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

Warning to those who loose hope in the Mercy of Allah

Narrated Abu Huraira r.a: I heard Allah's Messenger s.a.w saying: There were two fraternal persons among the Children of Israel. One of them was engrossed in committing sins while the other was devoted to worship. The devotee used to see his fellow committing sin and advise him: Desist from doing so. One day when he found his fellow committing sin. He said to him: Avoid it. His fellow said: Leave me alone. Have you been sent out as a vigilant on me. The devotee said: By Allah, He will neither forgive you nor admit you to Paradise. When they died, they were gathered before the Lord of worlds. Allah asked the devotee: Were you assured of knowing Me or were you having power over what was in My Hands? Then He said to the sinner: Go and enter Paradise by My Mercy; and ordered the angels about the devotee: Lead him to hell.

(This Hadith is sound and reported by Abu Da'ud in his Sunan)

After narrating the Hadith, Abu Huraira commented: By Him in Whose Hand my soul is: One word spoken by the devotee ruined his good deeds in the world as well as in the Hereafter.

A beautiful Hadith regarding a man who abused his slaves

'Aisha (RadiyAllah Anhuma) said: "A man sat in front of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) verily I have slaves, they lie to me, are disloyal to me and disobey me. When I came to know about this I scold them and beat them. So tell me how have I been with them?" The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) replied: "What they were disloyal to you about, what they disobeyed you in, and what they lied to you about is measured, and the punishment which you inflicted upon them is also measured. If your punishment was equal to their sins, then the scale of balance is equal, it is not for you and nor is it against you. If your punishment to them was not to the extent of their sins (i.e. less than they deserved) then that is against you".

The man then fell back and began to weep and scream. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: "Haven’t you read the verse in the Book of Allah:

"And we shall set up balances on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything..."(21:47)

The man replied; "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) I do not see anything better for me and them than they leave me, I call you to witness that all of them are free". (Sunan at-Tirmidhi)

Source: Weeping from the fear of Allah

To the Hell and Paradise because of a fly

Ahmad reports that Tariq bin Shihab narrated that Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said:

"A man entered Paradise because of a fly, and a man entered Hell-fire because of a fly."

They (the Companions) asked, "How was that possible O Messenger of Allah?" (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him).

He said,

"Two men passed by the people who had an idol by which they would not allow anyone to pass without making sacrifice to it. They ordered one man to make a sacrifice. He said, 'I have nothing to present as an offering.' The people told him, 'Sacrifice something, even if it be a fly.' So he presented a fly (to their idol). They opened the way for him, and thus he entered the Hell-fire. They said to the other man, 'Sacrifice something.' He said, 'I will never sacrifice anything to any other than Allah, Most Majestic and Glorious.' So they struck his throat and killed him; and he, therefore, entered Paradise." (Ahmad)

A camel prostrating to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him)

It is reported on the authority of Anas RadhiyAllah anhu that he said:

There was a family from among the Ansar who had a camel upon which they used to water their crops and the camel became difficult for them to handle and would not allow anything on its back. The Ansar went to the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) and said:

"We have a camel which we used for watering our crops and now it has become difficult for us to handle and refuses to let us put anything on its back,and now the crops and the date-palms have become dry."

The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) said to his companions: "Get up"

So they stood up and he (May peace be upon him) entered the orchard and found the camel in a corner. The Prophet (Peace be upon him)walked toward it and the Ansar said: "Oh ,Prophet of Allah!(Peace be upon him) It has become like a wild dog and we fear that it will harm you."

He(Peace be upon him) said: "It will not harm me."

When the camel looked towards the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him),it approached him and fell down in prostration before him. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) took hold of its forelock and led it along ,more subdued than it had ever been and put it to work.

His Companions said: "Oh! Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him)! This animal which is without reason or understanding has prostrated to you, while we are rational beings, so we have more right to prostate to you."

He (Peace be upon him) said: "It does not befit any human being that he should prostrate to another human being. If it were right for human being to prostrate to another human being , I would have commanded the wife to prostrate to her husband, due to his great right upon her. By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, if from his feet to the parting of his hair was a boil flowing with pus and she were to face him and lick it up,she would not have fulfilled his right upon her."

Source: "Miracles of the Messenger" (Peace be upon him)prepared by Darussalam Research devision

A beautiful saying of Amr bin al-As on his death bed

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Shamasa Mahri that he said: We went to Amr b. al-As and he was about to die. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. His son said: Did the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him not give you tidings of this? He (the narrator) said: He turned his face (towards the audience) and said:

"The best thing which we can count upon is the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him). Verily I have passed through three phases.

(The first one) in which I found myself averse to none else more than I was averse to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and there was no other desire stronger in me than the one that I should overpower him and kill him. Had I died in this state, I would have been definitely one of the denizens of Fire.

When Allah instilled the love of Islam in my heart, I came to the Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Stretch out your right hand so that I may pledge my allegiance to you. He stretched out his right hand, I withdrew my hand, He (the Holy Prophet)(may peace be upon him) said: What has happened to you, O 'Amr? replied: I intend to lay down some condition. He asked: What condition do you intend to put forward? I said: I should be granted pardon. He (the Holy Prophet)(may peace be upon him) observed: Are you not aware of the fact that Islam wipes out all the previous (misdeeds)? Verily migration wipes out all the previous (misdeeds), and verily the pilgrimage wipes out all the (previous) misdeeds.

And then no one as or dear to me than the Messenger of Allah and none was more sublime in my eyes than he, Never could I, pluck courage to catch a full glimpse of his face due to its splendor. So if I am asked to describe his features, I cannot do that for I have not eyed him fully. Had I died in this state had every reason to hope that I would have be among the dwellers of Paradise.

Then we were responsible for certain things (in the light of which) I am unable to know what is in store for me.

When I die, let neither female mourner nor fire accompany me. When you bury me, fill my grave well with earth, then stand around it for the time within which a camel is slaughtered and its meat is distributed so that I may enjoy your intimacy and (in your company) ascertain what answer I can give to the messengers (angels) of Allah".

Muslim: Book 1 : Hadith 220

Preparing Ourselves for the Hereafter

By Sheikh Khâlid Husayn

Praise be to Allah who said: “And for those who fears the time when they will be standing before their Lord, there shall be two gardens (in Paradise).” [Sûrah al-Rahmân: 46]

May Allah bestow His peace and blessings on His prophet who said: “If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much. [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (4621, 6486, 7295) and Sahîh Muslim (2359)] And may Allah be pleased with the Companions who wept upon hearing this hadîth.

It is right for us to have fear of that day that we all have to face. That Day of Resurrection is a day of distress and deep regret. It is that long and ominous Day in which all humanity will stand before their Lord. On that day, fear will make the pregnant woman miscarry. People will be as if they are drunk but they shall not be drunk save that the severity of Allah’s punishment will make them that way. On that day, fear will make the hair on the heads of small children turn gray.

We should seriously start to prepare ourselves for that day, since it is the crossroads on the long journey of our existence. From there, we will head either to Paradise or to the Hellfire. Those who enter paradise will dwell there for all eternity in perpetual happiness and enjoyment, while those who go to Hell will face torture, and the denizens of Hell will find to their distress that they have eternal lives as well.

We must, however, have an optimistic outlook regarding our Lord. His mercy is truly vast for those who believe in Him and worship Him sincerely and it always takes precedence to His wrath. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has told us that Allah is more merciful to us than a devoted mother is to her newborn child. [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (5999) and Sahîh Muslim (2754)]

The fear that we have of the Day of Resurrection should motivate us to be more devoted in worship and more ready to engage in good deeds. We should pray and fast more often and renew our efforts to make pilgrimage. We should be good to our families and show kindness to our parents. There are many different ways to do good.

This same fear should help us to abstain from sinful acts and disobedience to Allah. This fear, then, will actually have a positive effect on us. It is not a negative fear that will make us inactive and despair of Allah’s mercy.

The following activities are very helpful in helping a Muslim prepare for that dreadful day, “a day wherein they will be brought forth and nothing about them will be hidden from Allah.” [Sûrah Ghâfir: 16]

1. We should read the Qur’ân and contemplate its meanings. We should consider its rulings and appreciate the good that it promises us as well as the warnings that it gives us.

2. We should read about the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him). We should study how he conducted himself in obedience to Allah and how he abstained from overindulgence in worldly pleasures.

3. We should likewise read the biographies of the Companions and those who followed after them and look at how they strove to attain success in the Hereafter.

4. We should often contemplate the inevitability of death. We should be aware of the trials that follow in the grave and during the resurrection. We should visualize ourselves standing before Allah, the most scrupulous and just of judges. We should think about the bridge that we will have to cross in order to attain salvation, a bridge from which many will slip and fall to their destruction. We should think about the joy that will be experienced by the people of Paradise and the suffering and sorrow of the denizens of Hell.

We need to always keep in mind that death can come to us at any moment. How do we wish to meet our Lord? Do we wish to do so in a state of grace and obedience or would we like to do so while engaged in sin? Ibn `Umar relates to us that the prophet (peace be upon him) once put his hand on his shoulder and said to him: “Be in the world as if you are a wayfarer or a stranger passing through.” Because of this, Ibn `Umar would often say: “When night falls, do not look forward to the dawn and when day breaks do not anticipate the night. Take full advantage of your health before you succumb to illness and of your life before death overtakes you.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (6416)]

5. We need to seriously study to acquire Islamic knowledge. When we acquire more knowledge of our religion, we become more aware of Allah and more God-fearing. Allah says: “The only people who fear Allah from among His servants are those who possess knowledge.”

6. We should keep company with pious people, especially those who have Islamic knowledge and those who are engaged in calling others to Islam. Likewise, we should avoid the company of sinful and unscrupulous people. Good company helps us to purify our hearts. We also find support in such people for our efforts to do what is right. Conversely, bad company hardens our heart. Immoral people encourage us to do immoral things. Also, when our hearts become hardened, we become far away from Allah and more attached to worldly things.

7. We should always keep in mind that this world is a transient place. Those who enjoy the pleasures of this world will not be able to take those pleasures with them. They have only their deeds to send before them. Allah says: “On the Day when every soul will find itself confronted with all that it has done of good and all that it has done of evil, and every soul will long that there might be a mighty space of distance between it and that evil. Allah bids you beware of Him. And Allah is full of pity for His servants.” [Sûrah Al `Imrân: 30]

No matter how great this world may seem to us, it is in truth quite insignificant. No matter how enduring it may appear right now, it is as fleeting as a night that must end at another sunrise. Our worldly lives will come to an end at the grave.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The life of this world compared to the Hereafter is as if one of you were to put his finger in the ocean and take it out again then compare the water that remains on his finger to the water that remains in the ocean.” [Sahîh Muslim (2858)]

8. Lastly, we must spend more time in sincere supplication to our Lord. We should ask Him to make the Hereafter dearer to us and to make us less fond of the world. We should beseech Him to grant us Paradise with all of its delights and to spare us His wrath. Truly, Allah hears and answers our prayers.

Source: Islamtoday.com

Prophet( Peace be upon him) the leader of Zahids

Zuhd is an often misunderstood term, most probably because among certain people- namely certain followers of Sufi orders-it is taken to an extreme; or it is understood only on a superficial level. In the Arabic language a Zahid -one who practices Zuhd- is someone who is abstemious, austere, and self denying in his life style. As an Islamic term a Zahid is someone who abjures worldly pleasures and comforts for the sake of Allah and because through leading a self denying existence in this life he hopes to enjoy a comfortable and pleasure-filled life in the hereafter.

Suffice it to say, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was the imam (the leader)of all Zahids. His Zuhd was based on his certain knowledge that this world is a fleeting abode: Its pleasures are few, limited and temporary; and life passes by so quickly that all people who live to be old agree that their lives went by quickly, that it seemed only yesterday that they were children. Such a life, therefore, cannot be compared to the everlasting life of the hereafter.

The Prophet(Peace be upon him) kept his sight focused on the hereafter being very cognizant of what Allah has prepared for his believing slaves in terms of rewards, comforts, pleasures and eternal bliss. As such, he refused to take from this world anything that was above and beyond his basic needs. He (Peace be upon him) understood that the more he possesses in this life the more attached one becomes to this world.

The prophet (Peace be upon him) was a Zahid not by force of circumstances, but by choice. As the leader of a Nation, but moreover as a favored and beloved Prophet of Allah, he (Peace be upon him) could have had mountains of gold and silver; he (Peace be upon him) could have led a luxurious and a comfortable lifestyle. He (Peace be upon him) only had to ask Allah and he would have been given great wealth. But he (Peace be upon him) preferred to follow the way of Zuhd, to save his share of good things for the hereafter. As a result of that choice, he(Peace be upon him) spent many nights of his life hungry; at times, at least a month would pass by without a cooking fire being ignited in his house. During such periods of hardships, he (Peace be upon him) would either go hungry for days or he (Peace be upon him) and his family would survive on water and dates. As one of his wives, stated it never occurred that he (Peace be upon him) ate a satisfying amount of barley bread for three consecutive nights. He (Peace be upon him) would sleep not on a real mattress, but on a makeshift bed that was made of straw, one that would leave mark on his side of his body. On various occasions of his life he (Peace be upon him) would stave off the pangs of hunger by tying a rock around his stomach. His companions who themselves suffered frequently from want were often saddened to see the sign of hunger on the prophets (Peace be upon him) face.

As for the prophets house, it was neither of bricks, nor cement, nor any other strong resistant and long lasting material; it was, on the contrary, made of simple clay. It was small and its roof was low. And rather than depend on the help of his companions the prophet (Peace be upon him) once left his armor as a collateral with a Jew so that he would borrow from him thirty Sa's of dates. (A single Sa’ is equal to four handful of something). His clothing was simple and plain, and never once did he sat at a dining table to eat. He underwent such hardships in order to discipline his soul, to preserve his faith ant to be deserving of the promise that Allah made to him:
[And verily, your Lord will give (all,i.e,.good)so that you shall be well-pleased](Quran 93:5)

Upon receiving wealth (such as certain kinds of war booty), the prophet (peace be upon him) would distribute it among the people, without keeping a simple dirham for himself. If he (Peace be upon him) hoped that certain people would embrace Islam, he (Peace be upon him) would, in order to encourage them, give them all of the camels, cows and sheep in his possession. And he (Peace be upon him) would walk away without keeping a single camel, cow or sheep for himself. He(Peace be upon him) once said” If I had wealth that was equal in quantities to the tress of tihamah(i.e., a very large sum of wealth), I would have distributed it, and you would not find me to be miser, a liar ,or a coward (regarding the manner I would liberally give away all of that wealth)
In the way he (Peace be upon him) turned from this world, without rejoicing in its treasures or enjoying its pleasures; and in the way he focused on the hereafter, performing deeds purely for the sake of Allah. The prophet (Peace be upon him) became the ideal model for all zahids, and more generally for all Muslims. Even though he (Peace be upon him) had the wealth of a nation at his disposal, and even though his companions would have given him all of their wealth if he (Peace be upon him) had only asked, he (Peace be upon him) built no castle and saved no money. When he (Peace be upon him) died he (Peace be upon him) left hardly any material possessions behind. And whatever he (Peace be upon him) leave behind was embarked for charity, for he said “We (we group of Prophets) are not inherited from; whatever we leave behind is charity”.

Source: Muhammad(Peace be upon him) as if you can see him by 'A'id ibn 'Abdullah al-Qarni/ Translated by Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq

Abu Talha and the datepalms

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Abu Talha(RadiyAllahu anhu) had the largest number of datepalms from amongst the Ansars of Medina. The dearest of his property to him was Bairuha garden which was facing the (Prophet's (Peace be upon him)) Mosque. Allah's Apostle used to enter it and drink of its good fresh water. When the Holy Verse:-- 'By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you spend (in charity) of that which you love.' (3.92) was revealed, Abu Talha got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle(Peace be upon him)! Allah says: By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you spend of that which you love,' and the dearest of my property to me is the Bairuha garden and I want to give it in charity in Allah's Cause, seeking to be rewarded by Allah for that. So you can spend it, O Allah's Apostle(Peace be upon him), where-ever Allah instructs you. ' Allah s Apostle(Peace be upon him) said, "Good! That is a perishable (or profitable) wealth" ('Abdullah is in doubt as to which word was used.) He said, "I have heard what you have said but in my opinion you'd better give it to your kith and kin." On that Abu Talha said, "I will do so, O Allah's Apostle(Peace be upon him)!" Abu Talha distributed that garden among his kith and kin and cousins.

Bukhari : Book 7 : Volume 69 : Hadith 515

Some narrations regarding the terrors of the grave

It is narrated from Anas (radhiallahu `anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, 'Were it not for the fear that you would stop burying your dead, I would have asked Allah to make you hear the punishment of the grave.'

In the hadith of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah (radhiallahu `anhu), it is narrated from the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) that he said, 'Do not wish for death, for the terrors from the onset are more severe.'

It is narrated from Hani' the servant of 'Uthman (radhiallahu `anhu) that he said,

"Whenever 'Uthman stood at a grave, he would weep until his beard became wet so it was said to him, 'You remember Paradise and Hell but you do not cry. Yet you cry over this?!' He said, 'Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said,

'The grave is the first step of the Hereafter so if one is saved from it, then what comes after is easier to bear. And if one is not saved from it, then what comes after is more difficult.' Then he said, 'The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, 'I have not seen a sight except that the grave is more horrific.'

Rabi' ibn Khuthaym used to prepare himself for this night. It is narrated that he dug a hole in his house and whenever he felt hardness in his heart, he would enter this hole. He would imagine himself to have died and regretted, asking to be returned to the world! He would say,

"… 'My Lord! Send me back So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!'… "

[al-Mu'minun: 99-100]

Then he would answer himself saying: 'You have now been returned, O' Rabi'!' The effects of this would be seen from him for days, i.e. it would be seen in his 'ibadah (worship), struggle in doing good and in his fear (of Allah).

Yazid al-Raqqashi used to say to himself, 'Woe to you O' Yazid! Who will pray on your behalf after death? Who will fast on your behalf after death? Who will seek the Pleasure of Allah on your behalf after death?'

Then he would say, 'O people! Won't you weep and lament over yourselves for what remains of your lives? How will it be for a person for whom death is promised, for whom the grave is his home, the dust his bed, the worms his companion, and yet with all this he still awaits the greatest of terrors. How will such a person be?'

Wahb ibn al-Wird: It reached us that a knowledgeable man went to 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz and said, 'Subhan Allah! – as if he was surprised by 'Umar's state. He said, 'You've changed after us!' 'Umar said, 'Can you really see that?' He said, 'More than you think!' So 'Umar said to him, 'Then what if you were to see me after three days, when I've been buried in my grave… when the two eyes come out and pour onto the two cheeks, when the lips draw together over the teeth, when the mouth gapes open, when the stomach protrudes over the chest and matter exits from behind?!'

Then he would cry, rahimahullah.

'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz gave an admonishing reminder to his companions one day and some of what he said was,

'If you pass by them (i.e. the dwellers of the grave), then call out to them if you can! And pass by their troops and leaders and see how close their ranks are now! Ask their rich what has remained of his riches, and ask their poor, what became of his poverty. Ask them about their tongues with which they spoke and their eyes with which they used to view the delights and pleasures. Ask them about their soft skins, beautiful faces and fine bodies, what have the worms done to them underneath the shrouds?! It has indeed eaten away their tongues and dirtied their faces, it has wiped away their beauty and broke their spines, it has exposed their limbs and tore up their corpses. So where are their protective coverings and domed shrines? Where are their maids and slaves? Where are their wealth and treasures? Are they now not at the stations of loneliness? Is not day and night the same to them? Are they not in a gloomy place of darkness? It has come in between them and their doing good deeds, they have indeed left behind their beloved ones, wealth and families.

O' you who will reside in the grave tomorrow! What has caused you to become heedless in this world? Where is your vast home and river continuously flowing? Where are your ripe fruits and where has the softness of your clothes gone? Where is your perfume and fragrance, and where are your garments set aside for summer and winter? O if only I knew, which of your two cheeks has the punishment began with… O you who resides next to destruction, you've come to the station of death.

If only I knew, how will the Angel of Death meet me upon my departure from this world? And what message will he give me from my Lord?

Then he ('Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz) left but he did not live after that except for one week.

Al-Hasan once accompanied a Janaza (funeral prayer) and sat at the edge of the grave. He said, 'If this is the end stage of a matter (i.e. the life of this world), then it is only befitting that one should be ascetic at its beginning stages. And if this is the beginning stage of a matter (the hereafter), then it is only befitting that one should fear its end stage.'

It is narrated from 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (radhiallahu `anhu) that he said in his Khutbah (sermon),

'O slaves of Allah! Be cautious of death; be cautious of death, for there is no escaping it. If you stand up to it, it will take you and if you flee from it then it will only catch up with you. Death is tied to your forelocks so seek salvation, seek salvation. Indeed there is behind you an ardent seeker and that is the grave. Surely, the grave is either a garden from the gardens of Paradise or a ditch from the ditches of Hell. It speaks everyday saying 'I am the home of darkness, I am the home of loneliness, I am the home of the worms.' Indeed after that will be a Day more severe than that day, a Day in which a child will become grey-haired and an adult will be in a drunken state,

"… and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state, yet they will not be drunk, but severe will be the Torment of Allah." [al-Hajj: 2]

Source: The Grave is our Appointed Place (Dar al-Watan, Riyadh) Translated by Farhia Yahya

Some beautiful hadith regarding the excellence of remembering Allah

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, "Allah, the Exalted, has teams of angels who go about on the roads seeking those who remember Allah. When they find some people remembering Allah they call to one another and say, `Come to what you are looking for;' and they surround them with their wings till the space between them and the lowest sky is fully covered. Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, asks them (although He is best informed about every thing): `What are my slave saying?' They say: `They are glorifying Your Tasbih, Tahmid, Takbir, Tamjid, (i.e., they were declaring Your Perfectness, praising, remembering the Greatness and Majesty of Allah).' He asks: `Have they seen Me?' They reply, `No, indeed, they have not seen You.' He asks: `How would they act if they were to see Me?' Thereupon they reply: `If they were to see You, they would engage more earnestly in worshipping and glorifying You and would extol You more.' He would say: `What do they beg of Me?' They say, `They beg You for Your Jannah.' Allah says, `Have they seen My Jannah?' They say, `No, our Rubb.' He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Jannah?' They reply, `Were they to see it, they would more intensely eager for it.' They (the angels) say, `They seek Your Protection.' He asks, `Against what do they seek My Protection?' They (the angels) say, `Our Rubb, from the fire of Hell.' (He, the Rubb) says, `Have they seen the fire of Hell?' They say, `No. By Your Honour, they have not seen it.' He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Fire?' They say: `If they were to see it, they would more earnest in being away from it and fearing it. They beg of Your forgiveness.' He says: `I call you to witness that I hereby grant pardon to them and confer upon them what they ask for; and grant them protection against what they seek protection from.' One of the angels says: `Our Rubb, there is amongst them such and such slave who does not belong to the assembly of those who are participating in Your remembrance. He passed by them and sat down with them.' He says: `I also grant him pardon because they are the people by virtue of whom their associates will not be unfortunate'."
(Riyad us Saaliheen : Book 15/ Chapter 247/1447)

Abu Hurairah and Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, "When a group of people assemble for the remembrance of Allah, the angels surround them (with their wings), (Allah's) mercy envelops them, Sakinah, or tranquillity descends upon them and Allah makes a mention of them before those who are near Him."
(Riyad us Saaliheen : Book 15/ Chapter 247/1448)

Abud-Darda (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, "Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions which are the purest to your Rubb, which exalt you to the high ranks, which are more efficacious than spending gold and silver (in charity), and better for you than you should encounter your enemies whom you will smite their necks and they will smite your necks?" They said, "Certainly." He (Peace be upon him) said, "Remembrance of Allah the Exalted."
(Riyad us Saaliheen : Book 15/ Chapter 244/1441)

Some of the dreams Prophet (Peace be upon him) had

Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet(Peace be upon him) said:
'I was shown (in a dream) what my Ummah will be given after me (of treasures). This elated me; but then Allah (Subuhanahu wata'ala) revealed:
The hereafter is surely better for you then the first life. and your Lord will surely give you until you are satisfied (Quran 93:45).
So (I saw that) He granted me in Jannah one thousand palaces made of pearl, their grounds spread with musk, and each palace having all what is needed of wives and sevents'.(1)

'Abdullah bin 'Amr reported that the Prophet(Peace be upon him) said:
This night, I had a dream that I was performing tawaf around the Ka'bah. I saw a man who had the best tan complexion that you could ever see, and the best of long hair that you could ever see. His hair was combed straight, and was dripping with water. He was leaning on two other men while performing tawaf. I asked, "Who is this?" I was told, "This is al-Masih (the Messiah), son of Maryam (Mary)."
I then saw a heavy man of red complexion and coarse, curled-up hair, performing tawaf. His right eye was missing, and his (other) eye looked like a protruding grape. I asked , "Who is this?" I was told," this is al-masih ad- Dajjal(the false Messiah).(2)

Abu Hurairah and Jabir reported that the Prophet(Peace be upon him) said:
I had a dream that I was in Jannah and I saw a white palace and a woman performing wudu in its courtyard. I asked, "Whose palace is this?" I was told, "It is for Umar Bin al-Khattab." I wished to enter the palace and look at it, but then remembered Umar's ghayrah(sense of honor and protectiveness) and quickly moved away.
Hearing this Umar wept and said, "How could I have ghayrah from you, may my father and mother be your ransom, O Allah,s Messenger.(3)

Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Umar, and other companions reported that the (Peace be upon him) said:
I saw(in a dream) Jafar Bin Abi Talib flying with two wings alongside the angels of jannah.(4)

I saw (in a dream) that I entered Jannah and heard in it a recitation(of Quran). I asked "Who is this?" and was told, "It is Harithah Bin an-Numan," I said, " Thus is (the reward) of kindness (toward the parents);thus is kindness." Aishah added "And he (Harithah) was the most kind person toward his mother."(5)

Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Allah's Apostle (Peace be upon him)used to visit Um Haram bint Milhan she was the wife of 'Ubada bin As-Samit.(She was related to Prophet(Peace be upon him) by a foster relationship). One day the Prophet(Peace be upon him) visited her and she provided him with food and started looking for lice in his head. Then Allah's Apostle(Peace be upon him) slept and afterwards woke up smiling. Um Haram asked, "What makes you smile, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "Some of my followers were presented before me in my dream as fighters in Allah's Cause, sailing in the middle of the seas like kings on the thrones or like kings sitting on their thrones." (The narrator Ishaq is not sure as to which expression was correct). Um Haram added, 'I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah, to make me one of them;" So Allah's Apostle invoked Allah for her and then laid his head down (and slept). Then he woke up smiling (again). (Um Haram added): I said, "What makes you smile, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, "Some people of my followers were presented before me (in a dream) as fighters in Allah's Cause." He said the same as he had said before. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah to make me from them." He said, "You are among the first ones." Then Um Haram sailed over the sea during the Caliphate of Muawiya bin Abu Sufyan, and she fell down from her riding animal after coming ashore, and died.(6)

Allah's Apostle very often used to ask his companions, "Did anyone of you see a dream?" So dreams would be narrated to him by those whom Allah wished to tell. One morning the Prophet said, "Last night two persons came to me (in a dream) and woke me up and said to me, 'Proceed!' I set out with them and we came across a man Lying down, and behold, another man was standing over his head, holding a big rock. Behold, he was throwing the rock at the man's head, injuring it. The rock rolled away and the thrower followed it and took it back. By the time he reached the man, his head returned to the normal state. The thrower then did the same as he had done before. I said to my two companions, 'Subhan Allah! Who are these two persons?' They said, 'Proceed!' So we proceeded and came to a man Lying flat on his back and another man standing over his head with an iron hook, and behold, he would put the hook in one side of the man's mouth and tear off that side of his face to the back (of the neck) and similarly tear his nose from front to back and his eye from front to back. Then he turned to the other side of the man's face and did just as he had done with the other side. He hardly completed this side when the other side returned to its normal state. Then he returned to it to repeat what he had done before. I said to my two companions, 'Subhan Allah! Who are these two persons?' They said to me, 'Proceed!' So we proceeded and came across something like a Tannur (a kind of baking oven, a pit usually clay-lined for baking bread)." I think the Prophet said, "In that oven t here was much noise and voices." The Prophet added, "We looked into it and found naked men and women, and behold, a flame of fire was reaching to them from underneath, and when it reached them, they cried loudly. I asked them, 'Who are these?' They said to me, 'Proceed!' And so we proceeded and came across a river." I think he said, ".... red like blood." The Prophet added, "And behold, in the river there was a man swimming, and on the bank there was a man who had collected many stones. Behold. while the other man was swimming, he went near him. The former opened his mouth and the latter (on the bank) threw a stone into his mouth whereupon he went swimming again. He returned and every time the performance was repeated, I asked my two companions, 'Who are these (two) persons?' They replied, 'Proceed! Proceed!' And we proceeded till we came to a man with a repulsive appearance, the most repulsive appearance, you ever saw a man having! Beside him there was a fire and he was kindling it and running around it. I asked my companions, 'Who is this (man)?' They said to me, 'Proceed! Proceed!' So we proceeded till we reached a garden of deep green dense vegetation, having all sorts of spring colors. In the midst of the garden there was a very tall man and I could hardly see his head because of his great height, and around him there were children in such a large number as I have never seen. I said to my companions, 'Who is this?' They replied, 'Proceed! Proceed!' So we proceeded till we came to a majestic huge garden, greater and better than I have ever seen! My two companions said to me, 'Go up and I went up' The Prophet added, "So we ascended till we reached a city built of gold and silver bricks and we went to its gate and asked (the gatekeeper) to open the gate, and it was opened and we entered the city and found in it, men with one side of their bodies as handsome as the handsomest person you have ever seen, and the other side as ugly as the ugliest person you have ever seen. My two companions ordered those men to throw themselves into the river. Behold, there was a river flowing across (the city), and its water was like milk in whiteness. Those men went and threw themselves in it and then returned to us after the ugliness (of their bodies) had disappeared and they became in the best shape." The Prophet further added, "My two companions (angels) said to me, 'This place is the Eden Paradise, and that is your place.' I raised up my sight, and behold, there I saw a palace like a white cloud! My two companions said to me, 'That (palace) is your place.' I said to them, 'May Allah bless you both! Let me enter it.' They replied, 'As for now, you will not enter it, but you shall enter it (one day) I said to them, 'I have seen many wonders tonight. What does all that mean which I have seen?' They replied, 'We will inform you: As for the first man you came upon whose head was being injured with the rock, he is the symbol of the one who studies the Quran and then neither recites it nor acts on its orders, and sleeps, neglecting the enjoined prayers. As for the man you came upon whose sides of mouth, nostrils and eyes were torn off from front to back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of his house in the morning and tells so many lies that it spreads all over the world. And those naked men and women whom you saw in a construction resembling an oven, they are the adulterers and the adulteresses;, and the man whom you saw swimming in the river and given a stone to swallow, is the eater of usury (Riba) and the bad looking man whom you saw near the fire kindling it and going round it, is Malik, the gatekeeper of Hell and the tall man whom you saw in the garden, is Abraham and the children around him are those children who die with Al-Fitra (the Islamic Faith)." The narrator added: Some Muslims asked the Prophet, "O Allah's Apostle! What about the children of pagans?" The Prophet replied, "And also the children of pagans." The Prophet added, "My two companions added, 'The men you saw half handsome and half ugly were those persons who had mixed an act that was good with another that was bad, but Allah forgave them.'"(7)




Source:
(1)Recorded by at-Tabrani (in al-Awsat), al- Bayhaqi, and others. Verified to be authentic by al-albani (as-Sahihah no.2790).
(2)Recorded by al-Bukhari(3440-3441,5902,6999,7026,7128), Muslim(169,171), and others.
(3) Recorded by al-Bukhari (3242,3679-3680,5226-5227,7023-7025), Muslim (2394-2395) and others.
(4)Recorded by at-Tirmithi, al-Hakim, and others. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani(as-sahihah no. 1226)
(5)Recorded by Ahmed, al-Hakim, and others. verified to be authentic by al-Albani (as- Sahihah no.913)
(6)Recorded by al-bukhari (2788-2789,2799-2800,2877-2878,2894-2895,6282-6283,7001-7002), Muslim(1912), and others
(7) This is combined from reports by al-Bukhari(1386 & 7047), and is also recorded by Muslim(2275)and others

Some narrations regarding excessive eating

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A human being does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. Enough for the son of Adam are a few morsels to keep his back straight. If it cannot be avoided, then a third is for food, a third for drink, and a third for breath."

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "A Muslim eats in one intestine and an unbeliever in seven intestines." An-Nawawi explained this hadith by saying, "The seven attributes of the unbeliever are avarice, gluttony, excessive expectation, bad nature, envy and love of obesity."

It is related that' A'isha said, "The first disaster which occurred to this community after its Prophet died was satiety. When people fill their stomachs, their bodies become fat, their hearts weak and their appetites ingrained."

It is related that'Atiyya ibn'Amir al-Juhani said that he heard Salman say when he was forced to eat some food, "It is enough for me that I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "The people who fill themselves the most in this world will be the hungriest on the Day of Rising."

Ibn Bujayr, one of the Companions, said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, felt hungry one day. He took a stone and tied it against his stomach and then said, 'Those who eat well and are comfortable in this world will be hungry and naked on the Day of Rising. Anyone who is generous to his lower self will be humbled before it. Anyone who humbles his lower self is being generous to it."

It is related from Abu Umama that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "There will be men of my community who consume diverse kinds of food and diverse kinds of drink, wear diverse kinds of clothing and speak in an affected way. They are the worst of my community."

One righteous man said, "Do not be led astray by the words of the Almighty, 'Eat and drink.' The outward meaning of the ayat is honouring and giving enjoyment. But inwardly it is a test and trial so that He can see who is with Him and who is simply self-indulgent."

Ibn at-Tin said, "People are in three categories in respect of food. One group eats every kind of food, necessary and superfluous. This is the behaviour of the people of the Jahiliyya. Another group eats what will allay hunger when they are hungry. Another group make ,themselves hungry, intending by that to curb the appetite of the self. When they eat, they eat enough to keep themselves alive."

Al-Qurtubi said, "There are seven appetites for food: the appetite of nature, the appetite of the lower self, the appetite of the eye, the appetite of the mouth, the appetite of the ear, the appetite of the nose and the appetite of hunger. The last is the necessary one by which the believer eats."

Source: "Dealing with lust and greed according to Islam" by Sheikh 'Abd aI-Hamid Kishk

Some inspirational narrations regarding Jihad

Anas narrates:
My uncle Anas bin An-Nadr was absent from the Battle of Badr. He said, "O Allah's Apostle! I was absent from the first battle you fought against the pagans.(By Allah) if Allah gives me a chance to fight the pagans, no doubt. Allah will see how (bravely) I will fight." On the day of Uhud when the Muslims turned their backs and fled, he said, "O Allah! I apologize to You for what these (i.e. his companions) have done, and I denounce what these (i.e. the pagans) have done." Then he advanced and Sad bin Muadh met him. He said "O Sad bin Muadh ! By the Lord of An-Nadr, Paradise! I am smelling its aroma coming from before (the mountain of) Uhud," Later on Sad said, "O Allah's Apostle! I cannot achieve or do what he (i.e. Anas bin An-Nadr) did. We found more than eighty wounds by swords and arrows on his body. We found him dead and his body was mutilated so badly that none except his sister could recognize him by his fingers."
(Bukhari/Book 4/ Volume 52 / Hadith 61)

'Aisha narrates:
When Allah's Apostle returned on the day (of the battle) of Al-Khandaq (i.e. Trench), he put down his arms and took a bath. Then Gabriel whose head was covered with dust, came to him saying, "You have put down your arms! By Allah, I have not put down my arms yet." Allah's Apostle said, "Where (to go now)?" Gabriel said, "This way," pointing towards the tribe of Bani Quraiza. So Allah's Apostle went out towards them.
(Bukhari / Book 4 / Volume 52 / Hadith 68)

This tradition has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah b. Qais. He heard it from his father who, while facing the enemy, reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Surely, the gates of Paradise are under the shadows of the swords. A man in a shabby condition got up and said; Abu Musa, did you hear the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say this? He said: Yes. (The narrator said): He returned to his friends and said: I greet you (a farewell greeting). Then he broke the sheath of his sword, threw it away, advanced with his (naked) sword towards the enemy and fought (them) with it until he was slain.
(Muslim / Book 20 / Hadith 4681)

It has been reported on the authority of Jabir that a man said: Messenger of Allah, where shall I be if I am killed? He replied: In Paradise. The man threw away the dates he had in his hand and fought until he was killed (i. e. he did not wait until he could finish the dates).
(Muslim / Book 20 / Hadith 4678)

The polytheists (now) advanced (towards us), and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said. Get up to enter Paradise which is equal in width to the heavens and the earth. 'Umair b. al- Humam al-Ansari said: Messenger of Allah, is Paradise equal in extent to the heavens and the earth? He said: Yes. 'Umair said: My goodness! The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) asked him: What prompted you to utter these words (i. e. my goodness! ')? He said: Messenger of Allah, nothing but the desire that I be among its residents. He said: Thou art (surely) amona its residents. He took out dates from his bag and began to eat them. Then he said: If I were to live until I have eaten all these dates of mine, it would be a long life. (The narrator said): He threw away all the dates he had with him. Then he fought the enemies until he was killed.
(Muslim / Book 20 / Hadith 4680)

Khalid bin al Waleed (ra) said: “That I were to marry a beautiful woman whom I love, or that I were given the good news of having a newborn son, it is less beloved and dear to my heart then to be, in a cold icy night, in an army waiting to meet the enemy the next morning. I advise you to go on Jihad”
(Ibn al Mubarak)

Zaid bin Thabit said: “On the day of Uhud the Messenger of Allah sent me to look for Saad bin al Rabee and if I find him to deliver the salaams of the Messenger of Allah to him. I found him among the bodies of the dead pronouncing his last moments with around seventy injuries in his body. I told him: “The Messenger of Allah delivers his salaams to you.” He said: “salaams to the Messenger of Allah and salaams to you. Tell the Messenger of Allah that I am now smelling the scent of Paradise, and tell my people the Ansar that you have no excuse if the Messenger of Allah is harmed while there is still an eye blinking among you.” After that he died.”
(Al Bayhaqi in al Dala’el and al Hakim)

Malik bin Dinar said: “During the battle of the Zawiyah Abdullah bin Ghalib said: “I am seeing something I cannot holdback from! Let’s go to Paradise!” He then broke the sheath of his sword and fought until he was killed. When he was buried, his grave would give off the smell of Musk. I went myself to his grave and picked up some of its dirt and smelled musk emanating from it!”
(al Bayhaqi)

Shaddad bin al Haad said that a Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah . He believed in him and followed him. When it was the Battle of the Trench the Messenger of Allah was dividing the booties of war between the companions. So he gave him his portion. The Bedouin said: “What is this?” They said: “The Messenger of Allah sent this to you” So he went to the Messenger of Allah and said: “What is this?” The Messenger of Allah said: “This is your share of the booties,” He said: “That’s not why I followed you. But I followed you in order that I be shot at right here - and he pointed to his throat – with an arrow so I can die and enter into Paradise! The Messenger of Allah said: “If you are truthful with Allah, Allah will be truthful with you.” A little later they went to fight. The Bedouin was carried back to the Messenger of Allah with an arrow injury in his throat. The Messenger of Allah asked if it was him, they said: “Yes.” He said: “He was truthful with Allah and Allah was truthful to him.” Then the Messenger of Allah said: “O Allah this servant of yours made Hijrah for your sake and then died as a Martyr. I am a witness over that.”
(Abdul Razaq and Nasa’i)

Beautiful quotes regarding night prayer (Tahajjud)

Al-Tirmidhi (1984) narrated that ‘Ali said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “In Paradise there are apartments the outside of which can be seen from the inside and the inside of which can be seen from the outside.” A Bedouin stood up and said: “Who are they for, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “They are for those who speak good words, feed others, fast regularly and pray to Allaah at night when people are sleeping.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

Al-Haakim narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Jibreel came to me and said: ‘O Muhammad, live as long as you want, for you will die. Love whomever you want, for you will leave him. Do whatever you want for you will be requited for it. Remember that the believer’s honour is his praying at night, and his pride is his being independent of people.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 73.

A man asked Tameem ibn Aws al-Daari (may Allaah be pleased with him), ‘How do you pray at night?’ He got very angry and said, ‘By Allaah, one rak’ah that I pray in secret in the small hours of the night is more beloved to me than praying the whole night long and then telling people about it.

Ayyoob al-Sakhtiyaani used to spend the entire night in prayer, then when dawn approached, he would go back to bed and lie down, and when dawn came, he would raise his voice as if he had just woken up.

Yahyaa ibn Mu’aadh said: “The medicine of the heart is five things: reading Qur’aan and pondering the meaning, having an empty stomach, praying at night (qiyaam al-layl), beseeching Allaah at the time of suhoor, and keeping company with righteous people.”

Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir said: “There is nothing left of the joys of this life except three: qiyaam al-layl, meeting one’s brothers in faith, and praying in congregation.”

Thaabit al-Banaani said: “There is nothing I enjoy more than qiyaam al-layl.”

Yazeed al-Riqaashi said: “A lot of tahajjud brings delight to the worshippers, and a lot of thirst (i.e., fasting), brings joy when they meet Allaah.”

Mukhallad ibn Husayn said: “I never woke up at night except I saw Ibraaheem ibn Adham remembering Allaah and praying, and this made me depressed, so I consoled myself with this aayah (interpretation of the meaning): ‘…That is the Grace of Allaahm which He bestows on whom He pleases. And Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty’ [al-Hadeed 54:21].”

Abu ‘Aasim al-Nabeel said: “Abu Haneefah used to be called al-Watad (pole or pillar) because he prayed so much.”

Al-Qaasim ibn Ma’een said: “Abu Haneefah spent an entire night in qiyaam reciting this aayah (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Nay, but the Hour is their appointed time (for their full recompense), and the Hour will be more grievous and more bitter’ [al-Qamar 54:46], repeating it and weeping, beseeching Allaah until morning came.”

Ibraaheem ibn Shammaas said: “I used to see Ahmad ibn Hanbal staying up at night to pray when he was a young man.”

Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi said: “I was with Imaam Ahmad for nearly four months in the army, and he never stopped praying qiyaam at night or reading Qur’aan during the day, and I never knew when he completed the Qur’aan, because he kept that secret.”

Imaam al-Bukhaari used to pray qiyaam and tahajjud at night until the time of suhoor, and he would read between a half and a third of the Qur’aan, and complete it at suhoor every third night.

Al-‘Allaamah Ibn ‘Abd al-Haadi said, describing the qiyaam of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah: “At night he would keep away from people, and spend that time only with his Lord, beseeching Him continually and reciting Qur’aan, repeating different kinds of acts of worship by night and by day. When he began to pray, his body would start to tremble, leaning to the left and right.”

Ibn Rajab said concerning his shaykh Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim: “He was a man of worship, tahajjud and lengthy prayers. I have never seen his equal in worship and knowledge of the Qur’aan, hadeeth and principles of faith.”

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said, describing his shaykh al-Haafiz al-‘Iraaqi: “I stayed with him, and I never saw him forsake qiyaam al-layl: it was like a habit for him.”

The blessed invitation

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) said to (to his wife) Umm Sulaim(May Allah be pleased with her), "I noticed some weakness in the voice of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and I feel it was due to hunger. Have you got any food?'' She said, "Yes.'' So she brought out barley loaves, took off her head covering, in a part of which she wrapped these loaves and then put them beneath my mantle and covered me with a part of it. She then sent me to Messenger of Allah (PBUH). I set forth and found Messenger of Allah (PBUH) sitting in the mosque in the company of some people. I stood near them whereupon Messenger of Allah (PBUH) asked, "Has Abu Talhah sent you?'' I said, "Yes.'' Thereupon he said to those who were with him to get up (and follow him). He went forth and so did I, ahead of them until I came to Abu Talhah and informed him. Abu Talhah said, "O Umm Sulaim, here comes Messenger of Allah (PBUH) along with the people and we do not have enough (food) to feed them.'' She said, "Allah and His Messenger know better.'' Abu Talhah went out (to receive him) until he met Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and he came forward along with him until they both (Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) came in. Then Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "O Umm Sulaim, bring forth what you have with you.'' So she brought the bread. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) commanded that the bread be broken into small pieces and after Umm Sulaim (May Allah be pleased with her) had squeezed clarified butter out of a butter container and made it just like soup. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) recited over it what Allah wished him to recite. He then said, "Allow ten guests to come in.'' They ate until they had their fill. They then went out. He (Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) again said, "Allow ten (more to come in)'', and he (the host) ushered them in. They ate to their fill. Then they went out. He (PBUH) again said, "Allow ten (more),'' until all the people ate to their fill. They were seventy or eighty persons.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Another narration is: Anas said: When all had eaten, the remaining food was collected. It was as much as there was in the beginning.

Yet another narration is: Anas said: The groups of ten people ate by turn. After eighty persons had eaten, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and the family of that house ate, and there was still a quantity left over.

Another narration is: Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I visited Messenger of Allah (PBUH) one day, and found him sitting in the company of his Companions, with a belt tied over his waist. I asked, "Why has Messenger of Allah (PBUH) tied the belt on his waist?'' I was told, "Due to hunger.'' I went to Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) the husband of Umm Sulaim (May Allah be pleased with her) and said, "O father, I have seen Messenger of Allah (PBUH) with a belt tied over his waist. I asked one of his Companions about the reason of it and he said that it was on account of severe hunger.'' Abu Talhah (May Allah be pleased with him) went to my mother and asked, "Have you got anything?'' She said, "Yes. I have a piece of bread and some dry dates. Were Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to come alone, we could feed him his fill, but if he comes along with others, there would not be enough food.'' Anas then narrated the Hadith in full.

Source : Riyad-us-Saliheen/ The book of miscellany/ Chapter 56/no.521

Excellence of weeping out of fear from Allah

Allah, the Exalted, says:

"And they fall down on their faces weeping and it increases their humility.'' (17:109)

"Do you then wonder at this recitation (the Qur'an)? And you laugh at it and weep not". (53:59-60)

- Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said to me: "Recite the Qur'an to me". I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Shall I recite the Qur'an to you, when it has been revealed to you?'' He (PBUH) replied, "I love to hear it recited by others". So I recited to him a portion from Surat An-Nisa'. When I reached the Ayah:
"How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad (PBUH)) as a witness against these people?". (4:41)
He (PBUH) said, "Enough for now". When I looked at him I saw his eyes were shedding tears.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

- Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) delivered a Khutbah to us the like of which I had never heard from him before. In the course of the Khutbah, he said: "If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much". Thereupon those present covered their faces and began to sob.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

- Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "One who weeps out of fear of Allah, will not enter the Hell till milk returns back in the udder; and the dust raised on account of fighting in the path of Allah and the smoke of Hell will never exist together".
[At-Tirmidhi].

- Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Seven people Allah will give them His Shade on the Day when there would be no shade but the Shade of His Throne (i.e., on the Day of Resurrection): And they are: a just ruler; a youth who grew up with the worship of Allah; a person whose heart is attached to the mosques, two men who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah; a man whom an extremely beautiful woman seduces (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this offer and) says: `I fear Allah'; a man who gives in charity and conceals it (to such an extent) that the left hand does not know what the right has given; and a man who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes become tearful".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

- `Abdullah bin Ash-Shikhkhir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I came to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when he was performing prayers. He was sobbing and his chest sounded like a boiling kettle.
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

- Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to Ubayy bin Ka`b (May Allah be pleased with him), "Allah (SWT) has ordered me to recite to you Surat-Al-Baiyyinah (98): `Those who disbelieve ..."

- Ubayy (May Allah be pleased with him) asked, "Did He name me?'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) replied in the affirmative. Whereupon Ubayy (May Allah be pleased with him) began to weep.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

- Anas bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: After the death of Messenger of Allah (PBUH), Abu Bakr said to `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them): "Let us visit Umm Aiman (May Allah be pleased with him) as Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to visit her.'' As we came to her, she wept. They (Abu Bakr and `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said to her, "What makes you weep? Do you not know that what Allah has in store for His Messenger (PBUH) is better than (this worldly life)?'' She said, "I weep not because I am ignorant of the fact that what is in store for Messenger of Allah (PBUH) (in the Hereafter) is better than this world, but I weep because the Revelation has ceased to come.'' This reply moved both of them to tears and they began to weep along with her.
[Muslim].

- Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: When the illness of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) became serious, he was asked about the leading of Salat and he said, "Ask Abu Bakr to lead Salat.'' Whereupon, `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said; "Abu Bakr is very tender hearted. He is bound to be overcome by weeping when he recites the Qur'an.'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) repeated, "Ask him (Abu Bakr) to lead Salat".
In another narration: `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: "When Abu Bakr stands in your place, he will not be able to recite the Noble Qur'an to the people on account of weeping.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

- Ibrahim bin `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf reported: Food was brought to `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf (May Allah be pleased with him) when he was observing Saum (fast) and he said: "Mus`ab bin `Umair (May Allah be pleased with him) was martyred and he was better than me, but only one sheet was available to shroud him. It was so small that when his head was covered; his feet remained uncovered and if his feet were covered, his head remained uncovered. Then the bounties of this world have been bestowed upon us generously. I am afraid that the reward of our good deeds have been awarded to us in this world.'' On this he began to sob and left the food untouched.
[Al-Bukhari].

- Abu Umamah Sudaiy bin `Ajlan Al-Bahili (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Nothing is dearer to Allah than two drops and two marks: A drop of tears shed out of fear of Allah and a drop of blood shed in Allah's way. Regarding the two marks, they are: Marks left in the Cause of Allah and a mark left in observing one of the obligatory act of worship of Allah, the Exalted".
[At-Tirmidhi].

- Al-`Irbad bin Sariyah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: One day Messenger of Allah (PBUH) delivered us a very eloquent Khutbah on account of which eyes shed tears and hearts became softened.
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

Source: Riyad us Saliheen / The book of micellany/ chapter 54

The people of understanding

Ibn Marduwyah recorded that `Ata' said, "I, Ibn `Umar and `Ubayd bin `Umayr went to `A'ishah and entered her room, and there was a screen between us and her. She said, `O `Ubayd! What prevents you from visiting us' He said, `What the poet said, `Visit every once in a while, and you will be loved more.' Ibn `Umar said, `Tell us about the most unusual thing you witnessed from the Messenger of Allah .' She cried and said, `All his matters were amazing. On night, he came close to me until his skin touched my skin and said, `Let me worship my Lord.' I said, `By Allah I love your being close to me. I also love that you worship your Lord.' He used the water-skin and performed ablution, but did not use too much water. He then stood up in prayer and cried until his beard became wet. He prostrated and cried until he made the ground wet. He then laid down on his side and cried. When Bilal came to alert the Prophet for the Dawn prayer, he said, `O Messenger of Allah! What makes you cry, while Allah has forgiven you your previous and latter sins' He said,
"O Bilal! What prevents me from crying, when this night, this Ayah was revealed to me,"
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاخْتِلَـفِ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لاّيَـتٍ لاٌّوْلِى الاٌّلْبَـبِ

(Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.- Quran 3/190-)
"Woe to he who recites it but does not contemplate it".

Source:http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=3&tid=10145

Prophet (peace be upon him) invokes for rain

Narrated Sharik bin 'Abdullah bin Abi Namir:

I heard Anas bin Malik saying, "On a Friday a person entered the main Mosque through the gate facing the pulpit while Allah's Apostle was delivering the Khutba. The man stood in front of Allah's Apostle and said, 'O Allah's Apostle! The livestock are dying and the roads are cut off; so please pray to Allah for rain.' " Anas added, "Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain!' " Anas added, "By Allah, we could not see any trace of cloud in the sky and there was no building or a house between us and (the mountains of) Sila." Anas added, "A heavy cloud like a shield appeared from behind it (i.e. Sila' Mountain). When it came in the middle of the sky, it spread and then rained." Anas further said, "By Allah! We could not see the sun for a week. Next Friday a person entered through the same gate and at that time Allah's Apostle was delivering the Friday's Khutba. The man stood in front of him and said, 'O Allah's Apostle! The livestock are dying and the roads are cut off, please pray to Allah to with-hold rain.' " Anas added, "Allah's Apostle I raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Round about us and not on us. O Allah! On the plateaus, on the mountains, on the hills, in the valleys and on the places where trees grow.' So the rain stopped and we came out walking in the sun." Sharik asked Anas whether it was the same person who had asked for the rain (the last Friday). Anas replied that he did not know.

Bukhari :Book 2 : Volume 17 : Hadith 126