am seeing them wiping the dust off their heads (at the time of arising from their graves) and they will be saying the above. (Ibn Kathir Vol. 3 P. 565 by Tabarani)

2056

2057

Entertain Generously • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day

should not harm his neighbor, and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should entertain his guest generously, and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk

what is good or keep quiet.” [Sahih alBukhari] 2058

• The only thing that allows a person to behave morally, when there is no one to notice any lapses, is the belief that Allah is always watching, and that each moment of our existence will be either a source of reward or punishment for us on the Day of Judgment. Those who believe this are told by the Prophet (pbuh) to do three things:

1) Not harm their neighbors.

2) Entertain their guests generously.

3) Abstain from useless, immoral and every kind of

sinful speech.

2059

•

It has become somewhat of a trend to view guests as burdens, when the fact of the matter is that they are providing us with additional opportunities of earning Jannat. Regardless of who they are, Allah will reward us for what we spend on them of time, effort and material resources.

•

Regarding the duties of hosts, the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh) advised us to provide guests with food of a higher quality than what we normally eat ourselves, on the first day. On the second and third day we may give the kind of food that we regularly consume.

Beyond this, what we do for them counts as Sadaqa.

•

Whether we obey a Fard (obligatory) command or a Sunnah/Nafl (voluntary) one, we are rewarded for it

by Allah, though the reward for fulfilling a Fard is greater.

2060

Never Tires of Good • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “A believer never gets satisfied doing good until he reaches Jannah.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2061

•

According to this hadith, it is a quality of a Muslim that he or she is very concerned about acquiring virtues and doing good, and never tires of struggling for and living by virtuous deeds. This is because “a believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain which, he is afraid, may fall on him; whereas the wicked person considers his sins as flies passing over his nose and he just drives them away like this. Abu Shihab (the sub-narrator of this statement of Abdullah ibn Masud’s) moved his hand over his nose in illustration.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

•

High achieving students never stop studying because they never feel satisfied that what they know is sufficient.

They don’t limit themselves to the bare minimum amount of knowledge needed to pass. One who does so is in danger of failing. Even when they are well prepared, they feel that they could know more, or that they might make a mistake which they would have to compensate for with something else. Another reason that high achieving students keep on studying is because of their love for learning.

2062

• Similar is the case of a Muslim with good deeds.

They love to please Allah and enter His Jannah.

Additionally, they are afraid that what they have prepared of good deeds may not be sufficient, so they keep doing what is pleasing to Allah. A borderline pass is not what they aim for, because one could easily make a mistake and end up

failing. They aim for a high ‘A’. They do not underestimate the enormity of the sins that they commit and see their sins as a huge mountain looming over them. Thus, they are always trying to compensate for their shortcomings. In this struggle a Muslim reaches the end of his or her life. Such is the successful person for he achieves

Jannah.

2063

2064

2065

The Wise Man People have been coming to the wise man, complaining about the same problems every time.

One day he told them a joke and everyone roared in laughter.

After a couple of minutes, he told them the same

joke and only a few of them smiled.

When he told the same joke for the third time no one laughed anymore.

The wise man smiled and said: “You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over. So why are you always crying about the same problem?”

Moral: Worrying won’t solve your problems, it’ll just waste your time and energy.

2066

2067

No Free Time • Narrated Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “There are two blessings which many people lose: health and free time for doing good.” [Sahih alBukhari]

2068

•

When in an examination hall, with the exam incomplete, does anyone have free time? As long as we are alive, our life is an ongoing exam. We will be judged on what we did with every moment of it. The results determine our Hereafter – the rest of our life for eternity. Then how can one who has no free time preoccupy himself with this world? How can one whose exam is incomplete, experience free time?

•

So consider, may Allah have mercy upon you, what one of the scholars said about one of the Imams: “I was a neighbor

of his at the school in Cairo, my house was above his house.

For twelve years, I did not awake on any night, at any hour of the night except that I noticed candlelight in his house and he was occupied with knowledge. Even when he was eating,

his books would be with him and he was occupied with them.” (Bustaanul Aarifeen of an-Nawawi) •

Imam Nawawi is the author of the famous eighteen volume commentary on Sahih Muslim, known as Sharh Sahih

Muslim. He is also the author of Minhaj at-Talibin, Kitab alAdhkar and Riyad as-Salihin. He would drill himself on lessons he learnt by heart while walking along the street.

That is how, although he died at the age of 44, young in years he was great in the service of Islam and Muslims.

2069

Mu’awwidhat • “The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) used to seek refuge from the jinn as well as

from the evil eye until Surah alFalaq and an-Naas were revealed.

When they were sent down, he utilized them and left other things."

[Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2070

•

This hadith affirms the reality of the harm that can befall an individual from the envious, jealous gaze of a person who when he/she looks at you does not wish well for you. After the revelation of these two surahs,

the Prophet (pbuh) sought refuge with Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) against the evil of the envious person, the evil of magic and all other evil, by using these surahs.

Regarding Surah al-Falaq and an-Naas, the Messenger

of Allah (pbuh) said that these are ayaat "the likes of which have never been seen before." [Sahih Muslim] •

Aisha (radi Allahu anha) reported that when the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed every night, he used to cup

his hands together and blow over them after reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq and Surah An-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and

front of his body. He used to do that three times. When he became seriously ill, she used to recite (these two Surahs) and rub his hands over his body hoping for its blessings. [Sahih al-Bukhari] 2071

• These two surahs are the best to seek Allah's protection with. Uqbah ibn Amir (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "No seeker of refuge can seek refuge with anything like these two." [Abu Dawud] And he (pbuh) said: "O Uqba, learn to recite Surah al-Falaq, for you will never recite a

surah more cherished by Allah and more profound in His sight than this surah." [Hakim, Dhahabi]

• Both of these surahs as well as surah al-Ikhlas, to be recited three times each, are included in the morning and evening supplications/duas.

2072

2073

2074

2075

Eat From What Is Near You • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say 'Bismillah' before starting to eat), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near

you.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2076

• For every act that a Muslim does, there is a chance for him to earn some reward for it from Allah.

These rewards and blessings can be attained only

by those keen to follow the guidance and example of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), thereby seeking nothing but the pleasure of their Creator. The

entire life of such a person can become an act of worship. Even eating and drinking upon which all living things depend, can become acts of worship.

Thus, by acquainting ourselves with the Sunnah of eating and drinking, we can turn this mundane exercise into a source of hasanaat (reward) for the Akhirah and blessing for this world.

2077

•

There are three things we are told in this hadith:

1.

We should start eating or drinking by saying 'Bismillah'. Once a bedouin came and ate the food available in two mouthfuls. Allah’s Messenger (peace

be upon him) said that had he said 'Bismillah' before eating, the food would have been sufficient for six people. Taking the name of Allah before starting to eat puts blessing in the food.

2.

We should use our right hand for eating and drinking.

The left hand is used to clean ourselves with in the bathroom.

3.

We should eat from our side of the dish, without stretching our hand to the side where someone else is eating from. This is the case when more than one person is eating the same kind of food from a single

dish. But in case a variety of foods or fruits are lying before us on the table, we are free to take our pick.

2078

Pluralism Rejected • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “By Him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, any person of this Community, any Jew, or any Christian who hears of me and dies without believing in what I have been sent with will be an inhabitant of hell.” [Sahih Muslim]

2079

•

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has not forcefully made us Muslims, nor has Islam ever undertaken forced conversions as some other religions have. A person is free to live and die as a disbeliever in Islam and as a

rebel to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), his Creator and Sustainer. However, let no one imagine that this means that all ways and philosophies of life are acceptable to Him (subhana wa ta’ala).

•

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) states: “Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam will never have it accepted of him, and he will be of those who have truly failed in the hereafter.” [Quran 3:85]

•

This hadith confirms that no-one’s way or spiritual works are acceptable unless they conform to the Shariah (Sacred Law) brought by Muhammad (sal

Allahu alaihi wa sallam). As for people prior to his prophethood, anyone who followed the messenger of his own time was guided, on the right path, and was saved. [Tafseer al-Quran al-Azeem]

2080

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2083

Gratitude to Others • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “He who does not thank people is unthankful to Allah.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

2084

• One of the early Muslims said: “Ingratitude for a kindness is one of the enormities. Gratitude consists of reciprocating the kindness or praying for the person.” Thus, thanking a person consists of saying “JazakAllahu khair” and returning the favor or asking Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to bless the person.

• Although Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is the ultimate source of all good, and people are only the channels through whom Allah (subhana wa

ta’ala) sends His blessings; nevertheless, it is a part of thanking Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) that we thank the person who does us a kindness.

2085

Leaving Fast without Reason • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever breaks a fast of Ramadan without an excuse or dispensation could not requite it by fasting a

lifetime, were he to do so.” [Jami atTirmidhi]

2086

•

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has excused the ill, the traveler, the pregnant and nursing women from keeping the fasts of Ramadan. Some are required to make the fasts up later while others may pay

Kaffara, feeding the needy, instead. If someone does not keep the fasts of Ramadan without having an excuse from the Shariah, their sin is enormous.

Making up those missed fasts of Ramadan, while obligatory, cannot remove the sin. One must also make a sincere repentance to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in order to be forgiven.

•

Imam Adh-Dhahabi says: “According to the established believers, anyone who leaves the fast of Ramadan without being sick is worse than a fornicator or an alcoholic. In fact, they doubt his

Islam and they suspect that he might be a zandiqah (one who claims to be Muslim in order to destroy it from within) and one of those who destroy Islam.” [quoted in Fiqh us-Sunnah by As-Sayyid Sabiq] 2087

2088

2089

2090

Natural Phenomena or Our Sins

• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “If a community decreases the measure and weight (of sold grains or food), they will be overcome by poverty, their

provisions will decrease, and their ruler will be unjust.” [Sunan ibn Majah; Musnad al-Bazzar; AlBayhaqi]

2091

•

We complain all the time about the evil of our rulers how they cheat us, lie to us and are the cause of our ruin. It is easy to point fingers at others. Much more under our control are our own actions. But how much do we analyze what we do?

•

The first lesson that we get from this hadith is that it is the result of our own sinning that we are afflicted with the rulers that we have. Everybody thinks of changing the world; nobody thinks of changing themselves. It is in exchange for the deception that we practice that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) punishes us with poverty and unjust rulers.

•

During the khilafah of Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) three minor earthquakes afflicted Madina. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed the people and told them that if they did not stop sinning, he would leave Madina. He did not explain away the earthquakes as natural phenomena.

They surely are, but all-natural phenomena are under Allah’s control.

2092

•

Hazrat Umar’s sagacity and wisdom can be judged from the fact that several of the recommendations that he made to the Prophet (pbuh) were confirmed by revelation from Allah (swt). The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) also said that if there

were to be any prophet after him it would be Umar!

•

The second lesson we get from this hadith is of Allah’s mercy.

While poverty and cruel rulers are certainly not desirable, it is Allah’s mercy that he does not save the punishment of the cheating Muslims for the Day of Judgment.

•

What about those who themselves are not unethical traders but do not discourage others from sinning either? Such are also sinful in the eyes of Allah (swt).

•

Sometimes those who apparently did not sin and also advised others to obey Allah (swt) also appear to be caught in punishment when it descends on a community. In such a case,

the punishment may be a purification for their other sins or a means of earning higher and better levels in Jannah.

2093

Have an Angel Make Dua for You • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever visits the sick, or visits

his brother in Allah (faith), a caller calls out, ‘May you have goodness and your livelihood be good, and may you dwell in an abode in Jannah.’” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2094

• There are two reasons given in this hadith that cause Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to appoint an angel to pray specifically for you. These are: (1) Visiting a person in his illness, and, (2) Maintaining relations with a brother/sister-infaith for the sake of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

• “For the sake of Allah” means to love a Muslim

only because that Muslim loves Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) or because maintaining relations with that Muslim will please Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

• The angel prays for all kinds of good in your life, in particular your livelihood, and that you end up in Jannah. And since the angel is assigned by Allah, his supplication is sure to be answered by Him (subhana wa ta’ala). Visiting a sick person or a brother/sister in faith prompts an angel to make these Duas for you.

2095

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2098

Ninety-Nine Murders and Allah’s Mercy •

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri that the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Amongst the men of Bani Israil there was a man who had murdered ninety-nine persons. Then he set out asking (whether his repentance could be accepted or not).

He came upon a monk and asked him if his repentance could be accepted. The monk replied in the negative and so the man killed him. He kept on asking till a man advised to go to such and such village. (So he left for it) but death overtook him on the way. While dying, he turned his chest towards that village (where he had hoped his repentance would be accepted), and so

the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment quarreled amongst themselves regarding him. Allah ordered the village (towards which he was going) to come closer to him and ordered the village (whence he had come), to go far away, and then He

ordered the angels to measure the distances between his body and the two villages. So he was found to be one span closer to the village (he was going to). So he was forgiven.” [Sahih alBukhari]

2099

•

This hadith is an illustration of Allah’s Mercy and His love of repentance. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) loves repentance and the repentant so much that he caused the earth between the man and the village of good

people to shrink and the earth between the man and the village he had left to expand, so that the angels of mercy might have cause to take his soul.

•

The man had killed a hundred people and had not been able to begin his new life in the village of good people, so hadn’t done any good deeds to make up for his previous sins. But Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) erases all the sins of the true repentant and so He saved the repentant man from the angels of punishment.

•

Thus, we must never despair of the Mercy of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). Hazrat Fudail bin Ayaadh says that fear is best while one is healthy, so that one may excel in good deeds. However, during weakness and illness, hope is best so that one does not grow despondent.

2100

Half Body Paralyzed • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “If a man has two wives but does not

treat them with equality and evenhanded justice, he shall be resurrected on the Day of Judgement in such a condition that half of his body is paralyzed.” [Jami at-

Tirmidhi]

2101

• If you possess more than one wife, treat them all impartially, fairly, and equitably, in the time and material resources you allocate to each of them. Keep your behavior the same with all of them. As for the fact that a man may be especially attracted towards one wife or cherish deeper feelings of love for her, Allah (subhana

wa ta’ala) will award no punishment to a man for that. The Prophet (pbuh) used to take great care in dispensing equal treatment to his wives.

2102

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2105

Even If Sins Reach the Clouds • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, says, ‘O son of Adam, as long as you call on Me, I shall forgive you of what you have done, and think nothing of

it. O son of Adam, even if your sins were to reach up to the clouds in the sky, and then you were to ask for My forgiveness, I would forgive you and think nothing of it. O son of Adam, even if you were to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, and then you were to meet Me after death, not worshipping anything besides Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as the earth.’” [Jami at-Tirmidhi] 2106

•

Allah loves it when people ask Him to forgive their sins. He is overjoyed with their repentance, since He hates to punish anybody. At the slightest excuse He washes people’s sins away. The only condition is that

the human being must truly regret in his/her heart that they did what they did. The sinner should be ashamed of their misdeeds, and discontinue committing such sins. If the resolve to avoid the sin is not there then one

has not actually repented.

•

In this hadith, Allah tells us that no matter how many a person’s sins are, should they even reach the sky in heaps, Allah would forgive the sinner if they were to turn to Allah in repentance. In a different hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told us that Allah’s bounty is so vast that He would actually convert all the sins into good deeds, should the person truly repent. We should not postpone repenting of our sins and reforming ourselves to when we become old, since nobody knows when they will die.

2107

No Obedience in Sin • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There must be no obedience in respect of sin. Verily,

obedience is intended for good things only.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2108

• Although Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has enjoined obedience towards parents, the husband, and the ruler of the Muslims, nevertheless, nobody has the right to be obeyed in preference to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). In other words, if obedience to any human being, system or law entails disobedience of Allah and His Messenger, then such obedience

must be rejected.

• Allah Most High is the One who created us, gave us life, gave us parents and spouses and enjoined their rights on us. Therefore, we obey them for the sake of obeying Allah Most High. To obey them by neglecting what Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) requires us to do is to doom ourselves forever. It is to Allah

that we will return, and it is Him to Whom we will be held accountable for the way we lived this life.

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1. Those angels who carry the Throne of Allah (swt) make this dua for the Muminin.

2. Mutif Bin Abdullah says: The most wellwishing creation towards the believers are the

angels and the most deceiving is Shaytan.

(Mazhari Vol. 10 P. 219) 2112

2113

No One is Perfect • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Let no Mu’min hate a Mu’minah: if he hate

her for one trait in her character, let him be pleased with another that is in her.” [Sahih Muslim]

2114

• Love does not mean that we should always agree with or feel good about our partners. A man may like a quality not in his wife, but he should be conscious of the fact that she might have other qualities that are even better.

• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says that spouses are like clothes for each other. They hide the defects in

the body and beautify the body. Each person wears clothes that are just the right size for their body. So also Allah gave you the spouse just right for you, somebody who complements your strengths and compensates for your weaknesses.

Therefore, never compare your partner with others. Somebody else’s clothes may look great on

them but terrible on you.

2115

•

The same applies to the wife regarding her husband.

Perfection in humans is only possible in Jannah; it does not exist in humans on earth. So don’t look for it here.

•

As clothes and bodies go together but are not the same,

so also your and her strengths will be different. Do not expect your spouse to be good at the same things as you. Do not compete with each other, nor expect the other to become just like you.

•

What happens if something falls on your best clothes?

You carefully wash the stains off them. You don’t junk the clothes or exhibit the stains but make the clothes all beautiful again.

•

Sometimes the clothes are perfect. Everybody says they look great. But you don’t like them. Then it is your own sight that needs to be fixed. When partners are able to

accept and live with their differences, love and respect will grow and that is how this relationship stays.

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2118

The False Human Belief As a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time can break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not.

He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. “Well,” trainer said, “when they are very young and much smaller, we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope

can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were.

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before?

Moral: Failure is a part of learning. We should never give up the struggle in life. You Fail not because you are destined to fail, but because there are lessons which you need to learn as you move on with your life.

2119

2120

Northern Wind Will Increase Beauty • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “In Jannah there is a market to which the people will come every Friday. The northern wind will blow and shower fragrance on their faces

and clothes and, consequently, it will enhance their beauty and loveliness. They will then return to their wives who will also have increased in their beauty and loveliness, and their families will say to them, ‘We swear by Allah that you have been increased in beauty and loveliness since leaving us.’ Thereupon they will reply, ‘We swear by Allah that you have also been increased in beauty and loveliness since we left you.’” [Sahih Muslim] 2121

• Not just the reward but the beauty of the people of Paradise will also go on increasing with time. This is another speciality of Jannah that the looks and charm of men and women will keep increasing, and the love and affection between husbands and wives will also keep on progressing and increasing, without any effort of theirs.

• People will gather in the bazaar for a time period equal to that of a Jumuah (friday), as there will be no sun, nor alternation of night and day.

2122

Gaining Knowledge to Revive Islam

• Hasan Al-Basri narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “He whom death overtakes while he is engaged in acquiring knowledge with a view

to reviving Islam with the help of it, there will be (only) one degree between him and the Prophet in Paradise.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2123

• When Islam first came, society was so corrupt that the teachings of Islam appeared strange.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) foretold that there would once again come a time when people would have gone so astray that the teachings of Islam would appear strange to them. • This hadith promises a fantastic reward to those who exert themselves in acquiring the knowledge of Islam for the sole purpose of

reviving Islam again. Before one may revive Islam in oneself or in society, one must first know what Islam is exactly. It is therefore necessary to study Islam in order to cleanse our understanding of it from the cultural and whimsical beliefs and practices that we have added to it.

2124

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Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will bless, with one of the highest levels of Jannah, the Muslim who is engaged in acquiring knowledge to ultimately revive Islam with it.

Our efforts are within our control, whereas the results of our efforts are not. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in His mercy has not made what a Muslim is able to achieve by his/her efforts the basis for reward. Rather, it is our desire, intention, and effort which Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) values and rewards.

•

When one’s efforts for the Deen are going well and many appear to benefit by it, it is easy to feel content. It is important then not to let worldly recognition of the effort become the goal, rather than Allah’s pleasure. On the other

hand, it is easy to get disheartened when one sees that one’s efforts are not bearing fruit. In Allah’s system of assessment, each effort for His sake is rewarded fully, regardless of its worldly outcome. We need to stay focused

on seeking only Allah’s pleasure with whatever we do.

•

Muhammad (pbuh) has the highest level in Jannah. To be only a degree away from him is the greatest success.

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2128

No Wedding, No Meat, No Bed? • “There was a group of the Companions of the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam), one of whom said: ‘I will not marry.’ Another said: ‘I will not eat meat.’ Another said: ‘I will not sleep on a bed.’ Another said: ‘I will fast and not break my fast.’ News of that reached the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and he praised Allah then said: ‘What is the matter with people who say such and such? But I pray and I sleep, I fast and I break my fast, and I marry women.

Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.’” [Sunan an-Nasai] 2129

•

The concluding words of this hadith are an admonition.

Turning away from the Sunnah of Allah’s beloved Messenger puts one’s Islam in doubt. It is not possible to exceed him (pbuh) in piety. Whatever one tries to do

against the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) is a distortion of the religion.

•

In this hadith we are warned against adopting the extremism of the people of earlier religions, who forbade for themselves those things which Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) had made lawful for them. Then they were not able to live up to these self-imposed hardships.

•

Islam is the religion of the Fitrah; it corresponds to human nature. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has only forbidden us those things which harm our Dunya or Akhirah. It is extremely unwise to start adding or subtracting from this list. Doing so implies knowing better than Allah; while no-one knows better than Him and no-one loves us more than Him. 2130

Good News for the Blind • The Messenger of Allah (salla

Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Allah said, 'If I deprive my slave of his two beloved things (his eyes) and he remains patient, I will let him enter Paradise in compensation for them.'" [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2131

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There was once a man who had spent his whole life in piety. He came on the Day of Judgement with a mountain of good deeds, confident of his having earned his way to Jannah. The angels asked him whether he wanted to go Jannah by Allah's mercy or by virtue of his good deeds.

Since he had spent his whole life doing good, he felt confident and said that he would like go to Jannah by virtue of his deeds. So the angels put his mountain of good deeds on one side of the scale and on the other side put his two eyes. The weight of his two eyes sent all his good deeds flying into the air.

•

The immense blessings that Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) has bestowed upon us in the form of our eyes, ears, tongue,

nose and sense of touch is something we take for granted.

If on top of that we add all of the other blessings Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has bestowed on us, we will see that nobody does enough good to deserve Jannah. We do not

even thank Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) enough for His blessings. We use our eyes every waking moment: Do we thank Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) for them every waking moment?

2132

• Jannah is such a great place that there is no chance that we could do enough good to deserve it. Allah bestows it on us out of His love for us. The Prophet (pbuh) said that even he would enter Jannah by virtue of Allah's mercy. • Those who have sight do not thank Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) enough for this blessing.

Try to go half a day blindfolded to appreciate the enormity of this blessing. Allah (subhana

wa ta'ala), therefore, promises Jannah to him/her who is patient with Allah's decree on losing their sight. Each person's life is an exam for them. For the person who goes blind, patience is the key to passing the exam.

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2136

Net Over Us • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “By Allah, I am not afraid of your poverty, but I fear that the world will spread its net over you, as it had spread it over the people that preceded you. Then you will also compete in world-seeking, as they begun doing. So it will also

destroy you, as it destroyed the people before you.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 2137

• While total deprivation of material goods may make a man helpless and useless; competing for the things of the world and trying to gain superiority over others through them, puts one in greater danger of losing one’s religion.

• Self absorption in the earning and spending of wealth puts one in great trouble on the Day of

Accountability. What the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) warned often as a source of destruction was wealth and competition for it.

• Moderation is that the conditions of living be brought under control so that they may be used to reach the high ideal (Jannah).

2138

Give a Smile Instead of Chocolate • Ibn Jaz said: “I have not seen anyone

who smiled more than the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam).” [Jami atTirmidhi]

2139

• What do you gain when you smile? When you smile, the actual movement triggers the brain’s pleasure points. Smiling causes endorphins, which are known as the body’s natural painkillers, to be released. Not surprisingly, endorphins are also released when laughing, exercising, eating chocolate, getting massaged, meditating, to just about anything that leaves a smile on your face. A smile makes a person feel as good as eating 2000 bars of chocolate.

• Research shows that after being shown pictures of smiling people, the brain and heart activity of participants is equal to that when given 2,000 chocolate bars. So the next time you think of giving someone chocolate, give a smile instead – it will do 2,000 times better.

2140

• Research has also shown that women who showed an intense happiness in their smiles indicated a happier future. When we smile our voices project a warmer tone. So if you smile while speaking you are likely to have a better conversation. Smiling is also a ticket to better health. Numerous medical and psychological studies have found that through the triggering of certain hormones, a smile promotes good overall health. This leads to lower heart rates, steady breathing and the ability to smile through

stressful situations.

• Jarir ibn Abdullah said: “I did not see the Prophet, since I embraced Islam, without a smile on his face. I saw him smiling when he could not see me and he would smile in my presence.” [Sahih Bukhari] 2141

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2144

Nearness of Sun on the Day of Judgment

• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “On the Day of Resurrection, the sun will be brought so close to the people that it will be as close to them as one mile.” [Sahih

Muslim]

2145

• The sun will be brought close to people’s heads on that Day, until the distance between it and them will be no more than one mile.

• If it were not for the fact that people will have been re-created in a form in which they will not die, the heat would melt them and cause them to evaporate.

• However, after their death on earth they will not die again.

2146

Frequently on Fridays • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Among the most excellent of your days is Friday because on that day Adam was created, and on it he died, and on that day the Trumpet will be sounded, and on it shall come the Hour. So invoke blessings on me frequently on that day, for your blessings will be brought to me.” He was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, how will our blessings be conveyed to you when your body has become part of the decaying earth?” He replied: “Allah has prohibited the earth from destroying the bodies of the prophets.”

[Sunan ibn Majah]

2147

• Frequently invoke blessings on the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), especially on Fridays. The blessings you send on him will be conveyed to him.

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No Light for Hypocrites • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) was asked: “Where will the people be on the Day when the

earth is changed into another earth and the heavens?” He (peace be upon him) said: “They will be in darkness ahead of the Bridge.” [Sahih Muslim]

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•

This stage comes after the Reckoning and Weighing of deeds.

•

Allah describes this scene in the Quran: “On the Day you shall see the believing men and the believing women, their light running forward before them and by their right hands.

Glad tidings for you this Day! Gardens beneath which rivers flow (Paradise), to live therein forever! Truly, this is the great success! On the Day when the hypocrite men and hypocrite women will say to the believers, ‘Wait for us! Let us get something from your light!’ It will be said, ‘Go back to your

rear! Then search for light!’ Then a wall will be placed between them, with a gate therein. Inside it will be mercy, and outside it will be torment. The hypocrites will call the believers, ‘Were we not with you?’ The believers will reply,

‘Yes! But you led yourselves into temptations, you looked forward to our destruction; you doubted (in faith) and you were deceived by false desires, till the Command of Allah came to pass. And the chief deceiver (Shaitaan) deceived you in respect of Allah.’ So this Day no ransom shall be taken from you (hypocrites), nor of those who disbelieved. Your abode is the Fire. That is your Mawla (friend - proper place), and worst indeed is that destination.” [Surah al-Hadeed: Ayaat 12-15]

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• Believing men and believing women, who allowed themselves to be guided by the light of Islam in this life, will be given light on the Day of Resurrection, which will show them the way to the Gardens of Delight.

• The hypocrites will ask the believers to wait for them so that they can avail themselves of their

light. But it will be said to them to go back and seek light. What is behind them is the life of this world. This is where the believers got their light from. The light of the believers is in exchange for the good deeds they performed in the world for Allah’s Pleasure alone.

2154

• Another explanation offered, for the hypocrites being told to go back to search for light, is that this is to trick them, just as they used to trick the believers in this world.

• So the hypocrites will retreat to the rear and the believers will advance to the front. Thus, the two parties will become distinct. Then Allah (subhana

wa ta’ala) will set up between them a wall. The believers, who will be on the inside of that wall, will be enveloped in Allah’s Mercy; while the hypocrites, on the outside, will have to endure Allah’s Punishment.

2155

Friday's Significance • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “The best day on which the sun rises is Friday. On this day Adam was created, on this day he came down (from Jannah), it was Friday when his repentance was accepted, and this day he died. The Hour will occur on Friday.

There is no creature which is not waiting every Friday, from the moment the sun

rises, fearing the Hour – apart from jinn and men.” [Sunan Abu Dawood] 2156

• Friday is a significant day for Muslims. It has been important historically and there are many recommended and obligatory deeds that are especially rewarded on Fridays. However, it is also a day feared by all creatures except men and jinn, because of their knowledge that it is a Friday on which the Hour will commence.

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Noor of Believers • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Each one among them, believer or hypocrite, will

be given a light (Noor), then they will follow Him… Then the light of the hypocrites will be extinguished, and the believers will be saved.” [Sahih Muslim]

2161

• Our Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated that on the Day on Resurrection, after each nation follows its made-up god to Hell, and only the people of his Ummah are left, and then they begin to follow Allah, darkness will be cast all around them, and they will each be given some light.

2162

•

The commentator on Sharh at-Tahaawiyah said: “Some of them will be given light like a mountain, in front of them; some will be given more light than that. Some will be given their light like a palm-tree, to their right, and some will be given less than that, on their right. The last one to be given light will be given it on his big toe, in front of him, which will shine on and off. When it will shine, he will move forward, and when it will be extinguished, he will stand still. He and they will move forward across the Siraat (bridge over Hell),

and the Siraat will be like the edge of a sword, a void in which one is likely to slip. It will be said to them, ‘Carry on as much as your light enables you to.’ Some of them will cross it like a falling star (i.e., very fast), others will cross it

like the wind, or like the blinking of an eye, or like a man running or jogging, according to the level of his deeds. Then the one whose light is on his big toe will cross it, with one hand slipping and the other holding on, and one foot slipping and the other hanging on, with the Fire hitting his sides, until when they pass it and reach safely they will say, ‘Praise be to Allah who has saved us from you (Hell) after we had seen you. We have been given what no one else has been given.’”

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• The light of the hypocrites which was initially granted them will be extinguished before they can cross the Siraat because of which they will fall into Hell. When the believers see that the light of the hypocrites has been extinguished, they will pray to Allah to not let this happen to them: “Our Lord!

Keep perfect our light for us and grant us

forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things.”

[Quran: Surah Tahreem, Ayat 8]

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The Tourism of My Nation • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The tourism of my nation is Jihad in the

Cause of Allah.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

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Real tourism, for relaxation and enjoyment with one’s family, is in Jannah. This life is a test that qualifies people for Jannah or Jahannum. Jihad serves the purpose of removing the barriers to the spread of Islam, so that

people are free to choose Islam without fear of persecution and are free to live under the justice and mercy of the Shariah. The Sahabah and generations of Muslims undertook difficult journeys to far away lands, with no guarantee of returning, for this purpose alone.

•

Uqba bin Nafi (radi Allahu anhu) was one such person who spent his life spreading the message of Islam to the people of Africa. Uqba (radi Allahu anhu) traveled as far as the coast of the Atlantic ocean in present day Morocco.

There, he rode his horse into the pounding ocean waves and asked Allah to be his witness: “O Allah! If this sea of darkness had not appeared before me, I would have conveyed Your Name, which is the source of light, to the most remote corners of the world.” The country of Morocco was thus called in Arabic, “al-maghreb al-aqsa,” “the land of the farthest west!”

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Falsehood is Falsehood Big or Small • Asma bint Yazeed (radi Allahu anha) narrated that she once asked the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam): “If one of us women stated that she had no desire to have a certain thing even though she had that desire,

then would it be considered a lie?” He (peace be upon him) replied: “Falsehood is written as falsehood, and a small

falsehood is written as a small falsehood.” [Sahih Muslim] 2167

• There are many lies we tell in the course of a day that, unfortunately, we don’t pay much attention to. They have become standard forms of speech for us, even though they are lies.

• Like a few drops of urine, are not the same as a chamber pot full of urine, but are urine nevertheless; small lies, no matter how insignificant they may appear to be, will be noted in our record of deeds as lies and not truths.

• We need to remove even the small traces of falsehood from our speech otherwise they will soon desensitize us to big lies as well.

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1. This is also the dua of the angels for the believers.

2. Saeed bin Jubair (r.a) narrates: When a person will enter Jannah, he will enquire regarding the abode of his father/brother

and son. It will be said to him: “They did not reach your status as far as good deeds are concerned.” The person will reply, “The good deeds I used to do were for myself as well as for them”. Hence, they will be joined with him. Thereafter Saeed (r.a) recited the above ayah. (Ibn Kathir Vol. 4 P. 78)

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Not Asking Allah is Arrogance • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does not supplicate to Allah invokes His wrath.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

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Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says: “Surely those who are too arrogant to worship Me will enter Hell in humiliation.”

[Quran: Surah Al-Ghafir, Ayat 60]

•

This shows that not asking Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is from arrogance. The person underestimates Allah Most Mighty and does not acknowledge that all good comes from Him alone and he overestimates himself, his abilities and that of other creatures.

•

Whatever you need, don’t ask any human being for it. Don’t ask your husband/wife, don’t ask your children, don’t ask your parents, don’t ask your brothers/sisters, don’t ask your friends… don’t ask anybody! Ask only from Allah and you will feel sweet contentment in your heart when you hand your

affairs over to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

•

You can keep a smiling face and good behavior with everyone.

You don’t need to manipulate anybody to get anything. Since all good comes from Allah, obey Him, and work on pleasing

Him. And for His sake maintain good conduct and character with all. And never displease Allah to please anybody. Your getting things doesn’t depend on them, it depends on Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) alone.

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Making Relations Special When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made dinner after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front

of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all dad did was reached for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I’ll never forget what he said: “Honey, I love burned biscuits.”

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she’s real tired. And besides – a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!”

Moral: Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I’m not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults – and choosing to celebrate each others differences – is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

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One Body • Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The similitude of believers in regard to

mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole-body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever.” [Sahih Muslim]

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If your finger, foot, or any part of your body is hurting, you cannot sleep. Your body may develop a fever while it tries to neutralize the pathogens in an infected part.

When one part of your body is trying to fight the

enemy, the whole body invariably gets involved in the process. The Prophet (peace be upon him) described the Ummah as one body!

•

So if a Muslim anywhere in the world, in the centre of the body or the tips, on the finger or on the toes, is hurting, you should feel the same pain. If you are only concerned about your safety and the safety of your direct family, then there’s something wrong with you.

You are not really part of the body. The Prophet (pbuh) said that the Ummah is one body: It doesn’t matter that they are split into different political states or that they belong to different Madhahibs/Fiqh, as long as the person is a Muslim they are a part of your body.

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Sometimes we look at it as, “Only me and my group are Muslims.” Why? Because he doesn’t follow my Jamaah, he’s not following my way? As long as you cannot prove that that Muslim is a Kafir (disbeliever), he is a Muslim. As long as you don’t have evidence that such a person is a Murtad (apostate), he is a Muslim; whether he belongs to the same Madhhab or the same group or the same country or not, makes no difference.

•

We all talk about the importance of having unity. If having

unity means having one group, abandoning all the different Jamaa’ts and getting rid of all of the different Madhahibs, then we’ll all just be copies of each other and that’s an impossible thing to have. The fact that the Ummah is diverse and has

these different elements in it, is what makes us strong. If a person running a business just has expertise in one area then eventually that will limit how much business he can get. But if he has people with multiple areas of expertise then the amount of business that they can go after will increase accordingly. What we mean by unity is that even though your approach to Islamic work might be different, the Imam that you follow might be different, you are there to help your brother when your brother is in need; that is unity.

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Focus On This Life Makes Poverty Apparent

• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever is preoccupied with this life, Allah will make his poverty apparent in his eyes, and scatter his

people from around him, and only what has been written for him in this world will come to him.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

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• A person who is focused on this life always feels poor because of seeing all that he does not have of it; he is not focused on Jannah, nor believing in it or striving for it.

• Since he believes it is he himself who has to do what he can to gather the riches of this world his outlook and behavior are selfish. Selfishness begets selfishness. Those who are preoccupied with getting the most for themselves induce the same feelings in those around them. Thus,

nobody sincere wants to be around a person preoccupied with his worldly life and its achievements.

• Such a person gets in life what Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) had destined for them a long time ago, but not Allah’s special blessings to be bestowed in the next life.

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Owners Rights • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “A man will not be let go on the Day of

Resurrection until he has been asked about four things; his life and how he spent it, his knowledge and what he did with it, his wealth and how he earned it and spent it, and his body

and how he used it.” [Jami atTirmidhi] 2189

•

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says: “Behold, Allah has bought of the believers their lives and their possessions, proamising them Jannah in return…” [Quran: Surah Taubah, Ayat 111]

•

If I have sold my body, my life and my wealth in exchange for Jannah then do I have any right left over it? If I sell someone my car can I tell them what speed to

drive it at, whom to seat in it, what color to paint it, or which days of the week to use it? It belongs to the new owner: They now have the rights to determine how it is to be used.

•

My eyes, ears, brain, tongue, hands, feet… every part of me belongs to Allah, as do my wealth, my family and my children. I bartered them in exchange for Jannah.

They must now be used in accordance with the new Owner’s (Allah’s) wishes. He has informed me how to use them and what not to do with them.

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• My brain is to be used to understand the guidance that has come from Allah. My brain is to be used to take man out of the slavery of Shaitaan and his own Nafs, and into the slavery of his Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher. My brain is to be used to stay on Sirat-e-Mustaqeem, the Straight Path to Jannah and Allah’s Pleasure.

• My senses and faculties are more tools gifted to me by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). I must not misuse them. I must not use my eyes to watch movies in which men and women disregard Allah’s injunctions on how to dress. Nor can I watch movies in which people have relationships Allah has forbidden. Why? Because we are not

allowed to witness sin. When you watch sin being committed you become insensitive to its evil and it begins to find acceptability in your heart.

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• If a person is beating an innocent child and breaking their bones are you allowed to watch it happen? You will be punished for beating the child too, because you saw it happen and allowed it to continue. If

nobody else punishes you, Allah will. Why? Because Allah forbade such behavior and the witnessing of such behavior.

• So Allah has forbidden looking at non-Mahrams and having Haraam relationships. When you see all of this in movies you are witnessing it and doing nothing about it. In fact you are paying people (by

buying the ticket, renting the movie, or subscribing to the channel) to violate Allah’s commands and you are paying them to influence other people in society to behave like that as well.

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• With my hands that I have sold to Allah in exchange for Jannah I can only help Muslims and not hurt them. With my feet I need to walk to the Masjid and not to a gathering where Allah has no significance. With my tongue I should help people recognize Allah and not use it to backbite. With my ears I should listen to Allah’s remembrance

and not music. With my stomach and intestines I can only consume Halaal food and not that bought with ill gotten money.

• Thus it is that we will have to answer to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to what use we put His possessions that were in our safekeeping - our bodies and our wealth.

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Omens • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Belief in a bad omen is polytheism (shirk)." [Jami at-

Tirmidhi]

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Many things are taken as good or bad omens all over the world. Superstitious people don't like to have black cats cross their paths, or walk underneath ladders, or are afraid of the number 13, and so forth and so on.

Every culture has its own list of omens.

•

The problem with believing that something such as a stone, cat, or any other object, can change your fortune,

means that you are ascribing to it powers that belong to Allah alone. Giving Allah's attributes to other than Allah is shirk in His attributes (shirk fee asma wa sifaat). Allah is the Creator and Sustainer of all that

exists. Nothing happens except with His Knowledge and His Will. If some harm comes to you, it does not come because of the omen nor can it be avoided by avoiding the omen. Only asking Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) for His protection can avert it.

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Obligation of Love • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said to Muadh (may Allah be pleased with him): “By Allah, I love

you, so do not forget to say at the end of every Salah, ‘O Allah, help me to remember You and to give thanks to You and to worship You well.’”

[Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Jami at-

Tirmidhi]

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Thus, we see that it is one of the obligations of love that we teach our beloved people to love Allah, remember Allah, thank Allah and worship Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). And as clarified in other ahadith, one’s love of Allah is manifested by obedience to His commands.

•

Salmaan Al-Farsi narrated: “There was a man who was given many of the luxuries of this world, and then they were taken away from him. But he continued to praise and

thank Allah until everything had been taken from him, even his bed. And then he still praised and thanked Allah.

Another man, who had also been given many of the luxuries of this world asked him, ‘What are you praising

and thanking Allah for?’ The man said, ‘I am praising and thanking Him for blessings which, if others asked me to give them to them in return for all that they have, I would never give them up.’ ‘What can they be?’ asked the second man. ‘Can’t you see?’ asked the first man. ‘I have my eyesight, my tongue, my hands, my feet…’” [Uddat asSabirin wa Dhakhirat ash-Shakirin, by Ibn Qayyim alJawziyyah] 2200

Golden Opportunity • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is a moment on Friday when

the slave shall not ask Allah for anything save that He will give it to him.” [Sahih Muslim]

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• It is recommended to supplicate Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) much on Fridays, seeking the moment when prayers are answered. This time lies between the time the Imam first sits on the pulpit and when the prayer finishes. Others hold that the moment occurs after the midafternoon (Asr) prayer. [Reliance of the Traveller by Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri]

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One Hundred Good Deeds • Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever says, ‘La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shai in qadeer’, one hundred times will get the same reward as given for freeing ten slaves; and one hundred good deeds will be written in his accounts, and one hundred sins will be deducted from his accounts, and it (his saying) will be a shield for him from Shaitaan on that day till night, and nobody will be able to do a better deed except the one who does more than he.” [Sahih alBukhari] 2206

•

The meaning of this Kalima is: “None has the right to be worshipped but Allah (Alone) Who has no partner; to Him belongs the kingdom (of the universe), and for Him are all the praises, and He has the power to do everything.”

•

All the sins we commit in life are because we don’t internally believe this. We believe other people and

forces to be more powerful than Allah. So we commit sins to please the boss, the children, the spouse, the parents, the friends, etc, whoever we hold dearer to us than Allah. We say that the universe belongs to Allah

but the good return that we expect from people is greater than the good return we expect from Allah, and so we worry more about pleasing them than pleasing Allah. It is but natural that who you hold in greater esteem is the one who you are more concerned about to keep happy.

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• If we repeat this Kalima one hundred times every day we will be forced to think about what it is we are saying. This Kalima resonates with what our souls know to be true and witnessed to in Alam-eArwah (the world of souls). When you hear something enough times you end up holding it to be true. This is how the media and advertising

work, and you end up gulping down even the biggest lies. Allah tells us to repeat the truth to ourselves to remain on Tawheed – belief in the Unity (the Oneness) and the Power of Allah.

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Naked Warner • Narrated Abu Musa (radi Allahu anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “My example and the example of the Message with which Allah has sent me is like that of a man who came to some people and said, ‘I have seen with my own eyes the enemy forces, and I am a naked warner (to you) so save yourself, save yourself!’ A group of them obeyed him and went out at night, slowly and stealthily and were safe, while another group did not believe him and thus the army took them in the morning and destroyed them.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 2209

•

After revelation began Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) consumed himself in trying to save his people from Hellfire. His business got ruined and he went from being one of the wealthy people of Makkah to living in economic boycott. His standing in society suffered as a malicious campaign of slander was launched against

him to discredit his message. His two daughters married to the sons of Abu Lahab were divorced on Abu Lahab’s orders when Muhammad (pbuh) began to call people to worship Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) alone. He was physically persecuted in various forms as well. But Muhammad (pbuh) bore all this with no

complain because he saw the Fire of Hell towards which his people were headed and that was much more serious for him.

•

It was an Arabian custom that a man, on seeing the forces of the enemy, would take off his clothes and use it as a signal of warning to his people. In other words, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was saying that he was doing his best to warn his people of the forces of Shaitaan and the Fire towards which they were headed. But not everyone heeded his warning. Those who did were saved, while those who ignored him were destroyed. This was true in Makkah where very few people embraced Islam because of the persecution Muslims were made to suffer. This is true today as well with few Muslims choosing to follow Allah and His Messenger’s commands while claiming to believe in the Fire against which he warned.

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Origin of Jinn • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were

created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” [Sahih Muslim]

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• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) tells us that jinn were created from fire, as He says: “And the jinn He created from a smokeless flame of fire.” [Quran: Surah Rahmaan, Ayat 15] • Ibn Abbaas, Ikrimah, Mujaahid, Al-Hasan and others said concerning the phrase “a smokeless flame of fire” – this means the edge of the flame.

According to another report, it means the purest and best part of it. [Al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah] • An-Nawawi said: “The smokeless flame means the flame which is mixed with the blackness of the fire.” [Sharh an-Nawawi ala Muslim] • “And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.” [Quran: Surah Hijr, Ayat 27] • This Ayat also tells us that the creation of jinn came before the creation of man.

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No Greater Temptation • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Woman is awrah and when she

goes out the Shaytaan raises his glance to her.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

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The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us that he was not leaving behind any greater temptation for men than women. For this reason women are commanded to cover all of their bodies and men are commanded to nevertheless keep their gazes lowered and not look at them. Yet it seems that the opposite behavior is in vogue.

•

Today women go out for no reason at all, clothed yet naked. Institutes employ armies of women and men to propagate immorality by means of TV and movies. Their promiscuous stories tell tales of

immorality, their characters glamorize lewd behavior, and evil gains currency as the norm. •

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbade being alone with a (non-mahram) woman and said that no man

is ever alone with a non-mahram woman (khalwah) but the Shaytaan is the third one present.

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Plant a Tree • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “Never a Muslim plants a tree, but he has the reward of charity for him; for what is eaten out of that is charity, what is stolen out of that, what the beasts eat out of that, what the birds eat out of that, is charity for him.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

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• Plant a tree, preferably a fruit tree. Don’t worry about whether you get to enjoy its fruits or not.

Let bird, beast and man benefit from it. Without even realizing how much, you will be accruing good deeds in your account.

• This hadith states that “a Muslim” who plants a tree will have that count as charity for him. This is because good deeds are only worthy of reward when they are done for Allah’s sake. He who does something because Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) told

him to, can hope for Allah’s reward; but he who does it for fame, personal morality, or any other reason, should expect no reward from Allah. If he sought fame then his reward is to be appreciated by people; if he did it to suit his personal inclinations then his personal satisfaction is his reward; and so on.

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Old Man Young Hopes • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The son of Adam reaches old age and two of his

habits do not leave him. One is greed and the second is the unending succession of hopes (desires).” [Sahih Muslim]

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• Man’s body becomes old but he continues to think of himself as young. He doesn’t give up hoping for and desiring all the things that he did in his youth.

It doesn’t happen that as a person gets nearer to his grave, he automatically becomes pious.

• Man has to consciously orient his greed and desires towards worthwhile goals. Allah put greed

in man so that he may be greedy for Jannah and thus do good deeds on earth, but we have become greedy for this world instead.

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• A sound intellect tells a person that it is not wise to be greedy for a life that will end quickly: We should be greedy for that which lasts forever.

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) tells us in the Quran:

“Moreover, whatever of anything you are given is (no more than) an enjoyment of worldly life and its decoration, and that which lies with Allah is much

better and far more lasting. So do you not use reason?” [Surah al-Qasas: Ayat 60]

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1. “Al-ladhina-amanu� refers to the Muhajirin and Ansar.

2. Those angels who carry the Throne of Allah (swt) make this dua for the Muminin.

3. Mutif Bin Abdullah says: The most well-wishing creation towards the believers are the angels and

the most deceiving is Shaytan. (Mazhari Vol. 10 P. 219) 2228

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Nothing Remains Except the Shoulder • “Aisha (radi Allahu anha) narrated that they slaughtered a goat and the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) asked: ‘How much of its meat remains?’ They replied: ‘Nothing remains except the shoulder piece.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Everything remains except the

shoulder piece.’ [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

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This hadith is in accord with the words of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in the Quran: “Whatever is with you is perishable, and whatever is with Allah is permanent.” [Surah Nahl: Ayat 96]

•

Aisha (radi Allahu anha) had distributed the meat of the goat among poor people and hadn’t saved any of it for themselves, except for the shoulder piece. The Prophet (pbuh) informed her that the meat given away

was actually the meat that was saved for them (in their account with Allah).

•

What we spend in Allah’s cause comes to our credit on the Day of Judgement, and Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will exchange it with the choicest of blessings in Jannah, in-sha-Allah.

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When a man spends his salary on different items of expenditure, he allots its major portion to such items as are perishable. He thinks of them as dues from which there is no escape. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) informs us that the wealth which we spend in the cause of Allah is such that never perishes.

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Struggles of our Life Once upon a time, a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed. Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen.

He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.

Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and

placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.

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Struggles of our Life Turning to her, he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?” “Potatoes, eggs and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer”, he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft.

He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity-the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which one are you?” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

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Struggles of our Life Moral: In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is how you choose to react to it and what you make out of it. Life is all

about leaning, adopting and converting all the struggles that we experience into something positive.

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Poor in Majority • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “I stood by the gate of Jannah and saw that the majority of those who entered were the poor and wretched. The rich (Muslims) were detained while the people of Jahannum were ordered to be taken to Jahannum.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

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Not all the people who are to enter Jannah go together into Jannah. Even those who are to enter Jannah without any sort of punishment may be delayed. The more wealth a person has, the longer and more arduous is his auditing. So, the rich among the Muslims account for the wealth that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) placed at their disposal and this delays their

entrance into Jannah. •

There are some people who travel by bus. They have to wait in the sun and rain for their ride, and the bus ride is uncomfortable and tiring. But when they arrive at their destination, they go straight in. On the other hand are people who travel comfortably in their own cars, arriving in good shape at their destination, but their

entrance is delayed because they have to first find a spot in the parking lot to responsibly dispose off their cars. With benefits come extra responsibilities.

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Purpose of Knowledge • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do not attain learning in order to express pride before the ulema (scholars), nor by its help quarrel with foolish people, nor through it try to overwhelm meetings,

but he who does so, his destination is fire.” [Sunan ibn Majah]

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• The purpose of seeking knowledge of the Deen is to be in a better position to seek Allah's pleasure.

All Muslims are required to obtain that knowledge by which they may enter Jannah and escape the Fire. Ignorance is not bliss, for we will be held accountable for that which we could have found out. If we acquire this knowledge to seek

worldly gain then it will be rejected by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). Knowledge that is gained so that we may show it off and appear knowledgeable is a source of destruction.

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Destination is Beyond Life • The Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam), said: “Be in this life as if you were a

stranger or a traveler.” [Sahih alBukhari]

2245

• A traveler does not waste time in games and diversions; he travels light, with only a fraction of what settled people use; and he doesn’t stop at every eatery along the way, but only when necessary. This is because he cares most about reaching his destination safely and knows the difference between the route and the destination.

• The sons of Adam are divided into two types: The first type denies the existence of an abode which awaits Allah’s servants after this life is over, where reward and punishment are experienced. Such people have only one concern, which is to enjoy life and pursue all its pleasures – and the Exalted says: “And those who reject take it easy and eat

like cattle eat – and the Fire will be their abode.”

[Quran: Surah Muhammad, Ayat 12]

2246

•

The second type are those who accept that there is an abode after death, where there is both reward and punishment. These are the ones who follow the Messengers. They fall into three categories:

First, those who are unjust to themselves form the majority. Most of them are content with the blossoms of this life and its pleasures, helping themselves to them and using them in ways which Allah has not commanded. The world appears to them to be their greatest concern, and with it they are satisfied; they only love and hate for its sake. •

These are the people who play about and chatter and are diverted by the attractions of this world. Although they may believe in the Akhira in a general way, they have not discovered what this life is meant for, nor are they aware that it is only a stopping place where provisions for the final journey can be acquired.

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Second, those who are mean to themselves are those who take what is permitted from this world and fulfill their duties in it, but who then pursue what lies beyond these duties for the sake of their own pleasure and in order to enjoy the delights of this world. Such people will not be punished for doing so, but their pleasure seeking will result in their

rank being diminished.

• Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “If it had not been for the fact that my station in the Garden might be diminished, I would have imitated you in your life of ease; but Allah has warned some people by saying, ‘You squandered the good things that you had in the life

of the world, and you sought contentment in them.’ [Quran: Surah al-Ahqaf, Ayat 20]

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Third, those who are swift in doing good deeds are the ones who understand what the world is meant for, and they act accordingly. They know that Allah has only put His servants in this world in order to see which of them have the best actions. “Surely We have put what is on the earth as a glittering show so that We may test them, as to which of them have the best actions.”

[Quran: Surah al-Kahf, Ayat 7] •

This means that Allah has put what is on the earth in order to test us, to see who is going to avoid the pleasures of this world and look for success in the next

world, for: “And surely We shall turn what is on it into a heap of dust.” [Quran: Surah al-Kahf, Ayat 8] •

Those who race to do good deeds only take from this world whatever provisions are necessary for the journey.

2249

Pit of Grief • “Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: ‘Seek refuge in Allah against the pit of grief.’ The Companions asked, ‘Allah’s Messenger, what is the pit of grief?’ He

replied, ‘It is a river in Hell against which even Hell seeks refuge four hundred times a day.’ They again asked, ‘Allah’s Messenger,

who will enter it?’ He remarked, ‘It has been prepared for reciters of the Quran desiring to show off their deeds. The most detestable of

the reciters in the sight of Allah are those who frequently visit the rulers (for worldly ends).’” [Sunan ibn Majah] 2250

•

This hadith tells us the punishment prepared for the one who sells religion to secure worldly benefit. There are two acts that reciters of the Quran (i.e. scholars of Islam) are specifically warned against, but that also apply to all other Muslims:

1.

Showing off knowledge of Islam or one’s good deeds.

2.

Visiting rulers.

•

The responsibility on the shoulders of one who visits the people in power is great. They must enjoin them to do good, i.e. implement Islam. They must also warn them to refrain from evil, i.e. un-Islamic practices and policies. The reason for being warned against visiting the rulers and political leadership is that in one’s desire to please them many will not be honest in assessing

their deeds.

2251

•

Muslims, especially scholars, who compromise the teachings of Islam, to make it more palatable, lose their religion. Therefore, whatever ‘benefit’ comes at the cost of making well known the true teachings of Islam, is no benefit at all. It will cause the person to burn painfully in Hell for an extremely long time. We must purify our intentions and seek Islam for a better Hereafter and not to show off with it. And we must never use it to gain power, contacts, wealth, or recognition. We must flee from such sins with the speed of one who has mad dogs chasing him/her.

•

At the time of the Abbasid Khalifa Al-Mansur, Imam Abu

Hanifa was offered the position of “Qadhi-ul-Qudaat” (Chief Justice/Judge of the Islamic State). This was a most honouored position at the side of the Khalifa, along with a handsome salary. Imam Abu Hanifa declined to accept the post, fearing to be influenced by the ruler and used as a rubber stamp to endorse his actions whatever they may be.

Imam Abu Hanifa preferred to continue selling cloth to earn his living than compromise his Islam.

2252

•

Al-Mansur was so enraged that he had the Imam thrown into prison. Time and again Imam Abu Hanifa was dragged before Al-Mansur and asked to accept the post of Qadhi-ul-Qudaat. But Imam Abu Hanifa refused every time even though he was starved, flogged and paraded in the market for his defiance. The great Imam eventually died in prison in 150 A.H. (767 CE) rather than serve the ends of the ruler of the day.

•

Similar was the stance and persecution that our other great Imams such as Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, Malik Ibn Anas and many others faced, because true understanding of Islam does not allow a person to lie about Allah’s religion. Such was the example of our pious predecessors and is the example of a few pious people that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has also blessed our times with. Unfortunately, the majority of scholars today, especially those promoted in the media, have sold their services to the highest bidder, to issue fatwas (religious rulings) and recommendations that serve the purposes of their paymasters.

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2256

Permissible Envy • Ibn Masud narrated that the Prophet

(salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no (permissible) envy except in two (cases); a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e. religious knowledge) and he gives his decisions

accordingly and teaches it to others.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari] 2257

• In other words, there is nothing in this world that is worth envying except the two things through which one can attain the stations of Paradise.

These two enviable things are wealth and wisdom when they are being used to earn Allah’s pleasure.

By itself neither wealth nor wisdom is good or bad. It is what one does with them that makes

them good or bad.

• A person who spends in Allah’s Path is to be envied, for he is earning Paradise for himself with this wealth. Similarly, a person who is taking the decisions of his life according to his knowledge of the Shariah, is teaching people how to earn Allah’s pleasure and avoid His displeasure and is judging

between people in light of this knowledge, is a person who should be envied. This is because his knowledge is gaining him high ranks in Paradise because of his proper use of it.

2258

•

When money or knowledge are not being used in Allah’s Path they are useless and nothing to envy. Would you envy the crumb that an ant is carrying away? It is insignificant! The wealth and status that one has in this world is more insignificant than a crumb in the bigger picture of our existence.

•

According to Imam An-Nawawi's explanation, the word Hasad (jealousy) is used here in the sense of Ghibtah, i.e. envy.

In Islam, jealousy is forbidden and is held unlawful. The

reason being that one who is jealous wants the one he is jealous of to be deprived of that blessing. Envy is permissible for the reason that when one sees that a person has been graced by Allah with certain gifts and qualities, he also desires

to be blessed with those gifts. In the latter case, he does not grumble and grieve but eagerly prays to Allah for those gifts.

•

‘Knowledge’ stands for the knowledge of the Quran and Hadith because this knowledge alone is beneficial for man,

and it is through this knowledge that correct judgments can be made. This hadith encourages acquiring useful knowledge and wealth to spend only in the ways pleasing to Allah.

2259

Overpowering Heart of a Believer • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “I can see the devils among the Jinn and mankind running away from Umar.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2260

•

“Obeying Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) revives and gives life to the heart, making it strong and firm. Obeying Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) cleans the dirt which is on the heart and makes it shine. Continuous obedience of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) makes the heart clean, pure, luminous and as shiny as a mirror. Strange and amazing are the effects of this illuminated heart.

•

“When a Shaytaan approaches a person with such a heart, then the light of that person’s heart hits the Shaytaan in the

same way that meteorites (shooting stars) thrown at them by the angels in the heavens do, when they try eavesdropping on the conversations going on in the heavens. The Shayateen fear these types of hearts as much as a wolf fears a lion; in fact, even more than this. “Sometimes, when believers with such hearts cross the path of a Shaytaan and the Shaytaan is assaulted by this light, then other Shayateen rush to sympathize with him and ask each other what happened.

They are told that some human overwhelmed him. They say: ‘You appear to have been overcome by the ‘evil eye’ (the look) of a believer.’ “The light from a heart illumined by Allah’s obedience has such an effect, that even Shayateen made of fire begin to burn in its intensity.” [Dawaa-e-Shafi by Imaam Ibn al-Jawzi]

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2264

Purity Necessary for Prayer • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) does not accept the

prayer which is performed without purity.” [Sahih Muslim]

2265

• The people of a suburb of Madeenah, Quba, were very particular in cleanliness for performance of prayers for which Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) praised them: “In it (the masjid of Quba) are people who like to observe purity; and Allah loves those observing purity.” [Quran: Surah Taubah, Ayat 108] • The leading newspapers in India in 1975 carried the

Hindu Prime Minister Mr Morarji Desai’s statement: “I drink my own urine every morning.” A certain Hindu sweetmeat seller sprinkles cow urine (considered holy) on his sweetmeats when he opens the shop for the day, in order to acquire abundance.

Perhaps this is because in no single book on the Hindu religion is any mention made on the precepts of purity and cleanliness. So it is up to an individual’s sense of cleanliness and decency to live like a human being.

2266

• In a similar manner, the concept of purity and cleanliness in the Sikh religion can be gauged from the fact that if a Sikh shaves his head or removes hair from his armpit or below the navel, or undergoes circumcision, he is excluded from the religion.

• All praise is to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) who taught us through Islam how to stay clean and pure.

2267

Punishment Indiscriminate • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “If Allah afflicts punishment upon a nation, it

befalls the whole population indiscriminately and then they will be resurrected and judged according to their deeds.” [Sahih Muslim]

2268

• This hadith tells us that when Allah's punishment comes to pass, it does not distinguish between the upright and the wicked.

• The upright are possibly afflicted because they did not attempt to stop the evil in their midst. For example, once Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) sent Jibreel (alaihis salam) to destroy a nation. Jibreel

(alaihis salam) asked Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) what to do about the extremely devout worshipper constantly engaged in prayer, residing in the same town. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) ordered for him to be punished first since he hadn’t bothered about the heedlessness of his fellow citizens.

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• Another advantage of hardship is that by it a person reaches those ranks of Jannah that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) wishes to bestow upon him/her, but which he/she is not able to reach by their deeds.

• On the other hand Allah’s punishment befalling the upright could also be purification for their

minor sins, so that when they appear before Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) on the day of Judgment they are pure of sin and can go straight to Jannah. This earth is the best place to be purified. Punishment only increases in severity going from earthly life to grave, to Day of Resurrection, to the Fire of Hell.

May Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) save us from

punishments everywhere. Aameen.

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2273

Dua for Life’s Hiccups • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no Muslim who, when afflicted with a misfortune, says as Allah has ordered him to say, ‘Surely to Allah we belong, and surely to Him we are returning, (Quran 2:156) O Allah, reward me in my misfortune and give

me better than it afterwards,’ except that Allah grants him better than it.”

[Sahih Muslim]

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• When a Muslim says, “Surely to Allah we belong,” the Muslims accepts that he belongs to Allah and that Allah does as He wishes with His possessions. And when the Muslim says, “and surely to Him we are returning,” it means that when we return to our Lord, He rewards us for our perseverance – for the reward for

perseverance is never lost.

2275

•

There are four levels (stations) of responding to misfortune, each higher and better than the previous one.

The first level is the station of inability to cope. This is the response of the person uneducated about Allah and the Akhirah. When misfortune strikes, this person becomes agitated and complains.

The second level and appropriate response is patient endurance and perseverance, keeping up with good deeds and refraining from bad deeds – not letting the misfortune harm

your Islam.

The third and better kind of response to misfortune is the station of acceptance and contentment with the Will of Allah.

The fourth and best kind of response to misfortune is the station

of gratitude, in which the misfortune is viewed as a blessing – and so the one who is afflicted is thankful to the One Who Afflicts him for it. This feeling of gratitude can only come about when one knows that whatever Allah has chosen for

me is better than what I could choose for myself and that with patience through this misfortune and asking Allah to reward me for it and replace it with better than what I had before, I will end up better off than I was before the misfortune struck.

2276

So don’t forget to recite this Dua

whenever there’s a hiccup in the smooth running of your life.

2277

Protect your Private Life • Allah's Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The worst person on the day of Qiyamah will be the one

who reveals the private life of his wife to others." [Sahih Muslim]

2278

• Men and women, some of both, have the habit of revealing their private matters to their friends.

This is a major sin which should be abstained from. • In another hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) asked the people, after prayer in his mosque, whether they discussed with others what they did with their

spouses. The Muslims were quiet. Then a woman spoke up and admitted to the Prophet (pbuh) that both men and women did so. The Prophet (pbuh) said that to discuss private matters with others was akin to behaving like dogs that copulate on streets with no regard to onlookers. • This hadith is a stern warning to people to give up such habits that they may have acquired, regardless of who taunts them for safeguarding their modesty and the modesty of their family.

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Pride • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “Whoever has pride in his heart equal to the weight of a mustard seed shall not enter Paradise.” Someone asked, “A person likes to wear beautiful clothes and fine shoes.” He replied, “Allah is beautiful and likes beauty. Pride means rejecting

the truth and looking down on other people.” [Sahih Muslim] 2283

• It is no sin to wear beautiful things or to look good, but to have pride means to feel that one is superior to another because of the provisions that Allah has provided one with. It is Allah’s will who He decides to give what to in this world. It is not a sign of Allah’s pleasure or displeasure. The Prophet (pbuh) told us that

were this world the place of reward and punishment, the Kuffar would not be given even a sip of water to drink. Complete reward and punishment are reserved for the never-ending hereafter. This worldly life is in its entirety a test.

And what we are provided with in terms of family, wealth, health and opportunities are part

of our question papers. What we do with them is our test.

2284

•

Pride inflates a person’s ego to the extent that his/her rationality ceases to function. Abu Jahl’s denial of the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) was because of pride in his clan and inter tribal rivalry with the Banu

Hashim. He was one of the fiercest opponents of Islam till the day he died, despite believing that Muhammad (pbuh) was truly a prophet. The words of Abu Jahl in this regard are: “By God, I know that he is not a liar, but I cannot simply join him; my tribe (Bani Makhzoom) and his have always competed against one another.

They took the responsibility of providing water for the pilgrims, so we took the responsibility of providing assistance. We host many with food and drink exactly as they do. Now that we are of an almost equal status, they say that amongst them is a prophet! That is too much to compete with!” So Abu Jahl rejected the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) to protect his pride, even if it meant going to hell for it. Thus we see how shortsighted pride makes a person.

2285

• The denial of Muhammad’s prophethood by the Bani Israel was also because of pride. They had been expecting the last prophet to come from the children of Ishaq (alaihis salaam) as all the other prophets of Bani Israel had. Instead, Muhammad (pbuh) came from the descendants of Ismail (alaihis salam). Both were the sons of Ibraheem (alaihis salam) but from different mothers. The various Jewish tribes that had settled in Madina, leaving their lands of origin, had only done so because they were awaiting the arrival of the last prophet, and

based on their scriptures they believed Madina to be the place of his arrival. But their pride in their lineage and their superiority complex over the Arabs caused them to reject the Prophet (pbuh) when he did come, despite recognizing him better than they did their own families.

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• The shortsightedness that pride inspires causes one to overlook the most serious of consequences.

What is most relevant for each of us is to investigate which truths we are denying or brushing aside because we don’t like the people who are the carriers of that truth or because we consider them to be beneath us.

2287

Protocol of Salam • Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

“A rider should salute a pedestrian; a pedestrian should salute one who is sitting; and a small group should salute a large group (of people).”

Another narration adds: “The

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “The young should greet the elderly.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2288

• The greeting of As-Salamu Alaikum should be offered in the prescribed way. When Muslims are not aware of the rules of their religion then they make an issue of their imagined importance and worldly status. It is the situations that are given consideration here in being the first to offer Salam, and not the rank and status of people. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has blessed us with these rules to pre-empt false pride and confusion.

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Purity of Intention • Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “The first of men (whose case) will be decided on the Day of Judgment will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought forth. Allah will make him recount His blessings (i. e. the blessings which He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life). (Then) will Allah say: ‘What did you do (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I fought for You until I died as a martyr.’ Allah will say: ‘You have told a lie. You fought so that you may be called a brave warrior. And you were called so.’ (Then) orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell.

2294

Purity of Intention…

• Then a man will be brought forward who acquired knowledge and imparted it (to others) and recited the Qur’an. He will be brought forth and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them (and admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Then Allah will ask: ‘What did you do (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I acquired knowledge and disseminated it and recited the Qur’an seeking Your pleasure.’ Allah will say: ‘You have told a lie. You

acquired knowledge so that you may be called a scholar, and you recited the Qur'an so that you may be called a Qari and such has been said.’ Then orders will be passed against him and he shall be dragged with his face downward and cast into the Fire.

2295

Purity of Intention…

Then a man will be brought whom Allah had made abundantly rich and had granted every kind of wealth.

He will be brought forth and Allah will make him recount His blessings and he will recount them and (admit having enjoyed them in his lifetime). Allah will (then) ask: ‘What have you done (to requite these blessings)?’ He will say: ‘I spent money in every cause in which You wished that it should be spent.’ Allah will say: ‘You are lying. You did so, so that you may be

called a generous person, and so it was said.’ Then Allah will pass orders and he will be dragged with his face downward and thrown into Hell.” [Sahih Muslim]

2296

•

It is important to remember when you show generosity to anyone that your intention be good. Your intention should be to improve brotherhood amongst the Muslims and earn their love, as well as of course

getting close to Allah by showing them kindness. One should not be generous for fame, leadership, or to hear praises.

•

Thus, it is imperative that whatever good we do, we do it sincerely seeking Allah’s pleasure and His approval alone. A wise man once coined the similitude of a person who performs actions to show off to others as that person who fills his purse with stones instead of money. These will not help him at all. It will only make the purse seem heavy to others, who will think that he is wealthy. In a similar manner, the ostentatious

person will appear to be pious to others but will receive no reward for his actions from Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

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2299

The Three Questions King Akbar was very fond of Birbal. This made a certain courtier very jealous. Now this courtier always wanted to be chief minister, but this was not possible as Birbal filled that position. One day Akbar praised Birbal in front of the courtier. This made the courtier very angry and he said that the king praised Birbal unjustly and if Birbal could answer three of his questions, he would accept the fact that Birbal was intelligent. Akbar always wanting to test Birbals wit readily agreed.

The three questions were 1. How many stars are there in the sky 2. Where is the centre of the Earth and 3. How many men and how many women are there in the world.

Immediately Akbar asked Birbal the three questions and informed him that if he could not answer them, he would have to resign as chief minister. To answer the first question, Birbal brought a hairy sheep and said, “There are as many stars in the sky as there is hair on the sheep’s body. My friend the courtier is welcome to count them if he likes.”

To answer the second question, Birbal drew a couple of lines on the floor and bore an iron rod in it and said, “this is the center of the Earth, the courtier may measure it himself if he has any doubts.”

In answer to the third question, Birbal said, “Counting the exact number of men and women in the world would be a problem as there are some specimens like our courtier friend here who cannot easily be classified as either. Therefore if all people like him are killed, then and only then can one count the exact number.”

Moral: There is Always a Way.

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2301

Darkness before the Bridge • One of the Jewish rabbis asked the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam): “Where will the

people be on the Day of Resurrection when the earth is changed to another earth and so will be the heavens?” The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) replied: “They will

be in darkness just before the bridge.”

[Sahih Muslim] 2302

• This hadith mentions the time when the earth will be changed to another earth and the heavens will be changed too. It will be the time shortly before people have to pass over as-Siraat (the bridge). • As-Siraat is the bridge over Jahannum which each person has to cross to enter Jannah. Those who deserve Jahannum will fall off this bridge into it.

May Allah save us from that. Ameen.

2303

Prayer on Laylat al-Qadr • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “He who prays on Laylat al-Qadr in faith and expectation of its

reward will be forgiven his previous sins.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2304

• The excellence of Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of the Divine Decree) can be judged by the reward of worship in it and the words of Allah Most High that it is, “better than a thousand months” [Quran 97:3] meaning that spiritual works therein are better than works of a thousand months lacking Laylat al-Qadr.

• Laylat al-Qadr is the anniversary of the night that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) sent the first ayaat of the Quran to Muhammad (pbuh) through Angel Jibreel (alaihis salam). It comes within the last ten nights of Ramadan, more likely on the odd numbered ones (remembering that the night of an Islamic date comes before the day of that date).

2305

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2307

2308

Parents are the Gates • Abu Umama (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man enquired from the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam): “O Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam)! What are the rights of parents over their offspring?”

The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) replied: “Your entry into Paradise or Hell depends on your good or bad conduct towards your parents.” [Sunan ibn Majah] 2309

• In other words, if you treat them well the gates of Paradise will be opened for you and you will be admitted therein, but if you violate the rights that your parents have over you, the gates of Hell will be opened for you and you will be consigned to serve as fuel for it.

• The following is the advice that Abdullah bin

Umar gave to Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding how he should treat his parents: “If you talk to them in a polite manner and look after their needs and feed them well, you will certainly be admitted to Paradise provided you abstain from major sins.” [Al-Adab-ul Mufrad]

2310

• Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) once saw two men. He asked one of them, “What is your relationship with the other man?” The man replied, “He is my father.” Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) thereupon advised him, “Look, never call him by his name, walk ahead of him, or sit before he takes his seat.” [Al-

Adab-ul Mufrad] • In other words, it is not just their material needs of food, clothing, shelter, and medicine that we need to be mindful of. We also need to show them respect and consideration in every deed. We should address them with titles of respect, and make sure that they are comfortable before we

make ourselves comfortable.

2311

•

The most important right of parents over their children is their right to eeman. Should the child be blessed with faith and find it lacking in the parents, they need to try with utmost love, gentleness and concern to

explain and try to instill the love of Allah and His Messenger in them. Didn’t they try their best to save us from all sorts of hazards and dangers while we were growing up? Who tried to save us from putting

our fingers in electric sockets? Who taught us to be careful with fire? Who taught us to beware of strangers? Who tried to protect us from falling or getting cut or getting burned? Is it not then their right

that we try to protect them from the Fire of Hell? •

An onlooker should be able to tell by the deference shown, the outward behavior and demeanor, who the parent is and who the child is. It is nothing but Godlessness in the society, whether it be of Muslims or non-Muslims, when children are observed talking to parents with gritted teeth and high handedness.

2312

Price also Forbidden • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “When Allah forbids a thing, He

also forbids its price.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

2313

• Some people who lived outside Madina did not find out about the absolute prohibition of alcohol till later. One day Amir bin Rabi’ah (radi Allahu anhu) returned from a journey and presented a bottle of alcohol to the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) – a bottle full of alcohol after Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) had made it Haraam! The Prophet (pbuh) never drank alcohol, neither in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, nor in Islam. However, people

still used to offer him gifts some of which he wouldn’t use himself but give to others or sell.

People would sometimes give him gold or silver which he would not wear but give to his wives or others. But the Prophet (pbuh) looked at the alcohol in surprise and said, “Don’t you know that this has been forbidden?”

2314

Amir bin Rabi’ah (radi Allahu anhu) replied, “Forbidden? No! I didn’t know about it, O Messenger of Allah!”

The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Yes. It has been forbidden.”

Amir (radi Allahu anhu) then took the bottle away. Some people suggested that he should sell it. When the Prophet (pbuh) heard about it he said, “No. When Allah forbids something, he also forbids its value.” Upon hearing this,

Amir poured the alcohol out onto the ground.

• Notice how the Sahabah immediately acted upon the teachings of Islam, putting aside any other consideration!

• Notice how briefly and to the point the Prophet (pbuh) gave instructions and made corrections.

He didn’t go on and on about it.

2315

• Notice that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not question the Sahabi’s integrity by saying such things as, “How could you not have known that alcohol is now forbidden!” He never doubted the intentions of the people around him, nor abused them.

• This Hadith makes clear that when something is forbidden to consume (such as alcohol), then it is also forbidden to sell it and use the money.

Notice that the Sahabi did not gift the bottle on

to one of the non-Muslims around either.

2316

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2318

2319

Presenting Oneself in the King’s Court • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allah has made five prayers obligatory: whoever performs

their ablution well and prays them in their time, completing the bowing, the humility, and the awe that is due in them, has

entered a solemn pact with Allah to forgive him. And whoever does not, has no pact with Allah: should he want, He will forgive him, and should He want, He will torment him.” [Sunan Abu Dawood] 2320

• Prayer is Allah’s call, the invitation from the King of kings to attend His court. Whoever responds to the invitation, having made themselves presentable with ablution and clean clothes, presents themselves at the invited time, fulfills the etiquettes of courtly behavior, and adopts the fitting demeanour, will be entitled to Allah’s

Mercy and Forgiveness.

• Would anyone ignore an invitation from a generous, powerful, kind, and beneficent president? Whoever does so, not considering it worthy of his time, has no reason to be considered worthy of the president’s time or favors.

• Thus, the case of whoever does not pray, i.e. does not present himself in Allah’s court, is for Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to decide.

2321

Purpose of Marriage • When a man married, the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) would say, “Allah bless you, and unite you

both in good works.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

2322

• The purpose of all our actions in life should be the pleasure of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). This is true for marriage as well. Together husband and wife make a fantastic team but for this their mutual relationship has to be strong.

• Regarding the husband-wife relationship Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says: “They are as a garment

for you and you are as a garment for them.”

[Quran 2:187] • The following two ayaat of the Quran explain what the function of a garment is: “Indeed, We have bestowed upon you garments to cover your shame, and as a thing of beauty.” [Quran 7:26] Thus, clothes 1.

Cover the parts of our body we should keep hidden,

2.

Beautify the person who wears them.

2323

•

What clothes do for us is what husbands and wives are supposed to do for each other.

1)

They should never divulge those aspects of their spouse’s personality that are shameful and which their spouse

would like to keep concealed. If you are hiding your spouse’s shortcomings from others, then you are doing what Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is asking you to do.

2)

Clothes beautify us. This is why we spend so much time

and effort on getting clothes for ourselves – so we can look good. Thus, husbands and wives are supposed to beautify each other. Their representation of their spouse should only be positive.

•

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) further elaborates on the function of garments: “God … has endowed you with garments to protect you from heat [and cold], as well as such as might protect you from your [mutual] violence.”

[Quran 16:81] Thus, clothes 3) provide protection against the weather (e.g. jackets) and 4) are armor against violence (e.g. bullet proof vests).

2324

3) Thus, spouses are the first line of defense.

He/she whose spouse does not defend them becomes very vulnerable to attack by others.

We should protect our spouse’s person and reputation from harm.

4) A very serious violence to protect our spouse from is the attack of the Shaitaan. We should help our spouses to understand and follow Islam so they can fight effectively against Shaitaan. The person with the least resistance gets sick first. But then that disease spreads to other people in the house. Thus, if we don’t strengthen our spouses against Shaitaan and he makes our spouse sick, then the disease of Shaitaan’s obedience can spread to other members of the household too.

2325

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2328

Proceed in a Dignified Manner • Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with

him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “When the Iqamah is pronounced, do not come to it

running. Rather, you should walk calmly with tranquility to join the congregation.

Then pray what you catch and complete what you miss.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi

wa sallam) said: “For when one of you is walking to the Salat (prayer), he is actually engaged in Salat.” [Sahih Muslim] 2329

• First of all, this hadith tells us not to run or walk hurriedly in order to join a congregational prayer because this is undignified whereas we are commanded to be self-composed and dignified with regard to all matters. • Secondly, when a Muslim walks to a Masjid after performing ablution at home, he is considered to

be in a state of Salat. Thus, he is already earning the reward for the Salat. Pushing, shoving, and squeezing in between people are not a part of the prayer and so a Muslim should not hope to be rewarded if he is doing these. • Thirdly, the first Rakah he prays behind the Imam will be counted as his first Rakah, so he must make up for the Rakahs he missed, if any, after the Imam has concluded his Salat.

2330

Quoting to Each Other • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “He who stirs up enmity among people

by quoting their words to each other will not enter Paradise.” [Sahih alBukhari]

2331

•

It is scary to think how casually we do those deeds for which Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) forbids Paradise.

Jannat is an extremely beautiful and pure place. It must not be defiled by anything impure. Its reward must not be tarnished by anything ugly. That is why all such impure and dirty acts, such as backbiting and helping Muslims to dislike one another, must be

removed from a person before they can enter Jannah.

•

Impurities are removed from metals by burning in fire. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has given us the much easier option of asking for Allah’s forgiveness with sincerity, repentant of the deed and determined to try our best not to do it again. This will remove the

stain of the sin from us and purify us so that we can go to Paradise without needing to be purified by Fire.

2332

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2334

2335

Password Please!

• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “He whose last words are, ‘La ilaha il Allah’ (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), will enter Paradise.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

2336

•

This hadith is like a password given away. Is it really this easy to enter the beautiful land of everlasting happiness?

Sometimes death comes after an illness when it is anticipated, sometimes it comes unannounced. Regardless, a Momin is blessed with the ability to die on the kalima (La ilaha il Allah). This is because a Momin has lived his/her life on the kalima and the fact is that a person dies on the same that he/she has lived on.

•

A pious man was called to make dua for an old man on his

deathbed. When the man entered the house of the dying person he was surprised to hear loud music being played.

He admonished the relatives, “Is this the time to be listening to the instruments of the Shaitaan? Why do you

not recite the Quran and ask the dying one to recite the kalima?” Accordingly, the music was turned off and a recording of the recitation of the Quran played instead. On hearing the Quran, the dying man spoke up asking for it to be turned off saying it troubled him, and he insisted for the female singer’s cassette to be played again as it soothed his heart. Thus, the person died listening to what he had spent his life listening to.

2337

Quarrelsome Debaters • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Before Allah the most hated are quarrelsome debaters.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

2338

• There are people whom Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has gifted an artful tongue to.

• This prompts some of them to exercise their

expertise on all and sundry without hesitating to sift through what is worth saying and what displeases Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

• The desire burning in their hearts is only to score points over others. Other people are victim to their power of speech.

• If this quality of theirs is required to be

employed in expressing religious realities, then all the beauty and grandeur of their speech vanishes.

• Such people are hated by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

2339

2340

2341

2342

Pillars of Emaan • Jibreel (alaihis salam) came in human form and said to Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam): “Tell me about true faith (Emaan).” The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) answered: “It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His inspired Books,

His messengers, the Last Day, and in destiny, its good and evil.” Jibreel (alaihis salam) said: “You have spoken the truth.”

[Sahih Muslim] 2343

•

Belief in Allah's Books is to believe that the Books of Allah are His Non-created Speech, and that they are sanctified above being comprised of letters and sounds and that everything that they contain is real and true. Four books in particular are: 1.

The Tawrah given to Musa (alaihis salam)

2.

The Zabur given to Dawud (alaihis salam)

3.

The Injeel given to Eesa (alaihis salam) and

4.

The Qur'an given to Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam).

•

Belief in Allah's messengers means to believe that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) sent them to His creation for guidance,

in order that they would teach them how to perfect their lives in this world and the Hereafter. He aided them with miraculous occurrences that proved their truthfulness. They delivered the message Allah revealed to them. It is

obligatory to show respect and courtesy to all of them, and to not distinguish between them (i.e. by saying, "We believe in this one, but we reject this other one.") They are all under Allah's Divine protection from sins great and small.

2344

• The number of messengers Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) sent to humankind is 124,000, and from among them we are required to know 25:

1) Adam

9) Ishaq

17) Ayyub

2) Idrees

10) Ya'qub

18) Dhul Kifl

3) Nuh

11) Yusuf

19) Yunus

4) Hud

12) Shu'aib

20) Ilyas

5) Salih

13) Harun

21) al-Yasa

6) Ibraheem

14) Musa

22) Zakariyyah

7) Lut

15) Dawud

23) Yahya

8) Isma'il

16) Sulaiman

24) Eesa

25) Muhammad (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam)

2345

• The Muslim should also know that our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was a Qurayshi Arab, the seal of the prophets and messengers, that he was born in Makkah, that he migrated to al-Madinah, that he died and was buried there, and that the system of law he brought (the Shari'ah) abrogated all systems of law that preceded it, and that it is valid

to the Last Day.

2346

Readying for Death • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) told us that there was a group from the Bani Israel who went to visit a graveyard.

There they said, “How about if we pray two rakahs and ask Allah to resurrect someone, so we can ask him about death.” So they prayed two rakahs and asked Allah to resurrect one of the dead. A dark man was resurrected, who had the sign of sujood (prostrations) on his forehead. He said, “What do you want from me? I died one hundred years ago, and the pain of death only just stopped at this moment. Pray to Allah and ask him to return me to as I was.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

2347

• 1)

There are three lessons to learn from this hadith: The pain of death is severe, and it lasts for a long time. We should pray to Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to make it easy for us.

2)

The value of shahada. One of the many honors that Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) will give a shaheed is that his/her pain of death would feel no more then the

sting of a mosquito. We should pray to Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) for shahada. The Sahaba always had the desire to die as shaheed.

3)

The importance of thinking about death. These men

of Bani Israel went to the graveyard to contemplate death. We are living in a dream and we only wake up when we die. Hasan al-Basri said “I have never seen something so certain, but people treat as

doubtful, as death.” There is no doubt that every one of us will die. We should think about our death and prepare for it, so that we may have a good end.

2348

2349

2350

1. This was the dua of Ibrahim (a.s) and his followers.

2. This dua means: O Allah in all matters we

put our trust in You, and we hand over all our matters to You. (Ibn Kathir Vol. 4. P. 372)

2351

2352

Rewarded In All Cases • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “A man (from amongst the people

before you) said: ‘Indeed! I will give in charity.’

So he took his Sadaqah out and (unknowingly) placed it in the hand of a thief. In the morning

people talked (about this incident) and said: ‘Sadaqah was given to a thief last night.’ The man said: ‘O Allah! Praise be to You. I have

given Sadaqah to a thief. Indeed, I will give in charity!’ So he took his Sadaqah out and he placed it (unknowingly) in a prostitute's hand.

In the morning people talked (about this incident) and said: ‘Sadaqah was given to a prostitute last night.’ On hearing this, the man said:

2353

Rewarded In All Cases…

‘Praise be to You, O Allah! I gave Sadaqah to a prostitute. Indeed, I will give in charity!’ So he took his Sadaqah out and placed it in a rich man's hand. In the morning people talked (about this incident) and said: ‘Sadaqah was given to a rich man last night.’ The man said: ‘O Allah!

Praise be to You (for helping me) give charity to a thief, a prostitute and a rich man.’ Then he had

a dream in which he was told that his Sadaqah to the thief might result in his refraining from his theft, his Sadaqah to the prostitute might help

her abstain from her immorality, and his Sadaqah to the rich man might help him pay heed and spend from what Allah had bestowed

upon him.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2354

• What we learn from this hadith is that if the intention of the person giving something in charity is good, it will be accepted and rewarded by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) even though it may have been given to an “undeserving” person. This shows Allah’s generosity towards us and His love for us.

However, one should try to have one’s Sadaqah reach deserving, pious people.

2355

2356

2357

Rose for Mother A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived two hundred miles away. As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb

sobbing. He asked her what was wrong and she replied, “I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars.”

The man smiled and said, “Come on in with me. I’ll buy you a rose.” He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother’s flowers. As they were leaving, he offered the girl a ride home. She said, “Yes, please! You can take me to my mother.” She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.

The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother’s house.

Moral: Life is Short. Spend much time as you can loving and caring people who love you. Enjoy each moment with them before it’s too late. There is nothing important than family.

2358

2359

Denying Yourself Entrance • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: “Everyone of my Ummah will enter Jannah except those who refuse.” He was asked: “Who will refuse?” He (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever obeys me shall enter Jannah, and whosoever disobeys me refuses to

(enter Jannah).” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2360

• Suppose a restaurant you wish to go to has a dress code. You have the appropriate clothes but don’t wish to wear them. Then whose fault is it if you are denied entry? By refusing to wear the proper dress you refused to enter the restaurant yourself.

• Jannah has the best country-clubs, the finest restaurants, the poshest hotels and they’re yours

for keeps. The only requirement for everlasting, irrevocable, membership is obedience of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) . He described Jannah to us and also illustrated the path to it. It’s our choice whether we wish to enter it or refuse to.

2361

People of the Fire • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Shall I inform you about the people of the (Hell) Fire?

They comprise every cruel, violent, proud and conceited person.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2362

• This hadith warns us against adopting any of these characteristics: cruelty, violence, pride and conceit. There could be nothing worse than ending up in Jahannum so we must purge ourselves of the characteristics that take one there.

2363

2364

2365

2366

Quraishi Women Praised • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “How excellent are the women of the tribe of Quraish! They

are most affectionate towards children and most efficient guardians of their husbands’ homes.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2367

• Safeguard the home, property, children and reputation of your husband. After marriage consider your husband’s home as your own and spend the wealth of your husband wisely and economically. Honor your husband in his presence and in his absence. Your prestige is based on his prestige.

• Shower your children with love and affection. Do your best to make your home a warm, comforting and peaceful refuge for them. Do it with the

intention and desire to please Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). Your children are His creatures first and your children secondarily.

2368

People of the Garden • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “Shall I not inform you about the people of Jannah? They comprise every obscure, unimportant, humble person, and if he takes Allah’s Oath that he will do that thing, Allah will fulfill his oath (by doing that).”

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

2369

• A poor laborer who has Eeman (true faith in Allah) is much luckier than the Presidents and Prime Ministers of the world who do not acknowledge Allah’s supremacy by word or deed.

The laborer who lives on dry bread and sleeps under a tree, with no social security, medical coverage or insurance is far better off than rich

kings whose final destiny is the Fire. The characteristic of the people of Paradise is that they are humble and do not seek fame and glory in this world. They mostly die unknown among men but having fulfilled their covenant with Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). Their high status and special rank will be known to all on the Day of Judgment.

2370

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2373

Dua • “Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased

with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) used to teach them this supplication in the same way that he

used to teach them a Surah of the Quran. He would say: ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of Jahannum and I seek

refuge with You from the punishment of the grave. I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Masih ad-Dajjal and I seek refuge with

You from the trials of life and death.’” [Sahih Muslim] 2374

Firstly, this hadith tells us that the punishment of Jahannum is a reality, the punishment of the grave is a reality, the Fitnah of Dajjal (anti-Christ) is something very serious, and that there are trials in both life and death.

Secondly, this hadith also indicates the severity of various punishments and trials. The order in which the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sought refuge from them is indicative of their seriousness. The worst that could happen to a person is that they get thrown into Jahannum.

The next worst thing that could happen to them is for them to be punished in their grave. Then

comes the severity of the Fitnah of Dajjal, then other trials that afflict people at different times in their lives.

2375

•

Even without revelation the Arabs knew that strange things happened in graves. If their horses got stomach ailments, they would take them to graveyards. The horse would jump and twist so violently that its cramps

would straighten away. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told us that the punishment of the grave is heard by all creatures except men and Jinn, and that if we were cognizant of it we wouldn’t bury our dead.

•

The greatest trial of the living will be at the hands of Dajjal. Other than that there are numerous trials people go through as a result of which they are purified of their sins, as metal is purified from its ore through burning.

•

Trials also separate the wheat from the chaff. People will be rewarded according to the level of suffering they have patiently borne, and the trials they have dealt with keeping their Eeman intact.

•

We should try to keep the ingredients of this Dua in our prayers.

2376

Quick Onset of the Hour • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The Hour will certainly come, whilst two men will be spreading out a garment between them, but they will not be able to sell it

or fold it up; and the Hour will come when a man will milk his she-camel and will take the milk away, but he will not be able to drink it;

and the Hour will come before a man who repairs his trough will be able to bring his animals to drink from it; and the Hour will come when a man will raise a morsel of food to his mouth but he will not be able to eat it.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2377

• This hadith informs us of the suddenness with which the Day of Resurrection will commence and how quickly people will die (before all human beings are brought to life again with the second blast of the Trumpet). The Hour will come so suddenly that there will be no time to reconsider one’s life or repent.

2378

2379

2380

2381

Delaying Repayment • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “For someone to put off repayment of a debt when able to pay is an injustice.” [Sahih alBukhari]

2382

• If you are unfortunate enough to have a debt on you, do repay it as soon as you are able. It is often a cause of bitterness among family when a loan is taken from a relative and the creditor sees the debtor spending money on unessential items but not repaying him/her. According to this hadith, you are listed among cruel people if you have the

money to repay your creditor but choose to delay repayment.

• Keep in mind that while it is obligatory to pay back your loan as soon as you can, it is Haraam (forbidden) for you to pay interest on it. If you take an interest-bearing loan, you do a great injustice to yourself by inviting Allah’s wrath on

you.

2383

Providing for Widows and Orphans • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The one who looks after a widow and a poor person is like the Mujahid in the cause of Allah, or like the one who fasts all the day and

stands (in prayer) all the night.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2384

• Taking care of the needs of weak or povertystricken people is like constantly remaining in a state of worship. There are levels of worship and different acts are rewarded differently. Providing

for widows and orphans, who are very vulnerable members of society, has been likened to fasting during the day and staying up during the nights in prayer.

• Suppose you provide the meals for a widow and her young orphaned children for a week. While you eat during the day and sleep comfortably

during the night, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will reward you for fasting that entire week and staying up all night long in prayer for every one of its nights.

• This hadith also likens the person who takes care of widows, orphans, or needy people, to the person engaged in Jihad fee Sabeel Allah.

2385

2386

2387

2388

Perfection of Faith • The Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “Whoever gives for the sake of Allah, withholds for the sake of Allah, loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, and marries for the sake of Allah, he has indeed perfected his faith.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2389

• The question to ask myself is: “Am I doing this (whatever it is) because I want to do it, or because Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) wants me to do it?”

• If what I want to do coincides with what Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) wants me to do, then I am indeed lucky because it is then easy for me to do

the right thing.

• If what I want to do is different from what Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) would like to see me do, and I put aside my desires to do what pleases Allah, then I am even luckier. I have given preference to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) over myself. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) is Most Appreciative – AshShukoor. He will handsomely reward what I do for Him. 2390

• When I love someone I honor his friends and dislike his enemies. I give what he would like me to give and withhold what he wouldn’t want me to part with. This is the love I should feel for Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), my greatest well-wisher and benefactor, the One who loves me more than my parents, spouse, children or anyone else does.

• It is perhaps hardest to tie the knot of marriage keeping Allah’s recommendations in mind. It is very difficult in such matters to put aside my own desires and marry for the sake of Allah.

• I will know that my Eeman is perfect and complete when my love and hatred are both for Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

2391

Sinning Publicly • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “All of my ummah are apt to be forgiven,

except for those who commit sins openly.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

2392

•

When a person commits a crime in public, justice demands that the criminal be punished. The purpose of punishment is that it acts as a deterrent. If a criminal is not punished, it provides an incentive to all would be criminals to go ahead.

•

Similarly, so long as a sin is known only to the sinner and Allah, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) may forgive it.

But when sin is committed publicly, the punishment becomes incumbent on the sinner. Sinning publicly shows a person's insensitivity towards the enormity of what they are doing. Seeing sins taking place in

public, also desensitizes other people to the sin, taking them one step closer to doing it themselves.

This is why, even if we are to find out about immoral activities happening, we should not broadcast them,

for to do so would further spread evil in society.

2393

2394

2395

2396

Protection from Wealth and Poverty

• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) taught us this Dua: “O Allah! I seek Your protection from the trial of wealth, and I seek Your protection from the trial of poverty.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

2397

• In this supplication we ask Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to protect us from the trials of both excessive wealth and excessive need.

• Wealth in itself is not bad. Rather, it is a blessing from Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) for the person who is able to fulfill its dues and spend it in the way prescribed by Him. It was through his excessive

spending in the Path of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) that Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was able to earn for himself the rank and station that he did.

2398

•

In the same way, if poverty is accompanied by patience, sufficiency and gratitude (Sabr and Shukr) then this is also a great blessing from Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

This is what the Prophet (peace be upon him) chose for himself and his family members and extolled the virtues of poverty and those in poverty.

•

If wealth and prosperity result in pride and arrogance

taking over a person’s attitude and the person does not spend his possessions according to the will of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), then he is like Qaroon and his destination is Hell.

•

Similarly, if a person afflicted with poverty does not display patience, and due to this deficiency becomes disobedient to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), then this is a punishment from Allah.

Thus, in this Dua we seek protection from any condition that brings on us Allah’s wrath.

2399

Sulaiman’s Decision • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “There were two women, each had her child with her. A wolf came and took away the child of one of them.

One woman said to her companion: ‘The wolf has taken your son.’ The other said: ‘It has taken your son.’ So both of them took the dispute to Prophet Dawud (David) (alaihis salam) who judged that the boy should be given to the older lady. Then they went to Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) (alaihis salam), son of Dawud, and put the

case before him. Prophet Sulaiman said: ‘Give me a knife so that I may cut the child into two and give one half to each of you.’ The younger woman said: ‘Do not do so; may Allah bless you! He is her child.’ On that Prophet Sulaiman decided the case in favor of the younger woman.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 2400

•

Prophet Sulaiman (alaihis salam) uncovered the truth of the case by the wisdom and understanding of human psychology that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) had bestowed upon him. The difference between him and modern Muslims is that he credited his intelligence and abilities to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala): A modern Muslim shouts in glee and jumps for joy when they do extraordinarily well, and they arrogantly receive congratulations as though they are responsible for their accomplishments.

•

Sulaiman (alaihis salam), as a pious Muslim, always

thanked Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) for conferring on him the special abilities that he had. He understood that even if he were able to exercise his God-given talents, that too was a favor from Allah (subhana wa

ta’ala). How many are the gifted individuals who are not allowed by circumstance to achieve anything much therewith.

2401

•

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) had bestowed upon Sulaiman (alaihis salam) many miracles, including the ability to understand the language of birds and animals, a unique favour not given to any before or

after him. Sulaiman (alaihis salam) would not only show gratitude to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) for His special grace to him, but also used it to promote Allah’s Deen: Whereas our attitude is to cash

whatever ability Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has blessed us with right here and now. In our short sightedness we don’t even try to use it to secure our everlasting future.

•

We would do well to adopt this dua of Sulaiman (alaihis salam) mentioned in the Quran: “My Lord!

Inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favors which You

have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves.” [Surah 27: 17-19] 2402

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1. This is also part of the dua made by Ibrahim (a.s) and his followers.

2. Mujahid (r.a) states that this ayah means: “Do not punish us through the hands of the kuffaar nor give us adhab (punishment) directly, otherwise the kuffaar will say that if these people were true believers, then no adhab would befall them�.

(Mazhari Vol. P. 431) 2405

2406

Surah Kahaf • Abu Sa’eed Al Khudri (radi Allahu anhu) says that Allah’s Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever reads Surah Kahaf, on the Day of Reckoning he will have noor (light) from his place until Makkah; and whoever reads the last ten verses of Surah Kahaf and Dajjal comes out, will not be harmed by Dajjal; and whoever makes Wudhu then says, ‘Subhanakallaa humma wa bi Hamdika, Ashhadu an laa Ilaaha illa anta, Astaghfiruka wa Atubu ilaik,’ these words will be written on

a piece of paper and thereafter sealed up, and this seal will not be broken until the Day of Reckoning.” [Sunan an-Nasai] 2407

• This hadith tells us of two of the virtues of Surah Kahaf.

• One is that the people who recite it will have

light with them on the Day of Resurrection, while those without light will be in pitch darkness.

• The other advantage is of reciting the last ten ayaat of Surah Kahaf. A variant of this hadith in Sahih Muslim states that it is the first ten ayaat that protect against the Dajjal. Should a person

acquaint himself or herself with what Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) warned regarding the evil of the Dajjal, he or she would not fail to make a habit of reciting these ayaat daily to save themselves from the fitnah of Dajjal.

2408

• When Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) informs us of the virtues of certain parts of the Quran, He is drawing our attention to them for a reason.

Therefore, all of us should acquaint ourselves with the meaning of what we recite, so that our repeated recitation isn’t just a vocal exercise, but also a reminder of the content of that part of the

Quran.

• Although recitation of the Quran even without understanding (the meaning) is meritorious; only if we understand what we read can we reap the much greater reward of purifying our eeman and applying the teachings of the Quran to our lives.

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Wealth without a Value A Miser had buried his gold in a secret place in his garden. Every day he went to the spot, dug up the treasure and counted it piece by piece to make sure it was all there. He made so many trips that a Thief, who had been observing him, guessed what it was the Miser had hidden, and one night quietly dug up the treasure and made off with it.

When the Miser discovered his loss, he was overcome with grief and despair. He groaned and cried and tore his hair. A passerby heard his cries

and asked what had happened.

“My gold! O my gold!” cried the Miser, wildly, “someone has robbed me!”

“Your gold! There in that hole? Why did you put it there? Why did you not keep it in the house where you could easily get it when you had to buy things?”

“Buy!” screamed the Miser angrily. “Why, I never touched the gold. I couldn’t think of spending any of it.”

The stranger picked up a large stone and threw it into the hole. “If that is the case,” he said, “cover up that stone. It is worth just as much to you as the treasure you lost!”

Moral: Saving, Spending wisely and appropriately is a good sign if you do it for a good purpose. Otherwise, a possession is worth no more than the use we make of it.

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2413

Sitting Posture to Avoid • Ash-Shareed bin Suwaid (radi Allahu anhu) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) passed by me when I was sitting with my left hand behind my back and leaning on my palm. On seeing me in this posture he said, ‘Do you sit like

those upon whom the Wrath of Allah has descended?’” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

2414

• In every prayer, at least 17 times a day, we ask Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in Surah Fatiha, “ghairil maghdhubi alaihim wa ladhaaleen” / “do not make us like those on whom Your Wrath descended, nor like those who went astray (i.e. the Jews and Christians.)”

• Surprisingly we contradict ourselves on this all

the time -- celebrating Valentines, anniversaries, birthdays, Halloween, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Basant, Dewali, Mehndi, Mayoun, and innumerable other events like them. We copy their fashions, mannerisms, and even weddings and funerals, while we have been prohibited from copying their example. We take pride in

imitating them and think it necessary or cool!

2415

• We see in this hadith that copying the mannerisms, style and behavior of the Kuffar is so dangerous that the Prophet (pbuh) forbade the Sahabah from even sitting like them.

• Suppose an employee broke all the rules of the organization, flagrantly challenged the authorities to do what they may and ended up getting fired. Won’t the other employees take a lesson from his behavior and its result? Would it be sensible for them to imitate the fired

employee? Then why is it that we don’t understand this when we imitate the Bani Israil whom Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has cursed as a result of their disobedience and insolence?

2416

Polish Your Heart • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Temptations are presented to the heart, one by one. Any heart that accepts them will be left with a black stain,

but any heart that rejects them will be left with a mark of purity, so that hearts are of two types: a dark heart that has turned away

and become like an overturned vessel, and a pure heart that will never be harmed by temptation for as long as the earth and the

heavens exist. The dark heart only recognizes good and denounces evil when this suits its desires and whims.” [Sahih Muslim] 2417

•

Acts of obedience are essential to the well being of the heart of the servant of Allah, just in the same way that food and drink are to that of the body. All wrong actions are the same as poisonous foods, and they

inevitably harm the heart.

•

The well being of the servant of Allah’s heart, however, is far more important than that of his body, for while the well being of his body enables him to lead a life that is free from illnesses in this world, that of the heart ensures him both a fortunate life in this world and eternal bliss in the next.

•

Giving in to temptations and disobeying Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) poison the heart and cause its sickness and ruin. Like an overturned bowl cannot hold any water in it, an overturned heart cannot hold any Iman in it.

•

Refusing temptations, on the other hand, polish and illuminate the heart, filling it with Iman and making it more beloved to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

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2420

2421

2422

Crossing Thorny Fields • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The lawful is clear, and the unlawful is clear, and

between them are things which are doubtful and not known to most of you. So anyone who keeps away from doubtful things, in fact protects his faith and honor, and he who indulges

in doubtful acts, falls into fault.”

[Sahih al-Bukhari] 2423

•

In Islam, forbidden things are known as Haraam and permitted things are known as Halaal. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) advised us to stick to what we know with certainty to be Halaal and steer clear of things that we don’t know for sure to be Halaal, matters about which the heart feels doubtful.

•

Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) asked Ubbay ibn Ka’ab (may Allah be pleased with him), “What is the meaning of Taqwa?” Ubbay ibn Ka’ab said, “O Amir ul Mu’minin, have you walked in a field that had a lot of thorny plants?” Umar said, “Yes” Ubbay ibn Ka’ab asked, “So what did you do?” Umar replied, “I lifted up my clothes and I was very careful,” Ubbay ibn Ka’ab said, “That is Taqwa.”

•

Living in this world is like walking in a field full of thorny plants. Shaytaan and his followers try to seduce us and invite us to evil which they make attractive with benefits.

Having Taqwa is being careful so that one doesn’t get caught on these thorns. We ask Allah to make us of the Muttaqoon.

2424

Speak Less and Listen More • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said: "Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, let them speak well or keep silent." [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2425

• In other words, if you do not have some truthful, useful, nice thing to say then you should not say anything. Ever notice that Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) has given you two ears, two eyes and only one mouth? This means that we need to look and listen more and speak less. Relationships will improve tremendously, and we won’t be amassing

sins right and left either by thoughtless words.

2426

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2429

Don’t Abuse the Dead • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do not abuse the dead, for they have discharged (met

the result of) what they have done (sent forward of good or bad deeds).”

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

2430

•

A certain Governor-General died and was buried. When his will was read, it was discovered that he had instructed to be buried in a particular graveyard. So his grave was opened in order to shift his body to the stipulated place. When his body was uncovered a thick black snake was seen to be encircling him,

coiling and twisting around his body with lightening speed.

Since it was the Governor-General whose will’s execution was in question, they tried to get rid of the snake to shift his body. They first hit the snake with sticks. Then they tried shooting at it. But

nothing would cause the snake to slow down or go away. Finally, a very toxic chemical was sprayed into the grave and the grave closed. A little while later the grave was reopened, with the expectation that the snake would at least be unconscious if not dead. To everyone’s amazement the snake was seen to be completely unaffected by the spray; encircling the Governor-General’s body just as speedily as before. The execution of his will was declared unachievable and his grave shut.

•

Snakes are one of the punishments of the grave on the Kuffar and Munafiqeen. May Allah save us from the punishment of the grave. Whoever is spared this will find the following stages to be even easier.

2431

Purity is Half of Faith • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Purity (cleanliness) is half the faith.” [Sahih

Muslim]

2432

• For the most important and fundamental pillar of Islam, five daily prayers, Allah has prescribed cleanliness of the body, cleanliness of the dress and cleanliness of the place of worship as preconditions.

• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has ordained in the Quran that the purpose of the commands to

acquire cleanliness or purity before every prayer by taking a bath or performing Wudhu is Allah’s desire to keep us clean and pure for which we should be grateful to Him. “Allah (by giving the commands in respect of Ghusl and Wudhu) does not wish to place you in difficulty, but to make you clean and complete His favor upon you, so

that you may be grateful.” [Quran: Surah AlMaida, Ayat 6]

2433

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Rides • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi

wa sallam) said: “On the Day of Qiyamah, people shall be divided into three groups; those walking on foot, those riding on

mounts, and those who shall walk upon their faces.” The Companions were shocked, “O Messenger of Allah! How will these people

walk upon their faces?” He replied, “God who gave them the ability to walk on their feet will make them walk on their faces and

let it be known that they shall avoid every hurdle, rocks and thorns with their faces as well.” [Jami at-Tirmidhi] 2437

• We are consumed by petty rivalries in Duniya (this world): small car, big car, old car, new car, the very best shining huge car. We are occupied with rides in this world while we neglect to arrange appropriate rides for ourselves for the Day of Judgement that is 50,000 years long!

• In the Akhirah, ordinary Muslims will be walking on foot, the pious will be riding mounts, while those who refused to walk straight on the guidance brought by Muhammad (sal Allahu

alaihi wa sallam) will have to walk upon their faces.

• Rabbana la taj’alna minhum abada… Oh our Lord! Do not make us amongst them ever…

2438

Qada wa Qadar • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "True faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, His

Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and in divine destiny (qada wa qadar), its good and its evil." [Sahih alBukhari]

2439

• Belief in certain circumstances of life being predetermined, is belief in divine destiny. Which parents I was born to, how long I will live, where I will die and what provisions/rizq I will receive during the various stages of my life; these were written in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh alMahfuz) long before my birth. Belief in qada wa

qadar produces contentment and saves one from depression and despair. This is due to the conviction that:

2440

1)

Allah has put me in this world temporarily for a test and all of my good and bad circumstances are part of the test.

2)

The test is about my performance in given circumstances, not about how good or bad my circumstances are.

Regardless of what circumstances I encounter, I must exhaust my efforts to live by Allah's Deen.

3)

My success depends on the effort and sincerity I put in, not on the material results they appear to produce.

4)

Real success is attaining the pleasure of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala), not results in this world. Whether my efforts bear any visible result or not, I must continue my course steadfastly.

5)

Whatever hardships, tests, trials and sufferings I endure during my servitude to Him are all part of His plan for my ultimate success. Enduring them with contentment, without complaint, and without being disheartened, is

part of my job as His slave that I am doing for His pleasure. •

The result of belief in qada wa qadar is tranquility of the soul.

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Don’t Repel People • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Make things easy for the people, and do not make it

difficult for them, and make them calm (with glad tidings) and do not repel them (i.e. make them hate good deeds and run away from Islam).” [Sahih alBukhari]

2445

•

Al-Azraq bin Qais narrated that they were in the city of Al-Ahwaaz on the bank of a river which had dried up.

Abu Barza Al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) came riding a horse and started offering Salat while he

let his horse loose. The horse ran away, so Abu Barza interrupted his Salat and went after it till, he caught it and brought it back. Then he offered his Salat again.

•

There was a man among them who was of the Khawarij (deviant sect who called themselves Muslims) who said: “Look at this old man! He left his Salat because of a horse.” On that Abu Barza came to them and said: “Since the time I left Allah’s Messenger (pbuh), nobody has admonished me; my house is very far from this place, and if I had carried on offering Salat and left my horse, I could not have reached my house till night.”

Then Abu Barza (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that he had been in the company of the Prophet (pbuh) and that he had seen his leniency.

[Sahih al-Bukhari] 2446

• A modern-day analogy might be of a robbery attempt being made on a person’s car while they pray. If they were not to break their prayer the thief would make off with the car. To make things easy for the people does not mean to alter Allah’s Laws (Shariah) to suit people. Allah loves us more than we love each other, so we cannot bring any

good to people by altering what Allah wants from them. What the Khawariji man was doing, on the other hand, was to criticize a Halal action and make the good deed of Salat unnecessarily difficult.

2447

Questions, Five. • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu

alayhi wa sallam) said, "The two feet of the son of Adam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about five (matters) concerning his life - how he spent it; about his youth - how he took care of it; about his wealth - how he earned it; and where he spent it; and about that which he acted upon from the

knowledge he acquired." [Jami at-Tirmidhi]

2448

• 1.

So there is no escape from being questioned about: Your life - how you spent it. Was it in righteousness and piety or in sin and transgression? Was it a life, devoted to Allah and His Prophet? Or was it a life, that was just

chasing the dunya? Was it a life, that was just, doing everything else what everybody else is doing? Was it a life, that the People of Hell-fire are leading? What type of life were they leading? So: your life. In other words,

your resume for this life, is going to be asked about on the Day of Judgment.

2.

Your youth - how you spent it. Was it in acts of obedience or acts of disobedience to Allah? Did they use

it up, to study about their religion, to study the Quran, and to get closer to Allah, and to do the things they had to do, to help the Cause of Islam? Or did they waste it in partying, and talking on the phone, and backbiting, and

dancing, and listening to songs – How did they use up their youth? What did they do? This is going to be asked on the Day of Judgment. How did they use up their youth?

2449

3. Your wealth - how you acquired it. Was it from honest, halaal means? Or was it from harmful, haraam means? How’d you make your money?

4. Your Wealth- Where did you spend it. Did you give others their rights in it - your relatives, the needy, the orphans, the mujahideen... or did you squander it on yourself alone? Did you spend it

in going to various entertainment places, did you spend it on videogames? Where did you spend your money? Or did you spend it in the Masjid? Did you spend it in Islamic Education?

Did you spend it in building a high school? Did you spend it in helping the homeless, and the orphans? Did you spend it in helping those who

didn’t have enough? How did you spend your money?

2450

5. Your knowledge - how you acted upon it. How much of your knowledge of Allah’s Deen did you put into practice? Did you study Islam to live by its teachings or did you acquire knowledge of the Quran and hadith to

appear knowledgeable with it or gather wealth with it?

In other words, all the knowledge you learned in a lecture or in a Halaqah, or in a Friday Khutbah, or whenever anybody spoke – Did you just stash it away in

some dark recesses of their mind? And you just got a temporary high out of it? Or did you go, and say, ‘I am going to take this seriously, I’m going to practice it, I’m going to go forward with it.’ Did you practice what you

learned, or did you just store it away, somewhere?

•

These things we seldom think about or question ourselves over. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has promised us our sustenance, but not promised us forgiveness. Yet we fret over the acquisition of wealth but not over acquiring Allah’s forgiveness. Doomed is the person who does not question himself but waits to be questioned!

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Qareens – Two Always With You • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no one among you but there has been appointed for him a Qareen (companion) from among the Jinn and a Qareen from among the angels.” They said: “You too, O Messenger of Allah?” He said:

“Me too, but Allah helped me against him and he has become Muslim, and he does not tell me to do anything but good.” [Sahih Muslim]

2455

• Every human being is accompanied by several of Allah’s creation. We are accompanied by many angels, and we can increase or decrease their numbers with our deeds. Alternatively, we can allow Jinn Shayateen to flock with us or chase them away.

• This hadith tells us about the Qareens that

accompany each of us from birth to death. There are two Qareens for each person. One is a Jinn who incites us to do evil, while the other Qareen is an angel who helps us to do good.

2456

• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says in the Quran: “And whosoever turns away blindly from the remembrance of the Most Gracious [Allah], We appoint for him Shaytaan to be a Qareen to him.”

[43:36] • This Ayat further guides us in what we can do to overcome the whisperings and incitement of the

bad Jinn Qareen. It tells us that remembering Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and taking guidance from His Book – the Quran – is what is needed to stay in control over the Jinn Qareen. The one who turns away from the remembrance (and obedience) of Allah is controlled by the Shaytaan.

• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has appointed one angel for each person just to offset the dirty work of the Jinn Qareen. It is now up to me, who I allow to influence me – the Jinn or the angel.

2457

Stopping a Wrongdoer • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “There is no people among whom

acts of disobedience are done, and they are able to change them but they do not do so, but soon Allah will punish them all.” [Sunan Abu Dawood]

2458

•

Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reported from Wahb bin Munabbih that he said: “When Dawud made a mistake, he said: ‘My Lord, Forgive me!’ So, Allah said: ‘I have forgiven you and placed your sin on the

Children of Israil.’ Dawud asked: ‘Why, O Lord?

How can this be when You are the Just who oppresses nobody? I fall into error and You place the sin on others?’ He said: ‘When you did this error, they didn't criticize you for it.’”

•

In today’s world of liberalism it is not acceptable to use revelation (Wahy) from Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) as the basis to tell people that what they are doing is wrong. One may only suggest based on humanly conceived standards of acceptable behavior. One is not allowed to infringe on another’s

freedom to define good and bad for themselves and live according to their self-defined standards of right and wrong.

2459

•

However, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has granted freedom in only one of two places. You may have it either in this world, or in the Hereafter. If you live according to Allah’s standards in this world, then you are free to live as you please in the next. But if you insist on living as you please in this world then there is no freedom for you in the next world, in

which death provides no relief.

•

We are required to try to prevent people from committing acts displeasing to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). If we are not able to do so, then we should at least warn them of the consequences. If we don’t have the courage to do even that, then we should try to put as much distance as we can between us and

them, so that when Allah’s punishment comes on them it doesn’t encompass us in it.

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1. Mujahid states that the Believers will recite this dua at the

time when they will see that the celestial light of the Hypocrites had disappeared on the day of Qiyamah. (Ibn Kathir Vol. 4 P. 418/9) 2. On the bridge of Sirat the Believers will see (Nur) celestial light in front of them as well as on their right-hand side.

When they will see that the (Nur) celestial light of the Hypocrites has disappeared they will recite this dua. The (Nur) celestial light will be in proportion to a person's actions. Therefore the dua is being made to perfect the

celestial light. (Mazhari Vol. 11 P. 594) 2462

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2464

Quran’s Each Letter Worth Ten Hasanaat

• The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever reads one letter of the Book of Allah, will have one Hasanah for it, and each Hasanah will be rewarded tenfold. I do

not say that ‘Alif-Laam-Meem’ is one letter: Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter, and Meem is a letter.” [Jami atTirmidhi] 2465

• SubhanAllah! Is any book comparable to the Quran in blessing? Thinking about and investigating its meanings and acting on its guidance is even more rewardable than reading it is!

• To not act on the commands and prohibitions of the Quran is to deprive oneself of its real benefit. It

can be likened to reading a cookbook all one’s life, memorizing it recipes, but never making a single dish from it!

• Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has kept even the simple reading of the Quran as highly rewardable, as he/she who reads it has a greater chance of some day wanting to understand what they’re reading and trying it out.

2466

Sincerity and Insincerity • A man once came to the Prophet (salla

Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and asked, “What of a man who joined us in the fighting, his intention being for fame and

booty?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “He receives nothing.” The man repeated the question three times and each time the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “He receives nothing.” Then he (peace be upon him) said, “Allah only accepts actions that are intended purely for His pleasure.” [Sunan an-Nasai] 2467

• Sincerity is to ensure that the intention behind one’s acts of worship and obedience to Allah is exclusively His pleasure. It is the freeing of one’s intentions from all impurities in order to come nearer to Allah. It is the perpetual contemplation of the Creator, to the extent that one forgets the creation.

• Sincerity is a necessary condition for Allah’s acceptance of good deeds. In addition, the good deeds must have been performed in accordance

with the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).

• There are a great many instances where a person acts, thinking that his actions are purely intended for Allah’s pleasure, but he is deluded, for he fails to see the defects in them.

2468

• It is related that a man was used to praying in the first row in the Masjid. One day he was late for the prayer, so he prayed in the second row.

Feeling embarrassment when people saw him in the second row, he realized that the pleasure and satisfaction of the heart that he used to gain from praying in the first row were due to

his seeing people seeing him there and admiring him for it.

• Insincerity (the seeking of reward other than

Allah’s pleasure) is a subtle and intangible condition and actions are rarely safe from it.

• It is much harder for the people of action to purify their intentions than it is to execute any of their actions.

2469

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2471

The Three Types of People A teacher shows three toys to a student and asks the student to find out the differences. All the three toys are seemed to be identical in their shape, size, and material. After keen observation, the student

observes holes in the toys. 1st toy it has holes in the ears. The 2nd toy has holes in ear and mouth. The 3rd toy has only one hole in one ear.

Then with the help of the needle, the student puts the needle in the ear hole of the 1st toy. The needle comes out from the other ear. In the 2nd toy, when the needle was put in the ear the needle came out of a mouth. And in the 3rd toy, when the needle was put in, the needle did not come out.

The First toy represents those people around you who gives an impression that they are listening to you, all your things and care for you. But they just pretend to do so. After listening, as the needle comes out from the next ear, the things you said to them by counting on them are gone. So be careful while you are speaking with this type of people around you, who does not care for you.

2472

The Three Types of People The Second toy represents those people who listen to you all your things and gives an impression that they care for you. But as in the toy, the needle comes out from a mouth. These people will use your things and the words you tell them against you by telling it to others and bringing out the confidential issues for their own

purpose.

The Third toy, the needle does not come out from it.

These kinds of people will keep the trust you have in them. They are the ones who you can count on.

Moral: Always stay in a company of a people who are loyal and trustworthy. People, who listen to what you

tell them, are not always the ones you can count on when you need them the most.

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2474

Response of I Love You • “On one occasion a man passed in front of the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam). Some people were with the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) at that time. One of them said: ‘O Prophet of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam)! I love this

man for the sake of Allah alone.’ On hearing this, the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) enquired from him: ‘Have you told this to the man?’ The man

said: ‘No, I have not.’ Thereupon, the Prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) urged the man: ‘Go and tell the man that you love him for the sake of Allah.’ The man stood up at once and approaching the passerby expressed to him his sentiments. The passerby answered: ‘May Allah love you for whose sake you entertain feelings of love for me.’” [Jami at-Tirmidhi] 2475

•

When you love someone for the sake of Allah, it means that you love them only because of their closeness to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). Perhaps you feel inspired by their devotion, or you feel indebted to them for their having

brought you closer to Allah, or you see them practicing a high standard of Islamic behavior and that makes you love them. Loving someone for the sake of Allah is not something you can always explain. However, when you

love someone for the sake of Allah then you desire no personal benefit from that person, your love is unselfish, and it is related to your love of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

•

This hadith tells us how to respond should we be the

person to whom someone expresses their feelings of love.

It may be that you don’t really know that person and so saying “I love you too” would be untruthful. But you beautifully appreciate the other’s feelings and pray for

him/her with these words, “May Allah love you for whose sake you entertain feelings of love for me.” And it is so much better for that person too to be loved by Allah rather than anyone else!

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Questioned First About on Day of Resurrection • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “The first of his deeds for which a person will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be his Salaah

(prayer). If it is good then he will succeed and prosper, and if it is bad then he will be a loser and doomed. If anything is lacking from his

obligatory prayers, the Lord will say, ‘Look and see whether my slave has any voluntary (prayers) and use that to make up whatever is

missing from his obligatory prayers.’ Then all of his deeds will be reviewed in like manner.”

[Sunan an-Nasai] 2477

• The first of his duties towards Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) for which a person will be brought to account will be his Salaah (prayers). So guard your prayers.

• Respect and honor your prayers as they will be the source of your respect and honor on the Day of Judgment. Leave whatever you are doing as soon

as their time commences as you would leave what you are doing on the arrival of an honored guest and get up to pray beautifully and dutifully.

• As evidence of the esteem in which you hold prayers, begin to get ready for them before their time commences, in the way that you prepare beforehand to receive your most important guests.

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Death will be Slaughtered •

The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

“On the Day of Resurrection death will be brought forward in the shape of a black and white ram. Then a call maker will call, ‘O people of Jannah!’ Thereupon they will stretch their necks and look carefully. The caller will say, ‘Do you know

this?’ They will say, ‘Yes, this is death.’ By then all of them will have seen it. Then it will be announced again, ‘O people of Jahannum!’ They will stretch their necks and look carefully.

The caller will say, ‘Do you know this?’ They will say, ‘Yes,

this is death.’ And by then all of them will have seen it. Then it (that ram) will be slaughtered and the caller will say, ‘O people of Jannah! Eternity for you and no death. O people of Jahannum! Eternity for you and no death.’” Then the Prophet

(pbuh) recited: “And warn them of the Day of Distress when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness (i.e. the people of the world) and they do not believe. (Quran 19:39)” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 2482

• After people have reached their places in Jannah or the Fire, Allah will destroy death. Nobody will ever die again after this. Eternal life will be a source of great joy to the people in Jannah. • But the people in Jahannum will wish for only one thing from the bottom of their heart: death! If only they could cease to exist, then they would

not feel the punishment that is now their due.

They will not wish for any of the things they wished for in the world, because of which they disobeyed and ignored Allah and the warnings of His Messengers. They will not want eternal life; they will not want Jannah. All they will want is to die. And it will be denied them. This is really

scary if we think about it.

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Questioning Versus Presentation of Account • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa

sallam) said: “No one will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection, but he will be doomed.”

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: “O

Messenger of Allah, does not Allah say, ‘Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand, he surely will receive an easy Reckoning.’” [Surah Inshiqaaq: Ayat 7-8] The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “That is only the presentation of the account, but no one will have his account questioned on the Day of Resurrection, but he will be doomed.” [Sahih alBukhari] 2484

•

On the Day of Judgment each person will be given his Book containing a complete record of the deeds which he did in life. The ways in which people will be given these Records will vary. The believer will be given his

Book in his right hand, and from the front. His reckoning will be easy, which means the “presentation” of his account will be easy.

•

“The presentation” is the presentation of the believer’s sins to him, so that he may appreciate the extent of Allah’s blessings upon him when He forgives them for him. He will not be questioned in detail or harshly.

Allah will forgive him his sins and he will then return to his family in joy knowing that he is one of the people of Paradise.

•

As for the Kaafir (disbeliever), Munaafiq (hypocrite) and people of misguidance, they will be given their Books in their left hands and from behind their backs.

At that point they will raise their voices with cries of woe, praying for their own annihilation.

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Disease of Stinginess • The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “What disease is worse than stinginess?” [Sahih al-

Bukhari]

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• Disease ruins the health of the body. When a person has the flu his/her whole body feels weak.

It is only when he/she recovers that strength comes back to their limbs. If the person had to live with flu the rest of their life it would be a compromised existence. As flu is a disease of the body, stinginess is a disease of the soul. It ruins

the health of the soul and eeman becomes weak.

As long as the person does not recover from stinginess the condition of his/her eeman remains poor and the person is not able to do much good.

• Allah says: “Here you are, called upon to spend in the Path of Allah, and some of you are being

stingy, while whoever is stingy is only ungenerous towards himself. It is Allah who is rich and you who are the poor.” [Quran 47:38] 2490

• Allah is reminding us in this ayat that He has no need for our donations whatsoever. Whatever we have was given to us by Him who owns all the treasures in the universe and much, much more.

When we are called to spend in the Path of Allah it is just to see who is stingy in giving back to Allah and who believes and trusts in Allah and is anxious that a home is made for him/her in Paradise.

• The person who is niggardly in spending in Allah’s Path is actually being ungenerous only towards himself. This is because whatever we spend in

Allah’s Path is what we are spending on our own home in Jannah. In fact, Allah multiplies what we spend and gives it back to us both in this world as well as putting it towards our homes in Jannah.

Thus, the miser is only miserly towards himself/herself.

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•

Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was a man who would spend his wealth freely in the Path of Allah seeking the pleasure of his Lord. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “Uthman bought Jannah from Allah’s Messenger twice: 1) Once in a business transaction when he bought the well of Rumah (from the disbelievers), and which he made a public property for all Muslims, and 2) he bought it a second time when he fully financed and equipped the Army of Hardship (Jaish al-Usra).”

•

The Army of Hardship was the name given to the Muslim army when it marched out to confront the Romans in Ghazwa Tabuk.

This was a very difficult journey for the Muslims to undertake, which is why their army was called the Army of Hardship.

Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) gave so much to finance this Ghazwa that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Uthman does no longer need a deed of righteousness (i.e. to please Allah) after this.” [The Beauty of the Righteous and Ranks of the Elite by Imam Abu Naim al-Asfahani] •

Stinginess when it comes to spending in the Way of Allah is classified as an enormity (kaba’ir) by Imam Dhahabi in his Kitab al-Kaba’ir (Book of Enormities).

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Self-Centered or Allah-Centered • Aisha (radi Allahu anha) said: “The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) never sought

revenge for himself.…He was never harmed in regards to his person that he ever sought revenge from the one who harmed him, unless if one of Allah’s sanctities were violated, in

which case, Allah would avenge him.” [Sahih Muslim] 2493

•

What is the difference between anger for your own sake and anger for Allah’s sake?

•

Suppose one of your relatives asks you for some money. You have graciously always helped your relative but this time you are not in a position to help him. Your relative gets offended and tells everybody how stingy and selfish you are and how you don’t care for your relatives.

•

What do you do? How angry would you be? You may start bad mouthing him and back biting about him in return; how ungrateful he is and how he wastes his money and then asks from others. You tell all about the many favors you have done him, and how he has forgotten about them.

•

Such behavior on your part would ruin the reward

of all the good deeds you have done, it would even accrue bad deeds onto your record, while bearing his harmful tongue would have increased your good deeds.

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• But the point to consider here is how you would have reacted had it been Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) who had been insulted by this relative. Allah’s favors pour unceasingly on us everyday. If despite this, the relative had said, “I pray five times a day and do all that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has commanded, yet He

still does not enrich me like He has enriched soand-so,” would you have gotten as angry for Allah’s honor being attacked, His wisdom and sincerity being questioned, and His favors being overlooked, as you did for your own sake?

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