السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

By Yasmin Mogahed 

One hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. This anonymous poem reflects much of the sentiment taught by our beloved Prophet 1400 years ago.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "If the son of Adam dies, his actions are ceased except three: A continuing charity, knowledge which benefits others, or a righteous son who supplicates for him" [Muslim] In our graves, our wealth will be of no benefit to us. The success of our careers, and the level of our degrees will be of no value. How well we raised our children will. And yet so much of our time, so much of our learning and our efforts are spent for the sake of those things, which are fleeting.

In another hadith the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "A servant will have his rank raised and will say: ‘Lord, how has this come about for me?’ Allah replies, ‘Through your children’s du'a for you.’ "[Ahmed and Ibn Majah] When we leave this world, what will we leave behind? What mark will we make? What will we send forward? What will we take? Our children will inherit this life. In their hands may lay our ultimate salvation or our ultimate ruin. In their hands may lay the ultimate salvation or ruin of our Ummah. Shouldn’t something that important demand our full attention? Shouldn’t we examine ourselves and do our utmost to perfect this crucial skill: PARENTING.

DO NOT IMPOSE – INSTILL LOVE EARLY

Imagine a child raised in a home where, aside from some cultural norms, Islam is essentially irrelevant. Parents are not serious about salah and whatever Islamic practice they do perform is done more out of ethnic customs than Islam. Now imagine the child reaching puberty. A girl who was never really instilled with Islam before, is now forced to wear hijab. A boy whose life was never centered around Islam is now made to attend Salat Al-Jumuah . Will it surprise anyone if those kids rebel?

Consider, on the other hand, a child who was raised knowing and loving the Quran, was taken to the masjid early on, and performed salah alongside his parents. Would hijab or Salat Al-Jumuah need to be imposed? Or would it only be a natural extension for a child whose very nature is Islam? Instill and reinforce love for Allah and His Messenger from the day your children are born.

KILL YOUR TELEVISION AND VIDEO GAMES

Many parents monitor what their children watch, but not how much. No matter how much you monitor, these things are still harmful for a number of reasons. First, watching television is a learned habit that does not disappear in adulthood. A young child could agree to watch Sesame Street. But chances are, a teenager will not. And few could disagree that television programs designed for teenagers and adults contain far from Islamically appropriate content. Secondly, consider the number of hours that are easily eaten up by TV and video games. Children can literally stay up the entire night playing a video game in order to advance to a higher level. Consider the words of our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) concerning the importance of time: "The feet of a servant will not turn away on the Day of Judgment until he is asked about four things: his lifetime, how he lived it; his youth, how he spent it; his wealth, from where he earned it and on what he spent it, and his knowledge and how he acted on it." [Tirmidhi]

Lastly, studies show that irrespective of content, children who spend a lot of time with television and video games are more aggressive, less likely to read, and more likely to develop attention problems, such as attention deficit disorder.

SPOIL YOUR KIDS WITH LOVE, TIME, AND ATTENTION

One unfortunately pervasive myth is that giving children “too much” love, time and affection “spoils” them. This could not be farther from the truth. It is trying to give them other things to replace your love, time and affection, which in fact spoils them. Children who are spoiled with love and attention become the most generous, loving and giving of people. Those from whom this love and attention was withheld, often become narrow-hearted and unwilling to give.

No one was more merciful and showed more affection to children than our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He was once visited by a man named Al-Aqra ibn Hâbis. He lifted his grandson, Hassan, placed him on his lap and kissed him. Al-Aqra remarked, “I have 10 children and I have not kissed a single one of them.” This was a point of pride, manhood—that one is not soft, that one is tough.

DO NOT REWARD FOR ACTS OF WORSHIP

Do not pay your children to fast, or promise them large gifts if they pray. Instill in them a love for Allah that will motivate them internally to perform salah and fast. Social psychologists have shown that when people are given external rewards or motivation to do some activity, they enjoy doing that activity less and are less motivated, than if they are given no external reward but the reward is internally motivated.

START ATTACHMENT EARLY

Practice attachment parenting early on. When your children are young, let them sleep next to you, and carry them often. Research shows that doing these things does NOT spoil the child, but creates a secure attachment between the parent and child that allows the child to succeed better as an adult. This attachment is a fundamental precursor to successful parenting because without it you cannot fully instill Islam. Consider, for example, the relationship between the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his daughter Fatimah. From very early on, she maintained a close relationship with her father who thereby conveyed his mission to her.

ATTACHMENT IS THE FIRST STEP TO DISCIPLINE

If a secure attachment is created early on between the parent and child, discipline will easily follow. If the parent maintains this closeness with the child and shows consistent love and approval, the child will avoid doing things that would disappoint or jeopardize that relationship. Discipline should not and would not need to be done with a stick, but would rather flow naturally. If the relationship were based on love and respect, the child would be motivated by the desire to maintain that respect.

BUILD YOUR CHILD'S SELF-ESTEEM

Make sure your children know how precious they are. Tell them whenever possible how good and how smart they are. Make sure they know what a gift they are and how important they are as a person. Let them know that they can have the ability to change the world, and show them how much faith and hope you have in them. A child who is told he is a failure will always be a failure. And only a child who thinks he can change the world, ever will.

Al-Jumuah Magazine

Bismillahi rahmani rahim 

Assalam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatu 

No one has ever become poor by giving. Charity is a Muslim thing if not humane, it should be a thing we do. Humanity. Humility. Caring. Sharing. 

Whoever spends something today will benefit from it tomorrow and whoever does not spend will come to find nothing, and he will have a great loss in the house of dwelling (in the Hereafter).

Some of the Salaf said, “O son of Adam, you will only live on the Day of Judgment in what you have built, and you will find on that day what possessions you have prepared in your life .”

A women entered upon ‘A’ishah (radiy Allaahu anha), and her hand was paralysed. She said, “O mother of the Believers, I went to sleep yesterday and my hand was healthy, and I woke up and it was paralysed. ‘A’ishah said, “How is that?” She said, “I had wealthy parents, and my Father used to pay zakat, host guests, and give to beggars, and he did not see any good except that he would do it. As for my mother, she was stingy, and did nothing good with my Father’s wealth. Then my Father died, and my mother died only two months after him. So I saw my Father in a dream last night, and he was wearing two yellow garments and in front of him was a flowing river. I said, “Father, what is this?’ He said, “Whoever does good in this life will see it, this is what Allah has given me.” I said, “What has happened to my mother?” He asked, “Your Mother dies?” I said, “Yes” He said, “She has been turned away from me, so look for her on your left” So I turned to my left, and I saw my mother standing naked, covering her lower half with a rag and in her hand was a piece of fat. She was calling out, “My sadness, my thirst’ When she became tired she would rub the fat with her hand and then lick it, while in front of her was a flowing river. I said, ‘O mother, why are you crying out of thirst, and there is a flowing river in front of you?’ She said, ‘I am not allowed to drink from it.’ I said, Can I give you some of the water?’ She said, ‘I wish you would do that.’ So I filled my hand with water and let her drink, and when she swallowed it I heard a voice on my right, ‘Whoever has given this woman water, may his hand be paralysed,’ and they repeated it twice. Then I awoke and my hand was paralysed, and I am not able to do anything with it. ‘A’ishah asked: ‘Did you recognise the rag she was wearing?’ I said, ‘Yes, O Mother of the Believers, it was exactly the same one I saw her wearing, for I had never seen my mother give anything as charity, except that one day my Father slaughtered a bull. So a beggar came to ask for some, so my mother gave him a bone that had some fat on it. And I saw one day that a beggar asked her for charity, so she gave him that exact rag.’

A’ishah (radiy Allaahu anha) said, Allah is the Most Great! Allah has told the truth, and the Messenger has delivered the message.

ﻓَﻤَﻦ ﻳَﻌْﻤَﻞْ ﻣِﺜْﻘَﺎﻝَ ﺫَﺭَّﺓٍ ﺧَﻴْﺮًﺍ ﻳَﺮَﻩُ

ﻭَﻣَﻦ ﻳَﻌْﻤَﻞْ ﻣِﺜْﻘَﺎﻝَ ﺫَﺭَّﺓٍ ﺷَﺮًّﺍ ﻳَﺮَﻩُ

"So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it." [al-Azalzalah 99:7-8] This was narrated by Hafiz Abu Musa al-Madani with a good isnad.

Source : Transcribed by AbdurRahman.org from the Book – “The Three that follow to the Grave” (pg 29-30) Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Dar as-Sunnah Publishers, Birmingham, UK.

Assalam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatu 

Bismillahi rahmani rahim

Alhamdhulillah for this day and all the days Allah blesses us with to improve ourselves, becoming better Muslims. 

So I'm mostly on public transport, from home to work and back home again and in between a bit of a walk, and I'm always eyeing, one two, three things. And I recently noticed that much of what I was living with just 5 years ago has changed so much, for the worse in terms of either self-respect and self-worth or honour, it's no longer valuable. Fitnah has become such a norm, blended in with our lives we don't find it a big deal anymore. 

[Sheikh Bilal Assad]

Rasul of Allah told us that in the last hour, towards the last hour their will be extreme display - the trial and tribulations. The fitnah will be displayed before you, a very intrigue word is used here meaning they will be placed in front you. You don't even looking for it, it will be placed in front of you - just like the pieces of straws in a straw mat, there are so many of them - like all the individual straws, maybe hundred thousand straws in it, individually, all at once. 

Rasul is using a metaphor here, he's saying the fitana, they'll be so many on that day that you will look at them, you'll see them all at once in front of you, and you will recognise that each one on its own, fitnah after fitnah, after fitnah, after fitnah, after fitnah, all displaying themselves in front of you.

He said, they'll be two hearts. One heart would be pure and the other type of heart, milky, stinky, ugly and dark.  The pure heart are ones that reject these fitanas and try to go against it. And the hearts that are dark and ugly are the one who take it, accept it and love it. 

Once I was driving out of my house, I went down to the next street. This street is a two-way, cars coming this way, cars going that way.  So if you go down in one direction, it's very hard to overtake another vehicle. I was reaching around the roundabout and there was a bus stop, I looked at the bus a few metered and right at the back of the bus is a huge picture of a woman, partially naked. Now you shouldn't even be shocked because this is very normal, isn't it. Very normal. Everywhere you drive, you can see it, it's very normal. 

So I said I better beat that bus, because the bus is gonna be right in front of me and I can't overtake because cars are gonna be coming this way and I have to look at the bus because otherwise they'll be an accident. What I'm I looking at? The Picture. 

So then the bus went in front of me, how strong is Shaytan? So the bus went in front of me. Driving behind this bus where so I look? Trying to look away,  I'm gonna have an accident. Until the bus Alhamdhulillah went away, Astaghfirullah-adhim. I said, sadaqa rasulullah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), truthful is he, that the fitnah will be displayed in front of your eyes, you can't even run away from it. 

This day and age. The other day, a brother said, I lowered my gaze to the ground and I see a magazine with a woman on it. I looked away from this, at a shop right there was displayed on the window Lahaula walaquwata ilabillah. You going to read your emails, bang! right in front of you this junk mail comes up, sometimes a display, isn't that correct? Everywhere!!

Grade 5s and 6s now are looking at stuff they shouldn't be looking at by the time they are in year 9, Allahu Akbar! Gone with the wind. 

Pornography has become a wide spread epidemic today, Rasul of Allah told us, before the last hour, there will be a time when people will look at this as very normal. 

[MERCIFUL SERVANT]

Bismillahi rahmani rahim

Assalam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatu

When my third daughter was born, I was overtaken by joy. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) promised Paradise for those who care for their daughters and fears Allah regarding them. I was so happy about having a girl again that I bought doughnuts for everyone and took them to `ishaa’ prayer. A brother came to me that night and asked, “Oh what happened? Is there some good news?” I replied, “Yes! It’s a Girl!” He looked at me and said, “Insha Allah next time!” as if it wasn’t good news because I didn’t have a boy.

I was so upset that I wanted to slap the brother across the face. That is what idol worshippers in Makkah would have said! That is what people who don’t believe in Allah would have said! The fact that I had my third daughter, allows me to celebrate the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). What bigger congratulations could there be?!

Do not miss this great video. Ustadh Nouman Khan discusses the ugly attitude of hating girls and feeling depressed at their birth.

Unfortunately, many Muslim families succumb to this feeling; their treatment of girls even aggravates when the baby girl grows up. The verses and hadiths quoted in this Sermon show the strong position of Islam against all the traces of this attitude; girls are a blessing from Allah to be received with gratitude and loving care.

By Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan 👇👇 The Link  https://youtu.be/0vRY_frjdfU

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatu 

Abū Hurayrah relates that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “I have only been sent to perfect good moral character.” [Musnad Ahmad (8595)] and the purpose of all the revealed books has always been inner purification. From the relationship with Allah to the relationship with fellow human beings, the environment and animals, wild and domestic. A complete way of life.

Humility is one of the best and noblest of characteristics, it was the attitude of all the Prophets of Allah and the way of the closest friends of Allah and the righteous. That is being kind to people, lowering the wing of humility to them and trying to meet their needs and wants.

It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The most perfect of the believers in faith is the one who is best in attitude and humble, who get along with others and others get along with them, and there is no good in the one who does not get along with others and they do not get along with him.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat (2/268); classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (751).

Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived humbly all his life and never boasted of his social or political position either before or after his successes in Medinah. Once, on a journey, a few of the companions decided to slaughter a goat for a meal. They divided the work among themselves; one was to slaughter it, another to remove its skin, yet another to do the cooking. Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that he would collect the wood for cooking. His companions said that they would do his work as well. He replied, "I know that you will do it quite willingly but I do not like to have an eminent position in the assembly and Allah also does not like it."'

One of the greatest qualities of those who are humble is that they accept gifts no matter what their value, and they do not look at their value or whether the giver could have fforded something better than that, rather one should accept it and appreciate it, and feel that the true gift is the love that motivated them to give, not the value of the gift.

The leader of mankind, the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, our Beloved Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), despite his high status and lofty position, would accept a gift even if it was a sheep’s foot or a drink of milk. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If I were invited to a meal of a sheep’s foot I would accept, and if I were given a sheep’s foot as a gift, I would accept.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5178).

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Fath al-Baari (9/245-246): The karaa’ (translated here as sheep’s foot) is the narrow part of the leg and the words refers to the feet of cows and sheep, as opposed to the hooves of camels and horses.This hadeeth is indicative of the good attitude of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his humility, and his desire to make people happy by accepting gifts and responding when a man invited him to his home, even if he knew that what he was inviting him to was something small. This is encouragement to keep in touch with one another, love one another, make friends with one another, and accept invitations great and small, and to accept gifts likewise.

Humility may mean various things, such as.

1. A person humbling himself to the commands and prohibitions of Allaah, doing what He commands and avoiding what He forbids. Ibn al-Qayyim said: Because a person may hesitate to obey His commands out of laziness, thus behaving in a reluctant way in an attempt to flee from servitude towards Allah, and his soul may have the desire to commit haraam actions, but when the person humbles himself to the commands and prohibitions of Allaah, he will humble himself to true submission (‘uboodiyyah). Al-Rooh p. 233.

2. Humbling oneself before the might, majesty and power of Allah. Ibn al-Qayyim said: Every time he feels that he is great, he remembers the might of Allah and that might belongs to Him only, and he remembers His intense anger against those who compete with Him in that, then he humbles himself before Him and submits to the might of Allah. This is the ultimate humility and inevitably includes the first type of humility mentioned above, but the converse can never apply (i.e., this type of humility inevitably leads to the first type, but a person may submit to the commands and prohibitions of Allah but he does not humble himself before His might). The one who is truly humble is the one who is blessed with both. And Allah is the One Whose help we seek. Al-Rooh , p. 233.

3. Humility in one’s dress and manner of walking. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whilst a man was letting his garment drag out of pride, he was swallowed up by the earth and will continue sinking in it until the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3297. It was also narrated by al-Bukhaari (5452) and Muslim (2088) from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah. According to the version narrated by al-Bukhaari: “Whilst a man was walking in a garment admiring himself with his hair nicely combed, Allah caused (the earth) to swallow him up and he will continue sinking in it until the Day of Resurrection.”

4. Humility towards one who is of a lesser status and helping him. It was narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Aazib said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was moving soil with us on the day of al-Ahzaab, and I saw him with dust covering the whiteness of his stomach, and he (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) was saying, “(O Allaah)! Without You, we would not have been guided, nor would we have given in charity, nor would we have prayed. So (O Allah!) send tranquility (Sakeenah) upon us as they (the chiefs of the enemy tribes) have rebelled against us. And if they intend affliction (i.e. want to frighten us and fight against us) then we would not (flee but would withstand them).” And he raised his voice whilst saying it. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6809; Muslim, 1803.

5. Humility in interactions with one’s wife and helping her. It was narrated that al-Aswad said: I asked ‘Aa’ishah what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to do in his house, and she said: He used to serve his family and when the time for prayer came he would go out and pray. Al-Bukhaari, 644. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said: This shows that we are encouraged to be humble and not arrogant, and that a man should serve his family. Fath al-Baari , 2/163.

6. Humility towards the young and joking with them.

It was narrated that Anas said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the best of people in character. I had a brother whose name was Abu ‘Umayr. He said, I think he was weaned, and when he (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) came he would say, “O Abu Umayr, what happened to the nughayr (a small bird that he kept as a pet)?” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5850; Muslim, 2150. Al-Nawawi said: The nughayr is a small bird. This hadeeth teaches us many things, such as being kind to small children. This demonstrates the good character of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and how he was of noble character and humble. Sharh Muslim , 14/129

7. Humility towards servants and slaves. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “If the servant of one of you brings his food and he does not want to make him sit and eat with him, then let him offer him a morsel or two, because he has prepared it and served it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2418 and 5144; Muslim, 1663.

Humility is not thinking less if yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. Be humble. We ask Allah to make us among those who humble themselves before His might.

And Allah knows best.

[Adopted]

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatu 

Many of us know surah ad-dhuha off by heart and have probably read its meaning many times as well, which seems quite straightforward. How many of us, though, have actually gone into the reason behind its revelation and derived the lessons and implications this surah has in our lives?

This surah was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) at a time when he had not received any revelation for six months, not even in the form of a dream! The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was in a very disturbed state of mind, feeling negative and depressed and believing that Allah was displeased with him, had forgotten him, and did not want him as a Nabi anymore.

Don’t we have similar feelings in our lives? Times when our level of imaan is low, our khushoo in salah wavers and we feel a drop in our connection with Allah? We feel like our duas are not being answered, our salah is not having a positive impact on our hearts, and worst of all the feeling that we’re horrible human beings, that Allah doesn’t love us or doesn’t care about us anymore.

Surah Ad-Duha was revealed to the Prophet to relieve him of these negative feelings and to give him hope, positivity, and the assurance that Allah is with him no matter what. From it we too can find peace, hope, and a renewed faith in Allah when we go through similar states of depression, sadness, and hopelessness.

So what does this Surah say?

Wad duhaa— By the morning brightness. This is the first thing you need to hear when you’re depressed: Wake up, look at the sunshine! Everything in life is not doom and gloom– you just have to look up!

Wal laili iza sajaa— And [by] the night when it covers with darkness, Why is this aayah immediately talking about darkness? As a reminder to us that the night is meant to cover and give us comfort and rest. Generally when we’re depressed, we tend to get into a very bad sleep pattern by staying up at night and sleeping all day, thereby worsening our state of mind. This aayah reminds us to use the night as a comfort to ease our distress.

Ma wad da’aka rabbuka wa ma qalaa— Your Lord has not taken leave of you, [O Muhammad], nor has He detested [you]. This is a very powerful verse from Allah telling us that He doesn’t hate us and hasn’t forgotten us– reminding the depressed person that He is always by his or her side!

Walal-aakhiratu khairul laka minal-oola— And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life]. Many times when we’re depressed we think: Is this all my life is going to be? Is it never going to get better? This aayah serves as a perfect answer to those questions, reminding us that life in this world is temporary and that Aakhira is certainly a better, more permanent place for us than this world could ever be. This makes us look forward to attaining our place in Jannah and helps us look at any problems in our lives as temporary tests of our faith from Allah.

Wa la sawfa y’uteeka rabbuka fatarda— And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied. A promise from Allah that very soon he will give us a massive reward (Jannah) and we will be happy! Subhanallah! Isn’t this the best thing to hear when you’re depressed and fed up with this worldly life and the problems you’re facing?

Alam ya jidka yateeman fa aawaa – Did He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge? From this verse onwards, Allah gives us reason to believe His declarations and promises in the first half of the surah. Now many of us may think: how would this aayah about orphans relate to the majority of us? Think about it– weren’t there many times in your life when you were sick or lonely and felt like you had nobody who cared about you? Who was the only one by your side at that time? Allah! It was He who took care of you and guided you out of that stage in life.

Wa wa jadaka daal lan fahada— And He found you lost and guided [you]. How many of us, despite being born Muslims, have found ourselves misguided and straying away from Islam in the past? It was Allah who gave us that hidaya and brought us back to the straight path and to Him and made us practicing Muslims. Alhamdulillah!

Wa wa jadaka ‘aa-ilan fa aghnaa— And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient. Many of us have probably gone through many periods in our lives when we have been short of money and wealth. Now when we look back we realize that it was only Allah who gave us that rizq in some form and got us through those tough financial times. When a person is depressed, giving him or her examples of how Allah has helped them in the past will strengthen their conviction and belief in the promises Allah makes in this surah for their future.

Fa am mal yateema fala taqhar — So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him]. This aayah is the ultimate antidote to depression! Depressed people are mostly consumed with their situation and feel that nobody could possibly be in a worse situation.nThis aayah reminds us to look at people who are in far worse situations than ourselves when we’re feeling hopeless and depressed— Look at the orphans, who have no family or loved ones and nobody to care for them. We have families and parents who love us, a roof over our heads and food on the table and we still think we’re in a bad situation? Subhanallah!

Wa am mas saa-ila fala tanhar— And as for the petitioner, do not repel [him]. Another example is of the beggar – to once again remind us of the many material blessings that Allah has given us that we take for granted – food, clothing and shelter. How many of us have ever gone to sleep hungry? How many of us don’t have clothes to wear? Or don’t have a home to go to? These examples of the orphan and the beggar are ones we should constantly remind ourselves of to be thankful for the numerous blessings Allah has given us, get over our depression and feel connected to Allah again, out of gratitude.

Wa amma bi ne’mati rabbika fahad dith – But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it]. This final aayah is about maintaining that renewed faith and bond with Allah – by pondering, glorifying and talking about the blessings of Allah! Either in terms of halaqas, discussions with family and friends or even da’wah! Dhikr, reading quran and listening to lectures are also great ways to keep the remembrance of Allah close to your heart!

So the next time you feel disconnected, disheartened or depressed with your level of Imaan and your connection with Allah – read Surah Ad-Dhuha and ponder over its meanings – Inshallah it will restore your faith and increase your belief in the greatness and power of Allah.

This article was inspired by Sheikh Tawfique Chowdry’s talk on Surah Ad-Dhuha. May Allah grant him and his family well. Ameen. 

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatu 

This is another lecture that is transcribe from Mufti Ismail Menk for our benefit In Sha Allah. May Allah grant him and his family and all of us understanding of our Deen. Ameen. 

Justice for All: Who Will Be Bankrupt In Allah Subhanahu wa taala's Court? There is a Hadeeth where Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “On the day of Qiyamah, there will come a person who is bankrupt”- in fact, he asked a question: “Do you know who a bankrupt person is?” The Sahabah said: “Well, according to us, a person who doesn’t have Dirhams and Dinars, or gold or silver, is a bankrupt person.” In our terms, perhaps, it’s someone who doesn’t have dollars and pounds. It is a fact that someone who doesn’t have material things is a bankrupt person. Rasool Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “No, it is a person who comes on the Day of Judgement with a lot of Salah, with a lot of Zakah, and with a lot of acts of worship.”

You know, if I heard that, I would think I am hearing wrong. The bankrupt person on the Day of Judgement is someone with a lot of prayers, a lot of worship, and lots of acts of charity! A lot! How can that person be bankrupt? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) continued: “And then when they are standing in front of Allah Subhanahu wa taala with all these deeds, they have backbitten this one, gossiped about that one, slandered this one, eaten the wealth of the other, deceived another, and harmed another and so on. So Allah takes away these good deeds one by one as a payment because on that day, the currency will be deeds.”

The payback is in the form of your good deeds. Such as salah in the first row - gone, zakah - gone, hajj - gone, fasting - gone, all the good deeds - gone. What happens thereafter? There are still so many people waiting for their rights. The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There will come a time when that man has nothing remaining and the people in front still want their right. Allah will say: Take their sins and put them on his shoulder.” So the sins are put on the shoulder of the individual who violated somebody’s rights. He was the one who used to read Salah in the first row; he was the charitable one; he was the pious one according to the whole world; but because he usurped the rights of the fellow human beings and disregarded them completely, he is going to pay for that. When he went, he went with a lot and as he is progressing on that day (in fact, there is no progress, he is going back) because he has lost everything and on top of that, he has got sins committed by other people. May Allah Subhanahu wa taala) forgive us. Ameen.

So, this is the clear Hadeeth that explains the importance of fulfilling the rights of fellow human beings. We need to make sure that we are humble; and remember, it doesn’t mean that you fulfill the rights of those who are pious alone. No! It doesn’t mean you fulfill the rights of the Muslims alone. Whether they are sinful, whether they are non-Muslims, no matter who they are and what they have done, they have rights! So much so, it doesn’t stop at human beings! In fact, it continues to all the creatures of Allah, including the ecosystem. Subhan’Allah!

May Allah Subhanahu wa taala have mercy on us and may He open the doors on us. Ameen. I hope the explanation would help in understanding the importance of fulfilling the rights of fellow human beings; and how actually, these are the fruits that are seen clearly on the person who is really close to Allah Subhanahu wa taala.

And Allah knows best.

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatu

I believe we Muslims sisters should be recognised as ladies with the at most etiquettes and modesty and for males after growing from boys should be gentlemen with visible respect and honour.   

Islam advocates etiquette and stresses it so as to perfect the Muslim personality and to bring about harmony among people. There is no doubt that embodying such manners and virtues enhances personal style and qualities, refines personality and brings us closer to the hearts and minds of others. The forthcoming manners and etiquette are central to Islam, its purposes and its aims. Calling it ‘etiquette’ by no means implies that it is marginal to life and social behaviour. Itdoes not mean Muslims have the option of ignoring this code of behaviour, or that it is merely preferable to adhere to it.

In pointing out that manners rank higher than deeds, Imam Al-Qarfi in his book Al-Furw’q said, ‘Learn that a little etiquette is better than a lot of good actions.’ Rw’aim, the righteous scholar, told his son, ‘Oh my son, make your deeds salt, and your manners flour.’ Many good manners with few good deeds are better than many good deeds with few good manners. Even if some of these rules appear to be simple common courtesy, it is important to highlight their significance. Many Muslims commit errors which blemish the Islamic personality, whose purpose is meant to be unique in its beauty, perfection and traits. Our master, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) directed the blessed companions by saying: ‘You are on your way to meet your brothers, put on a nice dress and fix your riding so you appear distinct among people as a fleck [on a beautiful face]. Allah does not like roughness nor rough manners.’

When the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘No one will enter Paradise if they have at heart a grain of arrogance.’ A man asked: ‘A man may like his dress to be nice and his shoes nice.’ The Prophet answered ‘Allah is beautiful and likes beauty. Arrogance is to deny rights and look down at people.’ Shaikh Ibn Taimia said that the beauty that Allah likes include nice clothes. Hence it could be said that Allah likes all nice things. Therefore, a Muslim ought to be recognized by neat dress, cleanliness and graceful appearance.

 CLEANLINESS AND WASHING

The Sunnah is to keep perfume and to use it regularly on oneself. Al-Bukhari narrated that Salman Al-Farsi said: the Prophet, peace be upon him, said ‘Allah will forgive the sins of the past week for he who on Friday will take a bath, cleanse himself, put on his [regular] perfume or any perfume available in house. Then, he goes out [to Jumu’ah prayer] and does not try to separate two friends. Then he prays wherever he could and listens to the Imam.’ If the body became odorous a day or two before Friday, one should not wait till Friday to cleanse the body. We should wash our bodies as soon as it require washing to keep ourselves clean and fresh.

To take a bath on Friday is specifically required since a large number of people will be gathering at mosques. However, if our body becames dirty or we sweat on a particular day, then, we should take a bath at the end of day or the next morning. This is indicated by a Hadith narrated by Al- Bukhari and Muslim that Abu Huraira said, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘It is the duty of every Muslim to have a bath once every week to wash his head and body.’

VISITORS AND VISITING

If you are traveling to visit someone or if you are about to receive guests, whether those in question are your parents, relatives, peers, or friends of a different age, make sure that your hands, feet, and socks are clean, and your appearance and clothing is neat. Never neglect or underestimate the importance of your look, for that would certainly mar the pleasure of the meeting, while dulling the enjoyment of those you meet. In this regard, the Prophet directed his companions upon returning from a journey: ‘You are returning to your brethren, dress nicely, and sort out your rides so that you may become a beauty mark among people, for Allah does not like sloppiness or acting in a sloppy way.’

GIVING GIFTS

Try to bring some gifts to those receiving you, and likewise present your guests with a present. Always be prepared to reciprocate with a suitable gift. The subtle joy of seeing your beloved ones will be vividly remembered for many years. A gift, however symbolic, will greatly enhance the pleasure of such a meeting. The Prophet ( ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ ), as reported by Bukhary, said: ‘Exchange gifts; exchange love.’ Our Muslim predecessors used to leave their host with a present which could be as symbolic as an Arak stick.

DRESS PROPERLY WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Dress properly, even among friends and relatives. Dress properly when visiting your parents, a pious person, an elder, or even a relative or a friend. Your attire should be clean and elegant, not ugly or unsightly. We are attracted or repulsed by what we see. If you look good in clean clothes, smelling nice, you will be pleasant to look at and people will be attracted to you and enjoy your presence. If you were the opposite, people will look down on you even if you were a relative or friend. To look good while visiting or being visited is an instinctive trait in addition to being an Islamic manner. Do not ignore this aspect because you consider yourself to be close to your hosts or guests. Imam Bukhari in his book, ‘Al-Adab Al Mufrad’ reported that the great follower Abi Al-Alia Al- Riahi Al-Basri said, ‘Muslims were at their best when visiting each other.’ Al-Hafez Al-Haithami in ‘Majma Al-Zawaed’ (1:169) reported that Thabet Al-Banani, the student of Imam Anas bin Malik said, ‘When I used to visit Anas, he would call for a perfume and run it along his cheeks.’

Accordingly, if you were visited at home while dressed very casually, as it sometimes happens, you should change for your visitor. This will enhance his respect for you and will complement your hospitality. It is, after all, the manners of the early Muslims. 

From the book ISLAMIC MANNERS By Shaykh Abdul-Fattaah Abu Ghuddah (May Allah have mercy in him).

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

At one point in our lives we will experience some type of loss. Whether it is the loss of a family member, a loved one, a job money and so on.

Generally at a time of a loss we reflection about our lives. For some they get hit hard with a reality check, for others, it’s a self realization and reminder. We all get tested in different ways and with loss come many reminders for us.

What are we doing with our time?

Are we worshipping Allah as He deserves? Are we rushing our prayers? Are we giving zakah continuously? Do we have a connection with the Qur’an? Are we waking up in the night to pray for the things we want? Is our spirituality balance in our life? One of my respected teachers once said that if were to be put in jail, what would we do with our time? Think about it seriously.

Many individuals I asked this same question have said they would most definitely spend most if not all their time:

1.Making Du’a

2.Praying on time and doing sunnahs

3.Praying Tahajjud

4.And memorize Qur’an

Why does one have to be put in a situation like this to achieve the above? How can we achieve this without having to be put in jail? May Allah protect us all.

Death is a reality, but we don’t often pay attention to the fact that it may come to us at any time. We put off certain spiritual goals in our life because we feel we have the time to do it later. What if today was your last day? Better yet, what if your knew tomorrow was your last day? How would you spend the remainder of your time? 

Allah says: “Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction.”

[An-Nisaa: 78]

We are here in this life only for a short time. Let us take advantage of our time  now before we our time is up. 

 May Allah make it easy for all of us to worship Him and do for Him as He commanded.

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

There was once a man who was an enemy to Islam. He had three famous questions that no person could answer. No Islamic scholar in Baghdad could answer his three questions…thus he made fun of Islam in public. He constantly ridiculed Islam and the Muslims. One day a small boy, who`s age was 10, came along and heard the man yelling and screaming at Muslims in the street. He was challenging people openly to answer the three questions.

The boy stood quietly and watched. He then decided that he would challenge the man. He walked up and told the man, “I will accept your challenge”. The man laughed at the boy and ridiculed the Muslims even more by saying, “A ten year old boy challenges me. Is this all you people have to offer!” But the boy patiently reiterated his stance. He would challenge the man, and with Allah`s help and guidance, he would put this to an end. The man finally accepted. The entire city gathered around a small “hill” where open addresses were usually made. The man climbed to the top, and in a loud voice asked his first question.

“What is your God doing right now?” The small boy thought for a little while and then told the man to climb down the hill and to allow him to go up in order to address the question. The man says “What? You want me to come down?” The boy says, “Yes. I need to reply, right?”

The man made his way down and the small boy, age 10, with his little feet made his way up.This small child`s reply was “Oh Allah Almighty! You be my witness in front of all these people. You have just willed that a Kafir be brought down to a low level, and that a Muslim be brought to a high level!”

The crowd cheered and screamed “Takbir”….”Allah-hu-akbar!!!” The man was humiliated, but he boldly asked his Second question… “What existed before your God?” The small child thought and thought.

Then he asked the man to count backwards. “Count from 10 backwards.” The man counted…”10, 9 ,8 , 7 , 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,0″ The boy asked, “What comes before 0 ?” The man: “I don`t know…nothing.” The boy: “Exactly. Nothing was before Allah, for He is eternal and absolute.”

The crowd cheered again. ”Takbir!”….”Allah-hu akbar !!!!” The man, now completely frustrated, asked his final question. “In which direction is your Allah facing?” The boy thought and thought. He then asked for a candle. A candle was brought to him. The blessed child handed it to the man and asked him to light it.

The man did so and remarked, “What is this supposed to prove?” The young boy asked, “In which direction is light from the candle going?” The man responded, “It is going in all directions.”

The boy: “You have answered your own question. Allah`s light (noor) goes in all directions. There is no where that He cannot be found. The crowd cheered again….”Takbir!”….”Allah-hu-akbar!!!”

The man was so impressed and so moved by the boy`s knowledge and spirituality, that he embraced Islam and became a student of the young boy. So ended the debate.

Who was the young boy?

The young boy was one of our leaders and one of the greatest scholars, Imam Abu Hanîfa (May Allah bless him).

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

Imams Bukhari and Muslim reported that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Three persons of a people before you, were on a journey when they were overtaken by a storm and therefore they took shelter in a cave. A rock slipped down from the mountain and blocked the exit from cave. One of them said: “The only way for deliverance left is to beseech Allah in the name of some virtuous deed.” 

Thereupon one of them supplicated, “O Lord, my parents were very old, I used to offer them their nightly drink of milk before my children and the other members of the family. One day I went astray far away in search of green trees and could return only after my parent had gone to sleep. When I had milked the animals and brought their nightly drink to them, They were fast asleep, but I did not like to disturb them, nor would give any part of the milk to my children and other members of the family till after my parents had their drink. Thus, with the vessel in hand, I awaited their awakening till the flush of dawn, While the children cried out of hunger at my feet. When they woke up, they had their drink. O Lord, if I did this thing seeking only your pleasure, then do relieve us of the distress wrought upon us by this rock.”, The rock moved a little but that not enough to let them pass out.

Then the second man supplicated: “O Lord, I had a cousin whom I loved her more passionately than any loves a woman. I tried to seduce her but she would have none of me, till in a season of great hardship due to famine, she approached me (for help) and I gave her one hundred and twenty Dinars on condition that she would have intercourse with me. She agreed, and when we got together and I was just going to have intercourse with her, she pleaded: ‘Fear Allah, and do not break the seal unlawfully’; whereupon I moved away from her, despite the fact that I desired her most passionately; and I let her keep the money I had given her. O Lord, if I did this thing seeking only your pleasure, then do move the distress in which we find ourselves.” Again the rock moved a little but not enough to let them pass out.

Then the third supplicated: “O Lord, I hired some laborers and paid them their dues, but one of them left leaving behind what was due to him. I invested it in business and the business prospered greatly.” After a time the laborer came Back and said: ‘O servant of Allah, hand over to me my wages.’ I said to him: ‘All that you see is yours – camels, cattle, goats and slaves.’ He said: ‘Don’t play joke with me, O servant of Allah.’ I assured him: ‘I am not joking.’ So he took all of it sparing nothing. O Lord, If I did this seeking only for your pleasure, do relieve us of our distress.”

The rock then moved away, and all the three came out of the cave safe and sound.

[Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim]

       

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

Once upon a time. There was a rich merchant who had four (4) wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!" Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out: "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition.

Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!"

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament.

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

True strory told by Shaykh “Abdul Mohsen al Ahmad”, it happened in Abha (the capital of Asir province in Saudi Arabia).

“After performing Salat Al Maghrib, she put her make-up, wore her beautiful white dress preparing herself for her wedding party, Then she heard the Adhan of ‘Ishaa and she realized that she broke her Wudu. She told her mother: “mother, I have to go to make wudu and pray ‘Ishaa.” Her mother was shocked : “Are you crazy?!! Guests are waiting for you, to see you! What about your make up? It will be all washed away by water!!” Then she added: ”I am your mother and I order you not to perform salah now! wallahi if you make wudu now, I will be angry at you.” Her daughter replied: “Wallahi I won’t go out from here until I perform my salah! Mother you must know that there is no obedience to any creature in disobedience to the Creator!!” Her mother said: ”what would our guests say about you when you’ll show up to your wedding party without make-up? You won’t be beautiful in their eyes and they will make fun of you!” The daughter asked with a smile: “Are you worried because I won’t be beautiful in the eyes of creations? What about my Creator? I am worried because, if I miss my salah, I won’t be beautiful in His eyes.”

She started to make wudu, and all her make-up was washed away, but she didn’t care. Then she began her salah and at the moment she bowed down to make sujud, she didn’t realize that it will be her last one! Yes! She died while in sujud! What a great ending for a Muslimah who insisted on obeying her Lord! Many people who heard her story were so touched. She put Him and His obedience first in her priorities, so He granted her the best ending that any Muslim could have. She wanted to be closer to Him, so He took her soul in the place where Muslims are the closest to Him! SubhanAllah! She didn’t care if she would be beautiful in the eyes of creatures so she was beautiful in the eyes of Her Creator!

O Muslim sister, imagine if you are in her place! What will you do? Subhan’Allah, what an amazing story.

May Allah grant us a better ending and May we meet Him once His pleased with us.

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu

Today's post is a story that will enlighten us about the Will and Power of our Master and Lord Allah Subhanahu wa' taala.

Source : Tafseer Ibn Kathir

"And (remember) when Ibrahim said, "My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead." He (Allah) said: "Do you not believe." He (Ibrahim) said: "Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in faith." He said: "Take four birds, then cause them to incline towards you (then slaughter them, cut them into pieces), and then put a portion of them on every hill, and call them, they will come to you in haste. And know that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise."

The Khalil Supplicates to Allah to Show Him How He Resurrects the Dead.

The scholars said that there are reasons behind this request by Ibrahim. For instance, when Ibrahim said to Nimrod, (My Lord (Allah) is He Who gives life and causes death,) he wanted to solidify his knowledge about resurrection by actually witnessing it with his eyes. Prophet Ibrahim said, "My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.” He (Allah) said: “Do you not believe” He (Ibrahim) said: “Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in faith.”

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, "We are more liable to be in doubt than Ibrahim when he said, “My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.” Allah said, “Don’t you believe” Ibrahim said, “Yes I believe, but I ask in order to be stronger in faith.”

The Prophet’s statement in the Hadith means, “We are more liable to seek certainty.” The Answer to Al-Khalil’s Request: Allah said, He said: “Take four birds, then cause them to incline towards you.”

Scholars of Tafsir disagreed over the type of birds mentioned here, although this matter in not relevant due to the fact that the Qur’an did not mention it. Allah’s statement, (cause them to incline towards you) means, cut them to pieces. This is the explanation of Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Abu Malik, Abu Al-Aswad Ad-Dili, Wahb bin Munabbih, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi.

Therefore, Ibrahim caught four birds, slaughtered them, removed the feathers, tore the birds to pieces and mixed the pieces together. He then placed parts of these mixed pieces on four or seven hills. Ibn Abbas said, “Ibrahim kept the heads of these birds in his hand. Next, Allah commanded Ibrahim to call the birds to him, and he did as Allah commanded him. Ibrahim witnessed the feathers, blood and flesh of these birds fly to each other, and the parts flew each to their bodies, until every bird came back to life and came walking at a fast pace towards Ibrahim, so that the example that Ibrahim was witnessing would become more impressive. Each bird came to collect its head from Ibrahim’s hand, and if he gave the bird another head the bird refused to accept it. When Ibrahim gave each bird its own head, the head was placed on its body by Allah’s leave and power. ”

This is why Allah said, "And know that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise" and no one can overwhelm or resist Him. Whatever Allah wills, occurs without hindrance, because He is the All-Mighty, Supreme above all things, and He is Wise in His statements, actions, legislation and decrees.

Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Ma`mar said that Ayyub said that Ibn Abbas commented on what Ibrahim said, (but to be stronger in Faith), “To me, there is no Ayah in the Qur’an that brings more hope than this Ayah.” Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir said that Abdullah bin Abbas met Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As and said to him, “Which Ayah in the Qur’an carries more hope for you” Ibn `Amr said, "Say: 'O `Ibadi (My servants) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not.'" [Al-Qur'an 39:53].

Ibn Abbas said, “But I say that it is Allah’s statement, "And (remember) when Ibrahim said, “My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.” He, Allah said: “Do you not believe” He Ibrahim said: “Yes I believe…"

Allah accepted Ibrahim’s affirmation when he merely said, 'Yes' "This Ayah refers to the doubts that attack the heart and the thoughts that Shaytan inspires." Al-Hakim also recorded.

May Allah guide us on the right path and be among those who earn His Mercy. O Allah! Keep our hearts steady on Islam.