Once, the sons of the great companion, AlZubayr ibn al Awwam (radiyallahu anhu) sat together under the shade of the Ka'bah. These sons were; Abdullah, Mus'ab, and Urwa. They sat in the Yemeni Corner of the Ka'bah with another young man, AbdulMalik ibn Marwan, conversing as young men do. Then one of them said, "let each one of ask of Allah to grant him what he loves most."
Abdullah went first and said, "My wish is to rule over Hijaaz (part of the Arabian Peninsula) and to take the khilaafa."
His brother Mus'ab said, "As for me, then I wish to rule over the 2 Iraaqs (Al Basra and Kufa) and for no one to differ with me over them."
AbdulMalik ibn Marwan responded, "If you two are satisfied with your wishes then I am satisfied with nothing less than to rule over the entire Earth. And to become the khalifa after Muawiyyah bin Abi Sufyan."
Urwa sat quietly listening intently to their wishes. His companions turned to him and asked, "And what do you wish for O Urwa?"
Urwa smiled and said, "May Allah bless for you all your wishes in this world. As for me, I wish to become a scholar who practices his knowledge and who people will come to and learn the Quran and Sunnah of their prophet from and the affairs of their religion and that I may eventually succeed by attaining the pleasure of Allah and His paradise."
The days passed and it wasn't long before Abdullah ibn alZubayr was given the bay'ah (pledge) for the khilaafa thus ruling over the people of Hijaaz, Yemen, Khurasan, Iraq, and Egypt, all giving their solemn oaths to him. Soon after that, Abdullah paid the ultimate price for his position until he was killed near the Ka'bah not far from where he made his wish some years ago.
And it wasn't long before his brother Mus'ab ibn alZubayr became governor over Iraaq for Abdullah and he too ends up losing his life for his leadership.
As for Urwa, his wish also came true for he came to be one of the greatest scholars of the tabi'een and one of the seven great fuqahaa of al Madinah. For his wish and desire to come true, Urwa completely dictated his time and youth to seeking knowledge from those living from the companions of the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam). So he would go to their homes, pray behind them, follow their circles and meetings of knowledge until he ended up narrating from the likes of Ali ibn Abi Taalib, Abdurrahman ibn Awf, Zayd ibn Thaabit, Abu Ayyoob al Ansari, Usaama ibn Zayd, Sa'eed ibn Zayd, Abu Hurayra, Ibn Abbass, and AlNu'man ibn Basheer. Urwa sought knowledge mostly from his maternal and beloved aunt, Aisha bint Abi Bakr.
So the point of this story of 3 brothers and their wishes is to never give up on whatever good it is that you are doing..even if it takes you decades! The sincere person is persistent on the good whether it is personal ibaadah, helping others, or working to become a teacher, scholar, leader, etc. It also show us that for a person to fulfill his ambitions in life, he/she needs two main things: sincerity and hardwork. Sincerity is they key to all things good and bad. But it is praiseworthy and ONLY acceptable by Allah when it is a good deed. You must have a firm intention for whatever it is you wish to embark on. No hardwork comes easy except with sincere intention(ikhlaas). Of course as a Muslim, our intention for whatever good deed we do must be done for the sake of Allah first and foremost. After that, the deed should be in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah. Secondly, no wish comes true except by working for it. They say victory is but a half hour and the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said in the authentic hadeeth, "Victory comes with patience."
We see the hardship and struggles all three of these brothers underwent. Abdullah sought khilaafa and he indeed worked for it until he ended up defending it and finally giving up his life in its cause. Likewise, his brother Mus'ab also fought and worked hard to attain his position and in the end he gave his life for it. Urwa who was the prime example of a scholar, also worked hard day and night seeking knowledge and learning under the companions of the Messenger of Allah until this young man ended up becoming one of the greatest scholars of this religion. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked by his son, "O my father, when will the servant of Allah find rest?" Imam Ahmad replied, "With the first step he takes into Paradise." We are not here in this world to play and fool around. We are here to work and serve Allah. The prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) spends more than 2 decades in the Arabian Peninsula calling the tribes to Allah and it took him this much years for the land of Hijaaz to finally come under Islaam. 20 years. You may think thats not alot . Think of Nuh (alayhis salaam) who spends almost 1,000 years calling his people to Allah as well. Patience is the key along with sincerity. You can not persist in your work if you do not have patience.
Never give up on your dreams and always follow the truth. If you follow the truth sincerely, it will lead you to following your heart and being content with whatever Allah has written for you in this world.
-Source: Biography of Urwa ibn AlZubayr from Suwar min Hayaati- Taabi'een by Abdurrahman Pasha.
A blog to empower sisters and educate them on matters of the Deen and Dunya!
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Sunday, February 1, 2015
World Hijab Day (WHD)
Bismillaah,
Indeed, the best guidance is the guidance of our beloved prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) for in this guidance lies our success in both this world and the next. Leaving and neglecting the guidance of Muhamamd ibn Abdillah will only lead to lost causes and utter failure. So, O you who seeks success, follow the Messenger of Allah!
Nowadays, it seems as though the Muslims are only drowning in further ignorance and corruption as never before. In these tough times, the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) advised us to stick to our Deen very strongly, "A time will come upon the people where the one who is holding strong to his Deen will be like the one holding on to hot coals!" [Sunan at-Tirmidhi]
This hadeeth tells us that things will only get stranger as the masses further away from practicing the Deen properly. Those who follow the sunnah and call to it will be seen as either backward or extreme, the deviants will increase in number and many will follow them not knowing who they really are and what they are calling to.
We wish to meet the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) at al Hawd on the Day of Judgment and to drink from it. Do we not? We ask Allah to not make us of those who will be turned away from the prophet (saws) when he calls out to Allah, "O Lord! My companions!" and it will be said to him, "You do not know what they innovated after you."[Sahih al Bukhari]
This post is meant as an advice for my sisters in Islaam concerning World Hijaab Day or WHD. WHD has become a worldwide phenomenon since it first started in 2013 by sister Nazma Khan of New York and takes place February 1st of each year.
So what exactly is World Hijab Day and why even discuss it? Well, firstly I am choosing to address WHD because Hijaab is a part of our Deen. In fact, it is Ibadah. Allah swt has ordained for the Muslim women to cover her body with the proper islamic jilbaab (outer garments). So our Hijaab is not just a piece of cloth or garment we wear for the sake of modesty. NO. Firstly, we don this hijaab out of obedience to the order of Allah swt and fulfilling this obligation. Secondly, we know that the hijaab represents the modesty of the muslim woman. Another main reason I wish to address World Hijab Day is because nowadays the proper islamic hijaab has been neglected.
The hijaab has been reduced to a "headscarf". The conditions of hijaab are not explained or discussed as they should be and this is a big issue. There are some who give da'wah and give the perception that anything can be hijaab as long as you are "modest." Which Deen are they referring to when they say such things? The Quran and Sunnah have made the conditions of the hijaab very clear and the scholars have explained these in every era.
So WHD as explained on the website was established:
"in recognition of millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab and live a life of modesty."
[source: http://worldhijabday.com/about-us/]
After reading these words, I ask myself what basis does a Muslim have in Islam to establish such an annual event? What is the difference between this and lets say Father's Day, Mother's Day, International Women's Day, World Cancer Day, and so on? Do we really need an annual event to recognize women who wear the hijaab? Isn't this a form of imitating nonbelievers in their events? Is this helpful and good for the Da'wah? Will more good than bad come out of it?
As Muslims, we abide by the Quran and Sunnah and not by our own thoughts and reasoning for such matters. Now sister Nazma Im sure had the best of intentions in starting WHD but when delving into such matters, it is absolutely necessary that the Muslim refers back to the sources and principles of the Shari'ah. We can't just "do" based on our intentions and as they say "run on barakah." We must know the ruling of what we are doing, meaning if it is permissible or not.
The main issues with WHD are as follows:
1. WHD: A form of imitating the kuffar.
World Hijab Day is a good da'wah effort and I won't deny this. In a time where many western countries are banning the hijaab and niqaab ( now more so the niqaab), WHD helps educate non-muslims on hijaab and Islam. Some non-Muslim women have looked into Islam after attending a WHD event. May Allah guide these women to Islaam and keep them firm on it. May Allah guide them to wear the proper shari' hijaab as well and may Allah reward sister Nazma for her good intentions.
I have no problem with WHD if it is done according to the correct islamic guidelines for da'wah and if it is something permissible(i.e. not having it on a specific day of the year). This is the main issue, the correct guidelines are not followed. You have issues such as unnecessary gender interaction, promotion of an incorrect hijaab and lack of true education on Islaam and its fundamentals.
Imitating the disbelievers in their holidays is something the Shariah does not allow and WHD is just that. There are numerous ahadeeth and sayings from the companions and scholars of Islaam on this issue.
The prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood (4031) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood. ]
WHD is a form of Eid as is very clear. It carries the characteristics of a Eid:
1.Eid is something that comes on a specific day, whether weekly, monthly, or annually.
2. The people gather together in such an event/it has now become an international phenomenon
3. Acts are done in order to celebrate this event whether the acts are acts of worship or not.
The Muslims should realize that establishing such an event should not be done if it contradicts the Shariah of Allah. The scholars and callers to good in the West should have given advice regarding this issue but instead you have some of the figureheads of the Da'wah in Western countries and the Muslim world promoting this! How sad and unfortunate. These callers are absolutely wrong and only Allah knows if they are truly ignorant themselves of the rulings on this issue because there are scholars who have rejected WHD and have given their proofs or if they are too cowardly and ashamed to speak the truth. May Allah guide them and forgive them.
2. The kind of hijaab that is being promoted is NOT the correct hijaab
The hijaab is addressed as "the headscarf" by WHD founder herself (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fgohZYqbmE) and others from the website (hijaab stories). Is the hijaab really just a headscarf? The WHD is meant to educate Muslims and Non-Muslims alike on Islam and Hijaab yet those who conduct WHD do not seem to look into the true meaning, ruling, and conditions of hijaab. The scholars and callers to truth need to call to the correct hijaab in such a time when it is being misinterpreted like this but what can we do if those who are referring to the hijaab as "headscarf" are in fact "scholars" and knowledgable people? And there is no power and might except with Allah. May Allah swt rectify this ummah's affairs.
What is necessary upon the Muslim women is to refer back to the Quran and Sunnah according to the correct understanding. It is not right for us to set up a day for hijaab and yet not call to the correct hijaab or educate others on it! This is in fact a contradiction.
THE CONDITIONS OF THE HIJAAB:
http://en.islamway.net/article/8016/7-conditions-for-a-womans-dress
http://www.islamicgarden.com/article1016.html
http://www.troid.ca/index.php/women/hijaab/154-the-obligatory-conditions-for-an-islaamic-hijaab
http://islamqa.info/en/6991
http://www.igotitcovered.org/2010/02/17/obligatory-conditions-for-hijab/
Do we really need hijaab day? Many of those who support WHD say it is a good effort because in a time where the hijaab is being banned in many countries and the media is portraying the hijaab as oppression and subjugation of the Muslim women, we need something like WHD to clarify matters and educate non-Muslims on the true meaning and spirit of hijaab.
Well, this is a good idea but the hijaab is not just a cultural thing, it is ibadah. It is a form of worship. Therefore, in something like this, one needs to follow the Islamic guidelines. Our intentions may be good and I am sure the intention of sister Nazma Khan (founder of WHD) was a good one but we are not a people who act on our emotions and thoughts alone. We have 2 guiding sources that we need to stick to in all that we do. Al Quran and the Sunnah of our Beloved (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam).
Finally, I advice WHD founder and supporters to look into the matter well. We are not being extreme by being against WHD. In fact, we love this Deen and care about it just as you do. We are concerned about the Da'wah and the war being waged on the hijaab just as you may be concerned. But we choose to refer back to the Shariah in this issue. We do not support WHD because it does not care to really explain the correct hijaab or call to it. We advice the sisters to learn what is the ruling on hijaab and its conditions and to follow it. The hijaab is the true mark of beauty for the Muslim woman. When you go out in public whether to school, work, market, or anywhere public in this correct hijaab, remember you are representing Islaam so you should represent it well. Allah swt is rewarding you for any trial you may go through with this hijaab. It is your jihaad so be sincere to Allah and remain strong and firm. Do not let the barking of the enemies of the hijaab get to you. You are bringing to life the ayah,
O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. [Surah al Ahzaab ayah 59]
and the ayah,
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed. [Surah al Noor ayah 31]
May Allah guide the Muslim women to stick to the correct hijaab and may He keep them firm on it and we ask Allah to protect all our sisters from harassment and fitnah. May they be rewarded for there struggles and may Allah shower them with patience!
Indeed, the best guidance is the guidance of our beloved prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) for in this guidance lies our success in both this world and the next. Leaving and neglecting the guidance of Muhamamd ibn Abdillah will only lead to lost causes and utter failure. So, O you who seeks success, follow the Messenger of Allah!
Nowadays, it seems as though the Muslims are only drowning in further ignorance and corruption as never before. In these tough times, the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) advised us to stick to our Deen very strongly, "A time will come upon the people where the one who is holding strong to his Deen will be like the one holding on to hot coals!" [Sunan at-Tirmidhi]
This hadeeth tells us that things will only get stranger as the masses further away from practicing the Deen properly. Those who follow the sunnah and call to it will be seen as either backward or extreme, the deviants will increase in number and many will follow them not knowing who they really are and what they are calling to.
We wish to meet the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) at al Hawd on the Day of Judgment and to drink from it. Do we not? We ask Allah to not make us of those who will be turned away from the prophet (saws) when he calls out to Allah, "O Lord! My companions!" and it will be said to him, "You do not know what they innovated after you."[Sahih al Bukhari]
This post is meant as an advice for my sisters in Islaam concerning World Hijaab Day or WHD. WHD has become a worldwide phenomenon since it first started in 2013 by sister Nazma Khan of New York and takes place February 1st of each year.
So what exactly is World Hijab Day and why even discuss it? Well, firstly I am choosing to address WHD because Hijaab is a part of our Deen. In fact, it is Ibadah. Allah swt has ordained for the Muslim women to cover her body with the proper islamic jilbaab (outer garments). So our Hijaab is not just a piece of cloth or garment we wear for the sake of modesty. NO. Firstly, we don this hijaab out of obedience to the order of Allah swt and fulfilling this obligation. Secondly, we know that the hijaab represents the modesty of the muslim woman. Another main reason I wish to address World Hijab Day is because nowadays the proper islamic hijaab has been neglected.
The hijaab has been reduced to a "headscarf". The conditions of hijaab are not explained or discussed as they should be and this is a big issue. There are some who give da'wah and give the perception that anything can be hijaab as long as you are "modest." Which Deen are they referring to when they say such things? The Quran and Sunnah have made the conditions of the hijaab very clear and the scholars have explained these in every era.
So WHD as explained on the website was established:
"in recognition of millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab and live a life of modesty."
[source: http://worldhijabday.com/about-us/]
After reading these words, I ask myself what basis does a Muslim have in Islam to establish such an annual event? What is the difference between this and lets say Father's Day, Mother's Day, International Women's Day, World Cancer Day, and so on? Do we really need an annual event to recognize women who wear the hijaab? Isn't this a form of imitating nonbelievers in their events? Is this helpful and good for the Da'wah? Will more good than bad come out of it?
As Muslims, we abide by the Quran and Sunnah and not by our own thoughts and reasoning for such matters. Now sister Nazma Im sure had the best of intentions in starting WHD but when delving into such matters, it is absolutely necessary that the Muslim refers back to the sources and principles of the Shari'ah. We can't just "do" based on our intentions and as they say "run on barakah." We must know the ruling of what we are doing, meaning if it is permissible or not.
The main issues with WHD are as follows:
1. WHD: A form of imitating the kuffar.
World Hijab Day is a good da'wah effort and I won't deny this. In a time where many western countries are banning the hijaab and niqaab ( now more so the niqaab), WHD helps educate non-muslims on hijaab and Islam. Some non-Muslim women have looked into Islam after attending a WHD event. May Allah guide these women to Islaam and keep them firm on it. May Allah guide them to wear the proper shari' hijaab as well and may Allah reward sister Nazma for her good intentions.
I have no problem with WHD if it is done according to the correct islamic guidelines for da'wah and if it is something permissible(i.e. not having it on a specific day of the year). This is the main issue, the correct guidelines are not followed. You have issues such as unnecessary gender interaction, promotion of an incorrect hijaab and lack of true education on Islaam and its fundamentals.
Imitating the disbelievers in their holidays is something the Shariah does not allow and WHD is just that. There are numerous ahadeeth and sayings from the companions and scholars of Islaam on this issue.
The prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood (4031) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood. ]
WHD is a form of Eid as is very clear. It carries the characteristics of a Eid:
1.Eid is something that comes on a specific day, whether weekly, monthly, or annually.
2. The people gather together in such an event/it has now become an international phenomenon
3. Acts are done in order to celebrate this event whether the acts are acts of worship or not.
The Muslims should realize that establishing such an event should not be done if it contradicts the Shariah of Allah. The scholars and callers to good in the West should have given advice regarding this issue but instead you have some of the figureheads of the Da'wah in Western countries and the Muslim world promoting this! How sad and unfortunate. These callers are absolutely wrong and only Allah knows if they are truly ignorant themselves of the rulings on this issue because there are scholars who have rejected WHD and have given their proofs or if they are too cowardly and ashamed to speak the truth. May Allah guide them and forgive them.
2. The kind of hijaab that is being promoted is NOT the correct hijaab
Dear sisters, the hijaab is a fareeda (obligation) from The Most High for the believing women. It has conditions and it is not just anything thrown over the head and body. WHD fails to spread the true message of the hijaab and inviting sisters to it.
The hijaab is addressed as "the headscarf" by WHD founder herself (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fgohZYqbmE) and others from the website (hijaab stories). Is the hijaab really just a headscarf? The WHD is meant to educate Muslims and Non-Muslims alike on Islam and Hijaab yet those who conduct WHD do not seem to look into the true meaning, ruling, and conditions of hijaab. The scholars and callers to truth need to call to the correct hijaab in such a time when it is being misinterpreted like this but what can we do if those who are referring to the hijaab as "headscarf" are in fact "scholars" and knowledgable people? And there is no power and might except with Allah. May Allah swt rectify this ummah's affairs.
What is necessary upon the Muslim women is to refer back to the Quran and Sunnah according to the correct understanding. It is not right for us to set up a day for hijaab and yet not call to the correct hijaab or educate others on it! This is in fact a contradiction.
THE CONDITIONS OF THE HIJAAB:
http://en.islamway.net/article/8016/7-conditions-for-a-womans-dress
http://www.islamicgarden.com/article1016.html
http://www.troid.ca/index.php/women/hijaab/154-the-obligatory-conditions-for-an-islaamic-hijaab
http://islamqa.info/en/6991
http://www.igotitcovered.org/2010/02/17/obligatory-conditions-for-hijab/
3. Do we really need WHD?
Do we really need hijaab day? Many of those who support WHD say it is a good effort because in a time where the hijaab is being banned in many countries and the media is portraying the hijaab as oppression and subjugation of the Muslim women, we need something like WHD to clarify matters and educate non-Muslims on the true meaning and spirit of hijaab.
Well, this is a good idea but the hijaab is not just a cultural thing, it is ibadah. It is a form of worship. Therefore, in something like this, one needs to follow the Islamic guidelines. Our intentions may be good and I am sure the intention of sister Nazma Khan (founder of WHD) was a good one but we are not a people who act on our emotions and thoughts alone. We have 2 guiding sources that we need to stick to in all that we do. Al Quran and the Sunnah of our Beloved (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam).
Finally, I advice WHD founder and supporters to look into the matter well. We are not being extreme by being against WHD. In fact, we love this Deen and care about it just as you do. We are concerned about the Da'wah and the war being waged on the hijaab just as you may be concerned. But we choose to refer back to the Shariah in this issue. We do not support WHD because it does not care to really explain the correct hijaab or call to it. We advice the sisters to learn what is the ruling on hijaab and its conditions and to follow it. The hijaab is the true mark of beauty for the Muslim woman. When you go out in public whether to school, work, market, or anywhere public in this correct hijaab, remember you are representing Islaam so you should represent it well. Allah swt is rewarding you for any trial you may go through with this hijaab. It is your jihaad so be sincere to Allah and remain strong and firm. Do not let the barking of the enemies of the hijaab get to you. You are bringing to life the ayah,
O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. [Surah al Ahzaab ayah 59]
and the ayah,
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed. [Surah al Noor ayah 31]
May Allah guide the Muslim women to stick to the correct hijaab and may He keep them firm on it and we ask Allah to protect all our sisters from harassment and fitnah. May they be rewarded for there struggles and may Allah shower them with patience!
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Advice/Tips on Memorizing the Quran for Sisters
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
All praise is due to Allah the Most High who says in the Noble Revelation,
ولقد يسرنا القران للذكر فهل من مدكر
"And we have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember?" [Surah Qamar ayah 17]
And peace and blessings be upon the Final Messenger, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, Abul Qaasim, who said,
خيركم من تعلم القران وعلمه
"The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it." [Sahih al Bukhari from the hadeeth of Uthman ibn Affan]
Learning the Quran is a great virtue and very important for the Muslim. The salaf used to teach their children to read and memorize the Quran from an early age. However, the most important and hardest task for us as Muslims is to act on this glorious Quran and to live by, not to memorize it. In this day and age, you find many Muslims memorize the Quran and parents seem to make this an obligation upon their children, but what is most important and more necessary is to ACT on this Quran. This is what has been neglected.The sahabah were a typical people who understand "la ilaha illa Allah" not just as mere words but to mean "you dedicate your life to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala!" The sahabah understood the Quran as knowledge and action.
They shook the thrones of Rome and Persia by sticking to their contract with Allah the Most High, by adhering to this Quran. Allah the Most High raised their status with this Quran because they recited it, prayed with it and implemented it. And there are others whom Allah has brought low because of their abandoning this Quran. Umar ibn al Khattab narrated that the Prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said,
إن الله يرفع بهذا الكتاب أقواماً ويضع به آخرين
"Indeed, Allah raises some people (in status) because of this Book and brings others low because of it." [Sahih, Sunan Ibn Majah]
Today the ummah is in need of the Quran. The Quran is the guiding source for the Muslim/ah.The Quran is filled with ahkaam (rulings), qisas (stories, of prophets and of bad individuals, like the nations of old, 'aad, thamuud, and tyrants like firawn and haaman) and it also contains mawa'id (reminders).
The people of knowledge have said, "memorizing the Quran is a fadheela (virtue, a good deed) but acting upon it is fareedha (obligatory; whether you memorize the Quran or not)."
Memorizing the Quran is a beautiful and magnificent task, it is not like anything else. This is in fact the first step in seeking knowledge. The scholars would not learn anything else whether it was fiqh or aqeedah until they had learnt and memorized the Quran. If a person came to seek knowledge and study under a certain shaykh, that shaykh would ask him if he memorized the Quran, if he replied in the negative, the scholar would tell him to first memorize the Quran!
The most important and basic tips needed from the student of the Quran:
1. Sincerity. Make your intention solely for the sake of Allah first and foremost. Why are you doing this? What is your motive and goal? It must be to please your creator because this will allow you to gain much rewards and Allah will also help you in this journey.
Allah swt says: وما أمروا إلا ليعبدوا الله مخلصين له الدين حنفاء
"And they were not commanded but to serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience..." [Surah al Bayyinah ayah 5]
The Messenger of Allah (sws) said, انما الأعمال بالنيات وانما لكل امْرِئٍ ما نوى
Meaning, "Verily actions are (judged) by intentions, so each man will have what he intended."[ agreed upon]
Therefore, my sister whether you are a mother, wife, daughter, or grandmother, make sure you have ikhlaas (sincerity) in this endeavor and know that true guidance and tawfeeq are from Allah alone. Anyone can memorize the Quran if they have this key element of ikhlaas (doing it for the sake of Allah).
2. Duaa. Make lots of duaa to Allah as you learn the Quran. Do not think it is hard or difficult to do so when you have other duties such as being a wife and mother or working or attending school. Duaa makes a huge difference in everything. Allah wants us to ask of Him, the servant should not shy away from this.
Didn't Allah says,
وإذا سألك عبادي عني فاني قريب
"And when My servants ask you concerning Me - Indeed, I am near." [Surah al Baqarah ayah 186]
And didn't The Most Merciful also say,
وقال ربكم ادعوني استجب لكم
"And your lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you!" [Surah al Ghaafir ayah 60]
So, do not fear or lose hope sister! Even if memorizing the Quran takes you many years, remember it will be worth it if you were sincere and constantly made duaa to Allah to make it easy for you. Imagine the rewards!
3. Make the Quran your best friend. Dear sister, make the Quran your number one companion. Let it always accompany you and do not let a day go by without sitting down with it and reciting its noble verses. It is important to understand what you are carrying with you sister. This Quran is not just a book. It is the words of Allah azza wa Jall. DO not abandon this Quran. Love it, understand it, recite it, and follow it. If you can't recite it as you like, listen to it being recited thus getting your ears used to it. Learn its meaning and ponder upon its ayaat. The Quran is not difficult to understand! It is only difficult for those whom Allah has placed a seal over their hearts!
أفلا يتدبرون القران أم على قلوب اقفالها
"Then do they not reflect upon the Quran, or are there locks upon their hearts." [Surah Muhammad ayah 24]
Remember the one who abandons reading the Quran and living by it is a big loser. Allah will make such a person's life miserable. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says
ومن أعرض عن ذكري فإن له معيشةً ضنكا
"And whoever turns away from My remembrance -, indeed, he will have a depressed life.." [Surah Taha ayah 124]
The Quran is the greatest form of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Allah has called it such as well. This Quran, Allah told His Messenger (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) to rule and judge the people with. This Quran separates between those on the truth and those on falsehood. With it, the believers are guided. Allah ta'ala says,
إن هذا القرآن يهدي للتي هي أقوام ويبشر المؤمنين الذين يعملون الصالحات أن لهم أجرا كبيرا
"Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward. " [Surah al Isra ayah 10]
When Muslims abandoned the Quran that is when Allah inflicted humiliation upon them and allowed their enemies to gain power over them. The key to true success and victory both in this world and the next can ONLY be through following this Quran.
So sister, make sure you follow the Quran and do not contradict it, make sure you recite the Quran in your home for the devils do not enter a house in which the Quran is recited; in fact, they flee from this house. Play the Quran from your radio, cd player, computer, or phone. Let the blessings flow about the house. This is good for you and your family. The house in which there is no Quran recited is like a graveyard! We need to recite the Quran in order to keep our homes alive!
4. Read Everyday! Make yourself a schedule! Don't let a day go by without reading your hizb (portion) of the Quran! This is really helpful, not in just attaining the rewards (In sha Allah!) but in getting your tongue used to the Quran as well. The more you read correctly, the more easy it becomes to memorize the Quran.
Another very important and necessary thing for memorizing the Quran is to MAKE YOURSELF A SCHEDULE. This is very much needed. Without a Quran schedule to review and memorize, you will find a hard time actually memorizing the Quran. Look at yourself and make yourself a suitable Quran schedule that you can stick to and keep up with. This will always keep you on track!
How we memorize the Quran varies from person to person. One person may be working full time, another may be attending school full time, and one person may be a mother of 4. Therefore, our schedules and how we memorize may vary. But what is important is that you do have a schedule to memorize the Quran.
5. Listen to the Quran! Sometimes you may not have the time to read the Quran as long as you want especially if you are cooking, cleaning, or driving here and there (running errands) so in these situations, make it a good effort to play the Quran whether from your phone , computer, or cd player. Bring the blessings into your home and also get your ears used to the Quran. Sometimes you can memorize an entire surah just from hearing it again and again. Umm Hishaam bint al Harith (ra) said she memorized Surah al Qaaf from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah because he would recite it in the khutbah every Jumah. [reported by Imam Muslim, Abu Dawud, and An-Nasai)
6. Learn Tajweed! This is extremely important! Allah ta'ala says,
ورتل القران ترتيلا
"And recite the Quran in a slow( pleasant tone) style." [Surah al Muzzamil ayah 4]
Tajweed is important. We should make it an effort to recite the Quran in the way it was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam)! We should try our best to pronounce the huroof correctly and to learn the different ahkaam of tajweed. One of the greatest blessings of Allah is when you find yourself reciting the book of Allah in a correct manner. Compare this to when you first started learning and you will appreciate alot. Before, you did not know what idghaam or ikhfaa was and now you know what is madd and the types of madd and the ahkaam of the noon alsaakinah so praise Allah the Most High for your accomplishments and continue to learn and practice dear sister!
Listen to good Quran reciters whose recitation is clear like Shaykhs; Mahmood al Husary, Al Minshawi, Abdullah Basfar, Ali al Hudhayfi, etc.
7. IMPORTANT: Make sure you have a Quran teacher!! It is absolutely necessary and important that you have a Quran teacher when learning to read and memorizing the Quran. You can not do this on your own. You need guidance in this great task. Each one of our great scholars started seeking knowledge by first memorizing the Quran, and when they were memorizing, they did so with a teacher. A teacher may notice what you would not; therefore, its important to have your mistakes corrected.
Sisters! Please try your best to find a female Quran teacher if possible. This is better and much easier. It is complicated to have a male teacher unless you are in a situation where you absolutely must have a male teacher(there are no female teachers around). You will feel more comfortable learning with a shaykha when it comes to the Quran and you will not have to worry about beautifying your voice( in fact feel free to do so!)
8. Review Review Review! Make sure you do not let a day go by without reviewing what you have memorized. If you do not review, you slowly lose what you learned! When you pray whether its a fardh or sunnah, recite what you have memorized whether it is a page, half a page, or 5 ayaat! This helps you to keep the Quran in memory.
The best time to review is before fajr, after fajr, and at night before you sleep. Anytime is good to review the Quran but the main thing is to make sure you review your Quran in a suitable time for you. When your kids are asleep, when you are done with house chores, and so on. If you are memorizing 3 pages of a surah, repeat the ayaat 10 times at least and always recite from the beginning of the surah and not the new page, this is so that you do not forget the previous ayaat.
9. Have a Quran companion! One of the best things about memorizing the Quran is knowing that you are not alone! If you are studying with a group, make sure that you and a sister from the group memorize and review together. This is a great form of encouragement. She will push you to not be lazy and to review what you must and you will remind her likewise.
**These are just some basic tips and advices and I am sure there are more but these are the main ones that should keep you going in sha Allah! May Allah make memorizing the Quran and acting upon it easy and a blessing for us!
All praise is due to Allah the Most High who says in the Noble Revelation,
ولقد يسرنا القران للذكر فهل من مدكر
"And we have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember?" [Surah Qamar ayah 17]
And peace and blessings be upon the Final Messenger, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, Abul Qaasim, who said,
خيركم من تعلم القران وعلمه
"The best among you are those who learn the Quran and teach it." [Sahih al Bukhari from the hadeeth of Uthman ibn Affan]
Learning the Quran is a great virtue and very important for the Muslim. The salaf used to teach their children to read and memorize the Quran from an early age. However, the most important and hardest task for us as Muslims is to act on this glorious Quran and to live by, not to memorize it. In this day and age, you find many Muslims memorize the Quran and parents seem to make this an obligation upon their children, but what is most important and more necessary is to ACT on this Quran. This is what has been neglected.The sahabah were a typical people who understand "la ilaha illa Allah" not just as mere words but to mean "you dedicate your life to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala!" The sahabah understood the Quran as knowledge and action.
They shook the thrones of Rome and Persia by sticking to their contract with Allah the Most High, by adhering to this Quran. Allah the Most High raised their status with this Quran because they recited it, prayed with it and implemented it. And there are others whom Allah has brought low because of their abandoning this Quran. Umar ibn al Khattab narrated that the Prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said,
إن الله يرفع بهذا الكتاب أقواماً ويضع به آخرين
"Indeed, Allah raises some people (in status) because of this Book and brings others low because of it." [Sahih, Sunan Ibn Majah]
Today the ummah is in need of the Quran. The Quran is the guiding source for the Muslim/ah.The Quran is filled with ahkaam (rulings), qisas (stories, of prophets and of bad individuals, like the nations of old, 'aad, thamuud, and tyrants like firawn and haaman) and it also contains mawa'id (reminders).
The people of knowledge have said, "memorizing the Quran is a fadheela (virtue, a good deed) but acting upon it is fareedha (obligatory; whether you memorize the Quran or not)."
Memorizing the Quran is a beautiful and magnificent task, it is not like anything else. This is in fact the first step in seeking knowledge. The scholars would not learn anything else whether it was fiqh or aqeedah until they had learnt and memorized the Quran. If a person came to seek knowledge and study under a certain shaykh, that shaykh would ask him if he memorized the Quran, if he replied in the negative, the scholar would tell him to first memorize the Quran!
The most important and basic tips needed from the student of the Quran:
1. Sincerity. Make your intention solely for the sake of Allah first and foremost. Why are you doing this? What is your motive and goal? It must be to please your creator because this will allow you to gain much rewards and Allah will also help you in this journey.
Allah swt says: وما أمروا إلا ليعبدوا الله مخلصين له الدين حنفاء
"And they were not commanded but to serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience..." [Surah al Bayyinah ayah 5]
The Messenger of Allah (sws) said, انما الأعمال بالنيات وانما لكل امْرِئٍ ما نوى
Meaning, "Verily actions are (judged) by intentions, so each man will have what he intended."[ agreed upon]
Therefore, my sister whether you are a mother, wife, daughter, or grandmother, make sure you have ikhlaas (sincerity) in this endeavor and know that true guidance and tawfeeq are from Allah alone. Anyone can memorize the Quran if they have this key element of ikhlaas (doing it for the sake of Allah).
2. Duaa. Make lots of duaa to Allah as you learn the Quran. Do not think it is hard or difficult to do so when you have other duties such as being a wife and mother or working or attending school. Duaa makes a huge difference in everything. Allah wants us to ask of Him, the servant should not shy away from this.
Didn't Allah says,
وإذا سألك عبادي عني فاني قريب
"And when My servants ask you concerning Me - Indeed, I am near." [Surah al Baqarah ayah 186]
And didn't The Most Merciful also say,
وقال ربكم ادعوني استجب لكم
"And your lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you!" [Surah al Ghaafir ayah 60]
So, do not fear or lose hope sister! Even if memorizing the Quran takes you many years, remember it will be worth it if you were sincere and constantly made duaa to Allah to make it easy for you. Imagine the rewards!
3. Make the Quran your best friend. Dear sister, make the Quran your number one companion. Let it always accompany you and do not let a day go by without sitting down with it and reciting its noble verses. It is important to understand what you are carrying with you sister. This Quran is not just a book. It is the words of Allah azza wa Jall. DO not abandon this Quran. Love it, understand it, recite it, and follow it. If you can't recite it as you like, listen to it being recited thus getting your ears used to it. Learn its meaning and ponder upon its ayaat. The Quran is not difficult to understand! It is only difficult for those whom Allah has placed a seal over their hearts!
أفلا يتدبرون القران أم على قلوب اقفالها
"Then do they not reflect upon the Quran, or are there locks upon their hearts." [Surah Muhammad ayah 24]
Remember the one who abandons reading the Quran and living by it is a big loser. Allah will make such a person's life miserable. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says
ومن أعرض عن ذكري فإن له معيشةً ضنكا
"And whoever turns away from My remembrance -, indeed, he will have a depressed life.." [Surah Taha ayah 124]
The Quran is the greatest form of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Allah has called it such as well. This Quran, Allah told His Messenger (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) to rule and judge the people with. This Quran separates between those on the truth and those on falsehood. With it, the believers are guided. Allah ta'ala says,
إن هذا القرآن يهدي للتي هي أقوام ويبشر المؤمنين الذين يعملون الصالحات أن لهم أجرا كبيرا
"Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward. " [Surah al Isra ayah 10]
When Muslims abandoned the Quran that is when Allah inflicted humiliation upon them and allowed their enemies to gain power over them. The key to true success and victory both in this world and the next can ONLY be through following this Quran.
So sister, make sure you follow the Quran and do not contradict it, make sure you recite the Quran in your home for the devils do not enter a house in which the Quran is recited; in fact, they flee from this house. Play the Quran from your radio, cd player, computer, or phone. Let the blessings flow about the house. This is good for you and your family. The house in which there is no Quran recited is like a graveyard! We need to recite the Quran in order to keep our homes alive!
4. Read Everyday! Make yourself a schedule! Don't let a day go by without reading your hizb (portion) of the Quran! This is really helpful, not in just attaining the rewards (In sha Allah!) but in getting your tongue used to the Quran as well. The more you read correctly, the more easy it becomes to memorize the Quran.
Another very important and necessary thing for memorizing the Quran is to MAKE YOURSELF A SCHEDULE. This is very much needed. Without a Quran schedule to review and memorize, you will find a hard time actually memorizing the Quran. Look at yourself and make yourself a suitable Quran schedule that you can stick to and keep up with. This will always keep you on track!
How we memorize the Quran varies from person to person. One person may be working full time, another may be attending school full time, and one person may be a mother of 4. Therefore, our schedules and how we memorize may vary. But what is important is that you do have a schedule to memorize the Quran.
5. Listen to the Quran! Sometimes you may not have the time to read the Quran as long as you want especially if you are cooking, cleaning, or driving here and there (running errands) so in these situations, make it a good effort to play the Quran whether from your phone , computer, or cd player. Bring the blessings into your home and also get your ears used to the Quran. Sometimes you can memorize an entire surah just from hearing it again and again. Umm Hishaam bint al Harith (ra) said she memorized Surah al Qaaf from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah because he would recite it in the khutbah every Jumah. [reported by Imam Muslim, Abu Dawud, and An-Nasai)
6. Learn Tajweed! This is extremely important! Allah ta'ala says,
ورتل القران ترتيلا
"And recite the Quran in a slow( pleasant tone) style." [Surah al Muzzamil ayah 4]
Tajweed is important. We should make it an effort to recite the Quran in the way it was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam)! We should try our best to pronounce the huroof correctly and to learn the different ahkaam of tajweed. One of the greatest blessings of Allah is when you find yourself reciting the book of Allah in a correct manner. Compare this to when you first started learning and you will appreciate alot. Before, you did not know what idghaam or ikhfaa was and now you know what is madd and the types of madd and the ahkaam of the noon alsaakinah so praise Allah the Most High for your accomplishments and continue to learn and practice dear sister!
Listen to good Quran reciters whose recitation is clear like Shaykhs; Mahmood al Husary, Al Minshawi, Abdullah Basfar, Ali al Hudhayfi, etc.
7. IMPORTANT: Make sure you have a Quran teacher!! It is absolutely necessary and important that you have a Quran teacher when learning to read and memorizing the Quran. You can not do this on your own. You need guidance in this great task. Each one of our great scholars started seeking knowledge by first memorizing the Quran, and when they were memorizing, they did so with a teacher. A teacher may notice what you would not; therefore, its important to have your mistakes corrected.
Sisters! Please try your best to find a female Quran teacher if possible. This is better and much easier. It is complicated to have a male teacher unless you are in a situation where you absolutely must have a male teacher(there are no female teachers around). You will feel more comfortable learning with a shaykha when it comes to the Quran and you will not have to worry about beautifying your voice( in fact feel free to do so!)
8. Review Review Review! Make sure you do not let a day go by without reviewing what you have memorized. If you do not review, you slowly lose what you learned! When you pray whether its a fardh or sunnah, recite what you have memorized whether it is a page, half a page, or 5 ayaat! This helps you to keep the Quran in memory.
The best time to review is before fajr, after fajr, and at night before you sleep. Anytime is good to review the Quran but the main thing is to make sure you review your Quran in a suitable time for you. When your kids are asleep, when you are done with house chores, and so on. If you are memorizing 3 pages of a surah, repeat the ayaat 10 times at least and always recite from the beginning of the surah and not the new page, this is so that you do not forget the previous ayaat.
9. Have a Quran companion! One of the best things about memorizing the Quran is knowing that you are not alone! If you are studying with a group, make sure that you and a sister from the group memorize and review together. This is a great form of encouragement. She will push you to not be lazy and to review what you must and you will remind her likewise.
**These are just some basic tips and advices and I am sure there are more but these are the main ones that should keep you going in sha Allah! May Allah make memorizing the Quran and acting upon it easy and a blessing for us!
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Hijaab Series: Hijaab and Peer Pressure/Work
Bismillaah
We are still continuing the series on Hijaab and this time the topic we wish to tackle is of great importance. Many of us growing up in western countries like America and Canada all recognize the term "peer pressure" especially throughout high school when taking certain subjects.
Peer pressure is basically the influence of your surroundings, your peers. Peers can be friends, classmates, and those who you are around most of the time. What does peer pressure have to do with the hijaab?
Alooooot. Right now in almost every high school in America, where you do find Muslim students, there are always some sisters who do not wear hijaab at all. How is this so? We have all heard the stories through high school. "Oh so and so takes off her hijaab at school. I wonder if her parents know...shes too scared to wear the hijaab..." These are some similar words we would hear about those sisters who removed the hijaab at school. And then there is the other group of sisters who wear an improper form of hijaab. And these sisters you can tell they want to wear the hijaab and not completely remove it but at the same time they are affected by who they mostly hang out with so they do not pay good attention to their hijaab. And then alhamdulilah there are the sisters who do wear the proper hijaab (with or without niqaab but the conditions of the hijaab are met). May Allah reward these sisters for the struggles they go through and for not caring what others think of their way of dress. May Allah purify their intentions and keep them firm on the hijaab and may He also bless them with noble manners and strong Deen.
As for my sisters who remove their hijaab at schools and those who do not wear the proper hijaab then I also make duaa for you. I ask Allah to bless you and to have mercy on you and I ask Allah to make the hijaab easier for you and understanding this Deen in general. I ask Allah to make your struggles and troubles with hijaab and other issues easy for you. Know my sister that you are not alone. Know that the shaytaan is our sworn enemy. Whether you are a practicing muslimah or not, the shaytaan will never leave in misguiding you until your last breath. Therefore, my sister look at your surroundings first and foremost. What is it that is preventing you from being firm on your Deen? Is it bad friends/companions? If so, please pick and choose your friends wisely my sister because the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "A person is upon the religion (way) of his close friend, so beware whom you befriend!"[ Recorded in Sunans Abi Dawud and Tirmidhi]
and he also gave us the example of a good and bad friend. As for the good friend, the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The case of the good companion and the bad companion is like that of the seller of musk and the blower of the bellows (iron-smith). As for the seller of musk, he will either give you some of the musk, or you will purchase some from him, or at least you will come away having experienced its good smell."
So when you surround yourself with good friends, they will always benefit you one way or another but only good influence will come out of being with them. You will always gain something from a good friend and the good friend will gain from you as well. And even if you two have to part paths for some reason, you will at least take a lot of good with you from this friend. In other words, both sides benefited from each other.
As for the bad friend, the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whereas the blower of the bellows will either burn your clothing, or at least you will come away having experienced its repugnant smell." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Being around non-practicing individuals will definitely have its take on you whether you realize right away or not. Just like the good friend benefits you in a good way, the bad friend will have nothing but bad influence on you. Even if this person is good and you seem happy to always be around her but lets say she does not pray or she is always using curse words, this will definitely leave some traces on you sister. That is why the prophet used this example for the bad friend. When you happen to be around someone who is using fire for his work, if you are near him, your clothes may accidentally catch fire and if this does not happen then you will definitely leave him smelling of burnt material.
So be careful my sister. Even if you are someone who guards her prayers and does not curse but you are always with an individual who does not pray and is involved in a lot of munkar (bad deeds) you must do one of two things. Either you benefit this sister and remind her of Allah and call her to the right way without letting her influence you. You have to be the one always reminding her of Allah and either she will listen to you or will leave you. Both are of good for you. If she listens to you then alhamdulilah you get the reward of guiding her and you have also earned a good friend; on the other hand, if she does not listen to you and chooses to leave you then alhamdulilah you do not have to worry about bad company any more.The other thing is, if you know she will not listen to you no matter how much you advice her then you must leave this person for the sake of Allah.
Public Schools:
Public schools are the worst places to send our Muslim kids too. There is so many bad influences surrounding our Muslim teens and it really becomes hard for their to practice their Deen properly in such a filthy environment. There is not only kufr(disbelief) taught in these schools, but the muslim teen is exposed to many negativities such as boyfriends/girlfriends nonsense, bad language, music, drugs, zina, students and teachers who are homosexuals and thus promote their perversions among the students to make them accept gays, lesbians, bisexuals and other backward things.
The parents have a huge responsibility when leaving their sons and daughters in such environments. Parents can't leave them in these schools and not except them to get influenced somehow. Its like the example of one who tied the hands of a person and threw him overboard in the ocean and then says to him "make sure you don't get your clothes wet ok?" Does this make any sense? Of course not.
My sister, apart from choosing good friends, make sure to also renew your emaan (faith) and connection with Allah. The Deen doesn't just become hard on you for no reason, there must be a sin that you are committing thats making the hijaab hard on you as well. The prophet (sala allahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Be mindful of Allah and He will be mindful of you." [Sunan Tirmidhi] So it can be drawn from this hadeeth the opposite of its meaning. If you do not remember Allah and do not guard yourself, then He will not be there for you. You have to remember in Allah in times of ease so and He will remember you in times of difficulty when you truly need Him. Many people often turn toAllah and start practicing when a calamity strikes them and right after Allah ta'ala helps them , they go back to their old ways. This is not correct. We should remember Allah all the time, in moments of ease and in moments of difficulty.
Analyze yourself my sister. When was the last time you prayed Fajr? When was the last time you prayed 5 times a day and ON time? When was the last time you said a good word to your parents and listened to them? When was the last time you read the Quran? When was the last time you attended a halaqa or lecture?
Know and realize sister that Allah is always watching you. He is the Ever-Watchful. Allah (swt) says, "Verily, your Lord is Ever-Watchful." [Surah al Fajr:14] and He (azza wa jall) also says, "And Allah is the All-See-er of what you do." [Surah al Hujurat: 18]
Whether you are at home, school, club, hookah lounge, at your friends place, the mall, the movies, the masjid, and everywhere! Remember to FEAR ALLAH WHEREVER YOU ARE.
If you follow this rule throughout your life, wallahi you will see the bliss in obeying Allah and you will rarely fall from the straight path. Yes, guidance is from Allah alone and He alone turns the hearts as He pleases. But the more good you do and the more you do it for the sake of Allah, the more Allah will keep you strong on the right path. Never lose hope in Allah my sister.
It is the same thing for the sister who works. Make sure to not be influenced by your co-workers whether they are non-Muslims or not so practicing Muslims. Make sure to maintain your Islaamic identity no matter what, do not change yourself to be accepted by others and to conform to the western ideals and so on. Your Islaam is your greatest blessing and your role as a Muslim woman who maintains the hijaab is your identity. A true friend will choose to be your friend and respect you for who you are.
Tips for sisters dealing with bad influence at home, school, work:
- Surround yourself with good sisters
- Fix your obligations such as praying five times a day, and etc.
- Listen to lectures and attend halaqas at the masajid
- Read the Quran and its meaning
-Make lots of duaa and read the daily adhkaar (duaas, morning and evening duaas)
- Lessen your contact with people who are a negative influence in your life
-If they are family, advice them with wisdom and patience and do not let them influence you in a bad way but rather make sure you influence them :)
- Seek advice from good/religious family members and people you know of.
Allah knows best.
We are still continuing the series on Hijaab and this time the topic we wish to tackle is of great importance. Many of us growing up in western countries like America and Canada all recognize the term "peer pressure" especially throughout high school when taking certain subjects.
Peer pressure is basically the influence of your surroundings, your peers. Peers can be friends, classmates, and those who you are around most of the time. What does peer pressure have to do with the hijaab?
Alooooot. Right now in almost every high school in America, where you do find Muslim students, there are always some sisters who do not wear hijaab at all. How is this so? We have all heard the stories through high school. "Oh so and so takes off her hijaab at school. I wonder if her parents know...shes too scared to wear the hijaab..." These are some similar words we would hear about those sisters who removed the hijaab at school. And then there is the other group of sisters who wear an improper form of hijaab. And these sisters you can tell they want to wear the hijaab and not completely remove it but at the same time they are affected by who they mostly hang out with so they do not pay good attention to their hijaab. And then alhamdulilah there are the sisters who do wear the proper hijaab (with or without niqaab but the conditions of the hijaab are met). May Allah reward these sisters for the struggles they go through and for not caring what others think of their way of dress. May Allah purify their intentions and keep them firm on the hijaab and may He also bless them with noble manners and strong Deen.
As for my sisters who remove their hijaab at schools and those who do not wear the proper hijaab then I also make duaa for you. I ask Allah to bless you and to have mercy on you and I ask Allah to make the hijaab easier for you and understanding this Deen in general. I ask Allah to make your struggles and troubles with hijaab and other issues easy for you. Know my sister that you are not alone. Know that the shaytaan is our sworn enemy. Whether you are a practicing muslimah or not, the shaytaan will never leave in misguiding you until your last breath. Therefore, my sister look at your surroundings first and foremost. What is it that is preventing you from being firm on your Deen? Is it bad friends/companions? If so, please pick and choose your friends wisely my sister because the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "A person is upon the religion (way) of his close friend, so beware whom you befriend!"[ Recorded in Sunans Abi Dawud and Tirmidhi]
and he also gave us the example of a good and bad friend. As for the good friend, the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The case of the good companion and the bad companion is like that of the seller of musk and the blower of the bellows (iron-smith). As for the seller of musk, he will either give you some of the musk, or you will purchase some from him, or at least you will come away having experienced its good smell."
So when you surround yourself with good friends, they will always benefit you one way or another but only good influence will come out of being with them. You will always gain something from a good friend and the good friend will gain from you as well. And even if you two have to part paths for some reason, you will at least take a lot of good with you from this friend. In other words, both sides benefited from each other.
As for the bad friend, the prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whereas the blower of the bellows will either burn your clothing, or at least you will come away having experienced its repugnant smell." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Being around non-practicing individuals will definitely have its take on you whether you realize right away or not. Just like the good friend benefits you in a good way, the bad friend will have nothing but bad influence on you. Even if this person is good and you seem happy to always be around her but lets say she does not pray or she is always using curse words, this will definitely leave some traces on you sister. That is why the prophet used this example for the bad friend. When you happen to be around someone who is using fire for his work, if you are near him, your clothes may accidentally catch fire and if this does not happen then you will definitely leave him smelling of burnt material.
So be careful my sister. Even if you are someone who guards her prayers and does not curse but you are always with an individual who does not pray and is involved in a lot of munkar (bad deeds) you must do one of two things. Either you benefit this sister and remind her of Allah and call her to the right way without letting her influence you. You have to be the one always reminding her of Allah and either she will listen to you or will leave you. Both are of good for you. If she listens to you then alhamdulilah you get the reward of guiding her and you have also earned a good friend; on the other hand, if she does not listen to you and chooses to leave you then alhamdulilah you do not have to worry about bad company any more.The other thing is, if you know she will not listen to you no matter how much you advice her then you must leave this person for the sake of Allah.
Public Schools:
Public schools are the worst places to send our Muslim kids too. There is so many bad influences surrounding our Muslim teens and it really becomes hard for their to practice their Deen properly in such a filthy environment. There is not only kufr(disbelief) taught in these schools, but the muslim teen is exposed to many negativities such as boyfriends/girlfriends nonsense, bad language, music, drugs, zina, students and teachers who are homosexuals and thus promote their perversions among the students to make them accept gays, lesbians, bisexuals and other backward things.
The parents have a huge responsibility when leaving their sons and daughters in such environments. Parents can't leave them in these schools and not except them to get influenced somehow. Its like the example of one who tied the hands of a person and threw him overboard in the ocean and then says to him "make sure you don't get your clothes wet ok?" Does this make any sense? Of course not.
My sister, apart from choosing good friends, make sure to also renew your emaan (faith) and connection with Allah. The Deen doesn't just become hard on you for no reason, there must be a sin that you are committing thats making the hijaab hard on you as well. The prophet (sala allahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Be mindful of Allah and He will be mindful of you." [Sunan Tirmidhi] So it can be drawn from this hadeeth the opposite of its meaning. If you do not remember Allah and do not guard yourself, then He will not be there for you. You have to remember in Allah in times of ease so and He will remember you in times of difficulty when you truly need Him. Many people often turn toAllah and start practicing when a calamity strikes them and right after Allah ta'ala helps them , they go back to their old ways. This is not correct. We should remember Allah all the time, in moments of ease and in moments of difficulty.
Analyze yourself my sister. When was the last time you prayed Fajr? When was the last time you prayed 5 times a day and ON time? When was the last time you said a good word to your parents and listened to them? When was the last time you read the Quran? When was the last time you attended a halaqa or lecture?
Know and realize sister that Allah is always watching you. He is the Ever-Watchful. Allah (swt) says, "Verily, your Lord is Ever-Watchful." [Surah al Fajr:14] and He (azza wa jall) also says, "And Allah is the All-See-er of what you do." [Surah al Hujurat: 18]
Whether you are at home, school, club, hookah lounge, at your friends place, the mall, the movies, the masjid, and everywhere! Remember to FEAR ALLAH WHEREVER YOU ARE.
If you follow this rule throughout your life, wallahi you will see the bliss in obeying Allah and you will rarely fall from the straight path. Yes, guidance is from Allah alone and He alone turns the hearts as He pleases. But the more good you do and the more you do it for the sake of Allah, the more Allah will keep you strong on the right path. Never lose hope in Allah my sister.
It is the same thing for the sister who works. Make sure to not be influenced by your co-workers whether they are non-Muslims or not so practicing Muslims. Make sure to maintain your Islaamic identity no matter what, do not change yourself to be accepted by others and to conform to the western ideals and so on. Your Islaam is your greatest blessing and your role as a Muslim woman who maintains the hijaab is your identity. A true friend will choose to be your friend and respect you for who you are.
Tips for sisters dealing with bad influence at home, school, work:
- Surround yourself with good sisters
- Fix your obligations such as praying five times a day, and etc.
- Listen to lectures and attend halaqas at the masajid
- Read the Quran and its meaning
-Make lots of duaa and read the daily adhkaar (duaas, morning and evening duaas)
- Lessen your contact with people who are a negative influence in your life
-If they are family, advice them with wisdom and patience and do not let them influence you in a bad way but rather make sure you influence them :)
- Seek advice from good/religious family members and people you know of.
Allah knows best.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Hijaab Series: Why Hijaab? Part 1
This will be a series of hijaab related topics for sisters. The topics will range from hijaab (its purpose, ruling, virtues, hijaab related issues, niqaab, its ruling, virtues, and niqaab related issues)
First and foremost my dear muslim sister, you should thank Allah (swt) for blessing you with the greatest blessing of all, Islaam. You are part of the ummah of the final and greatest of prophets, Muhammad ibn Abdillaah (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam). This is the greatest honor, for one to be a Muslim and a member of the best of nations as Allah azza wa jall has stated in the Noble Revelation. You, my sister are a descendent of the greatest of women, Maryam, the mother of our noble messenger, Eesa (Jesus,alayhi salaam). You are a descendent of hers with this hijaab you carry with you.
Hijaab is more than just a garment or covering your hair. Many sisters have a wrong perception of the hijaab. Hijaab is belief,manners and more than just mere clothing. When you wear this in public you are representing the believing women. Therefore, purifying your intentions is very important and necessary my dear sister.
So why should you wear hijab?
1. Because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, your Creator and Maker, ordered you to
In both surahs where the order of Hijaab is mentioned, Allah swt addresses whom? Al Mu'minaat. This phrase means, "The Believing Women" or "The women of true faith" why did Allah not say, Al Muslimaat (the Muslim women) ? Yes, you may say, "well, believing women here also means Muslim women." However, we can also see that there is a deeper meaning. When the Muslim woman wears the hijaab in its correct form she is a woman of faith because her belief in Allah is what is encouraging her to wear it.Which means that there is a connection between hijaab and emaan (faith). Hijaab increases the woman in Emaan because it is a divine order and realizing that you are obeying your Lord with it increases you in faith among other factors.
2. Because it is what the greatest of women wore.
Dear sister, know that you are a descendent of the best of women. Just like the companions were the best of men, the female companions were the best of women. They had the purest of hearts and never hesitated to obey Allah and His Messenger. A perfect example of this is when the ayah of hijaab came down, the mother of the believers, Aisha (radiya allahu anha) said:
“May Allaah have mercy on the first Muhaajir women. When Allaah revealed the words ‘and to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms)’ they tore their aprons and covered their faces with them.” [Saheeh al Bukhari]
And the mother of the believers, Umm Salamah (radiya allahu anha) narrated: “When the words ‘to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies’ [al-Ahzaab 33:59] were revealed, the women of the Ansaar went out looking as if there were crows on their heads because of the covering.” [Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.]
Look at the amazingly beautiful response of the women of faith. Both the Muhajiraat women (those who migrated to Al Madinah) and the Ansariyyat (the women of al Madinah) had a similar response. May Allah allow us to be like these women and to follow in their footsteps. They did not argue and ask questions. This is because their understanding of Islaam was pure and their fitrah was clean. The kaafir society did not pressure them nor did they compromise their religion for this world. In times like ours, the sister who takes on wearing the proper hijaab in a non-Islamic society is looked at as a stranger and "extremist" but remembering these noble women and how they immediately answered the call of Allah should encourage us even more. Hijaab is for all times, not just then.
3. WHY are you wearing it? Because you are a believing woman.
Why do you wear the hijaab my sister? Is it because you are forced to, your mom and dad force you to, your family and relatives wear it so you wear it to conform, your friends wear it and you like to be part of their group and not be an outcast, your school requires you to wear it??? What are your intentions in wearing this hijaab? This is the first question you should ask yourself.
The prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) says,
"Actions are based on intentions so each person will have what he intended..." [Agreed upon]
Are you wearing this hijaab out of sincerity and faith or you are wearing it to please others? Yes, our intentions count and we will be judged by our intentions. When you do something, always make sure you are doing it for the sake of Allah swt first and foremost. Of course this act has to be allowed (halal) to start with.
Before you leave the house covered in makeup,wearing tight clothes, and smelling of perfume, ask yourself, "why am I wearing this? Who am I pleasing? Am I pleasing Allah dressed like this?
You are responding to the call of hijaab because you are a mu'minah, a woman of faith. You should not be covered to impress others but rather to please and gain Allah's pleasure and rewards. You love Allah and His Messenger and thus respond to their call! Our main aim should always be to please Our creator above anything else. People will never be pleased with you no matter what you do, here Allah rewards you even for thinking to do a good deed! Look at how merciful Allah is!
4. To help reduce the Fitnah.
We are in no doubt living in the ends of times. The Messenger of Allah has mentioned to us many signs of the Last Day, the Day of Judgment... the Hour. Some of these signs include; the increase of killing, zina, drinking of alcohol, increase in ribaa, increase in worldly competition, and some of the major signs which have been mentioned to us in the hadeeth include; the appearance of the Dajjal, Ya'juj and Ma'juj, the 3 Earth swallowings, and more.
One of these signs as is in the authentic hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim is, "And women who are dressed but naked..." In this hadeeth the prophet (alayhi salatu wa salaam) talks about two types of people who will be in Hellfire he has not seen so far. The Messenger of Allah was show on different occasions the types of people of Hellfire. One of them as our Rasul(sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said are the women who did not wear the proper hijaab and appear dressed but appear as though naked.
Subhan Allah my dear sister! Any person whom Allah has given a good sense of understanding will instantly understand these words. If you are in such a state of the women described in this hadeeth, then you should fear for yourself my sister. How can you not be when in the same hadeeth, the prophet (pbuh) says, "..these women will not get to smell the scent of paradise let alone enter it!" Allahu akbar! Do you not fear for yourself my sister?
What if you are counted among these women? Turn to Allah and change for His sake before it is too late my sister. You are here on this Earth and in this dunyaa to worship Allah alone. Wallahi this Deen is easy and simple and it only becomes difficult when you make it so for yourself.
Hijaab has been reduced to...
Hijaab has been reduced to something more of a fashion nowadays. This is a great fitnah and we can see that this hadeeth taking place before our very eyes. We see women who are covered but their clothes are skintight and see-through. Ok. For the kaafir women this is understandable but for the Muslim woman??? How can a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day wear something skintight or see-through and then wear a scarf over her head and call that hijaab?? This makes no sense at all.
Our societies have truly become corrupt especially when the people of knowledge and responsibility are not even addressing these issues. The parents let their daughters dress as they please and even some husbands let their wives dress in this manner. Where has our Islaam gone?The men do not lower their gaze and the women do not cover. What do you thus get? A corrupt society. The scholars of the past would say when the times become worse that is when the woman should even cover up more even if she is already covered up in the obligatory hijaab! We are in very bad times. Do not let the western society fool you my sister. The level of emaan has decreased in us and that is why the men are corrupt and the women too. Both have failed in disobeying Allah. You do your part my sister and wear the correct hijaab and wallahi it will make you feel so honorable and happy. Happy that you are reviving the sunnah and that your hijaab is a slap in the face to those lustful, diseased eyes!
To be continued...
Friday, November 7, 2014
Where is your shame my sister?
Abu Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said, One of the things people have learnt from the words of the earliest prophecy is, "If you have no shame(hayaa), then do what you like." [Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud]
Yes, if you have no shame from Allah then do as you wish. If you have no shame for yourself and do not respect yourself, then yes, do as you wish. If you fail to realize who it is that you are disobeying then go ahead, do as you wish.
Hayaa is an element of faith. What exactly is alhayaa'? It is modesty, bashfulness, having shame, and overall to be shy. Hayaa is from the characteristics of the believer. The prophet (Sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said in the hadeeth narrated by Imam al Bukhari in his Sahih, "Emaan (faith, belief) consists of more than sixty branches and hayaa is a part of faith."
In another narration,the prophet(sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) passed by two men and one of them was admonishing the other for being too shy so the Messenger of Allah said to him "Leave him for hayaa is a part of faith."[Sahih al Bukhari]
Nowadays, we live in a time where sins and promotion of sinning has increased and the concept of hayaa has decreased. Rarely do you find people who have some shame from committing wrong. Ironically, instead we have many who have no problem showing the whole their involvement in a sin and seem to have no hayaa in exposing themselves when Allah covered their sins. What happened to us? Where did our fear of Allah go?
The prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) also taught us that another virtue of hayaa is that it brings nothing but good. This is contrary to what western society preaches. "If you are shy, you are a failure. You will not get anywhere. Being shy prevents you from expressing yourself." Do not fall for these false concepts my dear sister. Believe the Messenger of Allah (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) when he said, "Hayaa does not bring anything but good." [Al Bukhari]
and when he said, "Every religion has its characteristic and the characteristic of Islaam is AlHayaa(shyness, modesty)." [Sunan Abu Dawud]
Hayaa only increases the beauty of something or someone if it is used the right way. There is hayaa that is praiseworthy and hayaa that is wrong. We will first start with the greatest kind of hayaa that every individual should have. And that is:
Having Hayaa from Allah
One should first and foremost have shyness from Allah swt. This is by feeling ashamed to commit a sin and disobey Allah knowing that He (azza wa jall) is watching you. How is it that we can post pictures of ourselves without hijaab or pics of us at someplace haraam and find some peace in our heart?? It makes no sense at all. Where did the fear of the Almighty go?
My dear sister, did you forget that there is a Lord who is Al-Samee' (All-Hearer), Al Baseer (All-See-er), Al Khabeer (Aware of all that is being done), Ar-Raqeeb (Ever-Watchful)? When, my sister, are you going to fear Allah, your Creator and Provider? When are you going to turn to Him?
Don't you realize death can strike you at any minute my dear sister? You don't know when you will meet Him. Do you wish to meet Him in this state you are in and if so, do you think He will be pleased with you?
Shyness(AlHayaa) left our hearts when the fear of Allah left us. Our fear of Allah decreased and so that opened up the doors to taking many sins lightly, as if there is no problem at all. Actually there is a BIG problem. Whether it be listening to music, smoking, drinking, zina, displaying our adornments (tabarruj), not praying and so on, the main cause for falling into these sins is partly due to lack of fear of Allah azza wa jall. Our hearts got harder and darker with sin when we failed to fear Allah and when we failed to realize who it is that we are disobeying.
When the sahabah were told to fear Allah, their hairs stood on end. They trembled at the weight of such words. Nowadays, a muslim tells his fellow muslim brother and sister to fear Allah and the reply is, "Stop judging me. You're not my judge. Allah is my judge...You don't know whats in my heart."
In the days when the Muslims had a state (khilaafah), the scholars would go to the rulers and admonish them , telling them to fear Allah and warning them of the punishment of Allah and reminding of their great responsibility. This would only increase the ruler in fear of Allah and being cautious to not fall into oppression. So when someone tells you to fear Allah my sister, KNOW that it is not an insult, it is an advice. And Islam is sincere advice (Naseeha) as our prophet(sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) taught us.
My sister, you should feel shy to disobey Allah and to sin. If you wish to sin then please go somewhere where you know Allah will not be able to see you. (impossible right?)
Always think of who is that you are disobeying and now how big the sin is. You would feel shy and ashamed if your teacher caught you cheating during a test/exam. So how can we not feel ashamed when sinning especially when knowing that Allah (ta'ala) knows and sees everything?
The following hadeeth is a great reminder for us all, showing us the powerful connection between emaan (faith) and hayaa' and how when one goes, the other goes behind.
Abdullah ibn Umar narrated from the prophet (sws) that he said, "Indeed, alhayaa (modesty) and al-emaan (faith) are companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well (follows behind)." [Sunan al Bayhaqi]
Therefore, when you see that your hayaa is not as strong then realize this is a sign of weakness of faith. This is because emaan as Muslims believe, increases and decreases. It increases with obedience and good deeds and it decreases with disobedience. Therefore, the less hayaa one has, the weaker their faith is and the more hayaa one has the stronger their faith is. A person of strong faith will always have hayaa, meaning, he will avoid major sins and even the minor sins as much as he/she can.
to be cont'd...
Allah knows best.
Yes, if you have no shame from Allah then do as you wish. If you have no shame for yourself and do not respect yourself, then yes, do as you wish. If you fail to realize who it is that you are disobeying then go ahead, do as you wish.
Hayaa is an element of faith. What exactly is alhayaa'? It is modesty, bashfulness, having shame, and overall to be shy. Hayaa is from the characteristics of the believer. The prophet (Sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) said in the hadeeth narrated by Imam al Bukhari in his Sahih, "Emaan (faith, belief) consists of more than sixty branches and hayaa is a part of faith."
In another narration,the prophet(sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) passed by two men and one of them was admonishing the other for being too shy so the Messenger of Allah said to him "Leave him for hayaa is a part of faith."[Sahih al Bukhari]
Nowadays, we live in a time where sins and promotion of sinning has increased and the concept of hayaa has decreased. Rarely do you find people who have some shame from committing wrong. Ironically, instead we have many who have no problem showing the whole their involvement in a sin and seem to have no hayaa in exposing themselves when Allah covered their sins. What happened to us? Where did our fear of Allah go?
The prophet (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) also taught us that another virtue of hayaa is that it brings nothing but good. This is contrary to what western society preaches. "If you are shy, you are a failure. You will not get anywhere. Being shy prevents you from expressing yourself." Do not fall for these false concepts my dear sister. Believe the Messenger of Allah (sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) when he said, "Hayaa does not bring anything but good." [Al Bukhari]
and when he said, "Every religion has its characteristic and the characteristic of Islaam is AlHayaa(shyness, modesty)." [Sunan Abu Dawud]
Hayaa only increases the beauty of something or someone if it is used the right way. There is hayaa that is praiseworthy and hayaa that is wrong. We will first start with the greatest kind of hayaa that every individual should have. And that is:
Having Hayaa from Allah
One should first and foremost have shyness from Allah swt. This is by feeling ashamed to commit a sin and disobey Allah knowing that He (azza wa jall) is watching you. How is it that we can post pictures of ourselves without hijaab or pics of us at someplace haraam and find some peace in our heart?? It makes no sense at all. Where did the fear of the Almighty go?
My dear sister, did you forget that there is a Lord who is Al-Samee' (All-Hearer), Al Baseer (All-See-er), Al Khabeer (Aware of all that is being done), Ar-Raqeeb (Ever-Watchful)? When, my sister, are you going to fear Allah, your Creator and Provider? When are you going to turn to Him?
Don't you realize death can strike you at any minute my dear sister? You don't know when you will meet Him. Do you wish to meet Him in this state you are in and if so, do you think He will be pleased with you?
Shyness(AlHayaa) left our hearts when the fear of Allah left us. Our fear of Allah decreased and so that opened up the doors to taking many sins lightly, as if there is no problem at all. Actually there is a BIG problem. Whether it be listening to music, smoking, drinking, zina, displaying our adornments (tabarruj), not praying and so on, the main cause for falling into these sins is partly due to lack of fear of Allah azza wa jall. Our hearts got harder and darker with sin when we failed to fear Allah and when we failed to realize who it is that we are disobeying.
When the sahabah were told to fear Allah, their hairs stood on end. They trembled at the weight of such words. Nowadays, a muslim tells his fellow muslim brother and sister to fear Allah and the reply is, "Stop judging me. You're not my judge. Allah is my judge...You don't know whats in my heart."
In the days when the Muslims had a state (khilaafah), the scholars would go to the rulers and admonish them , telling them to fear Allah and warning them of the punishment of Allah and reminding of their great responsibility. This would only increase the ruler in fear of Allah and being cautious to not fall into oppression. So when someone tells you to fear Allah my sister, KNOW that it is not an insult, it is an advice. And Islam is sincere advice (Naseeha) as our prophet(sala allahu alayhi wa sallam) taught us.
My sister, you should feel shy to disobey Allah and to sin. If you wish to sin then please go somewhere where you know Allah will not be able to see you. (impossible right?)
Always think of who is that you are disobeying and now how big the sin is. You would feel shy and ashamed if your teacher caught you cheating during a test/exam. So how can we not feel ashamed when sinning especially when knowing that Allah (ta'ala) knows and sees everything?
The following hadeeth is a great reminder for us all, showing us the powerful connection between emaan (faith) and hayaa' and how when one goes, the other goes behind.
Abdullah ibn Umar narrated from the prophet (sws) that he said, "Indeed, alhayaa (modesty) and al-emaan (faith) are companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well (follows behind)." [Sunan al Bayhaqi]
Therefore, when you see that your hayaa is not as strong then realize this is a sign of weakness of faith. This is because emaan as Muslims believe, increases and decreases. It increases with obedience and good deeds and it decreases with disobedience. Therefore, the less hayaa one has, the weaker their faith is and the more hayaa one has the stronger their faith is. A person of strong faith will always have hayaa, meaning, he will avoid major sins and even the minor sins as much as he/she can.
to be cont'd...
Allah knows best.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Beautiful Statements from Ibn Taymiyyah
Assalamu alaykum
Here are some amazing and beautiful words of wisdom from the great scholar of Islaam, Taqiyudeen Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah):
"Every punishment from Him is pure justice and every blessing from Him is pure grace." [Majmoo al Fataawa 10/85]
"Sins are like chains and locks preventing their perpetrator from roaming vast gardens of Tawheed and reaping the fruits of righteous actions." [Majmoo al Fataawa 14/49]
"Whoever desires everlasting bliss, let him adhere firmly to the threshold of servitude(uboodiyyah to Allah)" [Madaarij al Saalikeen 1/531]
"In this world there is a paradise, whoever does not enter it will not enter the paradise of the Hereafter." [AlWaabil as-Sayyib pg. 69]
"Worship is founded upon the Legal Law and following it, not upon one's base desires and innovations." [Majmoo al Fataawa 1/80]
"The Jihaad against the soul is the foundation for the jihaad against the disbelievers and hypocrites." [Ibn Qayyim recorded in AlRawdah pg. 478]
"A man will never fear something besides Allah unless it be due to a disease in his heart." [Al Bazzar pg. 74]
"Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience." [Majmoo al Fataawa 10/40]
"Sins cause harm and repentance removes the harm." [Majmoo al Fataawa 10/255]
Here are some amazing and beautiful words of wisdom from the great scholar of Islaam, Taqiyudeen Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah):
"Every punishment from Him is pure justice and every blessing from Him is pure grace." [Majmoo al Fataawa 10/85]
"Sins are like chains and locks preventing their perpetrator from roaming vast gardens of Tawheed and reaping the fruits of righteous actions." [Majmoo al Fataawa 14/49]
"Whoever desires everlasting bliss, let him adhere firmly to the threshold of servitude(uboodiyyah to Allah)" [Madaarij al Saalikeen 1/531]
"In this world there is a paradise, whoever does not enter it will not enter the paradise of the Hereafter." [AlWaabil as-Sayyib pg. 69]
"Worship is founded upon the Legal Law and following it, not upon one's base desires and innovations." [Majmoo al Fataawa 1/80]
"The Jihaad against the soul is the foundation for the jihaad against the disbelievers and hypocrites." [Ibn Qayyim recorded in AlRawdah pg. 478]
"A man will never fear something besides Allah unless it be due to a disease in his heart." [Al Bazzar pg. 74]
"Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience." [Majmoo al Fataawa 10/40]
"Sins cause harm and repentance removes the harm." [Majmoo al Fataawa 10/255]
"Bearing witness to Tawheed opens the door of good and repentance from sins closes the door of evil." [Majmoo al Fataawa 10/256]
"Trials and tribulations are like feeling the heat and cold, when one knows that they cannot be avoided, he will not feel anger at their onset, nor will he be distressed or disheartened." [Ibn Al Qayyim in Al Madaarij al Saalikeen 3/289]
"The objective of asceticism (zuhd) is to leave all that harms the servant's Hereafter and the objective of worship is to do all that will benefit his Hereafter." [Majmoo al Fataawa 14/458]
"In this world, man finds in the remembrance of Allah, praising Him and worshipping Him, a delight that is incomparable to anything else." [ Minhaaj as-Sunnah 5/389]
"What can my enemies do to me? I have in my breast both my heaven and my garden. If I travel they are with me, never leaving me. Imprisonment for me is a chance to be alone with my Lord. To be killed is martyrdom and to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey." [Ibn al Qayyim, AlWaabil pg. 69]
Source: Biography of Ibn Taymiyyah in his "Diseases of the Heart and their Cures" translated by DAAR US-SUNNAH Publications, Birmingham, UK
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