A Simple Reminder on Blessings, Patience, Zuhd & Accountability

Blessings,Patience, Zuhd & Accountability

Ask yourself this:

If you were to wake up tomorrow,

with only the blessings you truly thanked Allah SWT for,

how much would you have left?

***

Now check this out:

It is reported that Hafsah – Allâh be pleased with her – once said to her father (‘Umar, during his Caliphate):

"Allâh has increased the provisions; if only you would eat better food than the food you eat now and wear softer clothes then those you wear now?!"

He said, 

“I will argue [against] you with your own self: Was not the condition of Allâh’s Messenger – praise and peace be upon him – such-and-such [when you were his wife]!?”

He kept reminding her until she cried.

He continued,

“I have told you, by Allâh, I will share in their hard living (in this world, referring to The Prophet and Abû Bakr) so that I may partake in their good life (in Paradise).”

Hunâd b. Al-Sarî, Al-Zuhd article 687; Imâm Ahmad, Al-Zuhd article 201, et al. (1)

(1) Shaykh Abd Al-Rahmân Al-Farîwâ`î explains in his edition of Hunâd’s Al-Zuhd that this narration issahîh if it is confirmed that Mus‘ab b. Sa’d heard it from Hafsah; otherwise its chain of transmission is mursal sahîh (i.e. it is authentic except there is a missing link between Mus’ab and Hafsah)

They were patient with what they had and used of it as much was enough to get them by. We are not only impatient with what we have and never content with it...we are impatient with what we do not have...because we want more than what Allah SWT has given us!

If we get everything in this world, would we be eligible to get everything in Akhira?

Not to forget that we'll be accountable for every blessing we get and whether we used it correctly and didn't waste it away or use it for sinning.

Worth thinking about, isn't it?

And Allah SWT knows best.

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Advice To The Beginners by Imam Shafi'i (short read)

Advice To The Beginners - Imam Shafi'i

Let time pass by, and do as it wishes;
Be strong when the decreed is delivered to you.
Wail not for your afflictions in the night
For, worldly miseries are not everlasting
When calamity strikes, face up like a man
And let your traits be that of forgiveness and fidelity
If your flaws are plenty and are manifest
And your wish is that they be concealed Know, that forgiveness hides every fault
And how many flaws are veiled by generosity!
Neither does agony abide, nor happiness
And neither bad-times nor times of joy and comfort
Never should you seek to humiliate your enemies
Because the desire to disgrace them is in itself a malady
Do not expect forgiveness from a miser,
The parched do not quench their thirst from fire
Your sustenance will not diminish by neglect,
And it will not increase by exertion or by more toil
When you have a heart that is satisfied, content -
You will be like the one who owns the whole world
And those who have entered the sphere of death
The earth cannot hide them nor heavens
Surely, the land of Allāh is vast, but -
When misfortune strikes, the air becomes stifling
Let the world betray and deceive every moment -
No matter what; there is no escape from death.

Dīwān ash-Shāfiýī p.111; Khazānatu’l Adab 2/426; Jawāhiru’l Adab p.665

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Why should I, being a woman, study?

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Why should I, being a woman, study?

by Khadeejah Islam

First and foremost, is it permissible for a Muslim woman to study?

“Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim” [1]. This particular hadeeth stresses that education is indispensable for every Muslim, whether male or female. In addition, the following quote clarifies that any knowledge which is beneficial for this world and/or the Hereafter, and does not demean Islamic teachings, is permissible. “The seeker of knowledge should not ignore current events and the state of his society. These are essential to knowledge.

The faqeeh is the one who understands the text properly and understands the reality to which he applies them. It is well known that a person should have knowledge of real life, so that they will know how people are living” [2]. However, it is unfortunate that many Muslim women are not as passionate about education as they should be. Even worse, many Muslim men still contend that women should not venture out of their homes to study. Although the authentic ahadeeth and the verdicts by scholars are sufficient to dismiss such a notion, I would still like to delineate the importance of education. I also pray that this article inspires my sisters to study harder than ever before. It is worth mentioning that education is defined as “a mental and moral training or instruction” [3]. Therefore, throughout this article, education will refer to both Islamic and beneficial secular knowledge.

Dear sisters, we are indeed blessed to have an opportunity to study in reputable schools. We are blessed that we are not ignored or selected for “low-skilled” jobs due to illiteracy. We are blessed to be able to communicate and express ourselves in the society. Many cannot avail themselves of such privileges due to poverty or physical/mental inability. I know a visually impaired sister who studies by recording notes read out by someone else. Alhamdulillah! She is on her way to completing her Master’s degree. And here we are, having all the means to study, but still not choosing to study as passionately as that sister! Most of our education expenses are borne by our parents, who work diligently day and night. Take my maid for example. She works in three places back-to-back, cooking, washing the dishes, cleaning and doing other “odd” jobs, often bearing cruel treatment by her employers, just to support her son’s education. Remember that the money, time, and effort foregone due to your education could have been utilized in other productive projects, such as sponsoring an orphan, building a mosque or even paying education expenses for one who really wants to study. Therefore, try to yield the best returns on the resources invested in your education.

Dear sisters, education cannot be confined to your regular school textbooks and syllabus. So when you learn how to operate a certain machine and it proves to be beneficial, it is education. If you are in a secular school, then you will need to pay attention to the spiritual side of education by gaining Islamic knowledge. Consequently, it is imperative to study extensively (out of syllabus) if we want to be truly knowledgeable and if we want to survive in this world. With technology leaping bounds, we really need to be aware of our surroundings. The experiences of a widowed sister will further explain this point. Being totally dependent on her husband and having no educational background at all, she now has nowhere to go. Ever since her husband died, she wakes up each day with uncertainty and apprehension. She is literally living off the donations made by her relatives (who in turn are not so well-off!). Another sister has a similar story to share. Owing to her lack of education, she endures verbal abuse by her husband and criticism from her in-laws, just to have a roof over her head. Since her parents have passed away, she no longer has a place to seek shelter. How will these women earn a living? How will these women start a business when they have no idea of current affairs and bank transactions? How will these women demand justice when they are not aware of their Islamic rights? There are many such cases where the future of young women and children appear to be bleak just because they have abandoned education. This should send a clear message to the brothers who are against the education of women. Whatever the sisters aspire to be, whether they wish to earn or not, they must be prepared to live independently within Islamic boundaries and fight off any crisis if the need arises.

Dear sisters, today, Islam is considered a backward religion by people who hold malice against this great religion. There are misconceptions, such as; Muslim women are oppressed. Simultaneously, in the past few decades, there has been little output from Muslims. If you were to visit your local bookstore, you would find only a few Islamic books. “A woman who can read and write is far more likely to pass on these skills to her children and grandchildren than a man. Education levels can therefore be raised outside the school system at little cost. Women also have primary responsibilities for the nutrition and health-care of family units. The ability to read helps education programmes designed to improve the health of individuals. Women may run their own enterprises, selling home produced goods in a market for instance. Literacy can give an important boost to the success of such ventures. Studies also show that a larger proportion of money earned by women is likely to be spent on nutrition and education of children than of that earned by men” [4]. If each one of us teaches our families about hygiene and sanitation to improve lives, help our children to learn and take up other such projects to please Allah (subhanaa wa ta’aala), we will get rewarded immensely insha’Allah.

"The believers, men and women are auliya (helpers, protectors) of one another, they enjoin the good and forbid the evil, they perform salah and give away zakah and obey Allah" [5]. Dear sisters, in order to be active in society, you do need a certain level of education. Therefore, do not abandon education and if you have not, then study passionately to please Allah (SWT). Every day, wake up with the vision of helping others and of representing Islam in a positive light through your education. Enjoy every lesson. Expand your knowledge. For now, pick up the book which you have put aside!

Footnotes:

[1] Sunan Ibn Maajah

[2] http://islamqa.com/en/ref/76010/

[3] Oxford Compact Dictionary andThesaurus (edited by Julia Elliott), page-237

[4] Alain Anderton’s Economicsbook (4^th edition), page-678

[5] Qur’an 9:71

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Beautiful Advice from Hasan Al-Basree

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Beautiful Advice

Hasan Al-Basree advised some of his students admonishing them about avoiding the state of being proud. He said:

1) Do not deceive yourself into becoming too proud because you are in a good or righteous environment, for there is no place that is better than Paradise, and our father, Adam ‘alayhi salaam, experienced there what is known to all.

2) Do not become proud merely because you worship often, for consider what happened to Iblees after he spent a great deal of time worshipping.

3) Do not think yourself great because you have met with righteous people, for there is no man more righteous than the Prophet salAllaahu ‘alahi wasallam, yet the disbelievers and hypocrites did not benefit by simply knowing him.

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True Story: My motivation for making up missed fasts of Ramadhaan

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My motivation for making up missed fasts of Ramadhaan

by Khadeejah Islam

I make up my missed fasts as soon as possible, right after Eid. These are the few factors which motivate me:

A few days after Ramadhaan and Eid are over, the body and the soul are still adjusted to the routine of fasting and polishing our Imaan.I miss Ramadhaan and feel like “if only it lasted a little longer.” Hence, I find it easier to fast right after Eid and to relive the spirit of Ramadhaan!

Intentionally or unintentionally, we all make mistakes, and later, when we come back to our senses, we yearn for a chance to do more good deeds. The Sunnah fast of Shawwal gives me that opportunity to earn rewards. Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadhaan and follows it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi,al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah). Usually, many other Muslims eagerly make up the missed fasts quickly so that they can keep this fast of Shawwal. Hence, I get encouraged. Any good deed becomes easier and more attractive when you get the inspiration and support from others.

Life is uncertain. I do not wish to postpone this obligatory duty of making up missed fasts to a time in the future which is not even guaranteed. “Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” [Qur’an 31:34]. Hence, I hasten to make up my missed fasts.

Shaytan whispers to us to procrastinate and trivialize our obligations. “Not today, I’ll do it tomorrow…”and this tomorrow never comes unless we understand that making up missed fasts of Ramadhaan is obligatory and that we need to take a hard stance against the whispers of Shaytan.

I hope this motivates my other sisters to make up the missed fasts of Ramadhaan as soon as possible. May Allah grant us all this ability. Ameen.

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Revive this Sunnah – When Times Get Hard, Pray

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Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Whenever the matter became serious the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray.”

Collected by Abu Dawud (1319) and others. Graded as being Hasan by Shaykh Al-Albani ( May Allah have mercy on him)

Benefits for this topic:


1. Muhammad Abdur Rauf Al-Manawee (may Allah have mercy on him) commented on this hadeeth. He wrote the words "Whenever the matter became serious," means- If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)was attacked by surprise, on the verge of being subdued, or an important matter was aroused which caused him to worry or feel sad.

“He (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray,” means- he would pray because prayer helps against the removal of all heavy blows, disasters, and misfortunes. Through prayer one is seeking the assistance of the Creator who allowed it to happen. Prayer is a means to draw nearer to Allah and whoever resorts to prayer to his lord will be protected and averted from all evil. [ Faydul Qadir # 6641]


2.Al-Mulla Ali Qari 1014H (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The meaning for this Hadeeth is derived from the verse “Seek help in patience and prayer” Al-Baqarah 45. [ Sharh Musnad Abu Haneefah page 342 printed by Darul Kutubul Ilmeeyah Beriut Lebanon.]

3.Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih Al-Uthaymeen (may Allah rest him in Firdous) commented on this issue in his Tafseer for Suratul Baqarah. He wrote: “The excellence of prayer is that it’s one of the things a person can seek assistance in for all matters and worldly affairs. Allah mentioned prayer and we believe with certainty that this speech is the truth. It’s been reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray whenever the matter became serious. Also this is supported by the Prophet’s action during the Battle of Badr. He prayed in the shade and appealed to his Lord for help.

[ Tafseerul Quran Al-Kareem Al-Fateehah-Baqarah vol 1 page 163-164]
Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Lamont Battle –Adam

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"The Goodly Life" - Sheikh Muhammad Mukhtar Ash-Shinqitee

"Life is either for a person, or against him. Its hours and seconds, days and years pass him by. Leading him (by his actions) to the Love and Good Pleasures of Allah until he is amongst the people of Ultimate success and the Garden of Paradise. Or they are against him, leading him by his actions) to the fires of Hell and the anger of the One, the Just Ruler [Allah]. Life, either it will make you laugh & rejoice for an hour over which you will cry for an eternity (in the Hereafter). Or it will make you cry for an hour over which you will laugh & rejoice for an eternity (in the Hereafter)., Life is either a blessing for a person, or an adverse affliction against him. This is a life which was lived by the earliest generations by our fathers and forefathers. All of them, returned to Allah with what they used to do [their deeds].

"Life" refers to every single moment that is lived with it in and every hour spent within it. And within all of these, we live a life that is either for us or against us. Thus, the successful and happy person is the one who sees life, and recognizes its reality and true nature. For by Allah, it is a life that frequently causes some people to weep, their tears never drying. And frequently makes others laugh, their laughs and joys then never to return. My beloved, Allah has made this life as a trial, a test, an exam in which is made apparent the true nature of His slaves. Thus happy is the one made successful (in this exam) by the Mercy of Allah. While miserable and driven away is the one upon whom the Pleasure of Allah becomes forbidden (through this exam). (Know) for every hour that you live, either Allah is pleased with you in this hour (by your deeds) or the opposite, we seek refuge in Allah from that. Therefore (by this hour) either you come closer to Allah or stray further from Him. Thus it maybe, that you live a single moment of love and obedience to Allah by which are forgiven the inequities of your life and a lifetime of sins. And it may be that you live a single moment in which you deviate purposely from the Path of Allah. Distancing yourself from His obedience, which then becomes a cause of misery & distress for the rest of your life.

We ask Allah for His safety and Pardoning., In this life there exists two separate 'callers': The first, is anything that calls to the Mercy, the Good Pleasure, and Love of Allah (be they thoughts or actions). The second type of caller, is anything that invites to the opposite of that, (such as) a desire or lust that incites one to evil. Or a sudden sinful whim that may result in an evil ending (dying in bad or sinful circumstances). Thus it may be, that a person within a moment of his life, weeps, a weeping of regret and repentance over his negligence towards his Lord. And by (these tears) Allah changes his evil deeds into good deeds (on his record). But, how many a people continue to commit sins? How many a people still indulge in evil? How many a people continue to distance themselves (from Allah), frequently traveling away from their Lord (by their actions)? Thus all of them are distant from the Mercy of Allah. Unbeknownst to them, strangers to the Good Pleasure of Allah. Then come upon them that hour, that exact moment (of penitence), which is what we are referring to, by "the goodly life", in order that they shed tears of regret and remorse, and that reason for anguish in the heart may be ignited, Such that the person realizes how long his alienation from Allah has been and how long his absence from his Lord truly has been. So, that they may then say, "Indeed I am turning to my Lord repentant, remorseful, and in hope of His Mercy & Good Pleasure!" This time of (penitence) is a person's key to happiness and contentment, the time of regret.

It is as the scholars say, "Indeed man sins a great deal, but if he is truly sincere in his regret and repentance, Allah will change his sins into good deeds." Thus his life too then becomes pure and goodly, by the purity and truthfulness of that regret and repentance and by the sincerity in the very distress and pain felt within himself. We ask Allah the Most Great Lord of the Honorable Throne, to give life to this blessed caller to His Mercy, within our hearts, and to the pain we should feel when we are neglectful towards Allah and His Commands. My beloved, every single one of us need to ask himself a question, we need to ask ourselves day and night, How many nights are spent awake in activity? And how many hours are passed (in this way)? How many have laughed in this life? And (most importantly) was Allah Pleased with this laughter? How much time was spent in entertainment & enjoyment in this life? Was this enjoyment one that Allah was Pleased with? How many night were spent awake (in activity)? Was this staying awake (and what you did) pleasing to Allah? And so on and so forth, (These are) questions that he should be asking within himself.

But, a person may wonder why he should be asking these questions (i.e. what's the point)? Yes! You must ask yourselves these questions, as passes not the instant of a blinking of an eye, nor a fleeting moment in your life, except that you are living in and experiencing the Blessings of Allah! Thus it is from great respect and humility towards Allah that a person remain constantly aware of the greatness of the Blessings bestowed upon him. From this humility is to truly feel and acknowledge that the food we eat, belongs to and is provided by Allah. And that we quench our thirst with a drink created by Allah. And that we are shaded and sheltered by a roof provided by Him. And that we walk forth upon a ground provided by Him. And that without doubt we are living in and experiencing His every Bounty and Mercy. So what could we possibly have to offer Him in return? (So it's important) A person asks himself these questions.

(For example) doctors say that there exists in a person's heart, a substance that if it were to increase or decrease by 1%, he would die instantly...So (think) in which courtesy and kindness, which mercy and compassion from Allah does mankind enjoy, experience and live in! (Even if) a person asks himself about the Mercy of Allah alone; when he wakes up in the morning possessing his hearing, possessing his sight, and possessing his physical strength. Who is the One who is actually safeguarding his hearing? Who is the One safeguarding his sight? Who is the One safeguarding his intellect? Who is the One safeguarding his very soul? He must ask himself, who is the One protecting all of these things? Who is the One who Bestowed him with good health and well being? (Think of) those who are sick, lying on white beds (in hospital), sighing and in pain. By Allah, through these great blessinsg Allah conveys His Love for us. The great blessings of good health, well being, security, and safety. All of these are provided purely so that we may live a goodly, wholesome life.

Allah, praised & exalted is HE, desires two things from His slave: The first is that he carry out his obligatory duties (e.g. prayer), and the second is the abandonment of all that Allah has forbidden and held him back from. As for the one who claims that closeness to Allah entails a life of suffering or limitations, then such a person without doubt has erred greatly in how he perceives Allah. For, by Allah, if you do not purify and make good your life by closeness to your Lord, you will never be able to do so by way of anything else. And if you do not purify and adorn your life by carrying out your obligatory duties to Him, and abandoning all that He has forbidden, then by Allah, you will never be able to so by way of anything else. A person may experience every single pleasure life has to offer, but, by Allah, he will never experience anything more pleasurable, more beautiful than servitude to Allah by carrying out his obligations to Him and leaving all that He has forbid him from. (In life) you are subjected to two choices, whenever you are faced with a matter, you have the choice to either do it or not do it. If you decide to go forth and do anything in this life, ask yourself, "Has Allah permitted you to do this thing, or not?" For anything at all you wish to do. Since the human being himself is owned by Allah and the hearts are owned by Allah and the souls are all owned by Allah.

Thus a person should, whenever he wants to do something or hold back from it, ask himself, will Allah be pleased with you (by this action)? If so, then he can proceed. Or will Allah not be pleased by this action? If not then he should hold himself back. For, by Allah, a person does not proceed with an action nor hold back from it, requesting Allah's Mercy (and counsel in the decision), except that he pleases his Lord in the process. Therefore, true happiness and a goodly life are only found in the closeness to Allah. Closeness to who? To the King of Kings, the Controller of the Heavens & the Earth. To whom belongs the Ultimate Command, all creation and the perfect arrangement and measure of all that exists. Thus you may find that man is always in a state of anxiety and weariness. You may find an individual who has everything he desires. But, by Allah, you will find most of those who have all they desire suffer from mental or psychological problems, from anxiety and depression, most of them are extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with their lives. Go and look for the wealthiest person, you'll most likely find him to be from the most miserable people in life. Why? Because Allah has made the comfort and ease of the soul to be found, in being close to Him. And has placed the key to a pleasurable, amiable life, in a pleasurable, amiable relationship with Him. (If we look at just) one prayer that a person performs from the 5 obligatory daily prayers; at the moment of completing his bowing and prostrating and completing his servitude to his Lord, then at leaving the place of prayer, he feels a great sense of ease and peace within himself! By Allah, even if he were to spend all the wealth on the earth (in attempting to buy this feeling) he would be unable to seek a way to it.

Thus the goodly life is found only in closeness to Allah. A pleasant, comfortable life will only be found by a closeness to Allah. If a person does not purify and make good his life through this close relationship , then by who (or what) will he...??

This transcript has been edited for readability, grammar, and punctuation.

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