Today I was pondering this quotes meaning and how true it is...
Wonder of wonders! How is it that the same people who leave food out of fear of sickness cannot leave sin out of fear of the Hereafter.
[Yahya bin Mu’adh]
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Universal Children's Day 2007 NOV.20th
Universal Children's Day 2007
Crucial Advice to Parents on Raising Children
Note: this advice has Islamic ideals written into it. Everything written below is MY opinion from my experience as a kindergarden teacher and my own private life.
“A child’s viewpoint of their future and the way they handle it is created and formed by the life experiences they are subjected to as children. This can be negative or positive experiences. They choose, as adults, how to utilize those experiences to either improve themselves and their life or to plunge into negative conflicts and fail in life. It is our job as parents to provide our children with the foundation of stability, security and loving encouragement to nurture this growth of their personalities and to provide positive loving experiences to them to propel them into successful futures as self-confident and well-rounded individuals who contribute positively to society.”
-Sultana
Crucial Advice to Parents on Raising Children
Note: this advice has Islamic ideals written into it. Everything written below is MY opinion from my experience as a kindergarden teacher and my own private life.
“A child’s viewpoint of their future and the way they handle it is created and formed by the life experiences they are subjected to as children. This can be negative or positive experiences. They choose, as adults, how to utilize those experiences to either improve themselves and their life or to plunge into negative conflicts and fail in life. It is our job as parents to provide our children with the foundation of stability, security and loving encouragement to nurture this growth of their personalities and to provide positive loving experiences to them to propel them into successful futures as self-confident and well-rounded individuals who contribute positively to society.”
-Sultana
1) Lead by example. This is the most important advice I could possibly give anyone. In all aspects of life, if we want people to change we have to make ourselves the best examples to learn from! If we make a conscious effort to remember that our children are watching us, it will keep us in check. We will mind our manners, we will speak more soothingly, we will control our emotions, and ultimately we will see that, by our kids watching us, we are beginning to behave the way we want them to behave. In other words, it is a cycle that eventually trains parents and their children towards better behaviour and emotional restraint. If we know that our kids are watching our every move, we will be mindful of our behaviour and set an example with that behaviour. Then, our kids will model that good behaviour and essentially everyone wins.
2) Have great patience with your children and their annoyances. Laugh and find ease in their childishness. There is nothing more blissful than baby’s belly laughs or their ridiculously funny little questions that we stumble to answer at times. They are, after all, children. They are still learning the ways of life, from you. They won’t stay children forever!
3) Don’t EVER tell your children that “children are to be seen and not heard”. They just might grow up to take that advice and completely break away from you, emotionally, forever.
4) Give your children the greatest childhoods’ you can. Remember what yours was like and make it 100 times better for your own children. We remember our childhood as the crucial defining time of our lives. Let their defining time be recollected as one of immense joy and contentment.
5) Never use your children as your best friend. Mothers and Fathers are there to be Mothers and Fathers, not best friends! Your children don’t need your adult problems weighing on their shoulders, not to mention the emotional and psychological consequences of doing so are devastatingly destructive on a child’s personality and emotions. You don’t have to act as a best friend for your child to come to you with their problems and you, as an adult, should be able to handle your own without including your children in them!
6) Keep your promises to your children. A child promised a coveted prize/toy/trip will never forget that promise and will never let you forget it. Actually, quite sadly, many children roll their eyes when they hear their parents say "Inshallah" for fear that Inshallah really means "maybe" or "yeah, right" or a plain "no." A dishonest promise might grant you a few minutes of quiet shopping time, but in the end it will lead you further into the depths of your child's distrust.
7) Listen and Respond to your children’s feelings. Let them express their feelings and listen to them, give them advice, and comfort them, even if it is childish, they are after all, children, but to them, their problem is just as important and real as you think yours are. This will encourage your children to come to you for advice and help when they are teenagers and as adults.
8) Make the family relationship between the children and their relatives strong. Encourage children and their cousins to play, pray, and visit together regularly. This will strengthen the relationship and bond between siblings and their cousins throughout childhood and into adulthood. They will then, as adults, protect, help and strengthen each other throughout life because of this bond.
9) Be active in your children’s education and school. Show interest in their academic accomplishments and go to school for meetings and open houses. This will give the children a sense of security at school as well as motivation to do well in school because they know it will make their parents proud and happy. Tell them you are proud of them!
10) Show your children physical affection. If you’re not the “touchy feely type”, go out of your own comfort zone to comfort your children. You’d be surprised at how many children “violently act out” only because they wanted affection from their mothers and fathers! This DAILY type of affection eases the heart and strengthens the bond of love between parents and their children.
11) Teach your children their culture and traditions. Make them proud of it and teach them to respect it. This leads to pride in their identity as citizens and pride in knowing their country’s and people’s history. This knowledge and respect fosters love for their country and their people. It persuades them to serve their country well as adults contributing to their society and helping their people progress for the good.
12) Don’t spoil your children. Teach them the value of money and “things”. Never replace love with “things”. This leads to unhappy shallow adults whose only happiness is found in how much they can buy and how much stuff they have! Giving a child everything they want, when they want it, and how they want it, just so they will be quiet and happy only makes them greedy adults who will never want to work hard for what they desire in life. Find a balance in this very significant aspect of parenthood.
13) Be equal in love and attention among all of your children. Don’t play each child off of the other. (ex. “Look at your brother, he’s being good. Why can’t you be good like him?”) This leads to hatred and jealousy between siblings, this also doesn’t solve the child’s behavior in the first place! Giving one child favoritism over another will crumble the self-esteem and self-worth of the child who you don’t give attention to and only make them envious of their siblings. This loss of self-esteem and self-worth in the child can lead to difficulty in future relationships and development throughout life when the child was not given love and attention from the parents when he needed it the most.
13) Teach them the Honor in helping others and giving charity. This is self explanatory really. Show your children how morally responsible and honorable it can be to help others in need. Teach them that helping others is one of the most dignified qualities a human being can have. Teach them that having mercy and giving kindness to all living creatures and humans is a noble quality for a person to possess.
8) Make the family relationship between the children and their relatives strong. Encourage children and their cousins to play, pray, and visit together regularly. This will strengthen the relationship and bond between siblings and their cousins throughout childhood and into adulthood. They will then, as adults, protect, help and strengthen each other throughout life because of this bond.
9) Be active in your children’s education and school. Show interest in their academic accomplishments and go to school for meetings and open houses. This will give the children a sense of security at school as well as motivation to do well in school because they know it will make their parents proud and happy. Tell them you are proud of them!
10) Show your children physical affection. If you’re not the “touchy feely type”, go out of your own comfort zone to comfort your children. You’d be surprised at how many children “violently act out” only because they wanted affection from their mothers and fathers! This DAILY type of affection eases the heart and strengthens the bond of love between parents and their children.
11) Teach your children their culture and traditions. Make them proud of it and teach them to respect it. This leads to pride in their identity as citizens and pride in knowing their country’s and people’s history. This knowledge and respect fosters love for their country and their people. It persuades them to serve their country well as adults contributing to their society and helping their people progress for the good.
12) Don’t spoil your children. Teach them the value of money and “things”. Never replace love with “things”. This leads to unhappy shallow adults whose only happiness is found in how much they can buy and how much stuff they have! Giving a child everything they want, when they want it, and how they want it, just so they will be quiet and happy only makes them greedy adults who will never want to work hard for what they desire in life. Find a balance in this very significant aspect of parenthood.
13) Be equal in love and attention among all of your children. Don’t play each child off of the other. (ex. “Look at your brother, he’s being good. Why can’t you be good like him?”) This leads to hatred and jealousy between siblings, this also doesn’t solve the child’s behavior in the first place! Giving one child favoritism over another will crumble the self-esteem and self-worth of the child who you don’t give attention to and only make them envious of their siblings. This loss of self-esteem and self-worth in the child can lead to difficulty in future relationships and development throughout life when the child was not given love and attention from the parents when he needed it the most.
13) Teach them the Honor in helping others and giving charity. This is self explanatory really. Show your children how morally responsible and honorable it can be to help others in need. Teach them that helping others is one of the most dignified qualities a human being can have. Teach them that having mercy and giving kindness to all living creatures and humans is a noble quality for a person to possess.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Correcting People's Mistakes
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Whomsoever from amongst you see an evil he should change it with his hand. If he does not have the power to do this, then he should change it with his tongue. If he does not have the ability to do even this, then he should change it with his heart
(by scheming in the eradication of this evil)."
(Hadith)
Saturday, November 17, 2007
My Thoughts
13 Surah ar-Rad (The Thunder)
Verse 11
لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِّن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلاَ مَرَدَّ لَهُ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَالٍ
(13:11)
For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him: They guard him by command of Allah.
Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves
(with their own souls).
But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect.
(13:11)
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Questions To Self:
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Why is it that some people think thier race and culture is superior to others and that their people are perfect and can do no wrong?
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Why do they blame "Western Influence" for thier bad deeds they make?
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Are we not responsible for our own actions?
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Do we not have the "Best Guideance given to mankind" to influence and direct our lives and the way we live it and to deal with all issues in this life?
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If so, then why do I feel like we are going backwards instead of forwards?
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Why do we not progress if we have the "Resource(Quran)" that teaches us how?
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Islaamic Ruling on Horoscopes
Today I recieved an email from a dear friend, she was asking me to look at a table she sent to me and find out my horoscope sign, write it down and send it on by email to the next person on the list for fun. This horoscope reading is not allowed in Islam. But, today many young muslims follow each other in this path of reading their horoscopes and believing what it says about them and thier future, they know it is Haram but they say it is only for fun. Even if it is for fun, this is not allowed, and we should do our best to inform our dear brothers and sisters in Islam about this.
Excerpt from:http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/aqeedah/0021.htm
The Islaamic Ruling on Horoscopes
By al-Hidaayah Publications
In the Name of Allaah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Ramatullah Wabarakatuh Brothers and Sisters in Islam,
Not only is the practice of astrology is Haraam, but also visiting an astrologer and listening to his predictions, buying books on astrology or reading one's horoscope are also forbidden. Since astrology is mainly used to predicting the future, those who practice it are considered fortunetellers. Consequently, one who seeks his horoscope comes under the ruling contained in the Prophet's sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam statement:
'The Salaah (daily prayer) of whoever approaches a fortuneteller and asks him about anything will not be accepted for forty days and nights.'
[Saheeh Muslim vol.4,p. 1211, no 5440]
The punishment in this hadith is simply for approaching the asking the astrologer, even if one is in doubt about the truth of his statements. If one is in doubt about the truth or falsehood of astrological information, he is in doubt about whether or not others know the unseen and the future besides Allaah. This is a form of shirk because Allaah clearly stated:
"And with Him are the keys tot he ghayb [all that is hidden], none knows them but He and He knows whatever there is in [or on) the earth and the sea; not a leaf falls, but the knows it. There is not a grain in darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or day, but is written in a clear record." [6:59]
"Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the ghaby (unseen) except Allaah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected." [27:65]
If, however, one believes in the predictions of their horoscope, whether spoken by an astrologer or written in books of astrology, he falls directly into kufr (disbelief) as stated by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam:
"Whoever approaches an oracle or fortune-teller and believes in what he says, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad." [Reported by Abu Hurayrah and collected by Ahmad and Abu Daawood (Sunan Abu Dawud (English Trans.), vol. 3, p. 1095, no. 3895).]
Like the previous Hadith, the Hadith literally refers to the fortuneteller but it is just as applicable to the astrologer. Both claim knowledge of the future. The astrologer's claim is just as opposed to the Tawheed as the ordinary fortuneteller. He claims that people's personalities are determined by the stars, and their future actions and the events of their lives are written in the starts. The ordinary fortuneteller claims that the formation of tea leaves at the bottom of a cup, or lines in a palm tell him the same thing. In both cases individuals claim the ability to read in the physical formation of created objects knowledge of the unseen.
Belief in astrology and the casting of horoscopes are in clear opposition to the letter and spirit of Islaam. It is really the empty soul, which has not tasted real eemaan (belief) that seeks out these paths. Essentially these paths, represents a vain attempt to escape Qadr (fate). The ignorant believe that if they know what is in store for them tomorrow, they can prepare from today. In that way, they may avoid the bad and ensure the good. Yet, Allaah's messenger was told by Allaah to say:
"Say (O Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam): ' I possess no power over benefit or hurt to myself except as Allaah wills. If I had the knowledge of the ghayb (unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touch me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe." [7:188]
True Muslims are therefore obliged to stay far away from these areas. Thus, rings, chains, etc., which have the signs of the zodiac on them should not be worn, even if one does not believe in them. They are part and parcel of a fabricated system which propagates kufr and should be done away with entirely. No believing Muslim should attempt to guess his sign. Nor should he or she read horoscope columns in newspaper or listen to them read. And, any Muslim who allows astrological predictions to determine his actions, should seek Allaah's forgiveness and renew his Islaam.
Publication of Al-Hidaayah Foundation hidaayah@slt.lkhttp://www.hidaayah.org/
Home > Knowledge > Aqeedah / Manhaj
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Friday, November 9, 2007
A Glimpse at the Way of the Companions
Every Muslim desiring to return to Islam in its true sense, must grasp what the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and his Companions were upon, in all aspects of life. Only then can we move further towards establishing Islam as our way of life.
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And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you take it, and whatsoever he forbids you abstain from it. [al-Hashr (59):7]
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Below is excerpt from:http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/aqeedah/0057.htm
Linguistically and in the Shari'ah: An-nahju, al-manhaj and al-minhaj mean the clear and manifest way.
Allah the Most High says in the Glorious Qur'an:
To each among you we have prescribed a law and a minhaj [al-Ma'idah (5):48]
To each among you we have prescribed a law and a minhaj [al-Ma'idah (5):48]
Meaning a law and a way which is clearly explained. Indeed Allah, the Most High, prescribed for every nation a law and a clear way (a manhaj). Thus the people of the Taurat had a law and the people of the Injil had a law and the people of the Qur'an have a law.
These laws differ in their rules (ahkam) but are united in the tawhid of Allah (uniqueness of Allah) as
Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said:
"I am the most worthy person to 'Isa ibn Maryam in this world and the Hereafter. The Prophets are paternal brothers, their mothers are different, and their Din is one. There is no prophet between 'Isa and myself."
"I am the most worthy person to 'Isa ibn Maryam in this world and the Hereafter. The Prophets are paternal brothers, their mothers are different, and their Din is one. There is no prophet between 'Isa and myself."
[Reported by al-Bukhari in his Sahih, the Book of Prophets, chapter 'Remember the Book of Maryam', Muslim in his Sahih (no.2365), the Book of Merits, chapter 'Merits of 'Isa peace be upon him'. From the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him.]
The meaning of this is that they (the prophets) are united upon the fundamentals of uniqueness (tawhid) of Allah; as for the branches of (furu') of law and legislation, then differences occurred in them. Thus their laws are different.
Allah the Most High says:
And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We inspired to him that (say) There is none who has the right to be worshipped except I (Allah), so worship Me (alone and none else). [al-Anbiya' (21):25]
Also, the
Saying of Allah the Most High:
And verily, We have sent among every nation (Ummah) a Messenger proclaiming: Worship Allah alone and avoid the Taghut (all false deities). [an-Nahl (16):36]
And verily, We have sent among every nation (Ummah) a Messenger proclaiming: Worship Allah alone and avoid the Taghut (all false deities). [an-Nahl (16):36]
This is in respect of tawhid (oneness) of Allah, the One free from all defects. As for the laws, then they differed with respect to the commands and prohibitions.
Linguistic [2] and legal definition of the word Salaf
1) As-Salaf - That which has past and preceded. Hence it is said Salafa shai Salafah to mean something which has passed; Salafa fulanan Salafan to mean someone has preceded; as-salif - a predecessor; as-salaf - a group of predecessors, and as-salaf - a people who have preceded us in conduct.
Allah says:
So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all, and made them a precedent - Salafan (as a lesson for those coming after them) and an example to later generations. [az-Zukhruf (43):55-56]
That is "when they angered Us, We punished them, drowning them all making them a precedent," predecessors for those who do action like theirs, so that the people coming after them can take heed and warn others by their example.
2) As-Salaf: Every good deed that one does. It is said: Qad salaf lahu amal salih meaning, verily he has good deeds that have preceded him.
3) As-Salaf: Those who precede you, from amongst your forefathers and relatives, who may be older than you or better than you in merit [3]. The singular of this term is Salif.
Due to this the first generation (the Companions) were called as-Salaf as-Salih (the Pious Predecessors).
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and his Companions and those that follow them in Ihsan [4] are the Salaf of this Ummah. [5]
Everyone who calls to what the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, his Companions and their successors called to, then he is upon the way of the Salaf as-Salih. It is obligatory upon all Muslims to follow the Noble Book (Qur'an) and the pure Sunnah, by going back to the understanding the Pious Predecessors (Salaf as-Salih), may Allah be pleased with them all. For verily they are the ones that deserve the most to be followed, as they were truthful in their faith, strong in their beliefs and sincere in their worship.
The leader (Imam) of the Salaf as-Salih is Allah's Messenger, Muhammad, peace be upon him, whom Allah has ordered us, in His Book (the Qur'an), to follow, in His saying:
And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you take it, and whatsoever he forbids you abstain from it. [al-Hashr (59):7]
The Prophet, peace be upon him, is a beautiful example, and a righteous model to be followed, Allah the Most High says:
Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow, for him who hopes in meeting Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. [al-Ahzab (33):21]
The Prophet, peace be upon him, is the one who speaks by revelation sent to him from the heavens:
Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is only an inspiration that is inspired.
[an-Najm (53):3-4]
Allah, the Most High, ordered that we judge by the Messenger, upon whom be peace, in all affairs in our life. Allah, the One free of all defects, says:
But no by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decision and accept them with full submission. [an-Nisa' (4):65]
Allah, the Most High, warned us about opposing the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying:
So let those who oppose the Messenger's commandments (i.e. his Sunnah) beware lest some fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them. [an-Nur (24):63]
The reference point of the Salaf, whenever they have a disagreement, is the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the Sunnah of the Messenger, upon whom be peace.
Allah, the Most High, says:
And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. [an-Nisa' (4):59]
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is the conveyer (of news) from his Lord and the one who explains His Book. Allah the Most High says:
And We have sent down to you (Muhammad) the reminder and the advice (the Qur'an) that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them. [an-Nahl (16):44]
The Messenger, peace be upon him, said in a hadith:
"Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa', bite on to it with your molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for verily every innovation (bid'ah) is a going astray." [6]
The best of the Salaf after the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, are the Companions, who took their Religion (Din) from the Messenger, peace be upon him, with truthfulness and sincerity; just as Allah has described them in His Book when He said:
Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah and showed not their backs to the disbelievers, of them some have fulfilled their obligations and some of them are still waiting, but they never changed (i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allah) in the least. [al-Ahzab (33):23]
They are the ones who did righteous deeds, which Allah, the Most High, has mentioned in His Book, in His saying:
But righteousness is the quality of one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the relative, to the orphans and to the poor who beg and to the wayfarer and to those who ask and to set slaves free, and offers the prayer perfectly (iqamat-as-Salat), and gives the zakat (obligatory charity) and who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during battles); such are the people of the truth and they are the pious. [al-Baqarah (2):177]
This verse is the verse which professes the truth with which the Companions have been described with.
The Book of Allah, the Most High, is their manual (dustur) and their law then the Sunnah after [7] the Book of Allah. The Sunnah is the most blessed of sources and the best of sciences, the most beneficial of all, in the Din and Dunyah (world), after the Book of Allah, the One free of all defects. It is like the meadows and gardens, you will find in it all goodness and righteousness. After the Sunnah, their manual is that which the Salaf of this Ummah and it's A'immah have agreed upon.
The Salaf as-Salih are also: The Best Generation, about which the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said in a hadith:
"The best of the people are my generation, then those after them, then those after them ... "
And he, peace be upon him, said:
" .. Then there will come a people giving witness when they are not asked to give witness. They will be dishonest and not be trusted. They will take vows but will not fulfill them. Fatness will appear amongst them." [8]
From their beliefs ...
Thus the fundamentals of the Religion (Usul ud-Din) which were adhered to by those that preceded from the leaders (a'immah) of the Din, the scholars of the Muslims and the Salaf as-Salih and what they called people to are:
That they believe in the Book and Sunnah; [9] the general and the detailed aspects of it. They attest to the oneness of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and attest to the Messengership of Muhammad, upon whom be peace.
They know their Lord by the attributes (sifat) that His revelation has spoken of, or are attested to by the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, from that which is found in authentic ahadith, narrated from him by just and reliable narrators.
They affirm for Allah, the Most High, that which He affirmed for Himself in His Book, or upon the tongue of His Messenger, peace be upon him, without making Tashbih [10] (resembling) to His creation, without Tahrif (changing), without Tabdil and without Tamthil. [11]
Allah, the Most High, says:
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the all Hearer, all Seer. [ash-Shura (42):11]
Imam az-Zuhri [12] said: "Upon Allah is the bayan (explaining), upon the Messenger is the balagh (conveying) and upon us is taslim (willingly accepting)." [This is reported by al-Bukhari in mu'allaq form (13/503), by Ibn Abi Asim in Kitab al-Adab and in Kitab az-Zuhd (71) and by Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah (3/179)]
Imam Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah [13] said: "All that Allah has described Himself with in His Book, then its tafsir (explanation) is its reciting and keeping silent about it."
Imam ash-Shafi'i [14] said: "I believe in Allah, and that which has come from Allah, upon the intended meaning of Allah. I believe in the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and that which has come from the Messenger of Allah upon the intended meaning of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him."
The Salaf and leaders of the khalaf (those later generations after the Salaf) many Allah be pleased with them, proceeded along this way. They are all agreed upon, affirming, asserting and confirming that which is found in the Book of Allah, the Most High, and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace be upon him, regarding Allah's attribtutes without subjecting them to interpretation (ta'wil).
Verily we have been ordered to follow their way and to be guided by their light. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, has warned us of newly invented matters, and informed us that they are from misguidance. He said in a hadith:
"Adhere to my Sunnah (way) and the the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa'. Bite on to it with your molar teeth, and beware of newly invented matters, for verily every bid'ah (innovation) is a going astray."
Its reference (takhrij) has preceded. (see footnote no. 6).
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud [15] radiallahu 'anhuma said: "Follow and do not innovate for verily you have been sufficed."
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud [15] radiallahu 'anhuma said: "Follow and do not innovate for verily you have been sufficed."
'Umar bin 'Abdul-'Aziz [16] said: "Do not go beyond where they stopped. For verily they stopped upon knowledge and with a perceiving view sufficed."
Imam al-Awza'i [17] said: "Stick to the footsteps of the Salaf, even if people abandon you. Beware of the views of men, even if they beautify it for you with words."
From the 'aqidah [18] (beliefs) of the Salaf as-Salih is their saying: Iman is a saying of the tongue, an action by the limbs and a strong belief in the heart. Iman increases with obedience to Allah and decreases with disobedience to Allah.
From the beliefs of the Salaf is that good and evil is by the Qada (decree) of Allah the Most High and His Qadr (pre-estimation). However evil is not ordered by Allah, as some of them say: "All of it is ordered by Allah," since Allah has ordered good and prohibited evil. He did not order us with abominable acts, indeed He prohibited us from them. The human is not forced, he chooses his acts and beliefs. He deserves punishment or reward, depending upon his choice and he is the chooser in (doing or leaving) the ordered and prohibited things.
Allah, the Most High, says:
Then whosoever wills let him believe, and whosoever wills let him disbelieve.
[al-Kahf (18):29]
From the beliefs of the Salaf is that they do not make takfir [19] of anyone of the Muslim due to a sin, even if it is from the major sins. Except if he denies (rejects) a thing that is known in the religion by necessity and is known by the scholars as well as the generality of people, and is based firmly upon the Book and the Sunnah and Consensus (Ijma') of the Salaf of this Ummah and its leader.
From the beliefs of the Salaf as-Salih is that they worship Allah, the Most High, and do not associate anything with Him. Thus they do not ask any one except Allah, the Most High, of a need no one else can satisfy. They do not seek help (in which no one can help) from anyone except Allah, the One free of all defects. They do not call upon anyone for aid (for an immediate need that no one can fulfil) except upon Allah. They do not make tawassul (seeking nearness) to Allah except by obeying Him, worshipping Him and doing good / righteous deeds.
This being taken from His saying:
O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him, seek the means of approach to Him. [al-Ma'idah (5):35]
That is, draw close to Allah by obedience to Him and by worship of Him.
From the beliefs of the Salaf as-Salih is that Prayer (Salat) behind all righteous people and sinners is permissible if the external nature of the prayer is correct. [20]
We do not certify with certainty for anyone, whoever he may be, of being in Paradise or in Hell; except whoever the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, testified for. However we hope Paradise for the righteous and fear Hell for the sinful.
We testify for the ten people given the glad tidings of Jannah (Paradise), that they will be in Jannah (Paradise); just as the Prophet, peace be upon him, testified this for them. We testify, as being in Jannah, for everyone that the Prophet, peace be upon him, testifies this for them. This is because the Prophet does not speak of his own desire. Indeed it is nothing but revelation revealed to him.
We take the Companions of Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, as awliya (friends). We refrain from showing their defects [21] and that which happened between them. Their affair is with their Lord. We do not abuse anyone of the Companions. This is taken from the Prophet's, upon whom be peace, saying:
"Let none of you abuse (slander) my Companions. For by Him in whose Hand is my life, if one of you spent (in the way of Allah) the equivalent of mount Uhud in gold it would not reach a handful nor half a handful of what they spent" [22]
The Companions are not infallible from error. Infallibility is for Allah, the Most High, and for His Messenger, peace be upon him, in conveying the message. Allah, the Most High, has protected the collective Ummah from mistakes (and not individuals) as the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:
"Indeed Allah will never unite this Ummah upon misguidance and the Hand of Allah is upon the Jama'ah." [23]
We are pleased with the wives of the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, they are the mothers of the believers and we believe that they are pure and innocent from all evil.
From the beliefs of the Pious Predecessors is that they do not make it obligatory upon any Muslim to restrict himself to a specific madhhab. [24] He can move from one madhhab to another, due to the strength of the evidence (in a particular point). The layman has no madhhab. Rather his madhhab is the madhhab of his mufti (scholar who gives religious verdicts). [25] If a student of knowledge (talibul-'ilm) has the ability to recognise the proofs and evidences of the Imams, he should act by it, moving from a madhhab of an Imam, in any issue, to the madhhab of another Imam, due to the strength of the evidence, and the more correct understanding, in an issue. Thus he becomes a muttabi' (a follower) and not a mujtahid. [A mujtahid is one who is qualified to extract rulings from the Qur'an and Sunnah, i.e. do Ijtihad. (Translator)] For indeed Ijtihad is the extracting of Islamic rulings from the Book and Sunnah, as the four Imams and others Imams of the fiqh (jurisprudence) and the muhaddithun (scholars of hadith) have done.
From the beliefs of the Salaf as-Salih is that the four Companions: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, are the rightly guided Khulafa' and with them existed the Khilafatun-Nabuwwah (Khilafah upon the Prophetic Way) lasting for thirty years including the Khilafah (ruling period) of Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him. This is taken from the saying of the Prophet, upon whom be peace:
"The Khilafah in my Ummah is for thirty years then after it is kingship." [26]
From the beliefs of the Salaf as-Salih is that it is obligatory to have iman (faith) in all that the Qur'an has come with, and what Allah, the Most High, has ordered us with, and leaving all that Allah, the Most High, has prohibited us from, the general and the detailed. We believe in all that the Prophet, peace be upon him, has informed us of, when its transmission from him is authentic, in that which we witness or do not witness, regardless of whether we comprehend it, or are ignorant of it or we have not come across the reality of its meaning.
We carry out the orders of Allah, the Most High, and the orders of his Messenger, upon whom be peace. We refrain from what Allah, the Most High, has prohibited us from and what the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prohibited us from. We stop at the hudud (boundaries) of the Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and that which has come from the rightly guided Khulafa. Our duty is to ittiba' (following) of that which the Prophet, peace be upon him, has come with: from beliefs, actions and sayings, to follow the way of Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, and the four rightly guided Khulafa', in their beliefs, actions and sayings. This is the complete Sunnah, as the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa' is adhered to like the following of the Prophetic Sunnah.
'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Aziz said:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and the leaders of the Muslims after him set examples (Sunnah), the taking of which is holding on to the Book of Allah, the Most High, and strength upon the Din of Allah. It is not for any one to change or alter it, nor to look at a matter in opposition to it. Whoever is guided by it then he is truly guide, and whoever seeks help by it then he is truly helped. Whoever leaves it and follows a way other than the way of the believers, Allah will turn him to what he has chosen and burn him in hell what an evil abode!"
This is confirmed by the saying of Allah's Messenger, upon whom be peace:
" ... and beware of newly invented matters, for verily every bid'ah is a going astray."
This hadith is a great principle from the principles of the Din and it resembles another saying of the Prophet, upon whom be peace:
"Whoever invents into this Din of ours that which is not from it, then it is rejected." [27]
In it is a warning from following newly invented matters in the Din and worship. The meaning of bid'ah is that which has been invented and has no root in the Shari'ah pointing to it. As for what has a root in the Shari'ah pointing to it then it is not legally (technically) a bid'ah; even though linguistically the term bid'ah is may be applied to it. Thus whenever something new is introduced into the Din, having no root (in the Din) to return it to, then it is misguidance - deviation. The Din is free of it, regardless of whether it is connected to issues of belief, actions or sayings.
As for the istihsan (approval and condoning) of bid'ah, which occurred in the words of the Salaf, then that is in relation to bid'ah al-logawi (linguistic use of bid'ah) and not in the legal (technical) use of the term bid'ah. From these sayings is the saying of 'Umar bin al-Khattab, when he gathered the people in Qiyam-ur-Ramadan - Tarawih prayers - behind one Imam in the masjid. He went out and say them praying and said: "What a wonderful bid'ah."
This has a root in the Shari'ah. Verily the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, prayed it (this prayer) in congregation in the masjid and then left it, fearing that it might become obligatory upon his Ummah and that they would be unable to perform it. Indeed they became free of this fear after the death of the Prophet, peace be upon him. So 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, revived it. As for that which is a matter confirmed, in worship, then it is not permissible to make additions to it.
So, for example the adhan, remains the form in which it was legislated, without addition or subtraction. The Prayer remains upon the manner it was legislated as the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Pray as you have seen me praying."
This is an authentic hadith, reported by al-Bukhari in his Sahih.
Hajj remains upon the manner in which it was legislated, because the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Take from me your rites (of Hajj)." [Reported by Muslim (no.1297) in the Book of Hajj]
Indeed the Muslims have done things that were not present in the time of the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, due to them being darurah (necessities) in preserving Islam. Indeed they have permitted it and kept quiet about it. Like the gathering of the people to one mushaf (that which the Qur'an is written upon), by 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, fearing the splitting of the Ummah. Indeed it was approved of by the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and that was for a maslaha (benefit).
The example of writing down Prophetic traditions (hadith) fearing its loss due to the death of its people. The writing of tafsir of the Qur'an and the Hadith. The compilation of 'Ilm-an-Nahw (science of grammar) to safeguard the Arabic language, which is a means of understanding Islam. The formation of 'Ilm-al-Mustalah (science of hadith). Thus, there are permissible to safeguard the Islamic Shari'ah. Verily Allah, the Most High, has taken the responsibility of safeguarding His Law - from His saying:
Indeed it is We who have sent down the Dhikr (Qur'an) and surely We will guard it (from corruption). [al-Hijr (15):9]
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"This ilm (Din) will be carried by the trustworthy ones of each generation. Negating from it the tahrif (alterations) of the ones going beyond bounds, the false assumptions of the liars, and the ta'wil (false interpretations) of the ignorant."
This hadith is hasan due to all its chains and shawahids (supporting narrations).
This is the belief ('aqidah) - of the first group of this Ummah (i.e. the Companions), may Allah be pleased with them, and it is a pure belief like the purity of fresh drinking water, strong as the firmly fixed mountains, firm as the firmed of hand holds. It is a flawless 'Aqidah, a straight way, upon the methodology of the Book ad the Sunnah and the sayings of the Salaf of this Ummah and its A'immah (leaders). It is the way which revived the hearts of the pioneers of this Ummah.
It is 'Aqidah of the Salaf as-Salih, Firqatun-Najiyah (saved sect) Ahl-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. It is the 'Aqidah of the four Imams [28] - the founders of the well known and followed madhhabs and of most of their followers. It is the 'Aqidah of the generality of the fuqaha, the muhaddithin, the scholars that act on what they know, and those that traverse along their way, to this day and until the Day of the Judgement.
Indeed the ones that differed are the ones that altered their (the Imams') sayings, from amongst those of the later generations (muta'akhirin) who ascribe to their madhhabs.
So our duty is to return, with a pure 'Aqidah, to the fountain which the best of our Pious Predecessors drank from. To keep quiet about that which they kept quiet about, to perform our 'Ibadah (worship) the way they performed their worship, to adhere to the Book and Sunnah, the ijma of the Salaf of this Ummah and its A'immah, and the correct qiyas in new matters.
Imam an-Nawawi rahimahullah, said in al-Adhkar. [In p137 of my (Shaykh Abdul Qadir's) checking of al-Adhkar in the book of Janaza, chapter 'What one who is walking with the Janaza says.']
" ... and know that the selected, correct way is that which the Salaf as-Salih were upon, and that is the truth. Do not be fooled by the large number that oppose it. For indeed Abu 'Ali Fudayl bin 'Iyad said (the meaning of which it): "Stick to the ways of guidance and you will not be harmed by the smallness of numbers that follow it. Beware of the ways of misguidance and do not be fooled by the multitude of the ones that will be destroyed."
" ... and know that the selected, correct way is that which the Salaf as-Salih were upon, and that is the truth. Do not be fooled by the large number that oppose it. For indeed Abu 'Ali Fudayl bin 'Iyad said (the meaning of which it): "Stick to the ways of guidance and you will not be harmed by the smallness of numbers that follow it. Beware of the ways of misguidance and do not be fooled by the multitude of the ones that will be destroyed."
This is the only way that will reform the rest of the Ummah.
Imam Malik bin Anas rahimahullah, the scholar of Madinah spoke the truth when he said:
"The latter part of the Ummah will never be reformed except by that which reformed the former part."
Never will good disappear from this Ummah, because the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said in a hadith:
"There will not cease to be a group from my Ummah manifestly upon the Haqq (Truth). The ones that abandon them will not harm them, until the Order of Allah comes and they are like that (upon the Truth)." [29]
The Prophet, peace be upon him, further said:
"The example of my Ummah is like of rain. It is not known whether the initial part (of the rain) is good or the latter part." [30] This is an authentic hadith.
Indeed the 'Aqidah of the Salaf as-Salih has been stipulated by a great many of the scholars.
[31] From them, Abu Ja'far at-Tahawi, [32] and his 'Aqidah has been explained by Ibn Abil-'Izz al-Hanafi [33] one of the students of Ibn Kathir al-Dimishqi naming Sharh al-'Aqidah at-Tahawiyyah and, from them is Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari, [34] in his book al-Ibanah 'an Usul ad-Diyanah. This being the 'Aqidah which he finally settled upon. He said: " ... our saying, which we state, the Din which we profess belief in, is adherence to the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of our Prophet, peace be upon him, and that which is related from the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, the Tabi'un and Imams of hadith, we cling on to this, and we say that which Abu 'Abdullah Ahmad bin Hanbal used to say and distance ourselves from ones that opposed his sayings."
From those that wrote about the 'Aqidah of the Salaf as-Salih is as-Sabuni [35] in his book Aqidat-us-Salaf and Muwaffiq-ud-Din ibn Qudamah al-Maqdasi al-Hanbali [36] in his book Luma'tul 'Itiqad al-Hadi ila Sabil ar-Rashad, and other glorious scholars, may Allah reward them with good.
We ask Allah to guide us to the pure 'Aqidah (beliefs) and to a pure and clean heart, we ask for virtuous and pleasing manners, and to give us life as Muslims and to take our life while being upon the Shari'ah of our Prophet, Muhammad, upon whom be peace.
O Allah let us die as Muslims as make us meet the Salihin (righteous) without being disgraced or tried. Forgive us, our parents, and the believers on the Day of Judgement. We ask Allah for inspiration to the correctness of sayings and actions. Indeed He is all powerful over all things and the most worthy of answering calls, and our final du'a is, all praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Purification of the Soul
Image from Fox newsThis lecture below and many others can be found at:
http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/purification/0092.htm
Advice to the Strangers (Within Islâm)
Abdul-Wahid bin Abdullaah al-Muhaidib
Wasiyyatu Ghareeb
Verily all praise belongs to Allâh, we praise Him, seek His Aid and His Forgiveness. Whomsoever Allâh guides there is none to misguide and whomsoever Allâh misguides there is none to guide. I testify that there is none deserving of worship except Allâh alone without any partners and I testify that Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is His servant and His Messenger.
Allâh the Exalted said in His Mighty Book:
Know that the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement, glitter, mutual boasting and rivalry amongst yourselves in (the accumulation of) wealth and children. Just like the example of the rain and the growth it brings which brings delight to the tillers. Then it withers and you see it become yellow. Then it dries and crumbles away. But in the hereafter there is an intense punishment as well as forgiveness from Allâh and His good pleasure. And this life is nothing but a deceiving entertainment. Be foremost in seeking forgiveness from your Lord and a garden whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who believe in Allâh and His Messengers. That is the bounty of Allâh and He gives His bounty to whomsoever He pleases, and Allâh is the Possessor of great bounty and grace.
My brother and sister for the sake of Allâh, in compliance with what Allâh the Exalted has enjoined upon the Muslim regarding the giving of advice to his Muslim brothers and sisters, I present this advice to you. Perhaps Allâh will bring about benefit on account of it.
Jareer ibn Abdullaah radiallaahu 'anhu said: We gave the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allâh sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam for establishing prayer, giving the zakah and giving advice to every Muslim.
Therefore, be eager in reading repetitively, seeking to understand it and let your concern become knowledge. acting upon this knowledge out of sincerity and following the Prophet of the strangers. Convey it also to others so that you succeed with Toobaa (a tree in Paradise).
The Messenger of Allâh sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Verily, Islâm began as a stranger and shall return as a stranger as it began, so Toobaa (is) for the strangers."
The Messenger of Allâh sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said to Abdullaah bin Umar: "Be in this world as if you are a stranger or a traveller in his path."
The Messenger of Allâh sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "There will be after you days which will require (much) patience from the one who clings firmly (to the religion). There will be (for the one who clings to the religion) the reward equal to fifty of you in those days." They said: Or do you mean fifty amongst them? He said: "No. From amongst you."
Know - my brother and sister - that I do not desire anything from you and yet do you have power over anything. I desire only the face of Allâh the Exalted so that He may be pleased with the stranger.
These strangers who have been praised and who are fortunate and enviable have been so called due to their scarcity amongst mankind. The majority of mankind have not been described with such characteristics.
The people of Islâm are strangers amongst mankind, then the people of Eemaan are strangers amongst the people of Islâm, then the people of knowledge are strangers amongst the people of Eemaan, then the people sticking to the Sunnah, those who take care to distinguish it from desires and innovations, are strangers, then those who call to it while being patient in face of the harms caused by those who turn away are the most strange.
However they are the people of Allâh in truth. There is no strangeness between them but the strangeness is in the midst of the majority of mankind about whom
Allâh said:
And if you were to follow most of those upon the earth they would mislead you from the path of Allâh.
These people are strangers from Allâh, His Messenger and His religion. Their strangeness is one of desertion.
Amongst the characteristics of the strangers, the strangers with which the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was pleased with, is clinging to the Sunnah when the rest of people aspire for something other than it, abandoning what others have invented and innovated, even if it was considered something good by them, manifesting Tawheed even thought the rest of mankind pay no heed to it and refuse it and abandoning the attachment to anyone besides Allâh the Exalted, the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, his Companions radiallaahu 'anhum and the Pious Predecessors rahmatullaah 'alayhi 'anhum. These are the strangers who attach themselves to Allâh by enslavement to Him alone and to the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam by following and imitating him alone in regard to whatever he came with. These are the ones who cling onto the burning embers in truth.
The true Islâm is very strange and its real adherents are the most strange of people amongst mankind. And how can one single and minute group not be strange amongst seventy-two groups. Seventy-two groups consisting of followers, leaders, possessors of rank (amongst themselves) and all sorts of loyalties and friendships amongst themselves. Their movement cannot be maintained except by opposing what the Messenger of Allâh sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam came with. The essence of what he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam came with opposes and contradicts their desires, tastes, whims, doubts, innovations and false ways and means and all in all of this lies their actions, their merits and their desires which make up their goals and intentions.
How can a believer who is pure inwardly and outwardly in his speech, his actions, his food, his drink, who emigrates to Allâh in all moments in his life, while imitating and following (without inventing and innovating) not be a stranger amongst these people. These people who have followed their desires, who have obeyed their covetousness, and who become amazed with their own opinions.
When the believer desires that which Allâh has already sustained him with: an insight into his religion, understanding of the Sunnah of His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, understand of His Book, showing him the desires, innovations and misguidances the which people are upon, the people whom the Straight Path which the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and his companions were upon has caused to deviate - when the believer desires to travel upon this Straight Path, let him prepare himself (mentally) for the criticism, censure and rebuke of the ignorant and the people of innovation, for their slanders, their contempt, from seeing people running away from him and from seeing them warn others about him just like their predecessors from amongst the disbelievers used to do with the his imaam and the one whom he follows sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam.
Therefore he is a stranger in his religion due to the corruption of their religion. He is a stranger in clinging to the Sunnah due to their clinging to the ways of innovation, he is a stranger in his belief due to the falsity and corruption of their belief, he is a stranger in his prayer due to the deficiency in their prayer, he is a stranger in his path due to the misguidance and corruption of their paths, he is a stranger amongst his relatives due to their turning away from him, he is a stranger in living with them because he will not live with what their souls desire.
In essence he is a stranger in the matters of the world and the hereafter. He will find from the common people neither happiness nor one who would offer him help. He is a scholar amidst ignorant, a person of the Sunnah amidst people of innovation, a caller to Allâh and His Messenger amidst callers to desires and innovations, a commander of good and forbidder of evil amidst a people commanding evil and forbidding good.
Then:
All of mankind are strangers in this world. There is no position for them in this world and neither is this the home for which they were created.
The Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said to Abdullaah ibn Umar radiallaahu 'anhu: "Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller in his path."
The days are but stages (in a journey)By which the caller to death approaches in a short and smooth journeyAnd the most amazing thing - if you were to reflect - is that the stages pass quickly while the traveller remains seated.
It has been mentioned that a group of righteous people were sitting and amongst them was a person of Eemaan. He desired to make them hold the world in contempt and and bring to mind the hereafter. What did he do? He took a leaf and placed something insignificant into it. He took this thing and began to go round showing it to all of them. Every time one of them looked at the leaf he did so with surprise and began to laugh at it yet they did not understand its significance.
Then he said: This small and contemptible thing which I showed you is a dirty wing of a fly and this world with all its people, possessions, desires, rivers, lands, days and nights is more contemptible and insignificant to Allâh than this filthy wing.
Those righteous people who were in the gathering said: After that we recovered from our heedlessness and felt a strong blow to the heart which shook our souls and we realised that his intent was to remind us of the hadeeth of
the Messenger of Allâh sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam: "If this world was equal (in value) to the wing of a fly in the sight of Allâh He would never have given a sip of water to the disbeliever,"
So my brother and sister, when we belittle the wing of a fly - in fact the fly itself - and we dislike it because it is worthless then it is more befitting that we do not become over-concerned with this world since it is more insignificant and contemptible to Allâh than the wing of a dirty fly.
Let us then put this world under the various powers and controls we have over it so that we can make it as a field that is being cultivated for the hereafter. Have you not heard the words of the poet:My brother and sister in Islâm, the speech of Allâh is our methodology in this very short span of time in which we live.
Allâh Azzwajall says:
There is no good in most of their secret conversations except the one who commands charity or a good deed or conciliation between men. And whoever does that while seeking the pleasure of Allâh We shall soon give to him a great reward
Remember well - O brother and sister muslim -
the speech of Allâh the Exalted:
Never does he utter a word except there is (an angel) ready to record it
Therefore it is essential - my brother and sister - that you make your tongue, your eyes and the whole of your life poised for Allâh the Sublime. Make your tongue busy in His remembrance, giving advice, commanding good and forbidding the evil. Make your tongue as if it is paralysed at the places of backbiting, slander, cursing, mocking and singing.
Turn your vision constantly to acts of goodness such as reciting the Qur'ân, reading beneficial books or towards a matter which is very important in achieving the desired goal: To look at the might and grandeur of the heaven and the earth and all the various types of creations contained therein such as the sun, the moon, the animals, the mountains, the seas, the clouds and men and how Allâh the Mighty the Sublime and Exalted created all these wonderful things. Do this at length and think deeply and profoundly at the absolute might of Allâh.
Withhold your eyesight from everything which Allâh has forbidden, such as looking at women and other such trials, looking at things which contain no benefit. If you do this Allâh will give you three qualities: The sweetness of Eemaan, khushoo' in your heart and keen insight.
Guard the supplication which is to be uttered upon leaving a gathering and which serves as an expiation for it: Glory be to you O Allâh and by Your Praise, I testify that there is none worthy of worship except You (alone), I seek forgiveness from you and repent to You.
My brother and sister for the sake of Allâh, it is essential for you to increase in actions of goodness in every place and at every time. Do not hold any action in contempt whether it is small or large, as long as it is an action of good and by the permission of Allâh - my brother and sister - you will never become tired of performing these actions so long as you drink from the delicious fountain which will increase your love for such actions. That is the fountain of Ikhlaas (sincerity) and Ihtisaab (seeking or expectation of reward) from Allâh the Subime and Exalted.
Beware of every matter which brings you closer to the Hellfire and run towards every matter which will steer and direct you to the gates of Paradise by the Mercy of Allâh and His Favour.
It is also essential for you - my brother and sister - to set right and to make up for whatever has passed you by in your life: hours, days, weeks, months and Ramadans, the excellence of which people are heedless of. The blessed month of Ramadan in which there is great bounty. If only they knew that whoever found Lailatul-Qadr in this blessed month will have his supplication answered. He will be (after having passed it while engaged in prayer, repentance, and forgiveness) from among the best of Allâh's righteous servants. His heart will become attached to Allâh and will find find comfort in with Him when he is alone.
He will also know that this world is a deception and that there is no pleasure, delight, ease or happiness except by obedience to Allâh and following the Messenger of Allâh sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam in all of his affairs.
His heart will become attached to Allâh and he will soon love righteousness and its performers and be very eager for it. He will also hate evil and those who fall into it and be eager in distancing himself from it….
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