Please note

In the name of Allah

Assalaam Alaikum all my brothers and sisters in Islam

I would like to note that I wont be able to publish any articles till the end of ramadan due to the fact that I am InshaAllah going to Umrah this Ramadan. Therefore InshaAllah I will meet you all with more articles, stories and iman increasers after Ramadan. And I also advise you to spend this ramadan wisely and to make this ramadan a month which brings you close to Allah subuhanahu Wataala.

JazakAllah Khair

Assalaam Alaikum

Your brother in Islam

Nishan

Yahya ibn Muadh regarding life of this world

"O how poor is man, if he fears Hell in the same degree of his fearing poverty, then he will enter Paradise."

"I don't order you to abandon life but to abandon sins. Abandoning life is a virtue and abandoning sins is a duty, so your need for this latter is greater than your need for the former."

"How can't I love this life? A sustenance is decreedv for me in it which keeps me alive and helps me to perform the deeds of obedience that will lead me to Paradise."

"The life of this world is a house of deeds and the Hereafter is a house of horrors. Man remains
between deeds and horrors until he settles either in Paradise or in Hell."

"O man! You seek this life as an imperious need for you, whereas you seek the Hereafter as if
you are in no need of it. However, the All-Mighty Allah has spared you the efforts as regards to your needs in the life of this world, and if you seek the Hereafter, then you will obtain it, so take your decision."

"Night is so long therefore don't shorten it with sleep, and day is so pure therefore don't soil it with your sins."

"It is difficult to renounce the life of this world and it is even more difficult to renounce Paradise, but the dowry of Paradise is the renunciation of the life of this world."

Source: The life of this world is a transient shade

Sari as-Saqati and the young man

Sari as-Saqati reports: I was traveling as a tourist when I once stumbled upon a cave. Issuing forth from inside of it was the sound of weeping. When I looked inside the cave I saw a young man, who had the look of a man whose sorrows have reduced his body to a weak, wan and emaciated figure. From the looks of him, he seemed to be a pious worshiper, and so I asked him,

“O young man, how can I achieve safety?”

“By performing obligatory acts of worship, by returning things to their rightful owners (also by gaining the pardon of those one wrongs) and by repenting to Allah Azza Wa-Jall (Processor of Might and Majesty)"

Will you preach me I asked

“If you want to learn an important lesson” he began “Or to be on the receiving end of a profound admonition, then look within yourself (at your deeds your level of faith etc.) Act with the knowledge that Allah sees you when you are alone, for doing so atones for your sins and results in Allah displaying you to the dwellers of the heaven”.

Give me more I asked

“Indeed Allah has slaves whom He created to (worship) Him and whom He has chosen for His love. He has bestowed upon their hearts an eagerness to seek closeness to Him. Their minds are constantly engaged in reflection, and the color of their skin turned yellow (pale) because they forsake their beds and stay up late at night to worship Allah.

He then said “Go away now, for you have kept me preoccupied away from what I was doing”.

Source: Glimpses of the lives of righteous people quoted from Al- Mawaiz Wam Majalis page 101

The advise of Fudayl bin Iyad

Ar-Rashid, a first century ruler, once said to al-Fudayl bin Iyaad, "Admonish me."

"O Leader of the believers!" said al-Fudayl. "Indeed your grandfather, al-Abbaas, the uncle of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) , once went to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah(Peace be upon him) , appoint me to be a leader.' The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, "My uncle, indeed, being a leader leads to sorrow, and regret on the Day of Resurrection. If you are able to go without ever being a leader, then do so!'"

Moved to tears, ar-Rashid said, "Give me more."

al-Fudayl looked at ar-Rashid and said, "O one who has a handsome face, if you are able to protect that face from the Hell-fire then do so. And beware of ever cheating or betraying your people."

Being much moved by al-Fudayl's words, ar-Rashid wanted to reward him.

"Do you have any debts?" he asked.

"To my Lord, yes, and He will hold me accountable for them," said al-Fudayl.

"I am of course referring to debts to other human beings," said ar-Rashid.

After al-Fudayl answered in the negative, ar-Rashid said to one of his assistants, "Give him 1000 dinars, which he can use to help his family."

Al-Fudayl was greatly offended by these words and said, "How perfect Allah is! I am guiding you to safety and you want to reward me with this paltry, worldly sum!"

He then left, having refused to take anything.

Source: Stories of repentance

Some examples of genorous women

In his biography of `A'ishah given in Siyar a`lam al-nubala', al-Dhahabi states that she gave seventy thousand dirhams in charity, at the time when she was putting patches on her shield.

Mu`awiyah sent `A'ishah a hundred thousand dirhams, and she gave it all away in charity before evening fell. Her servant said to her, "Why did you not buy a dirham's worth of meat with it?" She said, "Why did you not tell me to do so?"

Mu`awiyah also sent`A'ishah bracelets worth a hundred thousand, which she shared out among the other wives of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).

Ibn al-Zubayr sent her money in two containers, to the amount of a hundred thousand. She called for a large tray, and began to share the money among the people. When evening came, she said, "O young girl, bring me my fatur (food with which to break fast)," for she, (May Allah be pleased with her), used to fast all the time. The young girl said to her, "O Mother of the Believers, could you not have bought us a dirham's worth of meat?" She said, "Do not rebuke me; if you had reminded me I would have done so."

`A'ishah's sister Asma' was no less generous. `Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (RAA) said: "I never saw two women more generous than `A'ishah and Asma', but their ways of being generous were different. `A'ishah would accumulate things and then share them out, whilst Asma' would never keep anything until the next day."

The Prophet's (Peace be upon him) wife Zaynab bint Jahsh used to work with her own hands and give in charity from her earnings. She was the most generous of the Prophet's(Peace be upon him) wives in giving freely and doing good deeds. According to a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim from `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet (Peace be upon him) told his wives about Zaynab: "The first of you to join me (after death) will be the one who has the longest hand." `A'ishah said: "They began to measure their hands against one another to see who had the longest hand, and the one who had the longest hands of all of us was Zaynab, because she used to work with her hands and give charity from her earnings."

`Umar ibn al-Khattab (RAA) sent Zaynab her annual salary, and when it was brought to her, she said: "May Allah forgive `Umar! Others of my sisters are more capable of sharing this out than I am." They told her, "This is all for you." She said, "Subhan Allah! Pour it out and cover it with a cloth." Then she told Barzah bint Rafi`, the narrator of this report: "Put your hand in and take a handful of it, and take it to Bani So-and-so and Bani So-and-so" - who were orphans or related to
her. This was repeated until there was only a little left under the cloth. Barzah bint Rafi` said to
Zaynab: "May Allah forgive you, O Mother of the Believers! By Allah (SWT), it is our right to have some." Zaynab said: "What is left under the cloth is for you." (Barzah bint Rafi`) said that they found eighty-five dirhams under the cloth.

Zaynab said, "O Allah, do not let me live to receive another payment like this from `Umar," and she died before the time for the next payment came.

Ibn Sa`d reported that when the money was brought to Zaynab, she started saying, "O Allah, do not let me see this money again next year, for it is a fitnah (temptation)." Then she shared it out among her relatives and those who were in need, until it was all gone. `Umar (RAA) heard about this, and said, "This women is destined for good." He stood at her door and conveyed his salam to her, then said: "I have heard about what you gave out to others. Send her a thousand dirhams to keep for herself." But she did the same thing with that money, and did not even keep a single dirham or dinar for herself.

Umm al-Banin, the sister of `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz, was a marvellous example of generous giving. She said, "Everyone has a passion, and my passion is giving." She used to free slaves every week, and equip horsemen to fight for the sake of Allah (SWT). She would say, "Uff to stinginess! If it were a shirt I would not wear it, and if it were a road I would not follow it."

Zubaydah, the wife of the khalifah Harun al-Rashid, had a channel dug to being water from springs and rain-pools to Makkah, to provide fresh water for the inhabitants of the city and for the pilgrims. This was named `Ayn Zubaydah (the spring of Zubaydah), and was known as one of the wonders of the world at that time. When her treasurer objected to the high cost of this project, she told him: "Do it, even if every single blow of the axe costs a dinar."

Source: Ideal Muslimah

A beautiful story of trusting in Allah

In his Saheeh, Imam Bukhari related that a man from the children of Israel asked another to lend him one thousand diners.

The second man asked, "Do you have a witness (for this transaction)?"

The first man replied, "I have no witness except Allah."

The other man then asked, "Do you have a guarantor?"

The man said, "I have no guarantor except Allah."

The second man said, "Allah is Ever All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs."

He then gave him the thousand diners; they parted and between them there was an agreement upon a place and time for the paying back of the loan. As it happened, they lived on opposite sides of a river. When the time drew near for the transaction, the borrower went to the shore to find a boat so that he could repay his debt. To his disappointment, he found no boat. He continued to wait until long after nightfall without succeeding in finding someone to take him across to the other side.

He said, "O' Allah, he asked me for a witness and I found no one but you; he asked me for a guarantor, and I found no one but you. O' Allah, make this letter reach him." He took a piece of wood, hollowed it out, and inserted the thousand diners with the letter. Then he hurled the piece of wood into the river.

By the permission of Allah, it floated forward according to a guided course. The lender went to the shore in keeping with the appointment. He waited for a little while, and when the other man did not come, he said to himself, "Why don't I at least take some firewood for my family?" He passed by the piece of wood and took it home. Finding that it was hallow, he broke it open and found the money with the letter.

Source: Don't be sad by Aaidh al Qarni

The story of Ummu Ibrahim

(This story was mentioned by scholars like Abu Jaafar al Luban. He narrates) :

It is mentioned that one of the righteous women in Basra was Umm Ibrahim al Hashimeeyah. The enemy attacked one of the Muslim towns so people were encouraged to join jihad. AbdulWahid bin Zayd al Basri delivered a speech encouraging jihad and among the audience was Umm Ibrahim. Among the things AbdulWahid talked about was al Hoor (the women of Paradise). Umm Ibrahim stood up and said to AbdulWahid: “You know my son Ibrahim and you know that the nobility of al Basra wish to have him marry one of their daughters and I have not agreed to one of them yet. But I like this girl you described and I would be happy to marry her to my son. Can you please describe her again?"

AbdulWahid then narrated a poem in the description of the Hoor. Umm Ibrahim said: I want my son to marry this girl and I would pay you 10,000 dinars as her dowry and you take him with you in this army. He might die as a Shaheed and intercede for me on the Day of Judgment. AbdulWahid said: “If you do so, that is great success for you and your son.” She then called her son from the audience. He stood up and said: “Yes my mother!” She said: “Are you pleased to marry this girl with the condition of giving your soul to Allah?” He said: “Yes! I am very pleased!” She said: “O Allah you are my witness that I have married my son to this girl from Paradise with the condition he spends his soul in your sake” Then she went and brought back with her 10,000 dinars and gave it to AbdulWahid and said: “This is her dowry. Take it and use it to provide for the mujahideen” She then purchased for her son a good horse and she armed him. When the army started its march Ibrahim came out with the reciters of Quran surrounding him and reciting:

“Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise.”

When Umm Ibrahim was greeting her son she told him: “Be careful and don’t allow any shortcomings from yourself to be seen by Allah” She them embraced him and kissed him and said: “May Allah never bring us together except on the Day of Judgment!”

AbdulWahid said: “When we reached the enemy’s territory and people were called to fight. Ibrahim was in the front and he killed many of the enemy but then they overwhelmed him and killed him. On our way back I told my soldiers not to tell Umm Ibrahim that her son was killed until I tell her. When we entered al Basra she met me and said: “Did Allah accept my gift so I can celebrate or was it rejected so I should cry?” I said: “Allah did accept your gift and your son died as a Shaheed” She then prostrated to thank Allah and said: “Thank you Allah for accepting my gift”

The following day she came to me in the mosque and said: “Rejoice!” I said: “What good news do you have?” She said: “I saw my son Ibrahim last night in a dream. He was in a beautiful garden dressed in green clothes, sitting on a throne made of pearl and he had a crown on his head. He told me: “Rejoice my mother! I got married to my bride!”

Source: MASHARI AL-ASHWAQ ILA MASARI AL-USHAAQ WA MUTHEER AL-GHARAAM ILA DAAR ASSALAAM

A brief description of Jesus, son of Mary

Maryam the daughter of ‘Imraan was a pious and righteous woman… She strove hard in worship until she had no peer in matters of worship… The angels gave her the glad tidings that Allaah had chosen her:

“And (remember) when the angels said: ‘O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allaah has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn) (of her lifetime).’

O Maryam! ‘Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allaah, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and bow down along with Ar-Raaki‘oon (those who bow down)’”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:42-43]

Then the angels gave Maryam the glad tidings that Allaah would bestow upon her a child, whom He would create with the word “Be! And it is.” This child’s name was the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary)… He would be held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and he would be a Messenger to the Children of Israel… He would teach the Book and wisdom, and the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel) … And he would have attributes and miracles that no one else would have, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“(Remember) when the angels said: ‘O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allaah gives you the glad tidings of a Word [“Be!” — and he was! i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allaah.

He will speak to the people, in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous.’

She said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.’ He said: ‘So (it will be) for Allaah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” and it is’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:45-47]

Then Allaah tells us the rest of the glad tidings of the angels to Maryam of her son ‘Eesa (peace be upon him), and of the honour of ‘Eesa, and how He would support him with miracles:

“And He (Allaah) will teach him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom), (and) the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).

And will make him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): ‘I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allaah’s Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allaah’s Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe.

And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Tawraat (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allaah and obey me.

Truly, Allaah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path’”[Aal ‘Imraan 3:48-51]

Allaah is absolutely perfect in His powers of Creation. He creates what He wills, how He wills… He created Adam from dust without a father or a mother, and He created Hawwa’ from the rib of Adam from a father but without a mother. He has caused the descendents of Adam to have both a father and a mother, and He created ‘Eesa from his mother without a father… Glory be to the All-Knowing Creator.

Allaah has explained clearly in the Qur’aan how ‘Eesa was born. He says (interpretation of the meaning:

“And mention in the Book (the Qur’aan, O Muhammad, the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east.

She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Rooh [angel Jibreel (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.

She said: ‘Verily, I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Allaah) from you, if you do fear Allaah.’

(The angel) said: ‘I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.’

She said: ‘How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?’

He said: ‘So (it will be), your Lord said: ‘That is easy for Me (Allaah). And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allaah), and it is a matter (already) decreed (by Allaah)’ ”[Maryam 19:16-21]

When Jibreel told her that, she submitted to the will and decree of Allaah, and Jibreel breathed into the sleeves of her garment:

“So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 4-6 miles from Jerusalem).

And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm. She said: ‘Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!’”[Maryam 19:22-23]

Then Allaah provided Maryam with water and food, and commanded her not to speak to anyone:

“Then [the babe ‘Eesa (Jesus) or Jibreel (Gabriel)] cried unto her from below her, saying: ‘Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you.

And shake the trunk of date palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you.

So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: “Verily, I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allaah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day”’”[Maryam 19:24-26]

Then Maryam came to her people, carrying her child ‘Eesa. When they saw her, they thought that she had done a terrible thing and they denounced it, but she did not respond to them. She indicated that they should ask this infant, and he would tell them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: ‘O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariyy (a mighty thing).

O sister (i.e. the like) of Haaroon (Aaron)! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.’

Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?’”[Maryam 19:27-29]

‘Eesa replied to them straight away, even though he was a child in the cradle:

“He [‘Eesa (Jesus)] said: ‘Verily, I am a slave of Allaah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet;

And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Salaah (prayer), and Zakaah, as long as I live.

And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest.

And Salaam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!’”[Maryam 19:30-33]

This is the information about ‘Eesa ibn Maryam, the slave and Messenger of Allaah. But the People of the Book differed concerning him. Some of them said that he was the son of God, and some said that he was the third of three (“trinity”), and some said that he was God, and some said that he was a slave and Messenger of God. This last view is the correct view. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Such is ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute).

It befits not (the Majesty of) Allaah that He should beget a son [this refers to the slander of Christians against Allaah, by saying that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is the son of Allaah]. Glorified (and Exalted) be He (above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: “Be!” and it is.

[‘Eesa (Jesus) said]: ‘And verily, Allaah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. (Allaah’s religion of Islâmic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His Prophets).’

Then the sects differed [i.e. the Christians about ‘Eesa (Jesus)], so woe unto the disbelievers [those who gave false witness by saying that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is the son of Allaah] from the Meeting of a great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection, when they will be thrown in the blazing Fire)”[Maryam 19:34-38]

When the Children of Israel deviated from the Straight Path and overstepped the limits set by Allaah, they did wrong and spread corruption on earth, and a group among them denied the resurrection, Reckoning and punishment. They indulged in their desires and in physical pleasures without expecting to be brought to account. At that point, Allaah sent to them ‘Eesa ibn Maryam as a Messenger, and taught him the Tawraat and Injeel as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And He (Allaah) will teach him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom), (and) the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).

And will make him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel”[Aal ‘Imraan 3:48]

Allaah revealed to ‘Eesa ibn Maryam the Injeel (Gospel) as guidance and light, confirming that which had come before it in the Tawraat:

“and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Tawraat (Torah) that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”[al-Maa’idah 5:46 – interpretation of the meaning]

‘Eesa (peace be upon him) foretold the coming of a Messenger from Allaah after him, whose name would be Ahmad. This is Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And (remember) when ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allaah unto you, confirming the Tawraat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic’”[al-Saff 61:6]

‘Eesa (peace be upon him) called the Children of Israel to worship Allaah alone, and to obey the rulings of the Tawraat and Injeel… He started to dispute with them and to explain the error of their ways. When he saw how stubborn they were and how the signs of kufr were manifest among them, he stood among his people, saying, Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allaah? The disciples believed in him, and their number was twelve. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Then when ‘Eesa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: ‘Who will be my helpers in Allaah’s Cause?’ Al-Hawaariyyoon (the disciples) said: ‘We are the helpers of Allaah; we believe in Allaah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allaah).’

Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messenger [‘Eesa (Jesus)]; so write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth, i.e. Laa ilaaha illallaah — none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah)”[Aal ‘Imraan 3:52-53]