Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihi Salam) and the tyrant

Narrated by Abu Huraira (RadiyAllah anhu):

Prophet Ibrahim Alaihi Salam (Abraham) did not tell a lie except on three occasion. Twice for the Sake of Allah when he said, "I am sick," and he said, "(I have not done this but) the big idol has done it." The (third was) that while Ibrahim Alaihi Salam and Sarah (his wife) were going (on a journey) they passed by (the territory of) a tyrant from among the tyrants.

Someone said to the tyrant, "This man (i.e. Ibrahim Alaihi Salam) is accompanied by a very charming lady." So, he sent for Ibrahim Alaihi Salam and asked him about Sarah saying, "Who is this lady?" Ibrahim Alaihi Salam said, "She is my sister." Ibrahim Alaihi Salam went to Sarah and said, "O Sarah! There are no believers on the surface of the earth except you and I. This man asked me about you and I have told him that you are my sister, so don't contradict my statement."

The tyrant then called Sarah and when she went to him, he tried to take hold of her with his hand, but (his hand got stiff and) he was confounded. He asked Sarah. "Pray to Allah for me, and I shall not harm you." So Sarah asked Allah to cure him and he got cured. He tried to take hold of her for the second time, but (his hand got as stiff as or stiffer than before and) was more confounded. He again requested Sarah, "Pray to Allah for me, and I will not harm you." Sarah asked Allah again and he became alright. He then called one of his guards (who had brought her) and said, "You have not brought me a human being but have brought me a devil." The tyrant then gave Hajar as a girl-servant to Sarah.

Sarah came back (to Ibrahim Alaihi Salam) while he was praying. Ibrahim Alaihi Salam, gesturing with his hand, asked, "What has happened?" She replied, "Allah has spoiled the evil plot of the infidel (or immoral person) and gave me Hajar for service." (Abu Huraira then addressed his listeners saying, "That (Hajar) was your mother, O Bani Ma-is-Sama (i.e. the Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael, Hajar's son).

Sahih Al Bukhari 4:578

The zeal of Salahuddin Ayyubi for Jihad against crusaders

Qadi Ibn Shaddad described Salahuddin’s state when the crusaders were occupying Muslim land.

“The occupation of Jerusalem was a great matter that even a mountain could not bear. He was like a mother who is bereaved of her child. He rode from one place to another urging the people to jihad and wandered about places crying “Oh for Islam” and his eyes shed tears. The more he looked at Acre (which was occupied by Crusaders) and the trials afflicted the people, the more he urged people to Jihad. At that time he ate nothing. He drank medicine given by the doctor. I was told by some of his doctors that from Sunday till Friday he ate only insignificant amount because he was so interested in Jihad”. 

When Salahuddin Ayyubi was asked about the reason why he ate a little, he answered “How can mirth, food and sleep be agreeable to me while Jerusalem is in the hands of the crusader’s”. 

Qadi Ibn  Shaddad also says

“Because of his Jihad and desire to make Allah’s word supreme, he left his children and family for a long time in order to liberate Jerusalem from the claws of the wicked crusaders and cruel invaders.  

Once Salahuddin was told that the enemy has defeated the Muslims, he prostrated and prayed “Oh Allah, my worldly means have been exhausted, so I have failed to achieve victory for your religion. Nothing remains but your aid, holding fast to your rope, and depending on Your grace. You are sufficient for me, as you are the best Trustee “. I saw his weeping so much in prayer that his tears fell on his beard, then on the carpet. I could not hear what he said. 

On the day he was told the Muslims had triumphed over their enemies. He used to fight on Friday in order to get the Blessings of the supplications of the ones giving the sermons in the mosques, for maybe their prayers would be answered”. 

Source: Salah Ad-Din Al Ayyubi (Saladin), Hero of the battle of Hattin and Liberator of Jerusalem from crusaders by ‘Abdullah Nasih ‘Ulwan

Life & Duaa of Baqy Ibn Makhlad - Shiekh Ahmad Musa Jibril

The Salaf and their prayer

Mujaahid (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “When one of them stood in prayer, he would be too fearful of his Lord to allow his eyes to be drawn to anything, or to turn aside or to fidget by playing with pebbles or anything else or to think of any worldly matter, unless he forgot, during prayer.”

When Ibn al-Zubayr stood up to pray, he would be like a stick (i.e., immobile) with khushoo’. Once he was prostrating when a missile from a catapult was launched at him, when Makkah was being besieged, and part of his garment was torn away whilst he was praying, and he did not even raise his head.

Muslimah ibn Bashshaar was praying in the mosque when part of it collapsed, and the people got up [and fled], but he was praying and did not even notice.

When the time for prayer came, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib would be visibly shaken, and the color of his face would change. It was said to him, “what is the matter with you?’ He said, “By Allah, there has come the time of the amaanah (trust) which Allah offered to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it, but I bore it (referring to ayah of Surah Al-Ahzaab 33:72).”

When Sa’eed al-Tanookhi prayed, there would be tears rolling down his cheeks onto his beard.

One of the Taabi’een, when he stood up to pray, his color would change, and he would say, “Do you know before Whom I am going to stand and with Whom I am going to talk?”

They said to ‘Aamir ibn ‘Abd al-Qays, “Do you think to yourself during prayer?” He said, “Is there anything I like to think about more than the prayer?” They said, “We think to ourselves during prayer.” He said, “About Paradise and al-hooralin and so on?” They said, “No; about our families and our wealth.” He said, “If I were to be run through with spears, it would be dearer to me than thinking to myself about worldly matters during prayer.”

Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh said: “I have three qualities, which I wish I could keep up all the time, then I would really be something. When I am praying, I do not think about anything except the prayer I am doing; if I hear any hadeeth from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), I do not have any doubts about it; and when I attend a janaazah (funeral), I do not think about anything except what the janaazah says and what is said to it.”

Haatim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “I carry out what I am commanded; I walk with fear of Allah in my heart; I start with the [correct] intention; I magnify and glorify Allah; I recite at a slow and measured pace, thinking about the meaning; I bow with khushoo’; I prostrate with humility; I sit and recite the complete tashahhud; I say salaam with the [correct] intention; I finish with sincerity towards Allah; and I come back fearing lest [my prayer] has not been accepted from me, so I continue to strive until I die.”

Abu Bakr al-Subghi said: “I lived through the time of two imaams (leaders) although I was not fortunate enough to hear them in person: Abu Haatim al-Raazi and Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi. As for Ibn Nasr, I do not know of any prayer better than his. I heard that a hornet stung him on his forehead and blood started flowing down his face, but he did not move.” Muhammad ibn Ya’qoob al-Akhram said: “I have never seen any prayer better than that of Muhammad ibn Nasr. Flies used to land on his ears, and he did not shoo them away. We used to marvel at how good his prayer and khushoo’ were. His fear [of Allah] in prayer was so great that he would put his chin on his chest as if he were a piece of wood standing up.”

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him), when he started to pray, used to tremble so much that he would lean right and left. 

Source: 33 Ways of developing Khushoo’ in Salaah By Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

The Most Profitable Bargain

By Sayyid Qutb

Allah has bought of the believers their lives and their property, promising them heaven in return: they fight for the cause of Allah, kill and be killed. This is a true promise which He has made binding on Himself in the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’ān. Who is more true to his promise than Allah? Rejoice, then, in the bargain you have made with Him. That is the supreme triumph. (Verse 111, Surah Thawbah)

This Verse is an inspiring verse, revealing the nature of the relationship between the believers and Allah, and the nature of the deal they make with Allah when they adopt Islam and which remains in force throughout their lives. Whoever makes this deal and remains true to it is the one who may truly be described as a believer reflecting the nature of faith. Otherwise his claim to be a believer remains short of proof.

The nature of this deal, or this contract of sale, as Allah graciously describes it, is that He has taken for Himself the souls and property of the believers, leaving them nothing of all that. They do not retain any part of that which they would feel too dear to sacrifice for His cause. They no longer have any choice whether to spend it in furthering His cause or not. It is indeed a deal that has been concluded and sealed.

The buyer may do what He likes, as He pleases, with what He has bought. The seller has no option other than to fulfil the terms of the deal. He cannot argue or make any choices. He can only do what the deal specifies. The price given for this purchase is paradise, and the way to be followed by the sellers is that of jihād, fighting and sacrificing their lives, and the end result is either victory or martyrdom.

“Allah has bought of the believers their lives and their property, promising them heaven in return: they fight for the cause of Allah, kill and be killed.” (Verse 111) Whoever is party to this deal, signing the contract, paying the price agreed is a true believer. It is with the believers that Allah has made this deal of purchase. He has bestowed His grace on them by specifying a price. He is, after all, the One who gives life and property to all His creation, and He has also given human beings the ability to make a choice. He then bestowed further grace on human beings by making them able to make contracts, even with Allah Himself, and holding them to their contracts. He makes the honoring of their contract an evidence of their humanity, while going back on it is evidence of sinking back to the level of animals, and the worst of animals: “Indeed, the worst of all creatures in Allah’s sight are the ones who have denied the truth, and therefore will not believe; those with whom you have concluded a treaty, and then they break their treaty at every occasion, entertaining no sense of fearing Allah.” (8: 55-56) He has also made the honoring or violation of such deals the criterion of reckoning and reward.

It is indeed an awesome deal, but it remains binding on every believer who is able to honor its terms. He is not to be exempt from it unless he goes back on his faith. Hence the sense of dread that I feel now as I am writing these words. “Allah has bought of the believers their lives and their property, promising them heaven in return: they fight for the cause of Allah, kill and be killed.” (Verse 111) My Lord, we certainly need Your help.

The deal fills us with awe. Yet those who are claiming to be Muslims everywhere, from the far east to the far west are sitting idle, unwilling to strive hard in order to establish the fundamental truth of Allah’s Lordship on earth, or to remove the tyranny which usurps the qualities of Lordship over human life on earth. They are unwilling to fight, kill and be killed for Allah’s cause, and unwilling to undertake a struggle that does not involve fighting and sacrificing one’s life.

These words touched the hearts of the early Muslims at the time of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and were transformed into a reality that they would experience in life. They were not mere words carrying certain abstract meanings for contemplation and reflection.

They were meant for immediate implementation. This is how `Abdullah ibn Rawahah felt at the time of the second pledge given by the Ansar to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) at `Aqabah as reported by Muhammad ibn Ka`b al-Qurazi and others: “ `Abdullah ibn Rawahah asked Allah’s Messenger(Peace beupon) to specify Allah’s conditions and his own conditions. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: `As for Allah, the condition is that you worship Him alone, associating no partners with Him. And as for myself, the condition is that you protect me like you protect yourselves and your property.’ He said: ‘What do we get in return if we fulfill these terms?’ The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: ‘Paradise.’ They all said: ‘This is a profitable deal. We accept no going back and we will not go back on it ourselves.’”

That is how they felt about the whole contract: it was a profitable deal that allows no going back by either party. They treated it as a final deal concluded and sealed, with no opting out clause. The price, which is paradise, is paid, not deferred. Is it not a promise made by Allah Himself? Is He not the purchaser? Is He not the One who has made an old promise specifying the price in all His revelations: “This is a true promise which He has made binding on Himself in the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’ān.” (Verse 111)

“Who is more true to his promise than Allah?” (Verse 111) Indeed a promise by Allah is certain to be honored. No one fulfills his promises like He does.

Jihad, or striving for Allah’s cause, is a deal made by every believer, ever since the first Messenger was sent to mankind with a religion setting out the principles of faith. It is a course of action that is necessary to put life on a proper footing. Without it human life will not follow its right course. It is as Allah says in the Qur’ān: “Had it not been for the fact that Allah repels one group of people by another, the earth would have been utterly corrupted.” (2: 251) And He also says: “Had it not been for the fact that Allah repels one group of people by another, monasteries, temples, houses of worship and mosques, wherein Allah’s name is often praised, would have been pulled down.” (22: 40)

Umar bin Khattab's final moments

From the mosque Umar was carried home. When he regained consciousness he asked who his murderer was. He was told that his murderer was the Persian slave Firoz. Thereupon Umar said, "Praise be to God that I have not been murdered by a Muslim".

The physician administered him date cordial and milk. These could not be digested and gushed out of his wounds. That indicated that the wounds were fatal and that he could not survive for long.

The people around him praised him for his virtues and sterling qualities. He asked them not to praise him. He said:

"All praise is to Allah. If all the treasures of this world were to be at my disposal, I would offer them as a ransom to be saved from the trial at the Day of Judgment."

He then recited the Arabic verse:

"I have been unjust to my soul,

Except that I am a Muslim,

Say my prayers and fast."

Umar asked his son Abdullah to wait on Ayesha and beg her permission for his burial by the side of the Holy Prophet and Abu Bakr. Ayesha wept as she came to know that Umar was about to die. She said, "I had reserved this place for my own burial, but I give Umar precedence over myself. Let him be buried there". When Umar was told that Ayesha had given the permission, he felt happy and said, "God bless Ayesha. She has fulfilled my greatest wish. Now I can die in peace."

Then he asked his son to estimate the debt that he had to pay. He was told that the debt amounted to eighty six thousand dirhams. This included the salary that he had drawn from the Baitul Mal during the period of his caliphate. He instructed that the debt should be paid by the sale of his property. Thereafter Umar gave detailed instructions to his son regarding his funeral. He said:

"Be moderate in the expenses of my shroud, for verily if there is anything of good with God in my favour, He will give me in exchange what is better than it, and if I have been otherwise, He will strip me of all that I have. And be moderate in the grave that you dig for me, for verily if there be anything of good with God in my favour, He will widen it for me, and if I have been otherwise, He will make it narrow for me to squeeze my body. And let no woman go with my funeral. Praise me not for that which is not in me, for the Lord knows best what I am. Therefore when you carry me to the grave, hasten in your going for if there is anything of good with God in my favour you will speed me to that which is good, and if I have been otherwise, you will cast from your necks an evil that you bear."

Thereafter Umar turned his face to the Qibla and breathed his last. There was serene smile on his face as he lay dead.

Original source: Hadrat Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman, Ali (RadiyAllah anhu) 4 Vol. Set by Professor Masud-ul-Hasan 

Source

How the donkey of a scholar slips into mud

The great scholar Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak used to rebuke the scholars who were found at the doors of the Rulers as more often than not, who sold their religion and their knowledge for mere temporary gain, honor or praise. He would also see it to be unbefitting when a scholar accepted a position of authority from the Rulers as this could also lead to the scholar's downfall and demise in this world. One example of this is when it was said to Ibn al-Mubarak, that 'Isma'il ibn ‘Aliya has been made a Judge.' So Ibn al-Mubarak wrote to him the following lines of poetry: 

يا جاعل العلم له بازيا *** يصطاد أموال المساآين

O you who made his knowledge to be a falcon

With which he seizes the wealth of the poor!

احتلت للدنيا ولذاتها *** بحيلة تذهب بالدين

You have taken on the world and its delights

With a scheme that does away with religion!

فصرت مجنونا بها بعدما *** آنت دواء للمجانين

And so you have become a mad one

After having being a cure for the mad ones

أين رواياتك في سردها *** عن ابن عون وابن سيرين

Where are your recorded narrations

From Ibn 'Awn and Ibn Sireen?

أين رواياتك فيما مضى *** في ترك أبواب السلاطين

Where are your narrations in the past

About abandoning the doors of the Rulers?

إن قلت أآرهت فما هكذا *** زل حمار الشيخ في الطين

If you say that you've been forced (into judgment)

Then that's not how the donkey of a scholar slips into mud

Source: The biography of Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak compiled by Farhiya Yahya

Oh Father, Does Allah have a fire whose fuel is men and stones?

There was a king who had a lot of wealth, and he had a daughter and no other children. He loved her very much, and he used to let her enjoy all kinds of entertainment. This went on for a long time. Beside the king there lived a devoted worshipper, and whilst he was reciting one night, he raised his voice saying, “O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones “[al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning]. The girl heard his recitation and said to her servants, “Stop!” But they did not stop. The worshipper started to repeat the verse, and the girl kept telling them to stop, but they did not stop. She put her hands to her collar and tore her garment, and they went to her father and told him the story.

He went to her and said, “My dear, what happened to you tonight? What made you weep?” and he hugged her. She said, “I ask you by Allah, O my father, to tell me, does Allah have a Fire, the fuel of which is men and stones?” He said, “Yes.” She asked him, “Why did you not tell me? By Allah I will not eat any good food or sleep on any soft bed until I know whether my abode is in Paradise or Hell.” 

Ibn al-Jawzi, Safwat al-Safwah, 4/437-438 

Countering hypocrisy

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was their hard labor in countering hypocrisy so that their good nature remained the same whether in public or private. This way they would have no action left for their realities to be exposed tomorrow in the Afterlife.

Once ‘Umar ibn Abdul Azeez (rahimahullaah) was advised, “O ‘Umar, beware of being the ally of Allah in open, while being his enemy in secret. If one’s nature in open and secret not equate, then he is a hypocrite, and the hypocrites occupy the lowest level in Hellfire.”

It was said by one of the Salaf, “Beware of hypocritical fear!” On being asked, “What is hypocritical fear?” he replied, “When your body is seen to be fearing whereas your heart is not fearing.”

So search yourself. Does your open and secret (self) equate? Increase in seeking forgiveness knowing that whoever displays to the people beyond what is in his heart is a hypocrite.

The following are some of the characteristics which Allah the Most High ascribes to the hypocrites:

1) A lazy attitude towards prayer (salah) and little remembrance of Allah whilst in prayer. 

When they stand for prayer, they stand lazily; to be seen by the people, but little do they hold Allah in remembrance. (Holy Qur’an 4: 142)

 2) They enjoin what is bad and forbid what is good.

The hypocrites both men and women, proceed one from another. They enjoin the wrong and forbid the right and they withhold their hands (from spending in the cause of Allah). They forget Allah so Allah has forgotten them. Lo! The hypocrites, they are the transgressors. (Holy Qur’an 9:67)

3) Their alignment and befriending the disbelievers (kuffaar) as the Most High has said:

Bear unto the hypocrites the tidings that for them are painful doom. Those who choose disbelievers as their friends instead of the believers, is it honor they seek with them? Lo! All honor is with Allah. (Holy Qur’an 4: 138-139) 

4) Their disapproval of Allah’s decision.

When it is said to them, come to what has been revealed and come to the Messenger, you see the hypocrites turn from you with disgust. (Holy Qur’an 4: 61)

5) Their lying, treachery and deception and insult during quarrels.

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever has the following four characteristics will be a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them will possess a characteristic of hypocrisy until he gives it up. Whenever he speaks he lies. Whenever he promises he betrays. Whenever he makes a covenant he proves treacherous. Whenever he quarrels he is insulting. (Collected by al-Bukhaari (1/81) and Muslim (2/46) in the chapter of Al-Imaan, and an-Nasaai (8/116) also in the chapter of Al-Imaan).

Source: From the characteristics of the Salaf