And Hasten to the Forgiveness from Your Lord – Abu Ayyub al-Maaldifi

وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous”

When the enemies join forces, to destroy the Deen of Allah, When the Sharia of Allah is belittled, and the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam is mocked, when the Muslims are oppressed, and mischief widespread, when the true callers are imprisoned, and the word jihad omitted, Oh you who are oppressed by the hands of tyrants Oh you who are distressed by the situation of the Ummah Know that the Victory of Allah is near.

For; This is the religion of Allah the Creator of Heavens and Earth, No doubt Allah will keep sending His glorious soldiers, the best of His creation to protect & safeguard the firm Religion of Islam.

This is the Ummah of Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam which produced Sahabas of Great Caliber most of whom took their last breath in the battlefields never to give up even when their limbs were cut off and their bodies mutilated. And no doubt their successors and grandsons will rise to irrigate the oasis of faith and action with their blood to aid the Ummah of Islam as time goes by.

This is the Muslim Ummah of Jihad in which, no doubt mother’s would keep giving birth to heroes and wives would keep sending their husbands out of comfort of their life into the cross fire of guns and swords never to return unless in shrouds of lifelessness.

That is when we see the Lions of Allah moving killing and roaring “Labbaik ya Allah” in the battlefields beginning from the deserts of Arabia to the horn of Africa over to the torabora proceeding to open the gate of Ash Sham and finally to al Quds.

That is when we see the magnificent men who are willing to fasten the bridges of Deen with their bodies in response to kuffar’s invasion for nothing but the reward of Paradise responding to the call of Jihad Fi Sabilillahi when it is announced from every corner of the earth; from north to south and from east to west.

They are the Lions of monotheism and the moths of Prophethood, standing in the vanguard of the Ummah defending the Kalimah La ilaha ill Allah. Whose hearts are filled with love of being killed for the sake of Allah and whose hearts are filled with hatred of enemies for the sake of Allah.

At one point this very person may be induced by this world forgetting the hereafter but by the will of Allah sunhanahu wata alaa, the turner of hearts brings him out of darkness into light. After true guidance starts to shine through his life, Allah becomes more beloved than anything else in his life. Tears roll down his cheeks in Salatul Tahajjad. He feels the pain of Muslims in his heart for Muslims are like one body, if one limb is hurting then the rest of the body hurts. As he moves he sees that indigence and indignity has becomes fate of the Ummah. He sees the prevailing kufr with Wahn submerged in the hearts of Muslims. Realization dawns upon him that the aid to the religion of Allah is only through Jihad.

He starts to write the history of sacrifice and devotedness with his heart moving here and there looking for Hijrah to the lands of Jihad like a fish wanting to be in the water. He would cry tears of truth and he would not rest until he gets to the lands of Jihad to help the Ummah to once again raise the banner of Tawheed and eliminate the Disbelievers.

It may be a journey of trials and tribulations, prison and torment but he gives the message to every kuffar’s squadron and leaders that he can slay his neck for the Tawheed of Allah but he would not submit to the sills of their Thagooth with a single beat left in his heart. (In sha Allah)

These are the Soldiers of Allah whose sweat and blood paves the road of the Deen and whose torn bodies become the brick of it pillars. For you will see them with greed and eagerness for the everlasting Jannatul Firdawus which is wider than the heavens and the earth. For they become the Martyrs rushing towards the pleasure of their Lord the true Lord of the heavens and the earth.”

Abu Ayyub al Maaldifi

Source: http://biladalsham.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/and-hasten-to-the-forgiveness-from-your-lord-abu-ayyub-al-maaldifi/

A Miswak from Medina

Oh Miswak! I wonder whether you came from the blessed land of Madina, the land of our beloved Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) .

I wonder this was just the type Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)  used & so did the Sahabas too.

Chewed a bit on to the Miswak, & Thoughts began to drift…

The last moments of our Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), as he laid on the lap of his beloved wife.

As she chewed the Miswak gently and cleansed the beloved teeth of the Prophet...

He (صلي الله عليه وسلم)  took such care for hygiene though He (صلي الله عليه وسلم)  was feeling the pain and agony of death drawing nearer and nearer...

Tears rolled down as I wondered about how everyone present near the beloved Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)  would have felt, as time drove near for Him (صلي الله عليه وسلم).

The fever, the fainting to unconsciousness, the waking up, pouring of water over on the beloved head of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)  just so to break the fever.

And yet He constantly kept asking "Have they prayed? Have they prayed? So much concern and protection over Salah yet we do not take heed...

A calling brought me back and was questioned for my stillness and tears...

Shared my thoughts and the listener too broke into bitter tears as he had the other half of the Miswak in his hand.

You see for us Muslims using of a Miswak is just not something simple. It is a Sunnah of our Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)  with so many medical benefits to fill the pages...

But most importantly it is a Sunnah to be followed and loved so that we may be loved by Allah subhanahu wa’ta’aalaa for following the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) though it may seem simple and small...

And as for me the Miswak is a reminder of the last day spent in this Dhunya by the Mercy sent to the mankind...

By Ummu Ayyub

Your Heart is the Pillar of Your Worship

By Sheikh Abdullah Azzam

 "...the heart is the machine that drives all acts of worship. It is what moves the entire body! As long as the heart is alive, then the limbs will be alive, and the soul will open itself up to worship. However, if the heart becomes diseased, then worship will become too heavy on the soul, leading to it eventually disliking and hating - and we seek refuge with Allah from this - worship. Because of this, Allah - the Glorified and Exalted - said, regarding the prayer:

{"...and truly, it is extremely heavy and hard except on those who are submissive..."} [al-Baqarah; 45]

The prayer is heavy, because one's legs and hands are not what get up for the prayer. What gets up for the prayer are the heart and the soul.

{"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for the prayer, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little."} [an-Nisa'; 142]

Because of this, it is the heart that stands up for worship. The limbs are simply slaves of this heart, carrying out what it commands them. If the heart is alive, then the soul will be alive, and worship will become beloved and sweetened to the hearts and the souls, and they will open up for it. However, if the heart becomes diseased, then worship becomes too heavy on it. The heart is like the digestive system: right now, the most beloved thing to you is meat. However, if you develop an ulcer somewhere in your digestive system, then the meat - along with its fat and oil - becomes the most hated thing to it, since it is diseased. Sweets are also something that are beloved to the soul. For example, if you were fasting right now and were to break your fast on some desserts, then your soul would become satisfied with that, right? However, if one were to be stricken with diabetes, then he would not be able to handle these sugary foods, even if they were beloved to him. The heart is like this: it must be strong so that it can handle worship that is strong. The stronger your heart becomes, then throw as much worship upon it as you wish. You would get up to pray at night, and you would cherish this prayer and consider sleep to be your enemy:

{"Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope..."} [as-Sajdah; 16]

He begins to forsake it because an enmity develops between him and his bed. He prays behind the imam, and he says to himself: "If only he would make the prayer longer," so that he would increase in his opening up to this worship, and his tasting of its sweetness. At times, I would pray a normal prayer with the people behind me, so I would elongate the prayer.

The youth would then come to me and say (the hadith): "Whoever leads the people in prayer should go easy on them," - the youth! And there was an old man behind me who was between 90 and 100 years of age - his face filled with light - and he would say to me: "Keep making the prayer long and do not answer them." A man of 90 years getting pleasure out of a long prayer, and a youth of 20, who probably practices karate and judo, cannot handle the same prayer. Why? If he went to the soccer field and spent two hours playing there without becoming bored, then why would he become bored from hearing the Qur'an for five minutes? The difference between a short prayer and a long prayer is simply five minutes, so why does he become bored from these five minutes of Qur'an, yet he does not become bored from two hours of soccer? Why does he not get bored from standing for two hours staring at an inflated piece of leather, his heart attached to it? Because, what stands up to pray is the heart, and what stands up for sports are simply the body and muscles."

['at-Tarbiyah al-Jihadiyyah wal-Bina''; 1/220]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Mu'een and the Hadith fabricator

On one occasion, Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Mu'een prayed in the Ar-Rassafah Mosque. A storyteller stood among the people gathered in the Mosque and said,

"Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Mu'een related to me from 'Abdur-Razzaq from Qatadah from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alahi Wasallam) said…..”

He continued to relate twenty or so pages worth of narrations, while Ahmad stared in amazement at Yahya and Yahya stared in amazement at Ahmad. Each asked the other, "Did you relate this?"

And each of them answered, "By Allah, until this hour, I had not heard this." When the storyteller was finished, Yahya asked, "And who related this to you?" He said,"Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahya ibn Mu'een."

Yahya said, "I am Yahya and this is Ahmad, and we have never heard of this to be among the sayings of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alahi Wasallam)"

The storyteller said, "I used to always hear that Yahya ibn Mu'een was an imbecile, but that fact has not dawned upon me until now." Yahya asked, "And how is that?" He said, "Is there not any Yahya ibn Mu'een and Ahmad ibn Hanbal in the world other than you two? I have indeed written from seventeen Ahmad ibn Hanbals and Yahya ibn Mu'eens”.

Tahdheer al-Khawas min Akadheeb al-Qussas by As-Suyootee

Source: The Sunnah and its role in Islamic legislation by Dr. Mustafa as-Siba'ee / Translated by Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq / P122

The Unexpected occurs

The righteous will die and the wicked will die...

The warriors who fight Jihaad will die and those who sit at home will die...

Those who busy themselves with correct belief will die and those who

treat the people as their slaves will die...

The brave who reject injustice will die, and the cowards who seek

to cling on to this life at any price will die...

The people of great concern and lofty goals will die,

and the wretched people who live only for cheap enjoyment will die...

A noble person said:

How many people I have known, if I wished, I could name them, who surrendered themselves to their desires and became prisoners of their lusts and forgot about death and their reckoning. So when Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent guided me to His obedience, to following His orders, and to fearing Him, then I went to my  friend, advising him, and admonishing him with encouragement and warning, but  he used the excuse that he was still a young man, and he was fooled by false hopes.

Then, by Allah, death came unexpectedly. So now he is one who lies buried under the earth, tied to the burden of his sins. His passions have left him, his female companions have departed from him and now he must face the consequences, now he has to face the Overpowering Compeller with the actions of the sinful and depraved...

May Allah save you and me from a record or an end like his? So fear Allah, O  Servants of Allah, and do not be like him, since you know that this world is passing  away and the Hereafter is coming towards us, so keep in mind the point of death  and one's passing on, and the number of sins that one has committed and the small  amount of good that one has done. Think of the good that you would earnestly wish to do at that time - then bring that forward and do that today, and think of all those things which you would desire to clear yourself from, then clear yourself from them now.

"If it were the case that when we die we would be left untroubled,

Then death would be rest and relaxation for everyone living:

However when we die we shall be raised up again,

And questioned about everything we have done."

Source: “Death” by Sheikh  'Alee Hasan 'Alee 'Abdul-Hameed

Some Hadiths concerning young people

1. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: Your Lord is delighted (in the way that suits Him) about a young person who does not have youthful (lustful) desire. (An authentic hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad, at-Tabarani, Abu Yala and Ibn Abi Asim)

2. Allah will give shade to seven on the day when there will be no shade but His. They are: a just ruler; a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah sincerely from his childhood; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two people who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause alone; a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illegal sexual intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah; a man who gives charitable gifts so sincerely that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given; and a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes become flooded with tears. (Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)

3. Hasan and Husayn will be the chiefs of the young dwellers of paradise. (An authentic hadith recorded Imam Ahmad and at-Tabarani)

4. The dwellers of paradise will be told: It is for you to remain young and never grow old. (Recorded by Muslim)

5. Abu Bakr said to Zayd ibn Thabit in the presence of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them all): You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you and you used to write down the divine inspiration for Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him). So you should search for the fragmentary scripts of the Quran and collect them into one book. (Recorded by Bukhari)

6. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) went to visit a young man who was dying and asked him: How do you feel? The youth replied: I seek Allah's mercy, O Allah's Messenger, and I am also afraid of the consequences of my sins. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: These two feelings cannot be together in a slave's heart at this particular moment except that Allah gives the slave what he seeks and saves him from that of which he is afraid. (A reliable hadith recorded by Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi)

7. Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (RadiyAllah anhu) said while recalling the events of the Battle of Hunayn: No! By Allah, Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) did not flee, [what actually happened was that] his young unarmed Companions met a group of men ... who happened to be (excellent) archers. The latter shot at them a volley of arrows that did not miss. The people turned to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him)... So he got down, prayed and invoked Allah's help (Recorded by Muslim)

8. Ibn Mas'ood (RadiyAllah anhu)said: We used to fight along with the Prophet (Peace be upon him) when we were youths. (Recorded by Muslim and Imam Ahmad)

9. Anas ibn Malik (RadiyAllah anhu) said: There were some seventy youths among the Ansar who were called the reciters of the Qur' an. They used to stay in the mosque and in the evenings they would go to an area in Madinah and study and pray there. While they were in that place their families would think that they were in the mosque, while the people of the mosque would think that they were with their families. When the dawn appeared, they would fetch water and firewood and take it to the Prophet's (Peace be upon him )apartment. (Recorded by Imam Ahmad, Bukhari, and Muslim) These youths also used to buy food with the proceeds of their firewood and water and give it to the poor emigrants from Makkah who had no family or clan in Madinah. They used to dwell in the shaded part of the Prophet’s (Peace be upon him) mosque or near it.

10. 'Alqamah, one of Ibn Mas'ood's companions, said: I was walking in Mina along with Ibn Mas 'ood when 'Uthman met him and had a conversation with him. 'Uthman then told him: 0 Abu 'Abdur-Rahman! Can we marry you to a young woman who will remind you of some of the past days of your life?  Ibn Mas'ood replied: As you have said that, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) once said: 0 young men! Whoever is capable of maintaining a wife among you should get married, for marriage lowers the gaze and protects the private parts from fornication and adultery. And whoever is not capable should fast, for fasting curbs the sexual urge. (Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)

11. It is also reported in a hadith about the Dajjal that the TheProphet (Peace be upon him) said: The Dajjal will call a man in the prime of his youth and will cut him with a sword into two pieces and will throw them. He will then call him and he will respond with his face bearing joy and smiling. (Recorded by Muslim)

12. Malik ibn Huwayrith (RadiyAllah anhu) said: We came to Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) while we were youths of almost the same age and stayed with him for twenty days and nights. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was compassionate and kind. When he assumed that we were yearning for our families, he asked about those we left behind and we told him. He then said: Go back to your people and stay with them, teach them and command them (then he mentioned some things) and pray as you saw me praying. When it is time for prayer, someone among you should make the adhan (call to prayer) and the eldest of you should lead you in prayer. (Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)

Source:  Youth’s Problems. Issues that Affect Young People by Muhammad Salih al-Uthaymeen

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 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)

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

When the Ummah Deviated from the Actions of the Heart

By Sheikh Safar al-Hawali

“…The Companions and the righteous predecessors understood the Book of Allah and implemented it in knowledge and action, and they knew the importance of the actions of the heart such as sincerity, certainty, truthfulness, love, etc. As a result, they became true manifestations of complete servitude to Allah, and they knew that لا إله إلا الله was not just a phrase spoken on the tongue. They knew that the person – if his heart submits and becomes subdued and humble – must carry out certain deeds, and that his limbs must also become subdued. This is why their lives became a living manifestation of these realities of faith that their hearts were experiencing, may Allah be Pleased with them and they with Him.

What happened in the later years to some of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah – and we are not talking about those who opposed them – is that they were afflicted with what others were afflicted with to a certain degree. They became afflicted with weakness, and their understanding became restricted and limited in their minds, and the whole concept of the Religion to them became nothing more than basic rituals, and the testimony that none was worthy of worship except Allah became a mere statement.

So, Ahl as-Sunnah no longer have the same strength and high esteem that they had during these previous three centuries or generations, because when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “The best people are my generation, followed by those who come after them, followed by those who come after them,” this did not mean that those who came after these three generations were innovators or followers of desires. Rather, they were from the same group. However, they were much less in number, and they had weakness. While their characteristics did not expel them from the circle of Ahl as-Sunnah, they did bring them down from the high degree occupied by the first three virtuous generations who were the the ultimate manifestations of action, faith, and belief in this religion.

This is proven by the fact that the scholars who understood the reality of the actions of the heart and spoke about them were met with a bit of suspicion. Some even reprimanded them, and I am not talking about the people of innovation. Rather, some of Ahl as-Sunnah reacted as if these people were coming with something new, or as if this scholar was coming with something that had never been seen before, or that he at least was coming with something that they had not learned from their own scholars. For example, look to how suspicious they were of what was brought by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah or Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab. Some of the people were good and righteous, and did not like innovations or dabble in them, and they were around during and before the call of Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab. Despite this, they never called to what he called to, and they never revived what he revived because they were never exposed to what he was exposed to. However, along with Ibn Taymiyyah and Ahmad before him, he understood and knew that this belief consists of speech and action, and that if the heart is alive and moving, then the limbs must also move with life. So, the issue is not one of simple repetition where we just sit together and repeat our beliefs regarding Allah’s Names and Attributes, predestination, the Hereafter, etc., and that we each memorize all of this and then go home as guided people thinking we have attained blessing, knowledge, and virtue. There is no doubt that such a person really has attained much good, knowledge, and virtue thanks to Allah, and this is something great. However, the issue is much greater than this. These leading scholars learned just like the Prophet used to teach his Companions their faith before he would teach them the Qur’an.

Those who inherited this knowledge knew that it must be transformed into action, da’wah, struggle, and patience. Because of this, they moved forth in their lives. So, there was no way that Imam Ahmad would go along silently with the Ummah while it was deviating from the correct belief to a corrupt one even if he was harmed, beaten, whipped, or had everything else that you know of happen to him in the process.

Likewise, when Ibn Taymiyyah wanted to move this Ummah to Jihad, he was in the foremost ranks of the army. So, he fought the tawaghitof the Tatars, and he went in person to address them with the strongest of words. As for the Batinis, he would take his students with him and struggle against them by way of debate, and he would call the Muslims to fight the Crusaders. This is the true life in which the life and actions of the limbs come together with the life and actions of the heart. However, not every nation possesses this, and this is where Ahl as-Sunnah became deficient, and this was the situation upon the onset of the call of Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab.

Today, we live according to this belief and upon the remnants of this call, thanks to Allah, and we find within ourselves this clear weakness that shows that we have not implemented the actions of the heart as they should be. Even if we do generally avoid the innovators, the issue is bigger than just avoiding innovators. Rather, we should become stronger in our faith, certainty, sincerity, and da’wah. How many of the Muslims and students of knowledge do not even know the conditions of لا إله إلا الله, which are knowledge, sincerity, certainty, truthfulness, acceptance, love, and submission? If we go back to the actions of the heart that I was talking about, we will see that لا إله إلا الله necessitates these conditions which are the very basics of faith…This is enough of a sign that the Ummah has this clear shortcoming and deficiency…”

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Khushoo in prostration

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "Try to feel modesty in your bowing and humility in your prostration because in such a position you have placed the soul in its proper place. In prostration you have returned the limbs to their place of origin-upon the dust from which they were created. Understand also the meaning of the remembrances with inclination and zeal."

Al-Qaasimee (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "It is desirable  that you renew the mention of the Greatness of Allah, the Sublime,  during them, that you strive to soften your heart, renew your  khushoo' and that you sense and realize the power of your Master  and His transcendency, then your own lowliness and insignificance.

Seek help from Allah to establish all of that in your heart and upon your tongue. Glorify Allah (above all defects) then give testimony for His Grandeur and that He is Mightier than every single thing. Repeat this so that it is confirmed and established (in your heart).  By saying, "Allah listens to the one who praises Him..." which means He will respond to the one who is grateful to Him, you raise your head from the bowing with certain hope. Then follow that with additional gratefulness by saying, "O Lord! To You belongs all praise." Then fall into prostration which is the highest form of submission and yielding oneself (to Allah). Place and fix the noblest of your limbs, the face, upon the lowest of things, the dust. Along  with this renew in your heart the greatness of Allah and say,  "Glorified is my Lord the Highest," then raise your head while  declaring His greatness and asking Him for your need by saying, "O Lord! Forgive me and show mercy to me." Confirm your modesty and humility by repeating this a number of times and then return to the prostration for a second time.

Source: The Path to Guidance by Ibn Al-Qayyim

“I know exactly who you are…”

Abu Bakr said: “Let not any Muslim belittle another Muslim, for the lowest of the Muslims is great in the Sight of Allah.”

Wahb (bin al-Munabbih) said: “When Allah Created the Garden of Eden, He looked to it and said: “You are forbidden for every arrogant person!”“

al-Ahnaf bin Qays used to sit with Mus’ab bin az-Zubayr on his sleeping mat and talk. One day, he came to find Mus’ab extending his feet forward, so, he pushed his legs aside to make room for himself to sit. When he saw the signs of displeasure on Mus’ab’s face from this, he said: “How strange is the son of Adam! He is arrogant while he was originated from an organ that transports urine!”

al-Hasan (al-Basri) said: “I wonder at the son of Adam! He uses his hand to wash himself from his waste once or twice a day, yet he seeks to compete with the All-Mighty?”

Muhammad bin al-Husayn bin ‘Ali said: “The heart of a person is never afflicted with the slightest bit of arrogance except that his intelligence and sanity is decreased because of that in accordance with how much of that arrogance has entered his heart.”

Sulayman was asked about a bad deed that cannot be wiped away with a good dead, so he replied: “Arrogance.”

‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-’Aziz went for Hajj before he became the khalifah, and Tawus saw him walking with a slight swing in his walk that he thought looked boastful. So, he went up to ‘Umar and nudged him in his side, saying to him: “Is this the walk of one whose stomach carries waste?”

 

Muhammad bin Wasi’ saw his son acting boastful, so, he called him over and said: “Do you know who you are? As for your mother, then I purchased her for a mere one hundred dirhams. As for your father, then may Allah not increase his likes amongst the Muslims!”

Mutraf bin ‘Abdullah saw al-Muhallab walking in a new overcoat he had bought, looking pleased with himself. So, he said to him: “O Abu ‘Abdullah! This is a type of walking that is hated by Allah and His Messenger!” So, al-Muhallab said to him: “Do you have any idea who I am?” So, Mutraf replied: “I know exactly who you are: your beginning is in the form of a tiny clot of sperm and egg, and your end is in the form of a rotten corpse!” So, al-Muhallab abandoned that type of walking from then on.

['Ihya' 'Ulum ad-Din'; 3/400-402]

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When will your heedlessness end?

Khutbah By ‘Umar As-Subayyil

All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah as he should be feared, for the best provision is piety: “And fear a day when you will be returned to Allaah. Then every soul will be compensated for what it earned and they will not be wronged (i.e. treated unjustly).” (Al-Baqarah: 291).

Brothers in faith! Mans happiness and success lies in his repentance to his Lord and his steadfastness upon the law of Allaah and His religion for the entire duration of his life. It does not lie in being distracted from working towards his eternal future by the urge to acquire the beauties of this world. This is the way of the righteous and pious people whom Allaah describes as that which translates as: “Men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts them from the remembrance of Allaah and performance of prayer and giving of zakaah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will (fearfully) turn about.” (An-Noor: 37).

Righteous people, despite their business and worldly engagements, do not allow that to stand between them and remembrance of Allaah’s greatness; a remembrance that makes them constantly fear Him and worship Him as He should be worshiped.

This is how the true believer should be. They should spend their days in performing righteous deeds and seek the abode of the Hereafter with whatever Allaah gives them. This is because they know that this life is only a means to achieve the everlasting life and perpetual prosperity. They know this world is not an end in itself but only a finite place in which both the pious and sinful have their daily bread. They know that, however long one may live, they will eventually grow old and die. They also understand this world’s insignificance and know that it is worthless in the sight of Allaah and that it is only a bridge which people cross over to reach Paradise or Hell. 

Allaah says that which translates as:“Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of a rain whose (resulting) plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes (scattered) debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allaah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion?” (Al-Hadeed:  20).

The Messenger  of Allaah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The life of this world is sweet and green (i.e. as tempting as fruits) and Allaah makes you  succeed one another in it, so that He may observe what type of deeds you will do therein. Beware of this life and beware of (the temptation of) women.”(Muslim). He also said: “If this world was worth a mosquito’s wing in the sight of Allaah, He would not have given a disbeliever a single gulp of water.”(Al-Tirmidhi).

There are in these Qur’aanic verses and Ahadeeth the clearest picture of the worthlessness of this world and an exhortation to mankind to fulfil their objectives here. They are meant to worship Allaah, reform their souls, be pious, abstain from lusts and base desires and not become deceived with the beauties of this life. It is however, pathetic that many are in the state of forgetfulness and delusion so much so that the aspiration of acquiring the beauties of this world has overpowered them and sins and evil deeds have covered their hearts. They live as if there is no other life except that of this world. When the love of this life conquers one’s heart, it makes one forget the remembrance of their Lord and if that happens then they become deserving of the wrath of Allaah.

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, while explaining the evil of the love of this world and its danger to one’s religion said: “Two hungry wolves sent into the midst of a flock of sheep are less destructive to the sheep than man’s covetousness for money and fame are to his religion”.

It is said that, “Love of this world is the mother of all sins”. When Imaam Hasan  Al-Basri observed the greediness of the people of his time for the wealth of this world, he exclaimed: “Do these people believe in the Day of Reckoning? No, I swear by the Master of the Day of Judgment!”

A sign of the domination of love of this world over the hearts is when one does not have concern for anything other than the search for prestige and fame, even if that is to be at the expense of one’s religion. Some have concerns only for amassing wealth even if they have to get it from dubious or forbidden means.

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam warned against this when he said: “I swear by Him in whose Hand is Muhammad’s soul! A man may swallow a morsel of food from a haraam source the consequence of which will be that no good deed will be accepted from him for forty days”.

He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said: “The fire of hell is entitled to any piece of flesh that has been nurtured by ill-gotten food”.

Brothers in faith! There are many Muslims amongst those who have been overwhelmed by the love of this life, who so yielded to their whims, desires and evil inclinations that they drank alcohol, took drugs, committed adultery, fornication and other evil acts. They are encouraged to perpetrate these evil acts by the modern mass media. This makes these malevolent things fair-seeming to them. It allures them with temptation and incites them to revolt against good moral values until many Muslims, especially the youth, begin to imitate their enemies in all aspects of their life. The following refers to them: “Then, there came after them successors (i.e. later generations) who neglected prayer and pursued desires; So they face ghayy (a valley in hell).”(Maryam: 59) So, it is their excessive passion for this life that will be the cause of them being thrown into hell.

Fellow Muslims! It is the unrestrained love for this life and preferring it to the Hereafter that weakened the Muslim Ummah in contemporary times and made disgrace, dissension and hypocrisy her lot. It is this predicament that gave her enemies the power to dictate many of her affairs, seize her wealth, conquer her lands and severely persecute the Muslims. A vivid example of this is what happens presently in Palestine where Jewish usurpers carry out criminal acts of aggression against our brothers and desecrate lives, properties and mosques. This is an actualisation of what the Messenger sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam prophesied when he said: “When you trade by ‘Eenah[1]’ (a form of ribaa), get yourselves occupied with cattle and become pleased with cultivation  - and abandon Jihaad; Allaah will impose an ignominy on you which he will  not remove until you go back to your religion”.

Imaam Ahmad and Abu Daawood also reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: ‘Beware the nations all over the world shall join forces against you as diners gather around their bowl of food’. The companions asked: ‘O Messenger of Allaah! Is that because we will be few in number then?’ He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: ‘No, rather you will rather be many, but you will only be as (voluminous and as worthless as) the scum after a flood. The fear of you shall be removed from the hearts of your enemies and weakness will be put into your hearts’. The companions asked: ‘What is the weakness?’ he answered: “To love this life and detest death”.

Therefore, let all of us desist from heedlessness and preferring this life to the Hereafter. Allaah has condemned the heedless and praised the pious when He said that which translates as: “So as for he who transgressed. And preferred the life of this world, Then indeed, Hellfire will be (his) refuge. But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from (unlawful) inclination, Then indeed, Paradise will be (his) abode”. (An-Naaziaat: 37-41).

Brothers in Islaam! Fear Allaah “And let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allaah by the chief deceiver (Satan). Indeed Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.” (Faatir: 5-6).

Brothers in faith! Fear Allaah as he should be feared and die not except as Muslims. Do not be among those who have been overpowered by negligence and overwhelmed by Satan thereby making them forget the remembrance of Allaah and the abode of the Hereafter. They are so deceived by false hopes that they do not think of anything other than the pleasure of this world regardless of the source from which that pleasure may come.

“They know what is apparent of the worldly life, but they, of the Hereafter, are unaware”. (Ar-Room: 7).

Why can you not reflect, O slaves of Allaah, and learn lessons from the misfortunes and calamities that Allaah has inflicted on people throughout history? Can you not ponder over the fate of the dead who are escorted to their burial places daily? These people who are our fathers, our mothers, our children, kings, paupers, believers, disbelievers, righteous and sinful? These people are all buried in graves and will all be resurrected on the Day of Judgment,

“The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly as if they were, toward an erected idol, hastening. Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. That is the Day which they had been promised!” (Al-Ma`aarij: 43-44).

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah and be dutiful to Him and remember that you will one day leave this world for your everlasting abode which will be either Paradise or Hell. Get yourselves prepared for that day: “So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained (his desire). And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion?" (Aal-‘Imraan: 185). 

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Signs of a good end

1 – Uttering the shaahadah (testimony of faith) when dying, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “A person whose last words are Laa ilaaha ill-Allah [there is no go but Allah] will enter Paradise.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3116; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2673.

2 – Dying with sweat on the forehead, because al-Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, “The believer dies with sweat on his forehead.” Narrated by Ahmad, 22513; al-Tirmidhi, 980; al-Nasaa’i, 1828. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. 

3 – Dying on the night or day of Friday, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “there is no Muslim who dies on the day of Friday or the night of Friday, but Allah will protect him from the trial (fitnah) of the grave.” Narrated by Ahmad, 6546; al-Tirmidhi, 1074. al-Albaani said: When all its isnaads are taken into consideration, this hadeeth is hasan or saheeh. 

4 – Dying as a fighter for the sake of Allah, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision. They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty and rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve. They rejoice in a grace and a bounty from Allah and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:169] 

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever is killed for the sake of Allah is a martyr, and whoever dies for the sake of Allah is a martyr.” Narrated by Muslim, 1915. 

5 – Dying of the plague, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The plague is martyrdom for every Muslim.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2830; Muslim, 1916. 

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about the plague, and he told me that it is a punishment that Allah sends upon whomsoever He will, and that Allah has made it a mercy for the believers, for there is no one who stays in his land at the time of a plague, bearing that with patience and seeking Allah’s reward, knowing that nothing will befall him but that which Allah has decreed for him, but he will be given a reward like that of a martyr.”  Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3474. 

6 – Dying of a stomach disease. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “… and whoever dies of a stomach disease is a martyr.” Narrated by Muslim, 1915. 

7 – Dying because of being crushed by a falling wall or by drowning, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The martyrs are five: the one who dies of plague, the one who dies of a stomach disease, the one who drowns, the one who is crushed by a falling wall, and the one who is martyred for the sake of Allah.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2829; Muslim, 1915. 

8 – If a woman dies as a result of childbirth, or when she is pregnant. The evidence for that includes the hadeeth narrated by Abu Dawood (3111), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “A woman who dies with child is a martyr.” al-Khattaabi said: What this means is if she dies with a child in her womb. ‘Awn al-Ma’bood.

 And Imam Ahmad narrated (17341) that ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us about the martyrs and mentioned among them, “A woman who is killed by the child in her womb attains martyrdom, and her child will drag her by his umbilical cord to Paradise.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Kitaab al-Janaa’iz, p. 39.  

9 – Death caused by burning, pleurisy and tuberculosis. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Being killed for the sake of Allah is martyrdom; the plague is martyrdom; drowning is martyrdom; dying of a stomach disease is martyrdom; and the woman who dies in childbirth, her child will drag her by his umbilical cord to Paradise.” (Abu’l-Awaam, the custodian of Bayt al-Maqdis added: and burning and tuberculosis). Al-Albaani said: Hasan saheeh. Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1396. 

10 – Dying to defend one’s religion, one’s wealth or one’s life, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr; whoever is killed defending his religion is a martyr; whoever is killed in self-defense is a martyr.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1421. 

Al-Bukhaari (2480) and Muslim (141) narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: “Whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr.” 

11 – Dying guarding the borders of Islam for the sake of Allah. Muslim (1913) narrated that Salmaan al-Faarisi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Guarding the borders of Islam for one day and one night is better than fasting and praying at night for a whole month, and if he dies (whist performing this duty), he will go on receiving the reward for this great deed and his provision (continually), and he will be spared the questioning in the grave. ” 

12 – One of the signs of a good end is dying whilst doing a righteous deed, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:  

“Whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allah, seeking the Countenance of Allah thereby, and that is the last of his deeds, will enter Paradise. Whoever gives charity and that is the last of his deeds will enter Paradise.” 

Narrated by Imam Ahmad, 22813; classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Kitaab al-Janaa’iz, p. 43. See Kitaab al-Janaa’iz by al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him), p. 34. 

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Whoever Obeys Allah, Everything Obeys Him

By Sheikh Abdullah Azzam

“Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Using one’s bodily organs in the obedience of Allah strengthens them, while using them to disobey Allah weakens them.”

He dedicated an entire chapter to this, in his amazing book, ‘al-Fawa’id,‘and I had touched upon this in previous recorded lectures of mine. Even the jinn and humans assist the believer if he obeys Allah. To make a long story short, whoever obeys Allah, everything will obey him. And we informed you that, on the day that ‘Uqbah bin Nafi’ wanted to establish the city of Qayrawan in the middle of a thick jungle, he prayed two rak’ahs, and said: “O you viscous beasts! O you wild animals! O you poisonous snakes! We are the army of Muhammad! We want to establish ourselves here, so, leave!” Minutes later, all of the animals in the area carried their offspring, and left them the jungle.

Whoever obeys Allah, everything obeys him! Everything!

On the day that they were in Persia (Iraq), one of the Companions – and the Companions had never learned the Persian, Roman, or Assyrian languages – said something in Persian, so, the Persian troops evacuated. He does not know Persian, nor does he know Pashtu! So, when they ran away, the Companions caught up with them, imprisoned them, and asked them: “Why did you run away?”

They replied: “We heard, from the tongue of your companion, that you had come to eat us up, so, we ran away!”

The Companions asked the Companion who’d said this: “What did you say?”

He replied: “I have no idea.”

The Angels had spoken on his tongue! We had mentioned before that the Angels would speak through the tongue of ‘Umar. An Angel, speaking in his name. Because of this, sometimes, a devil will speak on the tongue of the human! If he is angry, for example, Satan will speak on his tongue. Therefore, it is advised that he perform ablution, in order to expell the Devil, because “nothing puts out the Devil other than the water of ablution.”

So, the obedience of Allah…ya Salam! I am amazed at how humanity lives, my brothers!”

Source: 'Fi Dhilal Surat at-Tawbah'; p. 502

Four kinds of companionship

Ibn al-Qayyim Rahimu Allah cites four different kinds of companionship.

They are: 

a) People whose company is like food. It is indispensable, night or day. Once we have taken our need from this company we can leave it until we need it again. These are people with knowledge of Allah, who are pious, who wish well for Allah, His prophet and His servants. Associating with them is an achievement in itself.

b) People whose company is like a medicine. Their company is only needed when a disease sets in. When you are healthy you have no need for them, but mixing with them is sometimes necessary such as livelihood, business and consultation. Once what you need has been fulfilled, mixing with them should be avoided.

c) People whose company is harmful. Mixing with these people is like a disease, in all its variety and degrees. You will never benefit from them in this life or in the next life if you have them for company. You will lose either one or both of your deen and your livelihood because of them. If their companionship has taken hold of you and is established then it becomes fatal.

Among such people are those who neither speak any good that might benefit you, nor  listen closely to you so that they might benefit from you. They do not know their souls. Their words are like lashes, while all the while they are full of admiration for and delight in their own words. They cause distress to their company, while believe they are the center of attraction. Mixing with such a person will inevitably come to an end and is destined to be doomed. In such cases a person should just hold on to good behavior, only presenting such company with his outward appearance, until Allah subhana wa ta'ala offers him a way out of this company and out of its afflictions.

d) People whose company is evil in itself. This is like taking poison, its victim either finds an antidote for it or dies. Many belong to this category. They are people of shirk and misguidance who abandon the Sunnah and bring their personal beliefs as the truth. A Muslim should not sit in their company nor mix with them. The result of which will be a death of the heart.

With these kinds of companionships, we need to be more aware of what we choose to surround ourselvers with. In addition, Hasan al Basri said "The heart becomes corrupt in six ways: commiting sins in the hope of repenting, seeking knowledge and not applying it, practice without ikhlas (sincerity), eating the sustenance of Allah without appreciating Him, not being please with Allah's decree and burying the dead without learning from them."

Thus, in our effort to have increased taqwa we must surround ourselves with company who only seek to please Allah subhana wa ta'ala in speech and in actions. We must also take time to acquire knowledge from the pious of the past and of the present. And  finally, we likewise must make an effort to keep company of those who are hungry for knowledge about Allah subhana wa ta'ala and Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

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Five ways prayer helps with staying patient

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

{O you who believe! Seek help in patience and prayer…"}Holy Quran 2: 53

Sitting here in a prison cell, I can easily relate to this verse, and I can understand the union of patience and prayer in it, and I can relate a few manifestations of this union.

So, here are five ways prayer helps with staying patient:

When you stand with your head pointed to the ground, or you are bowing or prostrating, you are physically reminding yourself that you are the controlled praying to the Controller. This makes is so much easier to live comfortably with whatever befalls you of your status, putting you in your place as a subject to a Master. The same Master for Whom you touch your noble face to the ground is the Master that put you where you are, or gave you that disease, or deprived you of wealth, or struck you with that crisis. When your face is glued to the ground and you are obediently repeating 'Subhan Rabi al-A'la', you are making that connection. You are reminding yourself that just as you surrender your face to the ground before Him, you are to surrender yourself to the reality that He has chosen for you. Controller and Controlled.

The prayer instills a sense of discipline, which keeps you in check at a time when you might have the tendency to freak out. So, you must keep track of the time, and only pray each prayer within its  stated time. You must abide by the proper number of rak'at in each respective prayer. You must pray at a calm, relaxed pace. You must not miss any prayer… and so on. By praying, you abide by a system that cannot be violated just because you're in prison, or you don't have a job, etc. This restrains you, shapes you, gives your life form and purpose regardless of what you wish you could be doing. It disciplines you at a time that others would normally descend into chaos.

Prayer also helps you make use of your time. I personally divide my day up in here using the prayer. So, between Fajr and Dhuhr, I have certain tasks scheduled for myself, with a different set of tasks to be taken care of from Dhuhr to 'Asr, and so on. This way, I get a lot accomplished during the days while the rest of the unit lives in a stretched out, monotonous, blurry day where one hour is indistinguishable from the one before it or after it. Being productive is essential to maintaining patience.

Prayer is also a workout for the soul. Just like one release pent up aggression during a physical workout, the prayer – du'a' in particular – is a chance to let out your inner feelings to the Hearer and Responder. Every complaint, every desire, every worry, every hope, every anguish, every emotion – this is the time to let it all out. Let those tears flow. Let it come from the heart. Stand up in qunut in Witr in the depths of night and converse with your Lord – your own personal Lord, Who will listen and respond to you personally and specifically – and simply express to Him what you feel. He is the One you should direct your complaints to, as Prophet Jacob said in Surat Yusuf, v.86: {"I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah."} So, just like the energy in the body is  released during a physical workout, the prayer is a spiritual workout where you can release what is built up inside.

Finally, by reciting the Qur'an in prayer, you are reminded of the bigger picture. The mention of the eternal prison of Hell minimizes the gravity of your challenges. The mention of the indescribable pleasures of Paradise are small vacations from your surroundings and circumstances. The mention of the struggles of the Prophets of the past provides a feeling of solidarity, reminding you that even the best of Creation didn't have it easy in life. Reciting the Qur'an in prayer puts everything you are facing into perspective and makes the bumpy road smoother and more familiar.

By: Tariq Mehanna / Plymouth Correctional Facility / Isolation Unit - Cell #108