The French philosopher Alex Lawazon wrote, “Mohamed (Peace be upon him) left to the world a Book that is a miracle of eloquence; it is a holy Book that is repository of lofty manners and teachings. Nothing that has been discovered in modern day knowledge contradicts the fundamental teachings of Islam; in fact, there is complete harmony between the teachings of the Qur’an and the laws of nature.”
(Bil-Qur’an Aslama Haaulaa by ‘Abdul –‘Azeez Sayyid Al-Ghazzaawee Page 47, 48)
“…the rhetoric and rhythm of the Arabic of the Qur’an are so characteristic, so powerful, and so highly emotive, that any version whatsoever is bound by the nature of things to be but a copy of the glittering splendor of the original”
(The Qur’an Interpreted by Arthur Arberry Page 24)
Louis Saydayyo said, “It is important to point out that, despite the many languages that are spoken by the Asia…and of Africa, there is a Book that they all understands and that united them in spite of the diffrenet natures; and the book is Qur’an.
(Taareekh Al-‘Arab Al-‘Aam Page 458)
Dr. Shoombas, a German Orientalist, said, “Perhaps you will be amazed to hear this confession from a European such as myself. But I cannot help myself: I have studied the Qur’an myself and have found in it great eloquence and profoundly wise teachings, such as I have never come across throughout my entire life. One line from the Qur’an is worth volumes. Without a doubt, therefore this Qur’an is the greatest miracle that Mohamed (Peace be upon him) came with from his Lord."
(Bil-Qur’an Aslama Haaulaa by ‘Abdul –‘Azeez Sayyid Al-Ghazzaawee Page 49)
"...the Meccans still demanded of him a miracle, and with remarkable boldness and self confidence Mohammad (Peace be upon him)appealed as a supreme confirmation of his mission to the Koran itself. Like all Arabs they were the connoisseurs of language and rhetoric. Well, then if the Koran were his own composition other men could rival it. Let them produce ten verses like it. If they could not (and it is obvious that they could not), then let them accept the Koran as an outstanding evident miracle
(Islam - A Historical Survey, by H A R Gibb Page 28)
The French scholar Count Henri D. Castarey wrote, "It boggles the mind to contemplate how those Verses (of the Qur’an) could have come from an illiterate man. The entire population of the East agrees that the human mind is incapable of producing Verses that cam match either its wordings or meanings."
(Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem Min Mandhoor Gharbee by Dr. ‘Imadud-Deen Khaleel Page 18)
"The above observation makes the hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the author of the Qur'an untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author, in terms of literary merits, in the whole of Arabic literature? How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have developed at that time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the subject?"
("The Bible, the Qur'an and Science" by Dr. Maurice Bucaille Page 125)
James Matchins said, “Perhaps no book is read more widely throughout the world than the Qur’an; at any rate, it is surely the easiest to memorize, and has more of an impact than any other book on the day-to-day lives of those who believe in it. Among its qualities is that no sooner do it’s Versus come into contact with man’s heart than he feels a sense of spirituality, a sense that is accompanied by an increase of Faith.”
(Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem Min Mandhoor Gharbee by Dr. ‘Imadud-Deen Khaleel Page 18)
The Orientalist Sail said, “The style of the Qur’an is truly beautiful…especially when it discuses the Greatness and Majesty of Allah. One of the most amazing qualities of the Qur’an is that it enraptures the heart of any person who listens to it being recited, regardless of whether that person believes on it or rejects it.”
(Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem Min Mandhoor Gharbee by Dr. ‘Imadud-Deen Khaleel Page 61)
27 February 2011
23 February 2011
Inspiring incidents in the event of Umar's(RA) visit to Jerusalem
The Patriarch of Jerusalem, a man by the name of Sophronius, offered to surrender Jerusalem and pay the Jizya, but only on condition that the Caliph himself would come and sign the pact with him and receive the surrender. When the Patriarch's terms became known to the Muslims, Sharhabeel suggested that instead of waiting for Umar to come all the way from Madinah, Khalid should be sent forward as the Caliph. Umar and Khalid were very similar in appearance; and since the people of Jerusalem would only know Umar by reports, they could perhaps be taken in by a substitute. The Muslims would say that actually the Caliph was already there-and lo, he comes!
On the following morning the Patriarch was informed of the Caliph's presence, and Khalid, dressed in simple clothes of the poorest material, as was Umar's custom, rode up to the fort for talks with the Patriarch. But it did not work. Khalid was too well known, and there may have been Christian Arabs in Jerusalem who had visited Madinah and seen both Umar and Khalid, noting the differences. Moreover, the Patriarch must have wondered how the great Caliph happened to be there just when he was needed! Anyhow, the trick was soon discovered, and the Patriarch refused to talk. When Khalid reported the failure of this mission, Abu Ubaidah wrote to Umar about the situation, and invited him to come to Jerusalem and accept the surrender of the city. In response the Caliph rode out with a handful of Companions on what was to be the first of his four journeys to Syria.
Umar first came to Jabiya, where he was met by Abu Ubaidah, Khalid and Yazeed, who had travelled thither with an escort to receive him. Amr bin Al Aas was left as commander of the Muslim army besieging Jerusalem. Khalid and Yazeed were magnificently attired in silk and brocade and rode gaily caparisoned horses-and the sight of them infuriated Umar. Dismounting from his horse, he picked up a handful of pebbles from the ground and threw them at the two offending generals, "Shame on you", shouted the Caliph, "that you greet me in this fashion ! It is only in the last two years that you have eaten your fill. Shame on what abundance of food has brought you to! By Allah, if you were to do this after 200 years of prosperity, I should still dismiss you and appoint others in your place."
Umar was dressed in simple, patched garments as he was wont to wear in the time of the Holy Prophet(Peace be upon him). Becoming Caliph had made no difference to his austere and unspoiled way of life, and he continued to abhor luxury and ostentation.
Recovering from their discomfiture, Khalid and Yazeed hastily opened their robes and showed the armour and weapons which they wore underneath. "O Commander of the Faithful!" they cried. "These are only garments. We still carry our weapons". Umar was sufficiently mollified by this reply. Now Abu Ubaidah walked up, dressed as simply and unaffectedly as always, and the Caliph and the Commander-in-Chief shook hands and embraced each other.
From Jabiya, Umar proceeded to Jerusalem, accompanied by his generals and the escort. His arrival at Jerusalem was a great moment for the Muslim soldiers, and they rejoiced at the sight of their ruler.
Next day, at about noon, Umar sat with a large group of Companions, talking of this and that. Soon it would be time for the early afternoon prayer. Bilal the Negro was also present. Bilal, who has been mentioned in the second chapter of this book, had suffered many tortures in the early days of Islam at the hands of the unbelieving Qureish, but had remained steadfast in his faith. When the institution of the Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer) was adopted in 2 Hijri, the Prophet(Peace be upon him) appointed Bilal as the Muazzin; and thereafter, five times a day, the powerful and melodious voice of Bilal could be heard at Madinah, calling the Faithful to prayer. Over the years Bilal had risen in stature as a saintly Muslim, and had become one of the closest and most venerated Companions of the Prophet(Peace be upon him). But on the death of the Holy Prophet(Peace be upon him), Bilal had fallen silent; he would not call the Adhan any more.
It now occurred to some of the Companions that perhaps the conquest of the holy city of Jerusalem was an important enough occasion for Bilal to break his silence. They asked Umar to urge him to call the Adhan, just this one time! Umar turned to Bilal: "O Bilal! The Companions of the Messenger(Peace be upon him) implore you to call the Adhan and remind them of the time of their Prophet, on whom be the blessings of Allah and peace." For a few moments Bilal remained lost in thought. Then he looked at the eager faces of the Companions and at the thousands of Muslim soldiers who were gathering for the congregational prayer. Then he stood up. Bilal would call the Adhan again!
The glorious voice of the illustrious Muazzin beat upon the vast multitude. As he called the opening words, Allah is Great, the minds of the Faithful turned to memories of the dearly loved Muhammad(Peace be upon him) and tears welled up in their eyes. When Bilal came to the words, Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, his audience broke down and sobbed.
On the following day the pact was drawn up. It was signed on behalf of the Muslims by Caliph Umar and witnessed by Khalid, Amr bin Al Aas, Abdur-Rahman bin Auf and Muawiyah. Jerusalem surrendered to the Caliph, and peace returned to the holy city. This happened in April 637 (Rabi-ul-Awwal, 16 Hijri). After staying 10 days at Jerusalem, the Caliph returned to Madinah.
Source: "The Sword of Allah: Khalid bin Al-Waleed, His Life and Campaigns" by Lieutenant-General A.I. Akram
On the following morning the Patriarch was informed of the Caliph's presence, and Khalid, dressed in simple clothes of the poorest material, as was Umar's custom, rode up to the fort for talks with the Patriarch. But it did not work. Khalid was too well known, and there may have been Christian Arabs in Jerusalem who had visited Madinah and seen both Umar and Khalid, noting the differences. Moreover, the Patriarch must have wondered how the great Caliph happened to be there just when he was needed! Anyhow, the trick was soon discovered, and the Patriarch refused to talk. When Khalid reported the failure of this mission, Abu Ubaidah wrote to Umar about the situation, and invited him to come to Jerusalem and accept the surrender of the city. In response the Caliph rode out with a handful of Companions on what was to be the first of his four journeys to Syria.
Umar first came to Jabiya, where he was met by Abu Ubaidah, Khalid and Yazeed, who had travelled thither with an escort to receive him. Amr bin Al Aas was left as commander of the Muslim army besieging Jerusalem. Khalid and Yazeed were magnificently attired in silk and brocade and rode gaily caparisoned horses-and the sight of them infuriated Umar. Dismounting from his horse, he picked up a handful of pebbles from the ground and threw them at the two offending generals, "Shame on you", shouted the Caliph, "that you greet me in this fashion ! It is only in the last two years that you have eaten your fill. Shame on what abundance of food has brought you to! By Allah, if you were to do this after 200 years of prosperity, I should still dismiss you and appoint others in your place."
Umar was dressed in simple, patched garments as he was wont to wear in the time of the Holy Prophet(Peace be upon him). Becoming Caliph had made no difference to his austere and unspoiled way of life, and he continued to abhor luxury and ostentation.
Recovering from their discomfiture, Khalid and Yazeed hastily opened their robes and showed the armour and weapons which they wore underneath. "O Commander of the Faithful!" they cried. "These are only garments. We still carry our weapons". Umar was sufficiently mollified by this reply. Now Abu Ubaidah walked up, dressed as simply and unaffectedly as always, and the Caliph and the Commander-in-Chief shook hands and embraced each other.
From Jabiya, Umar proceeded to Jerusalem, accompanied by his generals and the escort. His arrival at Jerusalem was a great moment for the Muslim soldiers, and they rejoiced at the sight of their ruler.
Next day, at about noon, Umar sat with a large group of Companions, talking of this and that. Soon it would be time for the early afternoon prayer. Bilal the Negro was also present. Bilal, who has been mentioned in the second chapter of this book, had suffered many tortures in the early days of Islam at the hands of the unbelieving Qureish, but had remained steadfast in his faith. When the institution of the Adhan (the Muslim call to prayer) was adopted in 2 Hijri, the Prophet(Peace be upon him) appointed Bilal as the Muazzin; and thereafter, five times a day, the powerful and melodious voice of Bilal could be heard at Madinah, calling the Faithful to prayer. Over the years Bilal had risen in stature as a saintly Muslim, and had become one of the closest and most venerated Companions of the Prophet(Peace be upon him). But on the death of the Holy Prophet(Peace be upon him), Bilal had fallen silent; he would not call the Adhan any more.
It now occurred to some of the Companions that perhaps the conquest of the holy city of Jerusalem was an important enough occasion for Bilal to break his silence. They asked Umar to urge him to call the Adhan, just this one time! Umar turned to Bilal: "O Bilal! The Companions of the Messenger(Peace be upon him) implore you to call the Adhan and remind them of the time of their Prophet, on whom be the blessings of Allah and peace." For a few moments Bilal remained lost in thought. Then he looked at the eager faces of the Companions and at the thousands of Muslim soldiers who were gathering for the congregational prayer. Then he stood up. Bilal would call the Adhan again!
The glorious voice of the illustrious Muazzin beat upon the vast multitude. As he called the opening words, Allah is Great, the minds of the Faithful turned to memories of the dearly loved Muhammad(Peace be upon him) and tears welled up in their eyes. When Bilal came to the words, Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, his audience broke down and sobbed.
On the following day the pact was drawn up. It was signed on behalf of the Muslims by Caliph Umar and witnessed by Khalid, Amr bin Al Aas, Abdur-Rahman bin Auf and Muawiyah. Jerusalem surrendered to the Caliph, and peace returned to the holy city. This happened in April 637 (Rabi-ul-Awwal, 16 Hijri). After staying 10 days at Jerusalem, the Caliph returned to Madinah.
Source: "The Sword of Allah: Khalid bin Al-Waleed, His Life and Campaigns" by Lieutenant-General A.I. Akram
21 February 2011
A list of minor Signs before the Hour comes
1. The disappearance of knowledge and the appearance of ignorance (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Ahmad).
2. Books/writing will be widespread and (religious) knowledge will be low (Ahmad).
3. Adultery and fornication will be prevalent (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this has never happened without new diseases befalling the people, which their ancestors had not known.) (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Al-Haythami).
4. When fornication becomes widespread among your leaders (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this will happen when the people stop forbidding evil) (Ibn Majah).
5. Adultery and fornication will be performed in the open.
6. The consumption of intoxicants will be widespread (Bukhari & Muslim).
7. Women will outnumber men......eventually 50:1 (Bukhari, Muslim, & Ahmad).
8. Killing, killing, killing (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Ahmad).
9. The nations of the earth will gather against the Muslims like hungry people going to sit down to a table full of food. This will occur when the Muslims are large in number, but "like the foam of the sea.”
10. People will beat others with whips like the tails of oxen (Muslim) ?The Slave Trade.
11. The children will be filled with rage (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
12. Children will be foul (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
13. Women will conspire (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
14. Rain will be acidic or burning (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
15. Children of fornication will become widespread or prevalent (at-Tabarani, al- Hakim).
16. When a trust becomes a means of making a profit (at-Tirmidhi, Al-Haythami).
17. Gains will be shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor (at- Tirmidhi).
18. Paying zakat becomes a burden and miserliness becomes widespread; charity is given reluctantly (at-Tirmidhi & Al-Haythami).
19. Miserliness will be thrown into the hearts of people (Bukhari).
20. Episodes of sudden death will become widespread (Ahmad).
21. There will be people who will be brethren in public but enemies in secret (He was asked how that would come about and replied, "Because they will have ulterior motives in their mutual dealings and at the same time will fear one another.") (at- Tirmidhi).
22. When a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly while shunning his father (at-Tirmidhi).
23. When voices are raised in the mosques (at-Tirmidhi).
24. People will walk in the marketplace with their thighs exposed.
25. Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time.
26. The people of Iraq will recieve no food and no money due to oppression by the Romans (Europeans) (Muslim).
27. People will hop between the clouds and the earth.
28. A tribulation will enter everyone’s home (Ahmad).
29. The leader of a people will be the worst of them (at-Tirmidhi).
30. Leaders of people will be oppressors (Al-Haythami).
31. People will treat a man with respect out of fear for some evil he might do (at Tirmidhi).
32. Men will begin to wear silk (at-Tirmidhi).
33. Female singers and musical instruments will become popular (at-Tirmidhi).
34. When singers become common (Al-Haythami).
35. People will dance late into the night.
36. When the last ones of the Ummah begin to curse the first ones (at-Tirmidhi).
37. People will claim to follow the Qur'an but will reject hadith & sunnah (Abu Dawood).
2. Books/writing will be widespread and (religious) knowledge will be low (Ahmad).
3. Adultery and fornication will be prevalent (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this has never happened without new diseases befalling the people, which their ancestors had not known.) (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Al-Haythami).
4. When fornication becomes widespread among your leaders (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this will happen when the people stop forbidding evil) (Ibn Majah).
5. Adultery and fornication will be performed in the open.
6. The consumption of intoxicants will be widespread (Bukhari & Muslim).
7. Women will outnumber men......eventually 50:1 (Bukhari, Muslim, & Ahmad).
8. Killing, killing, killing (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Ahmad).
9. The nations of the earth will gather against the Muslims like hungry people going to sit down to a table full of food. This will occur when the Muslims are large in number, but "like the foam of the sea.”
10. People will beat others with whips like the tails of oxen (Muslim) ?The Slave Trade.
11. The children will be filled with rage (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
12. Children will be foul (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
13. Women will conspire (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
14. Rain will be acidic or burning (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim).
15. Children of fornication will become widespread or prevalent (at-Tabarani, al- Hakim).
16. When a trust becomes a means of making a profit (at-Tirmidhi, Al-Haythami).
17. Gains will be shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor (at- Tirmidhi).
18. Paying zakat becomes a burden and miserliness becomes widespread; charity is given reluctantly (at-Tirmidhi & Al-Haythami).
19. Miserliness will be thrown into the hearts of people (Bukhari).
20. Episodes of sudden death will become widespread (Ahmad).
21. There will be people who will be brethren in public but enemies in secret (He was asked how that would come about and replied, "Because they will have ulterior motives in their mutual dealings and at the same time will fear one another.") (at- Tirmidhi).
22. When a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly while shunning his father (at-Tirmidhi).
23. When voices are raised in the mosques (at-Tirmidhi).
24. People will walk in the marketplace with their thighs exposed.
25. Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time.
26. The people of Iraq will recieve no food and no money due to oppression by the Romans (Europeans) (Muslim).
27. People will hop between the clouds and the earth.
28. A tribulation will enter everyone’s home (Ahmad).
29. The leader of a people will be the worst of them (at-Tirmidhi).
30. Leaders of people will be oppressors (Al-Haythami).
31. People will treat a man with respect out of fear for some evil he might do (at Tirmidhi).
32. Men will begin to wear silk (at-Tirmidhi).
33. Female singers and musical instruments will become popular (at-Tirmidhi).
34. When singers become common (Al-Haythami).
35. People will dance late into the night.
36. When the last ones of the Ummah begin to curse the first ones (at-Tirmidhi).
37. People will claim to follow the Qur'an but will reject hadith & sunnah (Abu Dawood).
20 February 2011
Who was Dhul-Bijadain
Dhul-Bijadain was an orphan boy, whose uncle took care of him. But he was obsessed by the idea of following the Messenger (peace be upon him). Upon his decision to follow the Messenger, his was afflicted with a disease, so he waited for his uncle.
When he was cured, he lost patience so he told his uncle, "0 Uncle! I waited a long time hoping that you might embrace Islam but in vain." His uncle replied, "By Allah! If you embrace Islam, I shall deprive you of all that which I granted you." He (Dhul- Bijadain) said, "Just one look at Muhammad(peace be upon him) is preferable to me than all this worldly life, and everything therein."
When Dhul-Bijadain decided to follow the Messenger (peace be upon him), his uncle deprived him of everything even his clothes, so his mother gave him a piece of cloth. He cut it in two pieces, one of which he wrapped himself with, and the other he used as a garment.
When Jihad (fighting for the cause of Allah) was prescribed, he decided to join the believers, regardless of the long journey he would have to undertake.When he passed away, the Messenger (peace be upon him) descended to prepare his grave by himself, and he used to say, "0 Allah! I am satisfied with him, so I beg You to be satisfied with him." Upon that, Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I wish I were him (he meant Dhul-Bijadain)."
Source: Al-Fawaid (P:70) by Imam ibn Al Qayyim
When he was cured, he lost patience so he told his uncle, "0 Uncle! I waited a long time hoping that you might embrace Islam but in vain." His uncle replied, "By Allah! If you embrace Islam, I shall deprive you of all that which I granted you." He (Dhul- Bijadain) said, "Just one look at Muhammad(peace be upon him) is preferable to me than all this worldly life, and everything therein."
When Dhul-Bijadain decided to follow the Messenger (peace be upon him), his uncle deprived him of everything even his clothes, so his mother gave him a piece of cloth. He cut it in two pieces, one of which he wrapped himself with, and the other he used as a garment.
When Jihad (fighting for the cause of Allah) was prescribed, he decided to join the believers, regardless of the long journey he would have to undertake.When he passed away, the Messenger (peace be upon him) descended to prepare his grave by himself, and he used to say, "0 Allah! I am satisfied with him, so I beg You to be satisfied with him." Upon that, Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I wish I were him (he meant Dhul-Bijadain)."
Source: Al-Fawaid (P:70) by Imam ibn Al Qayyim
15 February 2011
What some great people said about Mohamed (Peace be upon him)
"Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?"
(Alphonse Lamartine,'Historie De la Turquie')
"Mohammad never assigned himself a status more than a common man and a messenger of God. People had faith in him when he was surrounded by poverty and adversity and trusted him while he was the ruler of a great Empire. A man of spotless character who always had confidence in himself and in God's help. No aspect of his life remained hidden nor was his death a mysterious event."
(M.H. Hyndman, The Awakening of Asia)
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission.
These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."
(Mahatma Gandhi, Young India)
"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Mohammad, the Prophet. There is Mohammad, the Warrior; Mohammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Mohammad, the Orator; Mohammad, the Reformer; Mohammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Mohammad, the Protector of Slaves; Mohammad, the Emancipator of Women; Mohammad, the Judge; Mohammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."
(Prof. K. S. Ramarishna Rao, Mohammed The Prophet)
"He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness."
(George Bernard Shaw, The genuine Islam)
“It is a great shame for any one to listen to the accusation that Islaam is a lie and that Muhammad was a fabricator and a deceiver. We saw that he remained steadfast upon his principles, with firm determination; kind and generous, compassionate, pious, virtuous, with real manhood, hardworking and sincere. Besides all these qualities, he was lenient with others, tolerant, kind, cheerful and praiseworthy and perhaps he would joke and tease his companions. He was just, truthful, smart, pure, magnanimous and present-minded; his face was radiant as if he had lights within him to illuminate the darkest of nights; he was a great man by nature who was not educated in a school nor nurtured by a teacher as he was not in need of any of this.”
(Thomas Carlyle, The heroes)
(Alphonse Lamartine,'Historie De la Turquie')
"Mohammad never assigned himself a status more than a common man and a messenger of God. People had faith in him when he was surrounded by poverty and adversity and trusted him while he was the ruler of a great Empire. A man of spotless character who always had confidence in himself and in God's help. No aspect of his life remained hidden nor was his death a mysterious event."
(M.H. Hyndman, The Awakening of Asia)
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission.
These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."
(Mahatma Gandhi, Young India)
"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Mohammad, the Prophet. There is Mohammad, the Warrior; Mohammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Mohammad, the Orator; Mohammad, the Reformer; Mohammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Mohammad, the Protector of Slaves; Mohammad, the Emancipator of Women; Mohammad, the Judge; Mohammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."
(Prof. K. S. Ramarishna Rao, Mohammed The Prophet)
"He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness."
(George Bernard Shaw, The genuine Islam)
“It is a great shame for any one to listen to the accusation that Islaam is a lie and that Muhammad was a fabricator and a deceiver. We saw that he remained steadfast upon his principles, with firm determination; kind and generous, compassionate, pious, virtuous, with real manhood, hardworking and sincere. Besides all these qualities, he was lenient with others, tolerant, kind, cheerful and praiseworthy and perhaps he would joke and tease his companions. He was just, truthful, smart, pure, magnanimous and present-minded; his face was radiant as if he had lights within him to illuminate the darkest of nights; he was a great man by nature who was not educated in a school nor nurtured by a teacher as he was not in need of any of this.”
(Thomas Carlyle, The heroes)
12 February 2011
Hasan al basri and Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyyah
It is related that when the husband of Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyyah died, al-Hasan al-Basrî ( رحمه لله)and his companions asked for permission to visit her. She gave them permission to come in and let down a curtain and sat behind it. Al-Hasan and his companions said,
“Your husband has died. You should have someone to replace him.”
“All right,” she said, “but which of you has the most knowledge, so that I may marry him?”
“Al-Hasan al-Basrî,” they replied.
“If you can answer me four questions, I am yours,” she said to al-Hasan.
“What do you say to this,” she asked, “when I die and leave this world, will leave with belief or not?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh.”
“What about this, then? When I am put into the grave and Munkar and Nakîr question me, will I be able to answer them or not?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” replied al-Hasan a second time.
“When people are gathered together on the Day of Rising and the books are distributed, will I be given my book in my right hand or my left hand?”
“That too is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” came the reply again.
“When people are called: ‘One group in the Garden and one group in Blaze!’ which of the two groups will I be in?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” responded al-Hasan for the fourth and last time.
“How is it possible,” she retorted, “for someone who is suffering the grief of ignorance about these four things to think of marriage?”
“O Hasan,” she continued, “in how many parts did Allâh create the intellect?”
“In ten parts,” he replied, “nine for men and one for women.”
“O Hasan, in how many parts did Allâh create appetite?”
“In ten parts: nine for women and one for men.”
“O Hasan,” she concluded, “I am able to contain nine part of appetite with one part of intellect whereas you cannot even guard one part of appetite with nine parts of intellect!” Thereupon al-Hasan wept and left her.
Source: “Dealing With Lust and Greed according to Islam”(P:42) By Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hamid Kishk
“Your husband has died. You should have someone to replace him.”
“All right,” she said, “but which of you has the most knowledge, so that I may marry him?”
“Al-Hasan al-Basrî,” they replied.
“If you can answer me four questions, I am yours,” she said to al-Hasan.
“What do you say to this,” she asked, “when I die and leave this world, will leave with belief or not?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh.”
“What about this, then? When I am put into the grave and Munkar and Nakîr question me, will I be able to answer them or not?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” replied al-Hasan a second time.
“When people are gathered together on the Day of Rising and the books are distributed, will I be given my book in my right hand or my left hand?”
“That too is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” came the reply again.
“When people are called: ‘One group in the Garden and one group in Blaze!’ which of the two groups will I be in?”
“That is a matter of the Unseen and none knows the Unseen except Allâh,” responded al-Hasan for the fourth and last time.
“How is it possible,” she retorted, “for someone who is suffering the grief of ignorance about these four things to think of marriage?”
“O Hasan,” she continued, “in how many parts did Allâh create the intellect?”
“In ten parts,” he replied, “nine for men and one for women.”
“O Hasan, in how many parts did Allâh create appetite?”
“In ten parts: nine for women and one for men.”
“O Hasan,” she concluded, “I am able to contain nine part of appetite with one part of intellect whereas you cannot even guard one part of appetite with nine parts of intellect!” Thereupon al-Hasan wept and left her.
Source: “Dealing With Lust and Greed according to Islam”(P:42) By Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hamid Kishk
09 February 2011
How the pious predecessors disciplined their selves
Umar(رضى لله عنه) donated a piece of land worth 200,000 dirhams when he missed Asr prayers in congregation.
Ibn Umar(رضى لله عنه) used to stay awake the whole of the night if he miised a prayer in congregation and then he would free two slaves.
Tameem Dari (رضى لله عنه) failed to wake up for tahajjud prayers one night. He stayed awake the whole of the next year.
Talha (رضى لله عنه) became preoccupied with a bird on his wall (of an orchard) while in prayer. He donated the wall in charity as compensation for that mistake.
Hassan ibn Sinan ( رحمه لله) passed by an apartment and asked when it was built. He deliberated for a moment and realized he had asked about something that did not concern him. He disciplined him self by fasting for a whole year.
Abdullah bin Qais (رضى لله عنه) says: We were in a battle with the enemy in our midst and people screaming (on a very hot day). A man from the tribe of Ummama was talking to him self: Did I not witness this battle and that battle. You reminded me about my family so I listened to you and returned home. By Allah I will punish you by either having you taken to task or leaving you.
I observed this man on that day and saw that he was leading people to the enemy who then dispersed. The enemy countered and we dispersed but this man held his ground the whole time until he was martyred. I found on his body and on the body of his mount more than sixty stab wounds.
Source: Taqwa, the provision for believers.
Ibn Umar(رضى لله عنه) used to stay awake the whole of the night if he miised a prayer in congregation and then he would free two slaves.
Tameem Dari (رضى لله عنه) failed to wake up for tahajjud prayers one night. He stayed awake the whole of the next year.
Talha (رضى لله عنه) became preoccupied with a bird on his wall (of an orchard) while in prayer. He donated the wall in charity as compensation for that mistake.
Hassan ibn Sinan ( رحمه لله) passed by an apartment and asked when it was built. He deliberated for a moment and realized he had asked about something that did not concern him. He disciplined him self by fasting for a whole year.
Abdullah bin Qais (رضى لله عنه) says: We were in a battle with the enemy in our midst and people screaming (on a very hot day). A man from the tribe of Ummama was talking to him self: Did I not witness this battle and that battle. You reminded me about my family so I listened to you and returned home. By Allah I will punish you by either having you taken to task or leaving you.
I observed this man on that day and saw that he was leading people to the enemy who then dispersed. The enemy countered and we dispersed but this man held his ground the whole time until he was martyred. I found on his body and on the body of his mount more than sixty stab wounds.
Source: Taqwa, the provision for believers.
07 February 2011
About Ibn Seerin
He is Muhammad Ibn Seerin Al-Basri. Born in the city of Basra in Iraq the year 33 A.H. (653 A.D.) Imam Ibn Seerin was a renowned writer and a respected religious scholar of his time. He lived during the first century of the Islamic caliphate and studied the Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) and the science of prophetic sayings (Hadith) at the hand of the early followers of the companions of God's Messenger (upon whom be peace). Among his contemporaries were Imam Anas Bin Malik, Al-Hassan Al-Basri,Ibn 'Aown, Al-Fudhayl Bin 'Iyadh, and others.
Mouriq Al-'Ujali once said: "I have not seen a man who is more sagacious in his piety or more pious in his knowledge than Muhammad Ibn Seerin."
In his biographical dictionary, Khairu-Deen AI-Zerekly describes Imam Muhammad Ibn Seerin as a pious, God fearing, and a strong believer, who was a generous host and a trustworthy friend.
Al-Hassan Al-Bagri once said: "There was a time when, if a man sought knowledge, you could see its effects in every aspect of his life, including his piety, conduct, speech, sight, and hearing." Imam Muhammad Ibn Seerin used to say: "When Allah Almighty wills to bless His servant, He will direct him to a wise man to admonish him." He also used to say: "If a man wishes to benefit in this world and in the hereafter, he must seek the company of someone who will command him to do what is good and to disuade him from doing evil."
Imam Ibn Seerin used to fast every other day of his life. The day when he did not fast, he used to have lunch, omit his dinner, and take a bite during the Suhur meal, before the dawn prayers. He used to stand up all night in prayers during the entire month of Ramadan, and he used to say: "One must pray during the night and at least for the time it takes to milk a goat." Once Hisham Bin Hassan stayed overnight at Imam Ibn Seerin's house and commented to a friend, saying: "I used to hear his weeping during the night, though he was a most cheerful host during the day."
Hafsaa Bint Seerin, sister of Imam Ibn Seerin, once said: "When Muhammad entered before our mother, he used to stand before her with modesty and refrain from speaking to her with his whole tongue." Once, someone visited Imam Ibn Seerin in the presence of his mother and remarked about his outstanding respect for her. When the man left, he asked: "Is Muhammad not feeling well?" Someone replied: "He is well, but he reveres his mother so much that he nearly melt away in her presence."
A man asked Imam Ibn Seerin about his opinion on dream interpretation. Ibn Seerin replied: "Fear God when you are awake, and do not worry about what you see in a dream." Whenever he is asked to give a religious opinion about two similar interpretations, he took the closest one to Quran. He once said: "In essence, this knowledge is taken from our religion. Thus, consider carefully from whom you learn it!"
Once Musa Bin Al-Mughirah said: "I saw Muhammad Ibn Seerin entering the marketplace in the middle of the day. He was totally absorbed in his prayers, glorifying and celebrating Allah's praises. Someone asked him: "0 Abu Bakr (that is his patronym), is this the time to engage in such invocations?" Ibn Seerin replied: "In a marketplace, one may be distracted by its glitters and become negligent of his devotion."
Mouriq Al-'Ujali once said: "I have not seen a man who is more sagacious in his piety or more pious in his knowledge than Muhammad Ibn Seerin."
In his biographical dictionary, Khairu-Deen AI-Zerekly describes Imam Muhammad Ibn Seerin as a pious, God fearing, and a strong believer, who was a generous host and a trustworthy friend.
Al-Hassan Al-Bagri once said: "There was a time when, if a man sought knowledge, you could see its effects in every aspect of his life, including his piety, conduct, speech, sight, and hearing." Imam Muhammad Ibn Seerin used to say: "When Allah Almighty wills to bless His servant, He will direct him to a wise man to admonish him." He also used to say: "If a man wishes to benefit in this world and in the hereafter, he must seek the company of someone who will command him to do what is good and to disuade him from doing evil."
Imam Ibn Seerin used to fast every other day of his life. The day when he did not fast, he used to have lunch, omit his dinner, and take a bite during the Suhur meal, before the dawn prayers. He used to stand up all night in prayers during the entire month of Ramadan, and he used to say: "One must pray during the night and at least for the time it takes to milk a goat." Once Hisham Bin Hassan stayed overnight at Imam Ibn Seerin's house and commented to a friend, saying: "I used to hear his weeping during the night, though he was a most cheerful host during the day."
Hafsaa Bint Seerin, sister of Imam Ibn Seerin, once said: "When Muhammad entered before our mother, he used to stand before her with modesty and refrain from speaking to her with his whole tongue." Once, someone visited Imam Ibn Seerin in the presence of his mother and remarked about his outstanding respect for her. When the man left, he asked: "Is Muhammad not feeling well?" Someone replied: "He is well, but he reveres his mother so much that he nearly melt away in her presence."
A man asked Imam Ibn Seerin about his opinion on dream interpretation. Ibn Seerin replied: "Fear God when you are awake, and do not worry about what you see in a dream." Whenever he is asked to give a religious opinion about two similar interpretations, he took the closest one to Quran. He once said: "In essence, this knowledge is taken from our religion. Thus, consider carefully from whom you learn it!"
Once Musa Bin Al-Mughirah said: "I saw Muhammad Ibn Seerin entering the marketplace in the middle of the day. He was totally absorbed in his prayers, glorifying and celebrating Allah's praises. Someone asked him: "0 Abu Bakr (that is his patronym), is this the time to engage in such invocations?" Ibn Seerin replied: "In a marketplace, one may be distracted by its glitters and become negligent of his devotion."
06 February 2011
Some sayings of Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
"Every punishment from Him is pure justice and every blessing from Him is pure grace"
"Whoever desires everlasting bliss, let him adhere firmly to the threshold of servitude"
"The Lord loves to be loved"
"Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience"
"In this world there is a paradise, whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter"
"The one who is [truly] imprisoned is the one whose heart is imprisoned from Allah and the captivated one is the one whose desires have enslaved him"
"This whole religion revolves around knowing the truth and acting by it, and action must be accompanied by patience"
"Worship is founded upon the Legal Law and following it, not upon ones base desires and innovation"
"If you do not taste the sweetness of an action in your heart, suspect it, for the Lord, Exalted is He, is the Appreciative"
"The more the servant loves his Master, the less will he love other objects and they will decrease in number. The less the servant loves his Master, the more will he love other objects and they will increase in number"
"Perpetually is the servant either the recipient of a blessing from Allah, in which case he is need of gratitude; or he is the perpetrator of a sin, in which case he is in need of repentance; he is always moving from one blessing to another and is always in need of repentance"
"Sins cause harm and repentance removes the cause"
"Bearing witness to tawhid opens the door of good and repentance from sins closes the door of evil"
"The Jihad against the soul is the foundation for the Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites"
"A man will never fear something besides Allah unless it be due to a disease in his heart"
"Trials and tribulation are like feeling the heat and cold, when one knows that they cannot be avoided, he will not feel anger at their onset, nor will he be distressed or disheartened"
"The perfection of tawhid is found when there remains nothing in the heart except Allah, the servant is left loving those He loves and what He loves, hating those He hates and what He hates, showing allegiance to those He has allegiance to, showing enmity to those He shows enmity towards, ordering what He orders and prohibiting what He prohibits"
"In this world, man finds in the remembrance of Allah, praising Him and worshipping Him, a delight that is incomparable to anything else"
"The objective of asceticism is to leave all that harms the servants Hereafter and the objective of worship is to do all that will benefit his Hereafter"
"Sins are like chains and locks preventing their perpetrator from roaming the vast garden of tawhid and reaping the fruits of righteous actions"
"What can my enemies do to me? I have in my breast both my heaven and my garden. If I travel they are with me, never leaving me. Imprisonment for me is a chance to be alone with my Lord. To be killed is martyrdom and to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey"
Source: "Diseases of the hearts & their cures"
"Whoever desires everlasting bliss, let him adhere firmly to the threshold of servitude"
"The Lord loves to be loved"
"Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience"
"In this world there is a paradise, whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter"
"The one who is [truly] imprisoned is the one whose heart is imprisoned from Allah and the captivated one is the one whose desires have enslaved him"
"This whole religion revolves around knowing the truth and acting by it, and action must be accompanied by patience"
"Worship is founded upon the Legal Law and following it, not upon ones base desires and innovation"
"If you do not taste the sweetness of an action in your heart, suspect it, for the Lord, Exalted is He, is the Appreciative"
"The more the servant loves his Master, the less will he love other objects and they will decrease in number. The less the servant loves his Master, the more will he love other objects and they will increase in number"
"Perpetually is the servant either the recipient of a blessing from Allah, in which case he is need of gratitude; or he is the perpetrator of a sin, in which case he is in need of repentance; he is always moving from one blessing to another and is always in need of repentance"
"Sins cause harm and repentance removes the cause"
"Bearing witness to tawhid opens the door of good and repentance from sins closes the door of evil"
"The Jihad against the soul is the foundation for the Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites"
"A man will never fear something besides Allah unless it be due to a disease in his heart"
"Trials and tribulation are like feeling the heat and cold, when one knows that they cannot be avoided, he will not feel anger at their onset, nor will he be distressed or disheartened"
"The perfection of tawhid is found when there remains nothing in the heart except Allah, the servant is left loving those He loves and what He loves, hating those He hates and what He hates, showing allegiance to those He has allegiance to, showing enmity to those He shows enmity towards, ordering what He orders and prohibiting what He prohibits"
"In this world, man finds in the remembrance of Allah, praising Him and worshipping Him, a delight that is incomparable to anything else"
"The objective of asceticism is to leave all that harms the servants Hereafter and the objective of worship is to do all that will benefit his Hereafter"
"Sins are like chains and locks preventing their perpetrator from roaming the vast garden of tawhid and reaping the fruits of righteous actions"
"What can my enemies do to me? I have in my breast both my heaven and my garden. If I travel they are with me, never leaving me. Imprisonment for me is a chance to be alone with my Lord. To be killed is martyrdom and to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey"
Source: "Diseases of the hearts & their cures"
05 February 2011
Al-Baraa Ibn Malik Al-Ansari
His hair looked dishevelled and his whole appearance was unkempt. He was thin and wiry with so little flesh on his bones that it was painful to look at him. Yet in single- handed combat he defeated and killed many opponents and in the thick of battle he was an outstanding fighter against the mushrikeen. He was so courageous and daring that Umar once wrote to his governors throughout the Islamic state that they should not appoint him to lead any army out of fear that he would have them all killed by his daring exploits. This man was al-Baraa ibn Malik al- Ansari, the brother of Anas ibn Malik, the personal aide of the Prophet.
If the tales of Baraa's heroism were to be told in detail, pages and pages could be written. But let one example suffice.
This particular story begins only hours after the death of the noble Prophet when many Arabian tribes took to leaving the religion of God in large numbers, just as they had entered it in large numbers. Within a short space of time only the people of Makkah, Madinah and Taif and scattered communities here and there, whose commitment to Islam was unwavering, remained within the religion.
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, the successor to the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم , stood firm against this blind and destructive movement. From the Muhajireen and Ansar, he mobilized eleven armies each under a separate commander and dispatched them to various parts of the Arabian peninsula. Their purpose was to make the apostates return to the path of guidance and truth and to confront the leaders of the rebellion.
The strongest group of apostates and the greatest in number were the Banu Hanifah among whom Musaylamah the Imposter arose, claiming that he was a prophet. Musaylamah managed to mobilize forty thousand of the best fighters among his people. Most of these however followed him for the sake of asabEyyah or tribal loyalty and not because they believed in him. One of them in fact said, "I testify that Musaylamah is an imposter and that Muhammad is true but the imposter of Rabi'ah (Musaylamah) is dearer to us than the true man of Mudar (Muhammad). "
Musaylamah routed the first army sent against him under the leadership of Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl. Abu Bakr despatched another army against Musaylamah led by Khalid ibn al-Walid. This army included the cream of the Sahabah from both the Ansar and the Muhajireen. In the front ranks of this army was Baraa ibn Malik and a group of the most valiant Muslims.
The two armies met in the territory of the Banu Hanifah at Yamamah in Najd. Before long, the scale of battle tilted in favour of Musaylamah and his men. The Muslim armies began to retreat from their positions. Musaylamah's forces even stormed the tent of Khalid ibn Walid and drove him from his position. They would have killed his wife if one of them had not granted her protection.
At that point, the Muslims realised in what a perilous situation they were. They were also conscious of the fact that if they were annihilated by Musaylamah, Islam would not be able to stand as a religion and Allah with whom there is no partner would not be worshiped in the Arabian peninsula after that.
Khalid mustered his forces once more and began reorgamsing them. He separated the Muhajireen and the Ansar and kept men from different tribes apart. Each was put under the leadership of one of its own members so that the losses of each group in the battle might be known.
04 February 2011
The Night: Sufyan Ath-Thawri's favourite time
During the day, Imam Sufyan was preoccupied in a myriad of ways. He sought out knowledge, he imparted knowledge to others, he worked in order to earn a living, and so on. Most of his day time activities had one thing in common: he was around other people. In this regard , night time was different: no human eye could see him, and he could therefore concentrate with all his mind and heart on worship.
Imam Sufyan longed for and loved the solitude of the night, and he especially loved to wait for that part of the night when Allah Subu'haanahu wat'ala desends to the lowest heaven and asks, " Is there anyone who is asking for forgiveness? Is there anyone who is repenting? Is there anyone who is asking (Me for something)? Is there anyone who is supplicating (to Me)?"
Abu Yazeed Al-Ma'na said," In the morning, Sufyan Ath-Thawri would extend his legs to the wall and place his head on the ground, so that he could regain blood circulation after having spent the night standing and praying. " Yazeed ibn Thubah related that sufyan once said to him, "Iam overjoyed with coming of the night only because I can relax and know that no human eye is watching me (and I can therefore be at peace while I worship Allah.)
While a group of people were gathered together, Fudail came, stood over Sufyan's head and recited this Verse
" Say: In the bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e.,Islam and the Qur'an); -That is better than what (the wealth) they amass.(Qur'an 10:58)
"Say (O Muhammad) : He is Allah, (the) One." ( Qur'an 112:1)
Sufyaan said, "O Abu 'Alee (i.e Fudail), by Allah, we will never be able to rejoice until we take the cure of the Qur'an and place it over the disease of our hearts."
Sufyaan advised young people not to waste the time of their youth, but to spend it usefully by worshiping Allah. Muhammad ibn Yousuf said, "Sufyaan Ath-Thawri would make us stand up (to pray at night , and he would say, 'Stand up, O young people, and continue to pray throughout the years of your youth (so that you will have become accustomed to worship in your old age)."
Furthemore, sufyaan advised others on how to gain the physical strength they needed to sleep less so that they could work during the day and pray during the night. 'Uthmaan ibn Zaaidah reported that Sufyaan Ath-thawri wrote him a letter that continued this message: "If you want to maintain a healthy body, and if you want to sleep only a little, then eat only a little." Imam Sufyan followed his own advice, eating only enough to help him keep his strength, no more and no less. If someone came and asked sufyan for food, he would give him a share of his own food and keep just enough to keep his body strong enough to worship.
Source: The biography of Sufyan Ath-Thawri compiled by Salaahud-Deen ibn 'Alee ibn 'Abdul-Maujood/Translated by Faisal ibn Muhammad shafeeq.
01 February 2011
Doing without the pleasures of the world
Abu' l-Abbas as-Sa'idi said :
“A man came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and said, 'Oh Messenger of Allah! Guide me to such an action, that when I do it, Allah will love me and the people will love me. He said, be detached from this world and then Allah will love you and do not be attracted to what people have and then the people will love you".
(related by Hasan, ibn Majah kitab az-Zuhud 2/1373)
This hadith shows that Allah loves those who live simply in this life. It has been said that if having love for Allah is the best state to be in, then living simply is the best condition to be in.
Living simply means that you should restrain your desire for worldly things in the hope of receiving something better instead. In order to achieve this more easily you should first realise that the things which people yearn for in this world are infact worthless when compared with what we hope for in the next world.
If we know that what Allah has will remain and that the life to come is better and more lasting, then we realise that this world is really like a piece of ice left out in the sun - it soon melts and vanishes . The akhirah , however, essentially never vanishes. The desire one has to exchange this life for the one to come is strengthened by the certainty that there is no comparison between this life and the next.
In the Qur'an we find this world and the next world described in the following terms:
"Yes you prefer the life of this world, but the next world is better and more lasting."
(Qur’an 87:16-17)
"You desire the attractions of this world, but Allah desires the next world for you"
(Qur’an 8: 67)
“And they are happy with the life of this world, but the life of this world is small comfort compared to the next world.
(Qur’an 13:26)
The ahadith which scorn worldly goods and describe how worthless they are in the sight of Allah are many:
Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) happened to walk through the market place. Some people were gathered on either side of him. There he came across a dead goat with very short ears, of which he took hold saying,
"Who among you would like to have this for a dirham?" They said, "By Allah, not even if it were alive, because its ears are too short; and now it is also dead." Thereupon the messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, " By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the sight of Allah than this in your eyes."
(Related by Sahih Muslim, Kitab az-Zuhud 18/93)
It has been related by Ibn Shaddad al-Fahri that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,
"This world, in comparison with the world to come, is the same as if one of you were to put his finger in the ocean. Consider how much you would have when you pulled it out.
(related by Sahih Muslim Kitab al-jannatu wa Na'imuha,17/191).
It has been related by Ibn Sahl ibn Sa'ad that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,
"Had the world been worth even the wing of a gnat to Allah, He would not have even given a drink of water from it to a kaffir (non-believer)."
(Related by Sahih gharib, at-Tirmidhi, Kitab az-Zuhud, 6/611).
Living simply means turning away from the things of this world because they are so worthless. You do not bother with them and remain detached from them
Yunus ibn Maisarah said, "Being detached from this world does not mean that you should forbid what Allah has permitted, nor that you should squander money. Rather, it is a state in which you are more certain of what is in the hand of Allah than you are of what is in your own hands: your state in misfortune is the same as your state at other times; your attitude towards those who quite rightly criticise you and those who quite rightly praise you is the same."
He has explained this in three stages, or stations, all of which are concerned with the heart rather than with physical action. This is why Abu Sulayman used to say that you should not call anyone a zahid (the one who practices zuhud, someone whose heart is not attached to the pleasures and distractions of this world).
The first stage is that of a servant who is more certain of what is in the hand of Allah than he is of what is in his own hands. This stage arises from a healthy and strong conviction.
Abu Hazim az Zahid was asked, "What is your wealth?" he said, "Two kinds of wealth dispel all fear of poverty trust in Allah and not being attached to what people have." He was asked, "Don't you fear poverty?" He said, "How can I fear poverty when my lord owns all that is in the heavens and on the earth and all that is between them and all that is beneath the ground?"
Al-Fudayl said. "The essence of living simply is being content with Allah Mighty and Exalted is he."
He also said, "The one who is content is the one who lives simply, and it is he who is rich."
“A man came to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and said, 'Oh Messenger of Allah! Guide me to such an action, that when I do it, Allah will love me and the people will love me. He said, be detached from this world and then Allah will love you and do not be attracted to what people have and then the people will love you".
(related by Hasan, ibn Majah kitab az-Zuhud 2/1373)
This hadith shows that Allah loves those who live simply in this life. It has been said that if having love for Allah is the best state to be in, then living simply is the best condition to be in.
Living simply means that you should restrain your desire for worldly things in the hope of receiving something better instead. In order to achieve this more easily you should first realise that the things which people yearn for in this world are infact worthless when compared with what we hope for in the next world.
If we know that what Allah has will remain and that the life to come is better and more lasting, then we realise that this world is really like a piece of ice left out in the sun - it soon melts and vanishes . The akhirah , however, essentially never vanishes. The desire one has to exchange this life for the one to come is strengthened by the certainty that there is no comparison between this life and the next.
In the Qur'an we find this world and the next world described in the following terms:
"Yes you prefer the life of this world, but the next world is better and more lasting."
(Qur’an 87:16-17)
"You desire the attractions of this world, but Allah desires the next world for you"
(Qur’an 8: 67)
“And they are happy with the life of this world, but the life of this world is small comfort compared to the next world.
(Qur’an 13:26)
The ahadith which scorn worldly goods and describe how worthless they are in the sight of Allah are many:
Jabir ibn Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) happened to walk through the market place. Some people were gathered on either side of him. There he came across a dead goat with very short ears, of which he took hold saying,
"Who among you would like to have this for a dirham?" They said, "By Allah, not even if it were alive, because its ears are too short; and now it is also dead." Thereupon the messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, " By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the sight of Allah than this in your eyes."
(Related by Sahih Muslim, Kitab az-Zuhud 18/93)
It has been related by Ibn Shaddad al-Fahri that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,
"This world, in comparison with the world to come, is the same as if one of you were to put his finger in the ocean. Consider how much you would have when you pulled it out.
(related by Sahih Muslim Kitab al-jannatu wa Na'imuha,17/191).
It has been related by Ibn Sahl ibn Sa'ad that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said,
"Had the world been worth even the wing of a gnat to Allah, He would not have even given a drink of water from it to a kaffir (non-believer)."
(Related by Sahih gharib, at-Tirmidhi, Kitab az-Zuhud, 6/611).
Living simply means turning away from the things of this world because they are so worthless. You do not bother with them and remain detached from them
Yunus ibn Maisarah said, "Being detached from this world does not mean that you should forbid what Allah has permitted, nor that you should squander money. Rather, it is a state in which you are more certain of what is in the hand of Allah than you are of what is in your own hands: your state in misfortune is the same as your state at other times; your attitude towards those who quite rightly criticise you and those who quite rightly praise you is the same."
He has explained this in three stages, or stations, all of which are concerned with the heart rather than with physical action. This is why Abu Sulayman used to say that you should not call anyone a zahid (the one who practices zuhud, someone whose heart is not attached to the pleasures and distractions of this world).
The first stage is that of a servant who is more certain of what is in the hand of Allah than he is of what is in his own hands. This stage arises from a healthy and strong conviction.
Abu Hazim az Zahid was asked, "What is your wealth?" he said, "Two kinds of wealth dispel all fear of poverty trust in Allah and not being attached to what people have." He was asked, "Don't you fear poverty?" He said, "How can I fear poverty when my lord owns all that is in the heavens and on the earth and all that is between them and all that is beneath the ground?"
Al-Fudayl said. "The essence of living simply is being content with Allah Mighty and Exalted is he."
He also said, "The one who is content is the one who lives simply, and it is he who is rich."
31 January 2011
"Remorse when ill" a character of the Pious predecessors
by Sheikh Ahmed Fareed
Some people visited Utbah Al-Ghulam at his death bed and asked him, "How do you find yourself?" So he recited the following poetry.
"I have slipped out of the world, my day of judgement has come
In the morning my bearers of my funeral will be few
In a hurry my family dig my grave to make
My leaving and my rush to it as an honor to me
As if my face they had never known
In the morning my day comes as night"
When death came to Ibrahim Nakha'ee he wept. On being asked the reason he replied "I am waiting for a messenger to come from my Lord to welcome me to the Paradise or hell fire".
Dear brother reflect over your soul and know that you are constantly at the verge of death as you don't even own your next breath of air. Increase in asking through out the night and at the ends of the day and Allah will be our Guardian, yours and mine in guidance, and the One Who will grant to us the ways to His Mercy.
Source: From the characteristics of the Salaf by Sheikh Ahmed Fareed
30 January 2011
The Sahabah and Tabi‘in on gratitude
By Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Salmân al-Fârsî (RA) said: “There was a man who was given many of the luxuries of this world, and then they were taken away from him. But he continued to praise and thank Allâh until everything had been taken from him, even on his bed. And then he still praised and thanked Allâh. Another man, who had also been given many of the luxuries of this world asked him, ‘What are you praising and thanking Allâh for?’ The man said, ‘I am praising and thanking Him for blessings which, if others asked me to give them to them in return for all that they have, I would never give them up.’ ‘What can they be?’ asked the second man. ‘Can’t you see?’ asked the first man. ‘I have my eyesight, my tongue, my hands, my feet...’”
Mukhallad ibn al-Husayn said: “The definition of gratitude is abstaining from wrong action.” Abû Hâzim said: “Every blessing that does not bring you closer to Allâh is a disaster.” Sulaymân said: “Remembering His blessings makes one love Allâh.”
Hammâd ibn Ziyâd narrated that Layth ibn Abî Burdah said: “I went to Madînah, where I met ‘Abdullâh ibn Salâm, who said to me: ‘Would you like to visit a place visited by the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم , and we will offer you sâwiq and dates?...’ Then he said: ‘When Allâh gathers people on the Day of Judgement, He will remind them of His blessings. One of His slaves will say: “Remind me of something,” and Allâh will say: “Remember when you faced such-and-such adversity, and you prayed to Me, so I relieved you of it. Remember when you were travelling in suchand-such a place, and you asked Me to give you a travelling companion, and I did so... Remember when you asked for the hand of soand-so the daughter of so-and-so, and others also asked for her hand, so I gave her to you to marry; and kept the others away.” His slave will be standing before his Lord, Who will remind him of His many blessings.’” Then the narrator of this story (Layth) wept and said, I hope that no one will stand before his Lord in this way, because the one who does so will be punished.” (i.e. if Allâh has to point out that which should be obvious, this is a sign of a person’s ingratitude, and he will be punished.)
Bakr ibn Abdullâh al-Muzânî said: “When a man faces affliction, he may pray to Allâh and Allâh may deliver him from adversity. Then Shaytân comes to the man and whispers, ‘It was not as bad as you thought,’ Thus the man’s gratitude will be weakened.” Zazan said: “The right of Allâh over the man who is enjoying His blessings is that such a man should not use His blessings in order to commit wrong actions.” A man of knowledge said: “The blessing of Allâh to us in keeping the luxuries of this world away from us is greater than the blessing of that which he has given us, because Allah did not like His Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم to have the luxuries of this world. So I prefer to live in the manner which Allâh preferred for His Prophet صلى الله عليه و سل than to live a life which He disliked for him.”
Ibn Abi’d-Dunyâ said: “It was narrated to me that some scholars said: ‘The scholar should praise Allâh for having deprived him of the luxuries of this life, in the same way that he should praise Him for what He has bestowed upon him. How can you compare the blessings and luxuries for which he will be accountable to the deprivation of luxuries which is a relief from being tested, and which keeps his mind free to worship and remember Allâh? So he should give thanks to Allâh for all of that.’”
It has been said: “Gratitude is giving up wrong action.” Ibn alMubârak said: “Sufyân said: ‘He does not understand religion properly who does not count affliction as a blessing and ease as a disaster.’”
Source: Patience and gratitude by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah / An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen”
Salmân al-Fârsî (RA) said: “There was a man who was given many of the luxuries of this world, and then they were taken away from him. But he continued to praise and thank Allâh until everything had been taken from him, even on his bed. And then he still praised and thanked Allâh. Another man, who had also been given many of the luxuries of this world asked him, ‘What are you praising and thanking Allâh for?’ The man said, ‘I am praising and thanking Him for blessings which, if others asked me to give them to them in return for all that they have, I would never give them up.’ ‘What can they be?’ asked the second man. ‘Can’t you see?’ asked the first man. ‘I have my eyesight, my tongue, my hands, my feet...’”
Mukhallad ibn al-Husayn said: “The definition of gratitude is abstaining from wrong action.” Abû Hâzim said: “Every blessing that does not bring you closer to Allâh is a disaster.” Sulaymân said: “Remembering His blessings makes one love Allâh.”
Hammâd ibn Ziyâd narrated that Layth ibn Abî Burdah said: “I went to Madînah, where I met ‘Abdullâh ibn Salâm, who said to me: ‘Would you like to visit a place visited by the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم , and we will offer you sâwiq and dates?...’ Then he said: ‘When Allâh gathers people on the Day of Judgement, He will remind them of His blessings. One of His slaves will say: “Remind me of something,” and Allâh will say: “Remember when you faced such-and-such adversity, and you prayed to Me, so I relieved you of it. Remember when you were travelling in suchand-such a place, and you asked Me to give you a travelling companion, and I did so... Remember when you asked for the hand of soand-so the daughter of so-and-so, and others also asked for her hand, so I gave her to you to marry; and kept the others away.” His slave will be standing before his Lord, Who will remind him of His many blessings.’” Then the narrator of this story (Layth) wept and said, I hope that no one will stand before his Lord in this way, because the one who does so will be punished.” (i.e. if Allâh has to point out that which should be obvious, this is a sign of a person’s ingratitude, and he will be punished.)
Bakr ibn Abdullâh al-Muzânî said: “When a man faces affliction, he may pray to Allâh and Allâh may deliver him from adversity. Then Shaytân comes to the man and whispers, ‘It was not as bad as you thought,’ Thus the man’s gratitude will be weakened.” Zazan said: “The right of Allâh over the man who is enjoying His blessings is that such a man should not use His blessings in order to commit wrong actions.” A man of knowledge said: “The blessing of Allâh to us in keeping the luxuries of this world away from us is greater than the blessing of that which he has given us, because Allah did not like His Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم to have the luxuries of this world. So I prefer to live in the manner which Allâh preferred for His Prophet صلى الله عليه و سل than to live a life which He disliked for him.”
Ibn Abi’d-Dunyâ said: “It was narrated to me that some scholars said: ‘The scholar should praise Allâh for having deprived him of the luxuries of this life, in the same way that he should praise Him for what He has bestowed upon him. How can you compare the blessings and luxuries for which he will be accountable to the deprivation of luxuries which is a relief from being tested, and which keeps his mind free to worship and remember Allâh? So he should give thanks to Allâh for all of that.’”
It has been said: “Gratitude is giving up wrong action.” Ibn alMubârak said: “Sufyân said: ‘He does not understand religion properly who does not count affliction as a blessing and ease as a disaster.’”
Source: Patience and gratitude by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah / An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen”
27 January 2011
Umm 'Ammarah at the battle of Uhud
Umm Sa'eed bint Sa'd ibn Rabee' narrated that she visited Umm 'Ammarah and asked her participation in the battle of Uhud and she replied, "I went out in the forenoon with a water vessel in my hand. I came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم while he was with his Companions and the Muslims were winning the war. But when the Muslims were later defeated I moved to the side of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم. I engaged in fighting and started protecting the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم with the sword while at the same time, shooting arrows until I was wounded." Umm Sa'eed said, "And I saw a deep and hollow injury in her shoulder. "
Umm 'Ammarah's stand on the day of Uhud was well-known to earlier and latter generations. The people narrate to one another this stand with pride, pity and love. Umm 'Ammarah went to the battle of Uhud not to fight. She rather went there in order to give water to the thirsty. Perhaps, she also went there to take care of the injured. She did not carry any sword, bow or arrow. Then, the unexpected happened! The archers disobeyed the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم by abandoning the position he commanded them to man wanting to collect booties. The tide then turned against the Muslims in favour of the Quraysh and many elder Companions were martyred. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم escaped on to the top of the Mountain of Uhud and no one remains with him but a few Companions defending him with their bodies and souls; his molar teeth was broken and he was injured in the face and his pure blood was shed.
It was then that Umm 'Ammarah dropped her vessel of water and the zeal of her faith was swirled up, boiling like a cooking kettle in her feminine nature. She snatched a sword from one of the escaping fighters and a bow and an arrow from another. She stood firm defending the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم and he saw her around
him in this great stance of hers and her glorious defence for him. He also saw the enemy of Allah, Ibn Qami'ah moving closer to her. So he called upon her son to protect her.
Umm 'Ammarah felt this call, not only with her ears, but with her entire being and feelings. She also felt it with all her senses and from within love of Eeman that flourished in her heart. She then said, "0' Messenger of Allah, invoke Allah to make us your Companions in Paradise!"
That was the goal she was aspiring for in this world and the Hereafter!
She was not concerned with the safety of her body and life, neither was she concerned about wealth or fame or any of the things of this world. She only wanted to be among the dwellers of Paradise and to be in the company of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم!
Such is the reality of faith, purity of certainty and wholesomeness of Islam. We are saying this, as an admonition, to ourselves, to our families and to all those who work in the field of Islamic propagation and resurgence.
The supplication of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم actualised on the entire household of Umm 'Ammarah. Her sons, 'Abdullah and Habeeb were martyred in the way of Allah. Allah's enemy, Ibn Qami'ah was able to overcome Umm 'Ammarah. He hit her neck with sword and made her suffer a deep wound that she continued to nurse for the rest of her life until she died and met the pleasure of Allah.
'Umar ibn al-Khattab narrates to us from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم his noble saying, "Whenever I turned left or right on the day of the battle of Uhud, I always saw her (Umm 'Ammirah) fighting in my defence."
Source: Women Around the Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) by Muhamad 'Ali Qutb
Umm 'Ammarah's stand on the day of Uhud was well-known to earlier and latter generations. The people narrate to one another this stand with pride, pity and love. Umm 'Ammarah went to the battle of Uhud not to fight. She rather went there in order to give water to the thirsty. Perhaps, she also went there to take care of the injured. She did not carry any sword, bow or arrow. Then, the unexpected happened! The archers disobeyed the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم by abandoning the position he commanded them to man wanting to collect booties. The tide then turned against the Muslims in favour of the Quraysh and many elder Companions were martyred. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم escaped on to the top of the Mountain of Uhud and no one remains with him but a few Companions defending him with their bodies and souls; his molar teeth was broken and he was injured in the face and his pure blood was shed.
It was then that Umm 'Ammarah dropped her vessel of water and the zeal of her faith was swirled up, boiling like a cooking kettle in her feminine nature. She snatched a sword from one of the escaping fighters and a bow and an arrow from another. She stood firm defending the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم and he saw her around
him in this great stance of hers and her glorious defence for him. He also saw the enemy of Allah, Ibn Qami'ah moving closer to her. So he called upon her son to protect her.
Umm 'Ammarah felt this call, not only with her ears, but with her entire being and feelings. She also felt it with all her senses and from within love of Eeman that flourished in her heart. She then said, "0' Messenger of Allah, invoke Allah to make us your Companions in Paradise!"
That was the goal she was aspiring for in this world and the Hereafter!
She was not concerned with the safety of her body and life, neither was she concerned about wealth or fame or any of the things of this world. She only wanted to be among the dwellers of Paradise and to be in the company of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم!
Such is the reality of faith, purity of certainty and wholesomeness of Islam. We are saying this, as an admonition, to ourselves, to our families and to all those who work in the field of Islamic propagation and resurgence.
The supplication of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم actualised on the entire household of Umm 'Ammarah. Her sons, 'Abdullah and Habeeb were martyred in the way of Allah. Allah's enemy, Ibn Qami'ah was able to overcome Umm 'Ammarah. He hit her neck with sword and made her suffer a deep wound that she continued to nurse for the rest of her life until she died and met the pleasure of Allah.
'Umar ibn al-Khattab narrates to us from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم his noble saying, "Whenever I turned left or right on the day of the battle of Uhud, I always saw her (Umm 'Ammirah) fighting in my defence."
Source: Women Around the Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) by Muhamad 'Ali Qutb
26 January 2011
A death reminder
by Umar S.al-Ashqar
Allah told His Messenger about death, and said:
Verily, you [O’ Mohamed صلى الله عليه و سلم ] will die, and verily they [too] will die. (Quran 39:30)
According to a hadith narrated by At- Tabarani in Al-Awsat, Abu Na’eem in Al-Hilyah, Al- Haakim in Al- Mustadrak and others, Ali (RA) reported : “The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said:
‘Jibreel (Gabriel) came to me and said
“O’ Muhammead صلى الله عليه و سلم, live as long as you like, for you are going to die. Love whomever you want, for you are going to leave them. Do whatever you want, for you are going to be requited for it. Know that the honor of the believer is his standing in prayer at night, and his pride is in independence from people."
Ali ibn Abi Talib said:
“This world is moving away from us. Each of them has its own people, so be among the people of the hereafter, do not be among the people of the world. Today is striving, not reckoning, but tomorrow will be reckoning and not striving. (This is narrated by Bukhari in the chapter “Hoping to live long.”
In Tadhkirat al- Qurtabi it is stated:
“Think, O’ you are deceived by this world, of death and its agonies, how difficult and bitter a cup it is. What a true promise death is! How fair a judge it is! Death is enough to fill the heart with fear and eyes with tears, to separate people, destroy pleasure and put an end to all worldly hopes.
Have you given any thought, O’ son of Adam, to the day when you will die and will be taken out of your place? When you will move from spaciousness (of this world) to the confines (of the grave), when friends and loved ones will let you down, and brothers and friends will desert you? When you will be taken from your bed and placed in a hole in the ground, and instead of a blanket you will be covered with dust and earth? O’ gatherer of wealth, O’ industrious builder, by Allah you will have nothing left of possessions expect shrouds, and even those will be destroyed and will vanish as your body disintegrates and turns to dust.
Where is the wealth that you amassed? Will it save you from these terrors? No indeed, you have left it behind for those who will not praise you, and you have come with your burdens (of sin) to One Who will not excuse you.”
Qurtabi narrated that Yazeed al-Riqaashi used to say to himself:
“Woe to you, O’ Yazeed. Who will pray on your behalf after you die? Who will make Allah be pleased with you after you die?”
Then he said:
“O’ people, why do you not weep and wail for yourselves for the rest of your lives? When you are sought by the grave, when the grave is home, the earth is bed, the worms your companions, and you will be awaiting the greater terrors?”
Qurtabi said elsewhere:
“Imagine yourself, O’ you have been deceived by this world, when the agony and stupor of death overwhelms you, and you start moaning in the throes of death. There will be some, who will say, so and so has made a will, and his wealth has been calculated; others will say, so and so can no longer speak, he does not recognize his neighbors and he does not speak to his brother. It is as if I can see you listening to these words and unable to respond. Imagine yourself, O’ Son of Adam, being taken from your bed to a place where your body will be washed and shrouded, and being forsaken by your family and neighbors, wept over by your friends and brothers. Imagine the one who has washed your body saying, ‘Where is the wife of so and so to forgive him? Where are the orphans? Your father has left you and you will never see him again after this day.”?
Allah told His Messenger about death, and said:
Verily, you [O’ Mohamed صلى الله عليه و سلم ] will die, and verily they [too] will die. (Quran 39:30)
According to a hadith narrated by At- Tabarani in Al-Awsat, Abu Na’eem in Al-Hilyah, Al- Haakim in Al- Mustadrak and others, Ali (RA) reported : “The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said:
‘Jibreel (Gabriel) came to me and said
“O’ Muhammead صلى الله عليه و سلم, live as long as you like, for you are going to die. Love whomever you want, for you are going to leave them. Do whatever you want, for you are going to be requited for it. Know that the honor of the believer is his standing in prayer at night, and his pride is in independence from people."
Ali ibn Abi Talib said:
“This world is moving away from us. Each of them has its own people, so be among the people of the hereafter, do not be among the people of the world. Today is striving, not reckoning, but tomorrow will be reckoning and not striving. (This is narrated by Bukhari in the chapter “Hoping to live long.”
In Tadhkirat al- Qurtabi it is stated:
“Think, O’ you are deceived by this world, of death and its agonies, how difficult and bitter a cup it is. What a true promise death is! How fair a judge it is! Death is enough to fill the heart with fear and eyes with tears, to separate people, destroy pleasure and put an end to all worldly hopes.
Have you given any thought, O’ son of Adam, to the day when you will die and will be taken out of your place? When you will move from spaciousness (of this world) to the confines (of the grave), when friends and loved ones will let you down, and brothers and friends will desert you? When you will be taken from your bed and placed in a hole in the ground, and instead of a blanket you will be covered with dust and earth? O’ gatherer of wealth, O’ industrious builder, by Allah you will have nothing left of possessions expect shrouds, and even those will be destroyed and will vanish as your body disintegrates and turns to dust.
Where is the wealth that you amassed? Will it save you from these terrors? No indeed, you have left it behind for those who will not praise you, and you have come with your burdens (of sin) to One Who will not excuse you.”
Qurtabi narrated that Yazeed al-Riqaashi used to say to himself:
“Woe to you, O’ Yazeed. Who will pray on your behalf after you die? Who will make Allah be pleased with you after you die?”
Then he said:
“O’ people, why do you not weep and wail for yourselves for the rest of your lives? When you are sought by the grave, when the grave is home, the earth is bed, the worms your companions, and you will be awaiting the greater terrors?”
Qurtabi said elsewhere:
“Imagine yourself, O’ you have been deceived by this world, when the agony and stupor of death overwhelms you, and you start moaning in the throes of death. There will be some, who will say, so and so has made a will, and his wealth has been calculated; others will say, so and so can no longer speak, he does not recognize his neighbors and he does not speak to his brother. It is as if I can see you listening to these words and unable to respond. Imagine yourself, O’ Son of Adam, being taken from your bed to a place where your body will be washed and shrouded, and being forsaken by your family and neighbors, wept over by your friends and brothers. Imagine the one who has washed your body saying, ‘Where is the wife of so and so to forgive him? Where are the orphans? Your father has left you and you will never see him again after this day.”?
20 January 2011
The body and soul
By:Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim
The body of the son of Adam was created from the earth and his soul from the government of Heaven and then they were joined. If he is hungry, stays awake, and keeps his body busy in serving Allah, his soul will find itself lighter and more peaceful so that it would long for the place from which it was created and miss its heavenly world. But if he secures food, blessings, sleep, and rest, the body will incline to remain at the place from which it was created and the soul would be pulled along with it and be in a prison. If it was not for the fact that it would get used to that prison, it would ask for help, as a tortured person does, to find relief from the pain resulting from the separation and departure from its own world from which it was created.
In general, the more the body is light, the more the soul will be light and seek its heavenly world, and the more the body is heavy and seeks desires and relief, the heavier the soul will be and it will come down from its heavenly world and become lower and more earthly. You may see the soul of a man in Heaven while his body is on the earth. Another person serves Allah with his body and his soul is low and wandering about in lowly matters. When the soul separates from the body, it would either catch up with its high or low place. With the high, it would find every blessing, happiness, beauty, pleasure, and good living while with the low it would find every distress, grief, suffering, sadness, and bad and difficult thing.
Allah says,
(20:124) ....وَمَنۡ أَعۡرَضَ عَن ذِڪۡرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُ ۥ مَعِيشَةً۬ ضَنكً۬ا
which means,“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur1an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship.”(Taha, 20:124)
“My Reminder” is His words, which He revealed to His Messenger(Peace be upon him), and “turns away” is by neglecting and abandoning working according to these words, and the majority of explanations saw that “life of hardship” is torture in the grave. Ibn Mas'ud, Abu Hurairah, Abu Sa'id Al-Khudry, and Ibn 'Abbas agreed on that and it has a traceable hadith.
This life of hardship is in return for relieving the body and soul with pleasures, desires and relief. The more you enrich the soul, it will restrain the heart until you live a life of hardship, and the more you restrain the soul, it will enrich the heart until that heart will be delighted and relieved. Hardship in this worldly life, following piety will find its relief in partition and the Hereafter, and relief in this worldly life following desires will find its hardship in the partition and the Hereafter.You should choose one of the two: the better, more pleasant, and more lasting.You may distress the body in order to relieve the soul but do not distress the soul to relieve the body; relief and distress of the soul is greater and more lasting while relief and distress of the body is shorter and easier.
Source: Al-fawaaid / P:281
The body of the son of Adam was created from the earth and his soul from the government of Heaven and then they were joined. If he is hungry, stays awake, and keeps his body busy in serving Allah, his soul will find itself lighter and more peaceful so that it would long for the place from which it was created and miss its heavenly world. But if he secures food, blessings, sleep, and rest, the body will incline to remain at the place from which it was created and the soul would be pulled along with it and be in a prison. If it was not for the fact that it would get used to that prison, it would ask for help, as a tortured person does, to find relief from the pain resulting from the separation and departure from its own world from which it was created.
In general, the more the body is light, the more the soul will be light and seek its heavenly world, and the more the body is heavy and seeks desires and relief, the heavier the soul will be and it will come down from its heavenly world and become lower and more earthly. You may see the soul of a man in Heaven while his body is on the earth. Another person serves Allah with his body and his soul is low and wandering about in lowly matters. When the soul separates from the body, it would either catch up with its high or low place. With the high, it would find every blessing, happiness, beauty, pleasure, and good living while with the low it would find every distress, grief, suffering, sadness, and bad and difficult thing.
Allah says,
(20:124) ....وَمَنۡ أَعۡرَضَ عَن ذِڪۡرِى فَإِنَّ لَهُ ۥ مَعِيشَةً۬ ضَنكً۬ا
which means,“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur1an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship.”(Taha, 20:124)
“My Reminder” is His words, which He revealed to His Messenger(Peace be upon him), and “turns away” is by neglecting and abandoning working according to these words, and the majority of explanations saw that “life of hardship” is torture in the grave. Ibn Mas'ud, Abu Hurairah, Abu Sa'id Al-Khudry, and Ibn 'Abbas agreed on that and it has a traceable hadith.
This life of hardship is in return for relieving the body and soul with pleasures, desires and relief. The more you enrich the soul, it will restrain the heart until you live a life of hardship, and the more you restrain the soul, it will enrich the heart until that heart will be delighted and relieved. Hardship in this worldly life, following piety will find its relief in partition and the Hereafter, and relief in this worldly life following desires will find its hardship in the partition and the Hereafter.You should choose one of the two: the better, more pleasant, and more lasting.You may distress the body in order to relieve the soul but do not distress the soul to relieve the body; relief and distress of the soul is greater and more lasting while relief and distress of the body is shorter and easier.
Source: Al-fawaaid / P:281
17 January 2011
Selections from Ibn al-Mubarak’s ‘Kitab al-Jihad’
These are selected narrations from the first book to ever be written/compiled about the topic of Jihad. It was authored by the noble imam, ‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak around 170 years after the Hijrah.
He was of the most well-known and knowledgeable of the Tabi’in. Above that, he was of the scholars who acted upon their words, as he spent most of his life on the frontlines guarding the Muslim lands against the Romans. He would alternate between making Hajj one year and battling the enemy the next. Just to get an idea of his character, check out the following narration from ‘Abduh bin Sulayman:
“We were on an expedition with Ibn al-Mubarak in the lands of the Romans, so the enemy approached us. When the two armies met, a man from the enemy came out and called for a duel, so a man from the Muslims came out and killed him. Then, a man from the enemy came out and killed him and called for another duel. So, a man from the Muslims came out with his face covered with his shirt and duelled with him for an hour or so, finally striking him and killing him. The people came to see who he was, so I went up and pulled the cloth from his face and saw that he was ‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak.”
['Tarikh Baghdad'; 1/167]
So – by the Permission of Allah – here are some selected authentic narrations from this book that he compiled, ‘Kitab al-Jihad’ - the first of its kind ever authored about the topic.
2 – Abu Salih al-Madani narrated:
“A group of the Companions said: “If only we knew which actions were the best and most beloved to Allah.” So, the verse was revealed: {“O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment? That you believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that you strive hard and fight in the Path of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That will be better for you, if only you knew!”} [as-Saff; 10-11]
So, they became averse to this. Then, the following verse was revealed: {“O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do. Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His Path in rows as if they were a solid structure.”} [as-Saff; 2-4]
6 - Abu ad-Darda’ said: “Being killed in the Path of Allah washes your filth from you. Being killed in such a way does two things: expiates your sins and raises your rank.”
7 - ‘Utbah bin ‘Abd as-Sulami narrated that the Prophet said:
“Those who are killed in the Path of Allah are of three types: a believer who who strives with his life and his wealth in the Path of Allah until he meets the enemy and fought them until he was killed, and this is the martyr who is pure, and he is in an encampment of Allah underneath His Throne, and the Prophets are not better than him except on account of their Prophethood. The second is a man who had fallen into sins and mistakes who fought with his life and his wealth in the Path of Allah until he met the enemy and fought them till he was killed. This is a martyr who has become purified, as his sins and mistakes were wiped away, and the sword wipes away one’s sins. He will be entered into any of the gates of Paradise that he pleases, and Paradise has eight gates, while Hell has seven gates, all of them placed one on top of the other. The last is a hypocrite who fought with his life and his wealth in the Path of Allah until he met the enemy and fought them till he was killed. He will be in Hell, as the sword does not wipe away hypocrisy.”
14 - al-Hasan al-Basri narrated:
“The Prophet sent out an army including ‘Abdullah bin Rawahah, so they went forth and attacked in the morning. ‘Abdullah, however, stayed to perform his prayers with the Messenger of Allah. When the prayer was over, the Messenger of Allah said to him: “O Ibn Rawahah! Are you not part of this army?” He replied: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, but I loved that I stay and pray with you, but I know the position of this army, and I will go catch up to them now.” So, the Prophet said: “By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, if you spent all the wealth on the Earth, you would not be able to attain the virtue of their expedition.”“
21 - ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr al-Laythi (a trustworthy Tabi’i) said:
“When the two armies meet, Allah sends down the Hur al-’Ayn to our sky, so if they see a man advancing towards the enemy, they say: “O Allah! Keep him firm!” and if they see him retreat, they cover their faces from him out of shyness, and if he is killed, they descend to him and wipe the dust from his face, saying: “O Allah, pour dirt upon the one who put dirt on him, and pour dust upon the one who put dust on him.”"
48 – Yahya bin Abi Kathir narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
“The best martyrs with Allah are those who are at the foremost part of the ranks, but do not turn their faces from the enemy until they are killed. These will rejoice in the highest rooms in Paradise, and their Lord will Laugh to them. Verily, your Lord – if He Laughs to a people – then there is no accounting of deeds for them.”
51 - ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr narrated:
“It was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, which Jihad is the best?” So, the Prophet said: “The one in which one’s horse becomes injured and his blood is spilt.”“
54 – Thabit al-Binani narrated:
“(On the day of Yarmuk), ‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl dismounted his horse so that he could fight the Romans, so Khalid bin al-Walid said to him: “Do not continue, for your feats on the battlefield are too difficult for the Muslims to keep up with!” So, ‘Ikrimah said to him: “Leave me, Khalid! You had a past with the Messenger of Allah, and my father and I were of the severest people against the Messenger of Allah!” So, he went forth and fought until he was killed.”
56 – Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrated:
“‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl used to press the Mushaf to his face and cry, saying: “The Book of my Lord! The Words of my Lord!”"
59 - Ibn Jurayj narrated:
“Mujahid (the noble Tabi’i) recited the verse: {“Do not think of those who are killed in the Path of Allah as being dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, and they are provided for.”} [Al 'Imran; 169] and said: “They are served from the fruits of Paradise and they smell its scent, even though they are not yet in it.”"
He was of the most well-known and knowledgeable of the Tabi’in. Above that, he was of the scholars who acted upon their words, as he spent most of his life on the frontlines guarding the Muslim lands against the Romans. He would alternate between making Hajj one year and battling the enemy the next. Just to get an idea of his character, check out the following narration from ‘Abduh bin Sulayman:
“We were on an expedition with Ibn al-Mubarak in the lands of the Romans, so the enemy approached us. When the two armies met, a man from the enemy came out and called for a duel, so a man from the Muslims came out and killed him. Then, a man from the enemy came out and killed him and called for another duel. So, a man from the Muslims came out with his face covered with his shirt and duelled with him for an hour or so, finally striking him and killing him. The people came to see who he was, so I went up and pulled the cloth from his face and saw that he was ‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak.”
['Tarikh Baghdad'; 1/167]
So – by the Permission of Allah – here are some selected authentic narrations from this book that he compiled, ‘Kitab al-Jihad’ - the first of its kind ever authored about the topic.
2 – Abu Salih al-Madani narrated:
“A group of the Companions said: “If only we knew which actions were the best and most beloved to Allah.” So, the verse was revealed: {“O You who believe! Shall I guide you to a commerce that will save you from a painful torment? That you believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that you strive hard and fight in the Path of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That will be better for you, if only you knew!”} [as-Saff; 10-11]
So, they became averse to this. Then, the following verse was revealed: {“O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do. Verily, Allah loves those who fight in His Path in rows as if they were a solid structure.”} [as-Saff; 2-4]
6 - Abu ad-Darda’ said: “Being killed in the Path of Allah washes your filth from you. Being killed in such a way does two things: expiates your sins and raises your rank.”
7 - ‘Utbah bin ‘Abd as-Sulami narrated that the Prophet said:
“Those who are killed in the Path of Allah are of three types: a believer who who strives with his life and his wealth in the Path of Allah until he meets the enemy and fought them until he was killed, and this is the martyr who is pure, and he is in an encampment of Allah underneath His Throne, and the Prophets are not better than him except on account of their Prophethood. The second is a man who had fallen into sins and mistakes who fought with his life and his wealth in the Path of Allah until he met the enemy and fought them till he was killed. This is a martyr who has become purified, as his sins and mistakes were wiped away, and the sword wipes away one’s sins. He will be entered into any of the gates of Paradise that he pleases, and Paradise has eight gates, while Hell has seven gates, all of them placed one on top of the other. The last is a hypocrite who fought with his life and his wealth in the Path of Allah until he met the enemy and fought them till he was killed. He will be in Hell, as the sword does not wipe away hypocrisy.”
14 - al-Hasan al-Basri narrated:
“The Prophet sent out an army including ‘Abdullah bin Rawahah, so they went forth and attacked in the morning. ‘Abdullah, however, stayed to perform his prayers with the Messenger of Allah. When the prayer was over, the Messenger of Allah said to him: “O Ibn Rawahah! Are you not part of this army?” He replied: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, but I loved that I stay and pray with you, but I know the position of this army, and I will go catch up to them now.” So, the Prophet said: “By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, if you spent all the wealth on the Earth, you would not be able to attain the virtue of their expedition.”“
21 - ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr al-Laythi (a trustworthy Tabi’i) said:
“When the two armies meet, Allah sends down the Hur al-’Ayn to our sky, so if they see a man advancing towards the enemy, they say: “O Allah! Keep him firm!” and if they see him retreat, they cover their faces from him out of shyness, and if he is killed, they descend to him and wipe the dust from his face, saying: “O Allah, pour dirt upon the one who put dirt on him, and pour dust upon the one who put dust on him.”"
48 – Yahya bin Abi Kathir narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
“The best martyrs with Allah are those who are at the foremost part of the ranks, but do not turn their faces from the enemy until they are killed. These will rejoice in the highest rooms in Paradise, and their Lord will Laugh to them. Verily, your Lord – if He Laughs to a people – then there is no accounting of deeds for them.”
51 - ‘Abdullah bin ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr narrated:
“It was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, which Jihad is the best?” So, the Prophet said: “The one in which one’s horse becomes injured and his blood is spilt.”“
54 – Thabit al-Binani narrated:
“(On the day of Yarmuk), ‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl dismounted his horse so that he could fight the Romans, so Khalid bin al-Walid said to him: “Do not continue, for your feats on the battlefield are too difficult for the Muslims to keep up with!” So, ‘Ikrimah said to him: “Leave me, Khalid! You had a past with the Messenger of Allah, and my father and I were of the severest people against the Messenger of Allah!” So, he went forth and fought until he was killed.”
56 – Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrated:
“‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl used to press the Mushaf to his face and cry, saying: “The Book of my Lord! The Words of my Lord!”"
59 - Ibn Jurayj narrated:
“Mujahid (the noble Tabi’i) recited the verse: {“Do not think of those who are killed in the Path of Allah as being dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, and they are provided for.”} [Al 'Imran; 169] and said: “They are served from the fruits of Paradise and they smell its scent, even though they are not yet in it.”"
16 January 2011
Road map to Paradise
Take Adam and Eve avenue until you come to the intersection of Habil (Abel) road, and Qabil (Cain) street; merge right on Habil (Abel) and continue for the next twenty miles till you come to Noah's Ferry.
Take the ferry to Safety Land, ignore the majority of other travel agencies’ directions, and arrive at Abraham's Super Highway also known as High way One God Only (1).
Follow Abraham but avoid the exit of Sodom and Gomorrah townships until you get to Moses lane but pass Gold and Greed bridges and take it to Jesus' Mercy road. Here you will encounter a lot of confusion, streets are not well marked, and many peddlers along the road are giving away maps with conflicting directions to travelers. The Romans have renamed Pagans’ path as Jesus' mercy road.
If you are not sure about the authenticity of Jesus' mercy road, review your map. See if Jesus' mercy path is a continuation of Abraham’s Super Highway. If it is a continuation you are fine, but still proceed with caution. If you have diverged, make a U-turn and go back to Abraham’s high way (1) and re-try again.
Continue on True Jesus' road, if you do not see the following signs along the path, you should stop and review your map again. Maps for this path have been tampered with, we recommend the Barnabas edition street map to get to the Unity of God congregation, Immaculate conception corner, and Love thy neighbor community center.
Avoid to show the Roman Traffic police your Barnabas street map, it is banned, they will confiscate it and you will be forced to use the only authorized official map - the Paul street map which was drawn to direct the motorists to Rome. For that reason there is a lot of lost traffic on this road. On the other hand True Jesus road is found on the Barnabas street map, but only few people have access to this map.
Keep on Jesus' Mercy road until you find Muhammad’s sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam Sunnah
Expressway. Stay on this expressway and do not be lured to rest areas along the expressway. Beware of the highway robbers, by insuring your vehicle with Dhikr security systems. All vehicles secured with Dhikr Security Systems will be protected from assaults by robbers (Satan).
Make sure that you have enough fuel. The highest grade fuel for this long and tiring trip is the Taqwa grade fuel. Make sure you demand this brand when you stop for refueling. Lighten the load on your vehicle, carry only the most important items for this trip: two meters of white cloth, good deeds and prayers of your kids is all you need. Excess weight is allowed only if it is more of the above. Other items will only slow you down or cause you to loose sight of where you are heading, and you risk losing the coverage of Dhikr Security systems, thereby becoming an easy target for the Robbers.
You need to check your vehicles safety features periodically by reading your vehicles manual - the Holy Quran. Your steering wheel must be calibrated by the Sunnah Calibration method, batteries must be charged with Iman, the engine needs to be tuned up with Ikhlas and your tires must be properly inflated with Ihsan. Most important of all, you must test the entire vehicle with the tawheed check list.
It does not matter if most parts of your vehicle are performing right, if a single part in your vehicle does not perform according to specifications of Tawheed (its conditions) your vehicle will break down and again the robbers will rob you of what is left. The overall performance of your vehicle depends on the performance of the weakest part in your vehicle, so routinely check these weak points, they may be detrimental to your trip.
There are many milestones on Muhammad’s(sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) road, and these milestones will assure you that you are on the right track. Do not worry that there are not any people on this road; just because you are alone on this road do not think that you are driving the wrong way on a one way street. Loving Allah more than anything else, loving the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam and his companions, who supported him when he was oppressed, following all his teachings, responding with patience and acceptance to lack of worldly goods, hunger, loss of family members are but some of the milestones and glad tidings that you are on the right track.
Also this road will be paved with pain, hard work, struggle with yourself and others and Iblis, the Robber, and all things that are not appealing to the soul. Never lay your guard, this trip is not over until it is over. Keep dhikr your guard, good deeds your luggage and do not lose to focus on where you are going, so you may endure the pain of this trip. When you finally arrive to your destination, Al-Jannah, you will forget all the pain.
Source: Islaam.com
Take the ferry to Safety Land, ignore the majority of other travel agencies’ directions, and arrive at Abraham's Super Highway also known as High way One God Only (1).
Follow Abraham but avoid the exit of Sodom and Gomorrah townships until you get to Moses lane but pass Gold and Greed bridges and take it to Jesus' Mercy road. Here you will encounter a lot of confusion, streets are not well marked, and many peddlers along the road are giving away maps with conflicting directions to travelers. The Romans have renamed Pagans’ path as Jesus' mercy road.
If you are not sure about the authenticity of Jesus' mercy road, review your map. See if Jesus' mercy path is a continuation of Abraham’s Super Highway. If it is a continuation you are fine, but still proceed with caution. If you have diverged, make a U-turn and go back to Abraham’s high way (1) and re-try again.
Continue on True Jesus' road, if you do not see the following signs along the path, you should stop and review your map again. Maps for this path have been tampered with, we recommend the Barnabas edition street map to get to the Unity of God congregation, Immaculate conception corner, and Love thy neighbor community center.
Avoid to show the Roman Traffic police your Barnabas street map, it is banned, they will confiscate it and you will be forced to use the only authorized official map - the Paul street map which was drawn to direct the motorists to Rome. For that reason there is a lot of lost traffic on this road. On the other hand True Jesus road is found on the Barnabas street map, but only few people have access to this map.
Keep on Jesus' Mercy road until you find Muhammad’s sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam Sunnah
Expressway. Stay on this expressway and do not be lured to rest areas along the expressway. Beware of the highway robbers, by insuring your vehicle with Dhikr security systems. All vehicles secured with Dhikr Security Systems will be protected from assaults by robbers (Satan).
Make sure that you have enough fuel. The highest grade fuel for this long and tiring trip is the Taqwa grade fuel. Make sure you demand this brand when you stop for refueling. Lighten the load on your vehicle, carry only the most important items for this trip: two meters of white cloth, good deeds and prayers of your kids is all you need. Excess weight is allowed only if it is more of the above. Other items will only slow you down or cause you to loose sight of where you are heading, and you risk losing the coverage of Dhikr Security systems, thereby becoming an easy target for the Robbers.
You need to check your vehicles safety features periodically by reading your vehicles manual - the Holy Quran. Your steering wheel must be calibrated by the Sunnah Calibration method, batteries must be charged with Iman, the engine needs to be tuned up with Ikhlas and your tires must be properly inflated with Ihsan. Most important of all, you must test the entire vehicle with the tawheed check list.
It does not matter if most parts of your vehicle are performing right, if a single part in your vehicle does not perform according to specifications of Tawheed (its conditions) your vehicle will break down and again the robbers will rob you of what is left. The overall performance of your vehicle depends on the performance of the weakest part in your vehicle, so routinely check these weak points, they may be detrimental to your trip.
There are many milestones on Muhammad’s(sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) road, and these milestones will assure you that you are on the right track. Do not worry that there are not any people on this road; just because you are alone on this road do not think that you are driving the wrong way on a one way street. Loving Allah more than anything else, loving the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam and his companions, who supported him when he was oppressed, following all his teachings, responding with patience and acceptance to lack of worldly goods, hunger, loss of family members are but some of the milestones and glad tidings that you are on the right track.
Also this road will be paved with pain, hard work, struggle with yourself and others and Iblis, the Robber, and all things that are not appealing to the soul. Never lay your guard, this trip is not over until it is over. Keep dhikr your guard, good deeds your luggage and do not lose to focus on where you are going, so you may endure the pain of this trip. When you finally arrive to your destination, Al-Jannah, you will forget all the pain.
Source: Islaam.com
13 January 2011
Temptation
It is related that a group of people were once seated in the company of Al-Hasan Al-Basri, when some men passed by, dragging along with them a body of a dead man. When Al-Hasan saw the dead man, a glint of instant recognition could be discerned in his eyes, and he fell unconscious from the shock of some memory that had just been rekindled.When he regained consciousness, his companions asked him what was wrong with him. He said; This man – referring to the dead man being dragged along on the ground – used to be one of the best worshippers and one of the most renowned ascetics (in the world) (here, ascetic specifically refers to a person who forgoes many of the pleasures of the world, because he is too busy and devoted to worship).
One day he left his home, intending to go to the masjid to pray; but on the way, he saw a beautiful young Christian woman, who became an immediate temptation to him.When he proposed to her, she refused, saying, 'I will not marry you until you become an adherent of my religion.' He went on his way, but as time went on, he yearning for her continued to increase. He then succumbed to her wish and exited from the fold of (Islam) – the religion of pure, unadulterated Monotheism. After he became a Christian and some time passed, the woman came out to him from behind the curtain and said, “You are a man who is bereft of goodness. You have forsaken your religion, which was important to you for your entire life, simply for the sake of a lust that is of no value. Indeed, I too am forsaking my religion, but not for the same reason. I am doing so in order to achieve a blissful existence that never comes to an end, an eternal existence under the care of the One, the As-Samad (i.e., Allaah; The Self Sufficient Master, Whom all creature need, He neither eats nor drinks).'
She then recited (the entire Chapter of Al-Ikhlas):
(4)قُلْ هُوَ اللَّـهُ أَحَدٌ ﴿1﴾ اللَّـهُ الصَّمَدُ ﴿2﴾ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ﴿3﴾ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
“Say (O Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)): “He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none coequal or comparable unto Him.” (Qur'an 112:1-4)
When the people heard about what she had said, they approached her and asked, 'All along, you had this Chapter memorized?' 'No,' she answered. 'By Allaah, I had never known it before. But after this man continued to insist upon having me, I saw a dream; I saw the Hellfire, and my place in it was shown to me. I became terrified and panic-stricken. Malik – the Custodian of the Hellfire – said to me : Do not be afraid or sad, for Allaah has ransomed (i.e., saved) you with this man (i.e., he will take the place in Hellfire that you would have taken had not Allaah saved you). He then took me by the hand and admitted me into Paradise. Seeing a line written inside of it, I read it; among what was written were these Words:
(39) يَمْحُو اللَّـهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ ۖ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ
“Allaah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz)“. [Qur'an 13:39]
He then recited the Al-Ikhlaas Chapter to me, and I began to repeat it. Then I woke up and had it (the Al-Ikhlas Chapter) memorized.'
Al-Hasan then said, “The woman then embraced Islam, and the man – whose corpse you just saw being dragged away – was killed for having apostatized. And I ask Allah to make us firm and steadfast (upon correct guidance) and to grant us safety and success.“
Source : Glimpses of righteous people by Majdi Muhammed Ash-Shahawi
One day he left his home, intending to go to the masjid to pray; but on the way, he saw a beautiful young Christian woman, who became an immediate temptation to him.When he proposed to her, she refused, saying, 'I will not marry you until you become an adherent of my religion.' He went on his way, but as time went on, he yearning for her continued to increase. He then succumbed to her wish and exited from the fold of (Islam) – the religion of pure, unadulterated Monotheism. After he became a Christian and some time passed, the woman came out to him from behind the curtain and said, “You are a man who is bereft of goodness. You have forsaken your religion, which was important to you for your entire life, simply for the sake of a lust that is of no value. Indeed, I too am forsaking my religion, but not for the same reason. I am doing so in order to achieve a blissful existence that never comes to an end, an eternal existence under the care of the One, the As-Samad (i.e., Allaah; The Self Sufficient Master, Whom all creature need, He neither eats nor drinks).'
She then recited (the entire Chapter of Al-Ikhlas):
(4)قُلْ هُوَ اللَّـهُ أَحَدٌ ﴿1﴾ اللَّـهُ الصَّمَدُ ﴿2﴾ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ﴿3﴾ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
“Say (O Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)): “He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none coequal or comparable unto Him.” (Qur'an 112:1-4)
When the people heard about what she had said, they approached her and asked, 'All along, you had this Chapter memorized?' 'No,' she answered. 'By Allaah, I had never known it before. But after this man continued to insist upon having me, I saw a dream; I saw the Hellfire, and my place in it was shown to me. I became terrified and panic-stricken. Malik – the Custodian of the Hellfire – said to me : Do not be afraid or sad, for Allaah has ransomed (i.e., saved) you with this man (i.e., he will take the place in Hellfire that you would have taken had not Allaah saved you). He then took me by the hand and admitted me into Paradise. Seeing a line written inside of it, I read it; among what was written were these Words:
(39) يَمْحُو اللَّـهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ ۖ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ
“Allaah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz)“. [Qur'an 13:39]
He then recited the Al-Ikhlaas Chapter to me, and I began to repeat it. Then I woke up and had it (the Al-Ikhlas Chapter) memorized.'
Al-Hasan then said, “The woman then embraced Islam, and the man – whose corpse you just saw being dragged away – was killed for having apostatized. And I ask Allah to make us firm and steadfast (upon correct guidance) and to grant us safety and success.“
Source : Glimpses of righteous people by Majdi Muhammed Ash-Shahawi
10 January 2011
The worship of Ibn Taymiyyah
by Abu Hafs ‘Umar bin ‘Ali al-Bazzar( May Allah have Mercy on him)
During the nights, he would separate himself from everybody, secluding himself with his Lord, strictly maintaining his recitation of the Mighty Qur'an, and repeating the various types of daily and nightly worship.
When the night was over, he would rejoin the people for the Fajr prayer, praying the optional prayer before meeting them. When he would begin the prayer, your heart would want to fly from its place just from the way in which he would make the opening takbir. When he would begin the prayer, his limbs would shake, moving him left and right. When he would recite, he would elongate his recitation just as was authentically reported regarding the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). His bowing, prostration, and his coming up from them were from the most complete of what has ever been reported in regards to the obligatory prayer. He would severely lighten his sitting for the first tashahhud, and would say the first taslim out loud to the point that everyone who was present would hear it.
When he finished his prayer, he and whoever was present would praise Allah with what was narrated: ‘Oh Allah, You are Peace, and You are the Source of Peace. You are Blessed, O Possessor of Glory and Honor,’ and he would then turn to the congregation, repeat the narrated tahlil, as well as the 33 tasbih, tahmid, and takbir, and complete the hundred with a tahlil as was narrated, and the congregation would do exactly as he did. He would then supplicate to Allah for himself and the Muslims with the various narrated supplications, and he would most often supplicate with: ‘O Allah! Aide us and do not aide anyone over us. Plan for us and not against us. Guide us and make guidance easy for us. O Allah! Make us thankful to You, depending on and
remembering You, submissive to You, loving You, fearing You, and obedient to You. Our Lord! Accept our repentance, wash away our sins, and keep our words firm. Guide our hearts, and remove all malice from our chests,’ and he would open and close this supplication by praying for the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he would then proceed to engage in dhikr.
And I came to know that it was his habit that nobody would speak to him unless absolutely necessary after the Fajr prayer. He would remain in a state of dhikr of Allah, listening to himself. Sometimes, he would let those sitting next to him listen to his dhikr, all the while constantly turning his eyesight to the sky. He would remain in such a state until the Sun rose and the time in which prayer is forbidden had passed.
During the nights, he would separate himself from everybody, secluding himself with his Lord, strictly maintaining his recitation of the Mighty Qur'an, and repeating the various types of daily and nightly worship.
When the night was over, he would rejoin the people for the Fajr prayer, praying the optional prayer before meeting them. When he would begin the prayer, your heart would want to fly from its place just from the way in which he would make the opening takbir. When he would begin the prayer, his limbs would shake, moving him left and right. When he would recite, he would elongate his recitation just as was authentically reported regarding the recitation of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). His bowing, prostration, and his coming up from them were from the most complete of what has ever been reported in regards to the obligatory prayer. He would severely lighten his sitting for the first tashahhud, and would say the first taslim out loud to the point that everyone who was present would hear it.
When he finished his prayer, he and whoever was present would praise Allah with what was narrated: ‘Oh Allah, You are Peace, and You are the Source of Peace. You are Blessed, O Possessor of Glory and Honor,’ and he would then turn to the congregation, repeat the narrated tahlil, as well as the 33 tasbih, tahmid, and takbir, and complete the hundred with a tahlil as was narrated, and the congregation would do exactly as he did. He would then supplicate to Allah for himself and the Muslims with the various narrated supplications, and he would most often supplicate with: ‘O Allah! Aide us and do not aide anyone over us. Plan for us and not against us. Guide us and make guidance easy for us. O Allah! Make us thankful to You, depending on and
remembering You, submissive to You, loving You, fearing You, and obedient to You. Our Lord! Accept our repentance, wash away our sins, and keep our words firm. Guide our hearts, and remove all malice from our chests,’ and he would open and close this supplication by praying for the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he would then proceed to engage in dhikr.
And I came to know that it was his habit that nobody would speak to him unless absolutely necessary after the Fajr prayer. He would remain in a state of dhikr of Allah, listening to himself. Sometimes, he would let those sitting next to him listen to his dhikr, all the while constantly turning his eyesight to the sky. He would remain in such a state until the Sun rose and the time in which prayer is forbidden had passed.
04 January 2011
The bliss of the Prophet's Companions
Our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم came to all people with a heavenly message. He صلى الله عليه و سلم was not driven by worldly ambition, he صلى الله عليه و سلم had no treasure from which to spend, no splendid gardens from which to eat, and no castle in which to live. Despite all this, his loving followers pledged allegiance to him and remained steadfast, enduring a hard life full of difficulties. They were few and weak, always in fear of being uprooted by those surrounding them, and yet they loved the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم wholly and completely.
They were besieged in a mountain pass, and during that time, they had little or no food. Their reputations were attacked, their own relatives waged war against them, and yet their love for him was perfect.
Some of them were dragged over the hot sands of the desert, some were imprisoned, and others were subjected to inventive and innovative ways of punishment - all of which the disbelievers inflicted upon them. Having to endure all of that, they still loved him unreservedly with heart and soul.
They were deprived of home, country, family, and wealth. They were driven out from the playing fields of their childhood and from the homes in which they were raised. Despite all this suffering, they loved him unequivocally.
The believers faced trials because of his message. The very ground under them was shaken violently, and yet their love for him continued to grow.
The best among their youth constantly had swords hanging menacingly over their heads.
Their men moved forward lightly across the battlefield, advancing to death as if they were upon an excursion or a holiday, for the simple reason that they loved him unconditionally.
One of them was charged with the duty of carrying the Prophet's صلى الله عليه و سلم message to a king in a foreign land, and that person knew that it was a mission from which he would not return. Yet he went and fulfilled his duty. One of them was sent on a mission, knowing that it would be the cause of his death, and he went happily, for he loved the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم with unmitigated love.
But why did they love him, and why were they so happy with his message and content with his example? Why did they forget the pain, the suffering, and the hardship that resulted from following him?
To put it simply. He صلى الله عليه و سلم epitomized benevolence and righteousness. They perceived in him all the signs of truth and purity. He صلى الله عليه و سلم was a symbol for those who sought out higher things. With his tenderness he صلى الله عليه و سلم cooled the rancor from the hearts of people, with words of truth he صلى الله عليه و سلم soothed their chests, and with his message he صلى الله عليه و سلم filled their souls with peace.
He صلى الله عليه و سلم poured happiness into their hearts, until the pain that they endured from being at his side was made to seem insignificant. He صلى الله عليه و سلم instilled into their souls a belief that made them forget every injury and every adversity that they had to endure.
He صلى الله عليه و سلم polished their insides with his guidance and he illuminated their eyes with his brilliance. He صلى الله عليه و سلم removed from them the burdens of ignorance, the depravities of idolatry, and the evil consequences of polytheism. He صلى الله عليه و سلم extinguished the fires of malice and animosity from their souls and he صلى الله عليه و سلم poured the water of faith into their hearts. Thus, their minds and bodies became tranquil and their hearts found peace.
They tasted the beauty of life with him and they knew delight in his company. They found happiness at his side, safety and salvation in following him, and inner-richness in emulating him:
And we have sent you [O' Muhammad] not but as a mercy for all that exists.
(Qur'an 21: 107)
And verily, you [O ' Muhammad] are indeed guiding [mankind] to the straight path.? (Qur'an 42: 52)
And He brings them out of darkness [bv Allah's will] unto light... (Qur'an 5: 16)
He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger [Muhammad] from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifting then [from the .filth of disbelief and polytheism], and teaching them the Book and Al-Hikmah [As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of Prophet Muhammad]. And verily, they had been before in manifest error :} (Qur'an 62: 2)
He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the fetters [bindings] that were upon them. (Qur'an 7: 157)
(Answer Allah [by obeying him] and [His] Messenger when he calls
You to that which will give you life.} (Qur'an 8: 24)
And you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. } (Qur'an 3: 103)
They were truly happy with their leader and so they rightly deserved to be.
O' Allah, send prayers and peace upon Muhammad, the liberator of minds from the shackles of deviation and the rescuer of souls from the curses of falsehood, and be pleased with his noble Companions as a recompense for their striving and for their efforts.
Source: Don't be sad by Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni
They were besieged in a mountain pass, and during that time, they had little or no food. Their reputations were attacked, their own relatives waged war against them, and yet their love for him was perfect.
Some of them were dragged over the hot sands of the desert, some were imprisoned, and others were subjected to inventive and innovative ways of punishment - all of which the disbelievers inflicted upon them. Having to endure all of that, they still loved him unreservedly with heart and soul.
They were deprived of home, country, family, and wealth. They were driven out from the playing fields of their childhood and from the homes in which they were raised. Despite all this suffering, they loved him unequivocally.
The believers faced trials because of his message. The very ground under them was shaken violently, and yet their love for him continued to grow.
The best among their youth constantly had swords hanging menacingly over their heads.
Their men moved forward lightly across the battlefield, advancing to death as if they were upon an excursion or a holiday, for the simple reason that they loved him unconditionally.
One of them was charged with the duty of carrying the Prophet's صلى الله عليه و سلم message to a king in a foreign land, and that person knew that it was a mission from which he would not return. Yet he went and fulfilled his duty. One of them was sent on a mission, knowing that it would be the cause of his death, and he went happily, for he loved the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم with unmitigated love.
But why did they love him, and why were they so happy with his message and content with his example? Why did they forget the pain, the suffering, and the hardship that resulted from following him?
To put it simply. He صلى الله عليه و سلم epitomized benevolence and righteousness. They perceived in him all the signs of truth and purity. He صلى الله عليه و سلم was a symbol for those who sought out higher things. With his tenderness he صلى الله عليه و سلم cooled the rancor from the hearts of people, with words of truth he صلى الله عليه و سلم soothed their chests, and with his message he صلى الله عليه و سلم filled their souls with peace.
He صلى الله عليه و سلم poured happiness into their hearts, until the pain that they endured from being at his side was made to seem insignificant. He صلى الله عليه و سلم instilled into their souls a belief that made them forget every injury and every adversity that they had to endure.
He صلى الله عليه و سلم polished their insides with his guidance and he illuminated their eyes with his brilliance. He صلى الله عليه و سلم removed from them the burdens of ignorance, the depravities of idolatry, and the evil consequences of polytheism. He صلى الله عليه و سلم extinguished the fires of malice and animosity from their souls and he صلى الله عليه و سلم poured the water of faith into their hearts. Thus, their minds and bodies became tranquil and their hearts found peace.
They tasted the beauty of life with him and they knew delight in his company. They found happiness at his side, safety and salvation in following him, and inner-richness in emulating him:
And we have sent you [O' Muhammad] not but as a mercy for all that exists.
(Qur'an 21: 107)
And verily, you [O ' Muhammad] are indeed guiding [mankind] to the straight path.? (Qur'an 42: 52)
And He brings them out of darkness [bv Allah's will] unto light... (Qur'an 5: 16)
He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger [Muhammad] from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifting then [from the .filth of disbelief and polytheism], and teaching them the Book and Al-Hikmah [As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of Prophet Muhammad]. And verily, they had been before in manifest error :} (Qur'an 62: 2)
He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the fetters [bindings] that were upon them. (Qur'an 7: 157)
(Answer Allah [by obeying him] and [His] Messenger when he calls
You to that which will give you life.} (Qur'an 8: 24)
And you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. } (Qur'an 3: 103)
They were truly happy with their leader and so they rightly deserved to be.
O' Allah, send prayers and peace upon Muhammad, the liberator of minds from the shackles of deviation and the rescuer of souls from the curses of falsehood, and be pleased with his noble Companions as a recompense for their striving and for their efforts.
Source: Don't be sad by Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni
03 January 2011
The qualities of the people of taqwa
Hamman ibn Shuraih - a companion of Ali (radi Allah anhu) asked him to narrate the qualities of the people of taqwa so that he would be able to see them in front of him. Ali (radi Allah anhu) said:
'When Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) created His creation, He did so while He was completely independent of their obedience towards Him and of their disobedience towards Him. No disobedience can hurt Him and no obedience can benefit Him. Then He distributed amongst them (the creation) their means of sustenance and placed them on earth.
The people of taqwa on earth are those of virtue: their speech is correct (true); their garments are of moderate nature and their walk is one of humility. They lower their gazes when they see something that Allah has forbidden them to see and they give an ear to beneficial knowledge. They maintain their integrity in both adversity and prosperity. Had it not been for the appointed time that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has written for them (death), their souls would not remain an extra second in their bodies out of yearning for reward and fear of punishment. The Creator ranks Supreme in their eyes, so everything else becomes immaterial to them. They are with Paradise as if they had already witnessed it and enjoyed its presence. They are with Hell as if they have already seen it and tasted its torment. Their hearts grieve and their evil (if any) is non-contagious. Their bodies are lean, their needs are few and their souls are chaste.
They observe patience for a few days and experience everlasting comfort. This is a profitable exchange that their Lord has made pleasant for them. The world tempts them, but they do not succumb. It imprisons them, but they ransomed themselves in exchange. During the nights they stand in rows and read portions of the Qur'an. They recite with proper recitation which grieves their hearts and drink it (the Qur'an) like medicine. If a verse of yearning comes along, they reach for it and believe it is their destination. If an intimidating verse comes along, they pour their hearts towards it and believe that Hell and its screams are in their ears. They sleep on their foreheads and elbows (i.e. they engage in prayers so much that it is as if they sleep in those postures) and implore Allah to deliver them.
In the day, they are tolerant and learned, kind and Godfearing. Fear has chipped away at their bodies as if they were arrows. Anyone looking at them would think that they were sick. But they are not sick. Some will say that they are confused. A great fear has made them look like that. They are never content to do only a few actions (during the day), nor do they ask for a great deal. They condemn themselves and are apprehensive about their deeds. If one of them is called "pious", he fears what will be said of him and says: 'I know myself better than you do. My Lord knows me better than I do. O Allah! Do not take me to task for what they are saying about me and (O Lord) make me better than they think. Forgive my sins which they do not know about.'
Their signs are that they are strong in Islam, resolute in their softness; firm in their belief. They crave for knowledge and are knowledgeable with tolerance; moderate in richness; pleasant in hunger; forbearing in distress; seeking halal; active in (pursuing) guidance and they abhor greed.
They perform good deeds in fear (of rejection). They spend the evening in gratitude and the morning in remembrance. They sleep in alarm and they awake in joy. If their carnal selves make it difficult for them to fulfil that which they dislike they deprive them of that which they like. The apple of their eyes is in what does not perish and their abstemiousness is in what disappears. They combine knowledge with tolerance and speech with action.
You will find their hopes are realistic their mistakes few; their hearts humble their selves content; their diet meagre their matters simple; their Deen safe-guarded, their desires killed and their anger subdued. Goodness is expected from them and evil is shielded against them. If they are among those who are oblivious, they are counted amongst those who remember (Allah). If they are
among those who remember, they are not written among the oblivious. They pardon those who wrong them; they provide for those who deprive them and meet those who severe ties with them. They are never profane and always lenient. Their wrong doings are almost non-existent and their good deeds are always present. They are resolute when the earth quakes, steadfast in calamities and grateful in
prosperity.
They are not prejudiced against those they dislike nor do they favour those they love. They acknowledge the truth before it appears and do not lose anything they are entrusted with. They do not call anyone names nor do they hurt their neighbours. They do not curse at the time of difficulties nor do they venture into falsehood. Silence does not bother them and if they laugh they do not raise their voices. If they are treated with injustice they remain patient until Allah vindicates them. Their own selves live in toil while others are comfortable around them.
Their abstinence from those who stay away from them is their exoneration (from malice). Their proximity to those who are close to them is a means of mercy (for those who are close to them). Their remaining aloof is not out of pride and arrogance and their being close is neither a ploy nor a scheme."
Source: Taqwa-The provision of believers
'When Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) created His creation, He did so while He was completely independent of their obedience towards Him and of their disobedience towards Him. No disobedience can hurt Him and no obedience can benefit Him. Then He distributed amongst them (the creation) their means of sustenance and placed them on earth.
The people of taqwa on earth are those of virtue: their speech is correct (true); their garments are of moderate nature and their walk is one of humility. They lower their gazes when they see something that Allah has forbidden them to see and they give an ear to beneficial knowledge. They maintain their integrity in both adversity and prosperity. Had it not been for the appointed time that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has written for them (death), their souls would not remain an extra second in their bodies out of yearning for reward and fear of punishment. The Creator ranks Supreme in their eyes, so everything else becomes immaterial to them. They are with Paradise as if they had already witnessed it and enjoyed its presence. They are with Hell as if they have already seen it and tasted its torment. Their hearts grieve and their evil (if any) is non-contagious. Their bodies are lean, their needs are few and their souls are chaste.
They observe patience for a few days and experience everlasting comfort. This is a profitable exchange that their Lord has made pleasant for them. The world tempts them, but they do not succumb. It imprisons them, but they ransomed themselves in exchange. During the nights they stand in rows and read portions of the Qur'an. They recite with proper recitation which grieves their hearts and drink it (the Qur'an) like medicine. If a verse of yearning comes along, they reach for it and believe it is their destination. If an intimidating verse comes along, they pour their hearts towards it and believe that Hell and its screams are in their ears. They sleep on their foreheads and elbows (i.e. they engage in prayers so much that it is as if they sleep in those postures) and implore Allah to deliver them.
In the day, they are tolerant and learned, kind and Godfearing. Fear has chipped away at their bodies as if they were arrows. Anyone looking at them would think that they were sick. But they are not sick. Some will say that they are confused. A great fear has made them look like that. They are never content to do only a few actions (during the day), nor do they ask for a great deal. They condemn themselves and are apprehensive about their deeds. If one of them is called "pious", he fears what will be said of him and says: 'I know myself better than you do. My Lord knows me better than I do. O Allah! Do not take me to task for what they are saying about me and (O Lord) make me better than they think. Forgive my sins which they do not know about.'
Their signs are that they are strong in Islam, resolute in their softness; firm in their belief. They crave for knowledge and are knowledgeable with tolerance; moderate in richness; pleasant in hunger; forbearing in distress; seeking halal; active in (pursuing) guidance and they abhor greed.
They perform good deeds in fear (of rejection). They spend the evening in gratitude and the morning in remembrance. They sleep in alarm and they awake in joy. If their carnal selves make it difficult for them to fulfil that which they dislike they deprive them of that which they like. The apple of their eyes is in what does not perish and their abstemiousness is in what disappears. They combine knowledge with tolerance and speech with action.
You will find their hopes are realistic their mistakes few; their hearts humble their selves content; their diet meagre their matters simple; their Deen safe-guarded, their desires killed and their anger subdued. Goodness is expected from them and evil is shielded against them. If they are among those who are oblivious, they are counted amongst those who remember (Allah). If they are
among those who remember, they are not written among the oblivious. They pardon those who wrong them; they provide for those who deprive them and meet those who severe ties with them. They are never profane and always lenient. Their wrong doings are almost non-existent and their good deeds are always present. They are resolute when the earth quakes, steadfast in calamities and grateful in
prosperity.
They are not prejudiced against those they dislike nor do they favour those they love. They acknowledge the truth before it appears and do not lose anything they are entrusted with. They do not call anyone names nor do they hurt their neighbours. They do not curse at the time of difficulties nor do they venture into falsehood. Silence does not bother them and if they laugh they do not raise their voices. If they are treated with injustice they remain patient until Allah vindicates them. Their own selves live in toil while others are comfortable around them.
Their abstinence from those who stay away from them is their exoneration (from malice). Their proximity to those who are close to them is a means of mercy (for those who are close to them). Their remaining aloof is not out of pride and arrogance and their being close is neither a ploy nor a scheme."
Source: Taqwa-The provision of believers
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