Bismillaah
In sha Allaah I will be posting up some beneficial aspects of Fiqh of Worship relating to sisters. This will be a 2 part post relating to fiqh of tahara (purification).
كيفية الغسل من الحيض والنفاس
Types of ghusl for muslim woman:
1. Ghusl from janaba(sexual relations with spouse)
2. Ghusl from haydh (menses) and nifaas (postpartum bleeding)
HOW TO MAKE GHUSL?
METHOD 1
1. make niyyah (intention) for GHUSL and WUDHU
2. say BISMILLAH
3.wash the hands
4. make istinjaa'(washing the private part until there are no more traces of blood)
5.make wudhu except for the feet
6.pour water over the head(and make sure that water reaches the entire hair and roots of head)
7.wash and rub the body well. start with the RIGHT side and LEFT side.
8. finally, wash the feet (To complete the wudhu).
OR
METHOD 2
You can make niyyah, say bismillah, make istinjaa' and begin making wudhu EXCEPT for the feet. You then pour water over your head(you can do this by using the shower also), and then complete with the rest of the steps...
This is another method which the ulama have mentioned. Also, it is preferable for a woman performing ghusl from haydh(menses) or nifaas(post partum bleeding) to unbraid her hair but it is not a must.
*If someone wants to take a normal shower by using shampoo and soap, they should do this BEFORE they do the ghusl or AFTER the ghusl but they should not mix.
The following is from Sh. ibn Uthaymeen('s one of the major scholars of fiqh in our times, rahimahullah) book on rulings related to muslim women during their periods:
Requirement of ghusl
When the menstruating woman’s period ends, she must do ghusl by purifying her entire body, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Faatimah bint Abi Hubaysh: “When the time of your menses comes, stop praying, then when it ends, do ghusl and pray.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari.
MAKE SURE WATER REACHES EVERY PART OF YOUR BODY!
*The minimum that is required for ghusl is to ensure that water reaches every part of the body, even beneath the hair. But it is better if it is done in the manner mentioned in the hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when Asma’ bint Shakl asked him how a menstruating woman should do ghusl. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: One of you should take her water and lotus leaves and purify herself and purify herself well. Then she should pour water over her head and rub it vigorously, so that it reaches the roots of her hair, and pour water over herself. Then she should take a piece of cloth that is scented with musk and purify herself with it.” Asma’ said: “How should she purify herself with it?” He said: ‘Subhaan Allaah, let her purify herself with it.” ‘Aa’ishah said to her: “She should follow the traces of blood.”
Narrated by Muslim.
*She does not have to undo the braids in her hair, unless they are tied so tightly that she fears that the water will not reach the roots, because of the hadeeth of Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that is narrated in Saheeh Muslim, where she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: I am a woman with braided hair; should I undo it when doing ghusl following menses or for janaabah? He said: “No, rather it will be sufficient for you to pour three handfuls of water on your head, then pour water over yourself and you will be purified.”
If a menstruating woman becomes pure during the time for prayer, she must hasten to do ghusl so that she can offer the prayer on time.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU DO NOT HAVE WATER TO MAKE GHUSL?
ANSWER: If she is travelling and does not have any water, or she has water but she is afraid that she may be harmed by using it, or she is sick and the water will harm her, then she should do tayammum instead of ghusl, until the reason for not doing it ceases, then she should do ghusl.
DO NOT DELAY MAKING GHUSL!!
Some women become pure at the time for prayer, but they delay ghusl until later, saying that they cannot purify themselves fully in this time. But this is no excuse, because they can limit themselves to the minimum that is required in ghusl and do the prayer on time, then when they have more time they can purify themselves more fully. End quote.
These are the most important rulings that have to do with menses in women.
Risaalah fi’l-Dima’ al-Tabee’iyyah li’l-Nisa’ by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).
compiled by Umm Abdullah Aisha
A blog to empower sisters and educate them on matters of the Deen and Dunya!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Respect your parents Before its TOO LATE!!
assalamu alaikum brothers and sisters in Islaam.
A beautiful reminder for us all from Br. Nouman Khan on the verses from the Quran on respecting the parents where Allaah azza wa jall says:
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا
وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young." (Al-Israa ayahs 23,24)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRoKzXQiebs&feature=player_embedded
A beautiful reminder for us all from Br. Nouman Khan on the verses from the Quran on respecting the parents where Allaah azza wa jall says:
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا
وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young." (Al-Israa ayahs 23,24)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRoKzXQiebs&feature=player_embedded
Monday, December 12, 2011
Why is Hijaab necessary in Islam?
Why Hijab is necessary in Islam?
Islam means obedience to Allah, obedience to Allah means having sincere faith in Him, such a faith means to believe in His power, belief in His power means recognizing and accepting His Majesty, accepting His Majesty means fulfilling the obligations laid down by Him and such fulfillment of obligations means actions.
Therefore, Islam does not mean mere faith but faith with actions and deeds.
Some sisters come up with the excuse that the non-believers laugh at them if they wear Hijab and they feel degraded. They may laugh for a little while but after some time, they will have no choice but to respect the Muslim women wearing Hijab for their discipline and principles which could not be shaken by their little laugh.
There are many Muslims sisters who are more concerned to please themselves and their non-believer friends than Allah (SWT). Let us not forget the purpose of our existence, which is to worship Allah and please Him. How can we worship and please Allah while we are disobeying Him and rejecting His command to please others
Many sisters have failed to understand the actual meaning of Hijab that can be summarized as follows:
Hijab is an act of obedience.
The hijab is an act of obedience to Allah and to his prophet (pbuh),
Allah said in the Quran : 'And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc) and not to show off their adornment except what must (ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils over their bosoms.'(S24:31).
Hijab is IFFAH (Modesty).
Allah (subhana wa'atala) made the adherence to the hijab a manifestation for chastity and modesty. Allah says: 'O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they should be known and not molested.' (S33:59). In the above verse (Ayaah), there is an evidence that the recognition of the apparent beauty of the woman is harmful to her. When the cause of attraction ends, the restriction is removed..
Hijab is Tahara (Purity)
Allah (swt) had shown us the hikma (wisdom) behind the legislation of the hijab: `And when you ask them (the Prophet's wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and their hearts.' (S33:53).
The hijab makes for greater purity for the hearts of believing men and women because it screens against the desire of the heart. Without the hijab, the heart may or may not desire. That is why the heart is more pure when the sight is blocked (by hijab) and thus the prevention of fitna (evil actions is very much manifested. The hijab cuts off the ill thoughts and the greed of the sick hearts.
Hijab is from Taqwah (Righteousness)
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an: `O children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc) and as an adornment. But the raiment of righteousness, that is better.'(S7:26). The widespread forms of dresses in the world today are mostly for show off and hardly taken as a cover and shield of the woman's body. To the believing women, however the purpose is to safeguard their bodies and cover their private parts as a manifestation of the order of Allah. It is an act of Taqwah (righteousness).
Hijab is from Eemaan (Belief or Faith)
Allah (swt) did not address His words about the hijab except to the believing women, Al-Mo'minat. In many cases in the Qur'an Allah refers to the "the believing women". Aisha (RA), the wife of the prophet (pbuh), addressed some women from the tribe of Banu Tameem who came to visit her and had light clothes on them, they were improperly dressed: "If indeed you are believing women, then truly this is not the dress of the believing women, and if you are not believing women, then enjoy it."
The hijab is Haya' (Bashfulness)
There are two authentic hadith which state: "Each religion has a morality and the morality of Islam is haya'" AND "Bashfulness is from belief, and belief is in Al-Jannah (paradise)". The hijab fits the natural bashfulness which is a part of the nature of women.
hijab is from Gheerah feels jealous or protective over his wife or sisters and other-womenfolkfeels jealous or protective over his wife or sisters and other-womenfolk
The hijab fits the natural feeling of Gheerah, which is intrinsic in the straight man who does not like people to look at his wife or daughters. Gheerah is a driving emotion that drives the straight man to safeguard women who are related to him from strangers. The straight MUSLIM man has Gheerah for ALL MUSLIM women in response to lust and desire, men look (with desire) at other women while they do not mind that other men do the same to their wives or daughters.
Islam means obedience to Allah, obedience to Allah means having sincere faith in Him, such a faith means to believe in His power, belief in His power means recognizing and accepting His Majesty, accepting His Majesty means fulfilling the obligations laid down by Him and such fulfillment of obligations means actions.
Therefore, Islam does not mean mere faith but faith with actions and deeds.
Some sisters come up with the excuse that the non-believers laugh at them if they wear Hijab and they feel degraded. They may laugh for a little while but after some time, they will have no choice but to respect the Muslim women wearing Hijab for their discipline and principles which could not be shaken by their little laugh.
There are many Muslims sisters who are more concerned to please themselves and their non-believer friends than Allah (SWT). Let us not forget the purpose of our existence, which is to worship Allah and please Him. How can we worship and please Allah while we are disobeying Him and rejecting His command to please others
Many sisters have failed to understand the actual meaning of Hijab that can be summarized as follows:
Hijab is an act of obedience.
The hijab is an act of obedience to Allah and to his prophet (pbuh),
Allah said in the Quran : 'And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc) and not to show off their adornment except what must (ordinarily) appear thereof, that they should draw their veils over their bosoms.'(S24:31).
Hijab is IFFAH (Modesty).
Allah (subhana wa'atala) made the adherence to the hijab a manifestation for chastity and modesty. Allah says: 'O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over their bodies (when outdoors). That is most convenient that they should be known and not molested.' (S33:59). In the above verse (Ayaah), there is an evidence that the recognition of the apparent beauty of the woman is harmful to her. When the cause of attraction ends, the restriction is removed..
Hijab is Tahara (Purity)
Allah (swt) had shown us the hikma (wisdom) behind the legislation of the hijab: `And when you ask them (the Prophet's wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen, that is purer for your hearts and their hearts.' (S33:53).
The hijab makes for greater purity for the hearts of believing men and women because it screens against the desire of the heart. Without the hijab, the heart may or may not desire. That is why the heart is more pure when the sight is blocked (by hijab) and thus the prevention of fitna (evil actions is very much manifested. The hijab cuts off the ill thoughts and the greed of the sick hearts.
Hijab is from Taqwah (Righteousness)
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an: `O children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc) and as an adornment. But the raiment of righteousness, that is better.'(S7:26). The widespread forms of dresses in the world today are mostly for show off and hardly taken as a cover and shield of the woman's body. To the believing women, however the purpose is to safeguard their bodies and cover their private parts as a manifestation of the order of Allah. It is an act of Taqwah (righteousness).
Hijab is from Eemaan (Belief or Faith)
Allah (swt) did not address His words about the hijab except to the believing women, Al-Mo'minat. In many cases in the Qur'an Allah refers to the "the believing women". Aisha (RA), the wife of the prophet (pbuh), addressed some women from the tribe of Banu Tameem who came to visit her and had light clothes on them, they were improperly dressed: "If indeed you are believing women, then truly this is not the dress of the believing women, and if you are not believing women, then enjoy it."
The hijab is Haya' (Bashfulness)
There are two authentic hadith which state: "Each religion has a morality and the morality of Islam is haya'" AND "Bashfulness is from belief, and belief is in Al-Jannah (paradise)". The hijab fits the natural bashfulness which is a part of the nature of women.
hijab is from Gheerah feels jealous or protective over his wife or sisters and other-womenfolkfeels jealous or protective over his wife or sisters and other-womenfolk
The hijab fits the natural feeling of Gheerah, which is intrinsic in the straight man who does not like people to look at his wife or daughters. Gheerah is a driving emotion that drives the straight man to safeguard women who are related to him from strangers. The straight MUSLIM man has Gheerah for ALL MUSLIM women in response to lust and desire, men look (with desire) at other women while they do not mind that other men do the same to their wives or daughters.
Friday, November 18, 2011
She's My Sister
In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
by Muhammad Alshareef
Her cheeks were worn and sunken, and her skin hugged her bones. That didn't stop her because you could never catch her not reciting Qur'an. She was always vigil in her personal prayer room that our father had set up for her. Bowing, prostrating, raising her hands in prayer, was the way she was from dawn to sunset and back again; boredom was for other people.
As for me, I craved nothing more than fashion magazines and novels. I treated myself to videos until the trips to the rental place became my trademark. It’s a saying that when something becomes habit, people tend to distinguish you by it. I was negligent in my responsibilities and my salah was characterized by laziness.
One night, after a long three hours of watching, I turned the video off. The adhan rose softly in the quiet night. I slipped peacefully into my blanket.
Her voice called me from her prayer room. "Yes? Would you like anything Noorah?" I asked.
With a sharp needle she popped my plans. "Don't sleep before you pray Fajr!"
Agghh! “There's still an hour before Fajr. That was only the first adhan,” I said.
With those loving pinches of hers, she called me closer. She was like that even before the fierce sickness shook her spirit and shut her in bed. "Hanan, can you come sit beside me."
I could never refuse any of her requests; you could touch the purity and sincerity in her. "Yes, Noorah?"
"Please sit here."
"Alright, I’m sitting. What's on your mind?"
With the sweetest mono voice she began reciting:
Every soul shall taste death and you will merely be repaid your earnings on the Day of Resurrection.
She stopped thoughtfully. Then she asked, "Do you believe in death?"
"Of course I do,” I replied.
"Do you believe that you shall be responsible for whatever you do, regardless of how small or large?"
"I do, but Allah is Forgiving and Merciful, and I’ve got a long life waiting for me."
"Stop it Hanan! Are you not afraid of death and its abruptness? Take a look at Hind. She was younger than you but she died in a car accident. Death is age-blind and your age could never be a measure of when you shall die."
The darkness of the room filled my skin with fear. "I'm scared of the dark and now you made me scared of death. How am I supposed to go to sleep now? Noorah, I thought you promised you'd go with us on vacation during the summer break."
Her voice broke and her heart quivered. "I might be going on a long trip this year Hanan, but somewhere else. All of our lives are in Allah’s hands and we all belong to Him."
My eyes welled and the tears slipped down both cheeks. I pondered my sisters grizzly sickness. The doctors had informed my father in private that there was not much hope Noorah was going to outlive the disease. She wasn't told, so I wondered who hinted to her. Or was it that she could sense the truth?
"What are you thinking about Hanan?" Her voice was sharp. "Do you think I am just saying this because I am sick? I hope not. In fact, I may live longer than people who are not sick. How long are you going to live Hanan? Perhaps twenty years? Maybe forty? Then what?" Through the dark she reached for my hand and squeezed gently. "There's no difference between us; we're all going to leave this world to live in Paradise or agonize in Hell. Listen to the words of Allah:
Anyone who is pushed away from the Fire and shown into Jannah will have triumphed.
I left my sister's room dazed, her words ringing in my ears: “May Allah guide you Hanan - don't forget your prayer.”
I heard pounding on my door at eight o'clock in the morning. I don't usually wake up at this time. There was crying and confusion. O Allah, what happened?
Noorah’s condition became critical after Fajr; they took her to the hospital immediately.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon.
There wasn't going to be any trips this summer. It was written that I would spend the summer at home.
It felt like an eternity had gone by when it was one o'clock in the afternoon. Mother phoned the hospital.
"Yes. You can come and see her now." Dad's voice had changed, and mother could sense something had gone deathly wrong. We left immediately.
Where was that avenue I used to travel and thought was so short? Why was it so very long now? Where was the cherished crowd and traffic that would give me a chance to gaze left and right? Everyone, just move out of our way!
Mother was shaking her head in her hands crying as she made du'a for her Noorah. We arrived at the hospital’s main entrance. One man was moaning, while another was involved in an accident. A third man’s eyes were iced. You couldn’t tell if he was dead or alive.
Noorah was in intensive care. We skipped stairs to her floor. The nurse approached us. "Let me take you to her."
As we walked down the aisles the nurse went on expressing how sweet of a girl Noorah was. She somewhat reassured Mother that Noorah’s condition had gotten better than what it was in the morning. "Sorry. No more than one visitor at a time,” the nurse said.
This was the intensive care unit. Past the flurry white robes, through the small window in the door, I caught my sister’s eyes. Mother was standing beside her. After about two minutes, mother came out unable to control her crying. "You may enter and say salaam to her on the condition that you do not speak too long," they told me. "Two minutes should be enough."
"How are you Noorah? You were fine last night sister, what happened?"
We held hands; she squeezed harmlessly. "Even now, alhamdulillah, I'm doing fine."
"Alhamdulillah...but...your hands are so cold."
I sat on her bedside and rested my fingers on her knee. She jerked it away. "Sorry, did I hurt you?"
"No, it is just that I remembered Allah's words.”
Waltafatul saaqu bil saaq (One leg will be wrapped to the other leg [in the death shroud]).
"Hanan pray for me. I may be meeting the first day of the Hereafter very soon. It’s a long journey and I haven't prepared enough good deeds in my suitcase."
A tear escaped my eye and ran down my cheek at her words. I cried and she joined me. The room blurred away and left us two sisters to cry together. Rivulets of tears splashed down on my sister’s palm, which I held with both hands. Dad was now becoming more worried about me. I've never cried like that before.
At home and upstairs in my room, I watched the sun pass away with a sorrowful day. Silence mingled in our corridors. One after another, my cousins came in my room. The visitors were many and all the voices from downstairs stirred together. Only one thing was clear at that point – Noorah had died!
I stopped distinguishing who came and who went. I couldn't remember what they said. O Allah, where was I? What was going on? I couldn't even cry anymore.
Later that week they told me what had happened. Dad had taken my hand to say goodbye to my sister for the last time. I had kissed Noorah's head.
I remember only one thing while seeing her spread on that bed – the bed that she was going to die on. I remembered the verse she recited:
One leg will be wrapped to the other leg (in the death shroud).
And I knew too well the truth of the next verse:
The drive on that day will be to your Lord (Allah)!
I tiptoed into her prayer room that night. Staring at the quiet dressers and silenced mirrors, I treasured the person that had shared my mother's stomach with me. Noorah was my twin sister.
I remembered who I had swapped sorrows with, who comforted my rainy days. I remembered who prayed for my guidance and who spent so many tears for many long nights telling me about death and accountability. May Allah save us all.
Tonight is Noorah's first night that she shall spend in her tomb. O Allah, have mercy on her and illumine her grave. This was her Qur'an and her prayer mat. And this was the spring, rose-colored dress that she told me she would hide until she got married; the dress she wanted to keep just for her husband.
I remembered my sister and cried over all the days that I had lost. I prayed to Allah to have mercy on me, accept me and forgive me. I prayed to Allah to keep her firm in her grave as she always liked to mention in her supplications.
At that moment, I stopped. I asked myself what if it was I who had died. Where would I be moving on to? Fear pressed me and the tears began all over again.
“Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar…” The first adhan rose softly from the masjid. It sounded so beautiful this time. I felt calm and relaxed as I repeated the mu’adhin’s call. I wrapped the shawl around my shoulders and stood to pray Fajr. I prayed as if it was my last prayer, a farewell prayer, just like Noorah had done yesterday. It had been her last Fajr.
Now, and in sha Allah for the rest of my life, if I awake in the morning I do not count on being alive by evening, and in the evening I do not count on being alive by morning. We are all going on Noorah's journey. What have we prepared for it?
by Muhammad Alshareef
Her cheeks were worn and sunken, and her skin hugged her bones. That didn't stop her because you could never catch her not reciting Qur'an. She was always vigil in her personal prayer room that our father had set up for her. Bowing, prostrating, raising her hands in prayer, was the way she was from dawn to sunset and back again; boredom was for other people.
As for me, I craved nothing more than fashion magazines and novels. I treated myself to videos until the trips to the rental place became my trademark. It’s a saying that when something becomes habit, people tend to distinguish you by it. I was negligent in my responsibilities and my salah was characterized by laziness.
One night, after a long three hours of watching, I turned the video off. The adhan rose softly in the quiet night. I slipped peacefully into my blanket.
Her voice called me from her prayer room. "Yes? Would you like anything Noorah?" I asked.
With a sharp needle she popped my plans. "Don't sleep before you pray Fajr!"
Agghh! “There's still an hour before Fajr. That was only the first adhan,” I said.
With those loving pinches of hers, she called me closer. She was like that even before the fierce sickness shook her spirit and shut her in bed. "Hanan, can you come sit beside me."
I could never refuse any of her requests; you could touch the purity and sincerity in her. "Yes, Noorah?"
"Please sit here."
"Alright, I’m sitting. What's on your mind?"
With the sweetest mono voice she began reciting:
Every soul shall taste death and you will merely be repaid your earnings on the Day of Resurrection.
She stopped thoughtfully. Then she asked, "Do you believe in death?"
"Of course I do,” I replied.
"Do you believe that you shall be responsible for whatever you do, regardless of how small or large?"
"I do, but Allah is Forgiving and Merciful, and I’ve got a long life waiting for me."
"Stop it Hanan! Are you not afraid of death and its abruptness? Take a look at Hind. She was younger than you but she died in a car accident. Death is age-blind and your age could never be a measure of when you shall die."
The darkness of the room filled my skin with fear. "I'm scared of the dark and now you made me scared of death. How am I supposed to go to sleep now? Noorah, I thought you promised you'd go with us on vacation during the summer break."
Her voice broke and her heart quivered. "I might be going on a long trip this year Hanan, but somewhere else. All of our lives are in Allah’s hands and we all belong to Him."
My eyes welled and the tears slipped down both cheeks. I pondered my sisters grizzly sickness. The doctors had informed my father in private that there was not much hope Noorah was going to outlive the disease. She wasn't told, so I wondered who hinted to her. Or was it that she could sense the truth?
"What are you thinking about Hanan?" Her voice was sharp. "Do you think I am just saying this because I am sick? I hope not. In fact, I may live longer than people who are not sick. How long are you going to live Hanan? Perhaps twenty years? Maybe forty? Then what?" Through the dark she reached for my hand and squeezed gently. "There's no difference between us; we're all going to leave this world to live in Paradise or agonize in Hell. Listen to the words of Allah:
Anyone who is pushed away from the Fire and shown into Jannah will have triumphed.
I left my sister's room dazed, her words ringing in my ears: “May Allah guide you Hanan - don't forget your prayer.”
I heard pounding on my door at eight o'clock in the morning. I don't usually wake up at this time. There was crying and confusion. O Allah, what happened?
Noorah’s condition became critical after Fajr; they took her to the hospital immediately.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon.
There wasn't going to be any trips this summer. It was written that I would spend the summer at home.
It felt like an eternity had gone by when it was one o'clock in the afternoon. Mother phoned the hospital.
"Yes. You can come and see her now." Dad's voice had changed, and mother could sense something had gone deathly wrong. We left immediately.
Where was that avenue I used to travel and thought was so short? Why was it so very long now? Where was the cherished crowd and traffic that would give me a chance to gaze left and right? Everyone, just move out of our way!
Mother was shaking her head in her hands crying as she made du'a for her Noorah. We arrived at the hospital’s main entrance. One man was moaning, while another was involved in an accident. A third man’s eyes were iced. You couldn’t tell if he was dead or alive.
Noorah was in intensive care. We skipped stairs to her floor. The nurse approached us. "Let me take you to her."
As we walked down the aisles the nurse went on expressing how sweet of a girl Noorah was. She somewhat reassured Mother that Noorah’s condition had gotten better than what it was in the morning. "Sorry. No more than one visitor at a time,” the nurse said.
This was the intensive care unit. Past the flurry white robes, through the small window in the door, I caught my sister’s eyes. Mother was standing beside her. After about two minutes, mother came out unable to control her crying. "You may enter and say salaam to her on the condition that you do not speak too long," they told me. "Two minutes should be enough."
"How are you Noorah? You were fine last night sister, what happened?"
We held hands; she squeezed harmlessly. "Even now, alhamdulillah, I'm doing fine."
"Alhamdulillah...but...your hands are so cold."
I sat on her bedside and rested my fingers on her knee. She jerked it away. "Sorry, did I hurt you?"
"No, it is just that I remembered Allah's words.”
Waltafatul saaqu bil saaq (One leg will be wrapped to the other leg [in the death shroud]).
"Hanan pray for me. I may be meeting the first day of the Hereafter very soon. It’s a long journey and I haven't prepared enough good deeds in my suitcase."
A tear escaped my eye and ran down my cheek at her words. I cried and she joined me. The room blurred away and left us two sisters to cry together. Rivulets of tears splashed down on my sister’s palm, which I held with both hands. Dad was now becoming more worried about me. I've never cried like that before.
At home and upstairs in my room, I watched the sun pass away with a sorrowful day. Silence mingled in our corridors. One after another, my cousins came in my room. The visitors were many and all the voices from downstairs stirred together. Only one thing was clear at that point – Noorah had died!
I stopped distinguishing who came and who went. I couldn't remember what they said. O Allah, where was I? What was going on? I couldn't even cry anymore.
Later that week they told me what had happened. Dad had taken my hand to say goodbye to my sister for the last time. I had kissed Noorah's head.
I remember only one thing while seeing her spread on that bed – the bed that she was going to die on. I remembered the verse she recited:
One leg will be wrapped to the other leg (in the death shroud).
And I knew too well the truth of the next verse:
The drive on that day will be to your Lord (Allah)!
I tiptoed into her prayer room that night. Staring at the quiet dressers and silenced mirrors, I treasured the person that had shared my mother's stomach with me. Noorah was my twin sister.
I remembered who I had swapped sorrows with, who comforted my rainy days. I remembered who prayed for my guidance and who spent so many tears for many long nights telling me about death and accountability. May Allah save us all.
Tonight is Noorah's first night that she shall spend in her tomb. O Allah, have mercy on her and illumine her grave. This was her Qur'an and her prayer mat. And this was the spring, rose-colored dress that she told me she would hide until she got married; the dress she wanted to keep just for her husband.
I remembered my sister and cried over all the days that I had lost. I prayed to Allah to have mercy on me, accept me and forgive me. I prayed to Allah to keep her firm in her grave as she always liked to mention in her supplications.
At that moment, I stopped. I asked myself what if it was I who had died. Where would I be moving on to? Fear pressed me and the tears began all over again.
“Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar…” The first adhan rose softly from the masjid. It sounded so beautiful this time. I felt calm and relaxed as I repeated the mu’adhin’s call. I wrapped the shawl around my shoulders and stood to pray Fajr. I prayed as if it was my last prayer, a farewell prayer, just like Noorah had done yesterday. It had been her last Fajr.
Now, and in sha Allah for the rest of my life, if I awake in the morning I do not count on being alive by evening, and in the evening I do not count on being alive by morning. We are all going on Noorah's journey. What have we prepared for it?
Friday, August 26, 2011
The Power of Belief in Allaah and the eventual ending of kufr and shirk!
THE POWER OF BELIEF IN ALLAAH, AND THE TRUE WEAKNESS OF SHIRK AND DISBELIEF IN ALLAAH!!
assalamu alaikum all!
I wanted us to ponder the following ayaat from the book of ALLAAH, for they are indeed a reminder and lesson for us. The following verses are from surat al Kahf, and is the story of 2 men who were neighbors. One, being a muslim and beleiver in Allaah, and the other a disbeliever who associated partners with Allaah.
Allaah (azza wa jall) says:
۞ وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلاً۬ رَّجُلَيۡنِ جَعَلۡنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيۡنِ مِنۡ أَعۡنَـٰبٍ۬ وَحَفَفۡنَـٰهُمَا بِنَخۡلٍ۬ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُمَا زَرۡعً۬ا (٣٢) كِلۡتَا
ٱلۡجَنَّتَيۡنِ ءَاتَتۡ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمۡ تَظۡلِم مِّنۡهُ شَيۡـًٔ۬اۚ وَفَجَّرۡنَا خِلَـٰلَهُمَا نَہَرً۬ا (٣٣) وَكَانَ لَهُ ۥ ثَمَرٌ۬ فَقَالَ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ ۥۤ أَنَا۟ أَكۡثَرُ مِنكَ مَالاً۬ وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرً۬ا (٣٤) وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ ۥ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ۬ لِّنَفۡسِهِۦ قَالَ مَآ أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَـٰذِهِۦۤ أَبَدً۬ا (٣٥) وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآٮِٕمَةً۬ وَلَٮِٕن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّى لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيۡرً۬ا مِّنۡهَا مُنقَلَبً۬ا (٣٦) قَالَ لَهُ ۥ صَاحِبُهُ ۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ ۥۤ أَكَفَرۡتَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ۬ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ۬ ثُمَّ سَوَّٮٰكَ رَجُلاً۬ (٣٧) لَّـٰكِنَّا۟ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ رَبِّى وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدً۬ا (٣٨) وَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ دَخَلۡتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلۡتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۟ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالاً۬ وَوَلَدً۬ا (٣٩) فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّىٓ أَن يُؤۡتِيَنِ خَيۡرً۬ا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡہَا حُسۡبَانً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتُصۡبِحَ صَعِيدً۬ا زَلَقًا (٤٠) أَوۡ يُصۡبِحَ مَآؤُهَا غَوۡرً۬ا فَلَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ لَهُ ۥ طَلَبً۬ا (٤١) وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصۡبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيۡهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيہَا وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِہَا وَيَقُولُ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى لَمۡ أُشۡرِكۡ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدً۬ا (٤٢) وَلَمۡ تَكُن لَّهُ ۥ فِئَةٌ۬ يَنصُرُونَهُ ۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا (٤٣) هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡوَلَـٰيَةُ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ هُوَ خَيۡرٌ۬ ثَوَابً۬ا وَخَيۡرٌ عُقۡبً۬ا (٤٤)
meaning:
And put forward to them the example of two men; unto one of them We had given two gardens of grapes, and We had surrounded both with date-palms; and had put between them green crops (cultivated fields). (32) Each of those two gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein, and We caused a river to gush forth in the midst of them. (33) And he had property (or fruit) and he said to his companion, in the course of mutual talk: I am more than you in wealth and stronger in respect of men." [See Tafsir Qurtubî]. (34) And he went into his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief) unjust to himself. He said: "I think not that this will ever perish. (35) "And I think not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely shall find better than this when I return to Him." (36) His companion said to him, during the talk with him: "Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you out of dust (i.e. your father Adam), then out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned you into a man? (37) "But as for my part (I believe) that He is Allâh, my Lord and none shall I associate as partner with my Lord. (38) It was better for you to say, when you entered your garden: 'That which Allâh wills (will come to pass)! There is no power but with Allâh[] '. If you see me less than you in wealth, and children. (39) "It may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and will send on it Husbân (torment, bolt) from the sky, then it will be a slippery earth (40) "Or the water thereof (of the gardens) becomes deep-sunken (underground) so that you will never be able to seek it." (41) So his fruits were encircled (with ruin). And he remained clapping his hands (with sorrow) over what he had spent upon it, while it was all destroyed on its trellises, he could only say: "Would that I had ascribed no partners to my Lord!" [Tafsir Ibn Kathîr] (42) And he had no group of men to help him against Allâh, nor could he defend (or save) himself. (43) There (on the Day of Resurrection), Al-Walâyah (protection, power, authority and kingdom) will be for Allâh (Alone), the - True God. He (Allâh) is the Best for reward and the Best for the final end. (Lâ ilâha ill-allâh none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh). (44)
Gems from Surat al Kahf 2 series
SURAT AL KAHF(audio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1BNJTQZNpQ&playnext=1&list=PL1498850CCD1CA7FF
assalamu alaikum all!
I wanted us to ponder the following ayaat from the book of ALLAAH, for they are indeed a reminder and lesson for us. The following verses are from surat al Kahf, and is the story of 2 men who were neighbors. One, being a muslim and beleiver in Allaah, and the other a disbeliever who associated partners with Allaah.
Allaah (azza wa jall) says:
۞ وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلاً۬ رَّجُلَيۡنِ جَعَلۡنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيۡنِ مِنۡ أَعۡنَـٰبٍ۬ وَحَفَفۡنَـٰهُمَا بِنَخۡلٍ۬ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُمَا زَرۡعً۬ا (٣٢) كِلۡتَا
ٱلۡجَنَّتَيۡنِ ءَاتَتۡ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمۡ تَظۡلِم مِّنۡهُ شَيۡـًٔ۬اۚ وَفَجَّرۡنَا خِلَـٰلَهُمَا نَہَرً۬ا (٣٣) وَكَانَ لَهُ ۥ ثَمَرٌ۬ فَقَالَ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ ۥۤ أَنَا۟ أَكۡثَرُ مِنكَ مَالاً۬ وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرً۬ا (٣٤) وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ ۥ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ۬ لِّنَفۡسِهِۦ قَالَ مَآ أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَـٰذِهِۦۤ أَبَدً۬ا (٣٥) وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآٮِٕمَةً۬ وَلَٮِٕن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّى لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيۡرً۬ا مِّنۡهَا مُنقَلَبً۬ا (٣٦) قَالَ لَهُ ۥ صَاحِبُهُ ۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ ۥۤ أَكَفَرۡتَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ۬ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ۬ ثُمَّ سَوَّٮٰكَ رَجُلاً۬ (٣٧) لَّـٰكِنَّا۟ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ رَبِّى وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدً۬ا (٣٨) وَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ دَخَلۡتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلۡتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۟ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالاً۬ وَوَلَدً۬ا (٣٩) فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّىٓ أَن يُؤۡتِيَنِ خَيۡرً۬ا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡہَا حُسۡبَانً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتُصۡبِحَ صَعِيدً۬ا زَلَقًا (٤٠) أَوۡ يُصۡبِحَ مَآؤُهَا غَوۡرً۬ا فَلَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ لَهُ ۥ طَلَبً۬ا (٤١) وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصۡبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيۡهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيہَا وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِہَا وَيَقُولُ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى لَمۡ أُشۡرِكۡ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدً۬ا (٤٢) وَلَمۡ تَكُن لَّهُ ۥ فِئَةٌ۬ يَنصُرُونَهُ ۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا (٤٣) هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡوَلَـٰيَةُ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ هُوَ خَيۡرٌ۬ ثَوَابً۬ا وَخَيۡرٌ عُقۡبً۬ا (٤٤)
meaning:
And put forward to them the example of two men; unto one of them We had given two gardens of grapes, and We had surrounded both with date-palms; and had put between them green crops (cultivated fields). (32) Each of those two gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein, and We caused a river to gush forth in the midst of them. (33) And he had property (or fruit) and he said to his companion, in the course of mutual talk: I am more than you in wealth and stronger in respect of men." [See Tafsir Qurtubî]. (34) And he went into his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief) unjust to himself. He said: "I think not that this will ever perish. (35) "And I think not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely shall find better than this when I return to Him." (36) His companion said to him, during the talk with him: "Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you out of dust (i.e. your father Adam), then out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned you into a man? (37) "But as for my part (I believe) that He is Allâh, my Lord and none shall I associate as partner with my Lord. (38) It was better for you to say, when you entered your garden: 'That which Allâh wills (will come to pass)! There is no power but with Allâh[] '. If you see me less than you in wealth, and children. (39) "It may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and will send on it Husbân (torment, bolt) from the sky, then it will be a slippery earth (40) "Or the water thereof (of the gardens) becomes deep-sunken (underground) so that you will never be able to seek it." (41) So his fruits were encircled (with ruin). And he remained clapping his hands (with sorrow) over what he had spent upon it, while it was all destroyed on its trellises, he could only say: "Would that I had ascribed no partners to my Lord!" [Tafsir Ibn Kathîr] (42) And he had no group of men to help him against Allâh, nor could he defend (or save) himself. (43) There (on the Day of Resurrection), Al-Walâyah (protection, power, authority and kingdom) will be for Allâh (Alone), the - True God. He (Allâh) is the Best for reward and the Best for the final end. (Lâ ilâha ill-allâh none has the right to be worshipped but Allâh). (44)
Gems from Surat al Kahf 2 series
SURAT AL KAHF(audio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1BNJTQZNpQ&playnext=1&list=PL1498850CCD1CA7FF
Friday, August 19, 2011
Ramadhan and the Muslim woman P2
assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
Praise be to Allaah who made us muslims and gave us the true deen, praise be to Him, who sent us Muhammad(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) as His final Messenger.So peace and blessings be upon him, his family, and all those who follow his way.
To proceed:
O Muslim sister last time we mentioned some wonderful acts of worship which the muslimah can engage during this blessed month. We mentioned making duaa to Allaah, recitation of the Quraan, and some manners of making duaa. InshaAllah we will mention some more to you if Allaah wills.
O Muslim sister, this Ramadhan, increase in supererogatory prayers(at-tadawu3), increase in those special extra prayers which your prophet use to pray eventhough Allaah had already forgiven his past and future sins!
Many muslims neglect these sunnah prayers and whenever you tell them how come they dont pray them, their answer is always "well, its just sunnah!" subhanaAllaah! As if the sunnah is unimportant and not to be practiced! O sister, it is important that you increase in extra forms of da'aat(obediences) this Ramadhan. The acts of sunnah only increase in good for you by perfecting any errors you made in your wajibaat. O sister in Islam! Make efforts this ramadhan to catch up with the sunnah of ad-Duhaa! (forenoon prayer, that is prayed in the morning and before duhr comes in, it is prayed in 2,4, 8 rakahs)
Unfortunately, many people cannot even pray this beautiful sunnah because they are sleeping that time!! We need to change our selves sisters, if we want Allaah to rectify our affairs(personal) as well as the ummah, then we need to start with US. The prophet(salaAllaahu alayhi wassalam) never missed these sunnah prayers, and he was the best of Allaah's creation, the leader of the prophets and mankind, so why should we ?!! Why should we, when we are in a more critical state? Have we already been guaranteed jannah and that we have been freed from the hellfire this Ramadhan? NO! Then let us fear Allaah O sister!
O sister there are other sunnah and naafil prayers which you can take advantage of this Ramadhan such as; the 2 rakah before fajr prayer, the 4 rakah sunnah before duhr and the 2 after it, the sunnahs of maghrib and Ishaa. We can also pray the taraweeh at the masjid in the nights of Ramadhan, and there is more.
Another thing which you, O respected sister should focus on and make one of your goals this Ramadhan is, making the qunut in the witr when you pray. Make sure before you sleep that you have made duaa for the muslim ummah in your qunut. We are in the lowest and worst state we have been in since 1400 + years. Do not forget to ask Allaah to guide this ummah, to forgive us adn to have mercy upon us. Do not forget to ask Allaah to give victory and help to the poor oppressed muslims! This is your duty! If you O sister cannot help the ummah, then you can help by not forgetting them from your supplications.
O sister, this Ramadhan make sure to avoid sinning and disobeying your lord. This will be a loss for you. As a muslim, you are suppose to realize not the smallness or bigness of the sin you are commiting but the mightiness and greatness of the one you are disobeying!! How can one, when Ramadhan enters, and the doors of paradise are open, and the doors of jahanam get locked along with the devils, how can one after this insist on committing evil?!! So beware O sister! Remember that your Lord, has the greatest and most severe punishment! And remember that His(ta3alla) mercy is the greatest and encompasses all things.
This Ramadhan, O sister, please beware of and do not your WASTE TIME!! This is the biggest loss in Ramadhan. O sister , Ramadhan is not just staying away from food and drink from dawn till dusk, it is more than that! It is staying away from all bad and obscene acts. A Muslim who fasts during the day but other than that is involved in wasting their time, and perhaps even wasting their fast by backbiting, talking nonsense and useless talk, does not gain anything from their fast.
Abu Hurairah also reported that the Prophet (SalaAllahu alayhiwassalam) said: "Allah does not need the fast of one who does not abandon false speech or acting according to his false speech [Bukhari and others]]
He also reported the Prophet (Saws) as saying: "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allah Mighty and Majestic has no need [i.e. will not accept] that he should leave his food and drink".[Bukhari]
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet(saws) said: "Perhaps a fasting person will get nothing from his fast save hunger, and perhaps the one who stands to pray at night will get nothing from his standing except sleeplessness." [an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and al-Hakim / Sahih al-Jami`]. In another Narration "It may be that a fasting person attains nothing but hunger and thirst from his fasting". [Ibn Majah, Darimi, Ahmad and al-Baihaqee; Sahih]
He(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) also said:
Part of the perfection of one's Islaam is his leaving that which does not concern him.
A Hasan (Good) Hadeeth which was related by at-Tirmidhee and others in this fashion.
O sister in Islaam, instead of engaging in backbiting and useless talk with others, engage yourself in the THIKR OF ALLAAH. Say subhanaAllaah, alhamdulillah, Allaahu akbar 33 times after each salah, say la ilaha illa Allaah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul mulku walahul hamdu wa huwa 'ala kulli shayyin qadeer, say subhanaAllaahi wa bihamdihi subhanaAllaahil atheem, which are rare to say by people but carry so much reward, saying la hawla wa la quwata illa billahil aliyul atheem, which is a treasure from amongst the treasures of al jannah, the morning and evening athkar are also important, the athkaar after salah, before we sleep, when breaking our fast, and more! O sister! There are numerous and beautiful authentic athkaar you can make on a daily basis, so do not forget them especially this Ramadhan!
May Allaah allow us to benefit from this beautiful month, may Allaah make us amongst those who He frees from the hellfire, may Allaah allow us to enter into jannah even if we have to be in the lowest levels of al jannah! O Allaah, help this ummah to get back on its feet, and O Allaah bless to be amongst those who work for you! And our final call and praises are to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds, wassalaAllaahu 'ala nabiyina muhammad, wa 'ala alihi wassilim.
written by Umm Abdullah
Praise be to Allaah who made us muslims and gave us the true deen, praise be to Him, who sent us Muhammad(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) as His final Messenger.So peace and blessings be upon him, his family, and all those who follow his way.
To proceed:
O Muslim sister last time we mentioned some wonderful acts of worship which the muslimah can engage during this blessed month. We mentioned making duaa to Allaah, recitation of the Quraan, and some manners of making duaa. InshaAllah we will mention some more to you if Allaah wills.
O Muslim sister, this Ramadhan, increase in supererogatory prayers(at-tadawu3), increase in those special extra prayers which your prophet use to pray eventhough Allaah had already forgiven his past and future sins!
Many muslims neglect these sunnah prayers and whenever you tell them how come they dont pray them, their answer is always "well, its just sunnah!" subhanaAllaah! As if the sunnah is unimportant and not to be practiced! O sister, it is important that you increase in extra forms of da'aat(obediences) this Ramadhan. The acts of sunnah only increase in good for you by perfecting any errors you made in your wajibaat. O sister in Islam! Make efforts this ramadhan to catch up with the sunnah of ad-Duhaa! (forenoon prayer, that is prayed in the morning and before duhr comes in, it is prayed in 2,4, 8 rakahs)
Unfortunately, many people cannot even pray this beautiful sunnah because they are sleeping that time!! We need to change our selves sisters, if we want Allaah to rectify our affairs(personal) as well as the ummah, then we need to start with US. The prophet(salaAllaahu alayhi wassalam) never missed these sunnah prayers, and he was the best of Allaah's creation, the leader of the prophets and mankind, so why should we ?!! Why should we, when we are in a more critical state? Have we already been guaranteed jannah and that we have been freed from the hellfire this Ramadhan? NO! Then let us fear Allaah O sister!
O sister there are other sunnah and naafil prayers which you can take advantage of this Ramadhan such as; the 2 rakah before fajr prayer, the 4 rakah sunnah before duhr and the 2 after it, the sunnahs of maghrib and Ishaa. We can also pray the taraweeh at the masjid in the nights of Ramadhan, and there is more.
Another thing which you, O respected sister should focus on and make one of your goals this Ramadhan is, making the qunut in the witr when you pray. Make sure before you sleep that you have made duaa for the muslim ummah in your qunut. We are in the lowest and worst state we have been in since 1400 + years. Do not forget to ask Allaah to guide this ummah, to forgive us adn to have mercy upon us. Do not forget to ask Allaah to give victory and help to the poor oppressed muslims! This is your duty! If you O sister cannot help the ummah, then you can help by not forgetting them from your supplications.
O sister, this Ramadhan make sure to avoid sinning and disobeying your lord. This will be a loss for you. As a muslim, you are suppose to realize not the smallness or bigness of the sin you are commiting but the mightiness and greatness of the one you are disobeying!! How can one, when Ramadhan enters, and the doors of paradise are open, and the doors of jahanam get locked along with the devils, how can one after this insist on committing evil?!! So beware O sister! Remember that your Lord, has the greatest and most severe punishment! And remember that His(ta3alla) mercy is the greatest and encompasses all things.
This Ramadhan, O sister, please beware of and do not your WASTE TIME!! This is the biggest loss in Ramadhan. O sister , Ramadhan is not just staying away from food and drink from dawn till dusk, it is more than that! It is staying away from all bad and obscene acts. A Muslim who fasts during the day but other than that is involved in wasting their time, and perhaps even wasting their fast by backbiting, talking nonsense and useless talk, does not gain anything from their fast.
Abu Hurairah also reported that the Prophet (SalaAllahu alayhiwassalam) said: "Allah does not need the fast of one who does not abandon false speech or acting according to his false speech [Bukhari and others]]
He also reported the Prophet (Saws) as saying: "Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allah Mighty and Majestic has no need [i.e. will not accept] that he should leave his food and drink".[Bukhari]
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet(saws) said: "Perhaps a fasting person will get nothing from his fast save hunger, and perhaps the one who stands to pray at night will get nothing from his standing except sleeplessness." [an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and al-Hakim / Sahih al-Jami`]. In another Narration "It may be that a fasting person attains nothing but hunger and thirst from his fasting". [Ibn Majah, Darimi, Ahmad and al-Baihaqee; Sahih]
He(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) also said:
Part of the perfection of one's Islaam is his leaving that which does not concern him.
A Hasan (Good) Hadeeth which was related by at-Tirmidhee and others in this fashion.
O sister in Islaam, instead of engaging in backbiting and useless talk with others, engage yourself in the THIKR OF ALLAAH. Say subhanaAllaah, alhamdulillah, Allaahu akbar 33 times after each salah, say la ilaha illa Allaah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahul mulku walahul hamdu wa huwa 'ala kulli shayyin qadeer, say subhanaAllaahi wa bihamdihi subhanaAllaahil atheem, which are rare to say by people but carry so much reward, saying la hawla wa la quwata illa billahil aliyul atheem, which is a treasure from amongst the treasures of al jannah, the morning and evening athkar are also important, the athkaar after salah, before we sleep, when breaking our fast, and more! O sister! There are numerous and beautiful authentic athkaar you can make on a daily basis, so do not forget them especially this Ramadhan!
May Allaah allow us to benefit from this beautiful month, may Allaah make us amongst those who He frees from the hellfire, may Allaah allow us to enter into jannah even if we have to be in the lowest levels of al jannah! O Allaah, help this ummah to get back on its feet, and O Allaah bless to be amongst those who work for you! And our final call and praises are to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds, wassalaAllaahu 'ala nabiyina muhammad, wa 'ala alihi wassilim.
written by Umm Abdullah
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The Muslim woman and Ramadhan
assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,
All praise is due to Allaah, the one who raised the heavens without any pillars, the Creator and lord of all things, and may peace and blessings be upon the leader of mankind, the final messenger, and prophet, salaAllahu alayhi wassalam and his blessed family and companions and all those who follow his way until the day of judgment:
To Proceed:
O Muslim sisters, as we know, Ramadhan is the month of Allaah, a special month, in which Allaah bestowed his mercy on this ummah when He chose Muhammad ibn Abdillah (salaAllaahu alayhi wassalam) to be His last and final Messenger, the month in which the first verses of the Quraan were revealed, as Allaah (ta3alla)says:
"...It was the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was [first] bestowed from on high as a guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false. Hence, whoever of you lives to see this month shall fast throughout it; but he that is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days. God wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to suffer hardship; but [He desires] that you complete the number [of days required], and that you extol God for His having guided you aright, and that you render your thanks [unto Him].”
In this blessed month, we are to be more careful in what we do than in other months. Why? Because as soon as Ramadhan enters, the gates of al jannah are flung open and the gates of hellfire are locked, and the devils are chained up as our prophet said:
« إذا دخل رمضان فتحت أبواب الجنة، وغلقت أبواب جهنم، وسلسلت الشياطين » رواه البخاري، ومسلم
The Prophet(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) said: " When Ramadan enters, the doors of paradise are open and the doors of hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained up." (al Bukhari and Muslim)
What mercy and graciousness from Almighty Allaah!! O muslim sister, know and realize that after realizing this wonderful oppurtunity, Ramadhan is not just a month where you must cook for hours in preparing iftaar for the family and making all these exquisite and extravagant dishes. NO! This is but a waste of time, if no acts of worship occupy some of your time.
O sister in Islaam!! This ramadhan, increase in duaa to Allaah! Turn to Allaah, beg Allaah, plead and humble yourself before your lord. No one can stand between you and Allaah! Allaah has ordered us to make duaa to Him:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islâmic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islâmic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!"
The prophet (salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) also said in the famous hadith that "ad-Duaa is worship" So after this, how could you O sister resist from turning to your lord in prayer and supplication!!! It is an utter disgrace and humiliation that many Muslims now, whenever they are faced with a problem, try to fix it and go through all these means, but forget to turn to Allaah and ask Him for his assistance, when he is the fixer of all problems and the knower of all things. Glory be to Him, Lord of al-Alameen!!
Know O muslim sister, may Allaah forgive me and you that, there are manners and ettiquttes when making duaa. Ask Allaah and supplicate to him using his names and attributes, say " ya Rahmaan, ya Raheem...Ya Ghafaar, ya Ghafur, Ya Jabaar, ya Rabb al Alameen..!!!" Sending salah and salam on the prophet (salaAllaahu alayhi wassalam )is also important especially at the end of the duaa, it is important that you have yaqeen or certainty when making duaa to Allaah and not doubting the duaa and Allaah, for this is a great loss! Allaah is capable of all things, nothing is hard for Him so nothing is impossible for him! Allaah created you and He knew what you needed and what you will need!
There are other manners when supplicating to Allaah. This beneficial book explains other important points:
http://tawheednyc.com/ibaadah/dua/mannersofdua.pdf
Another important thing to do this Ramadhan, is increasing in reading the Quraan. The book of Allaah! Have you ever wondered and asked yourself honestly, when was the last time you took the book of Allaah between your hands and read?!! O sister! Are you not afraid of Allaah's anger and curse on you at the fact that you can sit hours in front of the devil TV, or spend hours listening to music and your favorite singer, and all the latest hits of the season, while you cannot sit and spend a few minutes reading the glorious verses?!!! what a loss and disaster! And yet we ask Allaah to rectify our affairs and to give us victory! Allaah will not give His victory and to a people who have neglected His book and deen!! This is the reality.
Has a lock and seal been placed over our hearts when we cannot read or even think about Allaah's words? Allaah, Most High, Says in the Quran (what means):
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا
meaning:
Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'ân, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?
May Allaah have mercy on Ummar ibn al Khataab(radiaAllahu anhu) when he said:
“Verily Allaah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it”
to be cont'd inshaAllaah...
All praise is due to Allaah, the one who raised the heavens without any pillars, the Creator and lord of all things, and may peace and blessings be upon the leader of mankind, the final messenger, and prophet, salaAllahu alayhi wassalam and his blessed family and companions and all those who follow his way until the day of judgment:
To Proceed:
O Muslim sisters, as we know, Ramadhan is the month of Allaah, a special month, in which Allaah bestowed his mercy on this ummah when He chose Muhammad ibn Abdillah (salaAllaahu alayhi wassalam) to be His last and final Messenger, the month in which the first verses of the Quraan were revealed, as Allaah (ta3alla)says:
"...It was the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was [first] bestowed from on high as a guidance unto man and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false. Hence, whoever of you lives to see this month shall fast throughout it; but he that is ill, or on a journey, [shall fast instead for the same] number of other days. God wills that you shall have ease, and does not will you to suffer hardship; but [He desires] that you complete the number [of days required], and that you extol God for His having guided you aright, and that you render your thanks [unto Him].”
In this blessed month, we are to be more careful in what we do than in other months. Why? Because as soon as Ramadhan enters, the gates of al jannah are flung open and the gates of hellfire are locked, and the devils are chained up as our prophet said:
« إذا دخل رمضان فتحت أبواب الجنة، وغلقت أبواب جهنم، وسلسلت الشياطين » رواه البخاري، ومسلم
The Prophet(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) said: " When Ramadan enters, the doors of paradise are open and the doors of hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained up." (al Bukhari and Muslim)
What mercy and graciousness from Almighty Allaah!! O muslim sister, know and realize that after realizing this wonderful oppurtunity, Ramadhan is not just a month where you must cook for hours in preparing iftaar for the family and making all these exquisite and extravagant dishes. NO! This is but a waste of time, if no acts of worship occupy some of your time.
O sister in Islaam!! This ramadhan, increase in duaa to Allaah! Turn to Allaah, beg Allaah, plead and humble yourself before your lord. No one can stand between you and Allaah! Allaah has ordered us to make duaa to Him:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islâmic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islâmic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!"
The prophet (salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) also said in the famous hadith that "ad-Duaa is worship" So after this, how could you O sister resist from turning to your lord in prayer and supplication!!! It is an utter disgrace and humiliation that many Muslims now, whenever they are faced with a problem, try to fix it and go through all these means, but forget to turn to Allaah and ask Him for his assistance, when he is the fixer of all problems and the knower of all things. Glory be to Him, Lord of al-Alameen!!
Know O muslim sister, may Allaah forgive me and you that, there are manners and ettiquttes when making duaa. Ask Allaah and supplicate to him using his names and attributes, say " ya Rahmaan, ya Raheem...Ya Ghafaar, ya Ghafur, Ya Jabaar, ya Rabb al Alameen..!!!" Sending salah and salam on the prophet (salaAllaahu alayhi wassalam )is also important especially at the end of the duaa, it is important that you have yaqeen or certainty when making duaa to Allaah and not doubting the duaa and Allaah, for this is a great loss! Allaah is capable of all things, nothing is hard for Him so nothing is impossible for him! Allaah created you and He knew what you needed and what you will need!
There are other manners when supplicating to Allaah. This beneficial book explains other important points:
http://tawheednyc.com/ibaadah/dua/mannersofdua.pdf
Another important thing to do this Ramadhan, is increasing in reading the Quraan. The book of Allaah! Have you ever wondered and asked yourself honestly, when was the last time you took the book of Allaah between your hands and read?!! O sister! Are you not afraid of Allaah's anger and curse on you at the fact that you can sit hours in front of the devil TV, or spend hours listening to music and your favorite singer, and all the latest hits of the season, while you cannot sit and spend a few minutes reading the glorious verses?!!! what a loss and disaster! And yet we ask Allaah to rectify our affairs and to give us victory! Allaah will not give His victory and to a people who have neglected His book and deen!! This is the reality.
Has a lock and seal been placed over our hearts when we cannot read or even think about Allaah's words? Allaah, Most High, Says in the Quran (what means):
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا
meaning:
Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'ân, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?
May Allaah have mercy on Ummar ibn al Khataab(radiaAllahu anhu) when he said:
“Verily Allaah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it”
to be cont'd inshaAllaah...
"From the manners of the Prophets...."
assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,
it was narrated on the authority of Abu ad-Dardaa(radiaAllahu anhu) that he said:
Allaah's Messengers(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) said:
"3 are from the akhlaaq of the prophets:
1.hastening in the iftaar or breaking of the fast.
2.delaying the suhur or pre-dawn meal.
3, and placing the right hand over the left hand in the salah."
[reported by at-Tabarani in "al-Kabeer" in a marfu3 mawquf sahih way, it is authentic.]
MEANING of the Hadith:
Allaah has given the prophets and messengers with high akhlaaq, they were the highest example in chastity and generousity and in humbleness , patience , courage, and hastening towards the good.And there came in this narration 3 matters from their akhlaaq:
FIRST: hastening in the iftaar:
They would hasten to break the fast when its time came just like they would hasten to fast when its time came.
SECOND: delaying the suhur:
it is also another praiseworthy act of the prophets, and this is done so, because for the one who delays his suhur, then his whole day he is active and strong.
THIRD: placing the right hand over the left in Salah:
another beautiful mannerism of the prophets, which shows humbleness, tranquility, submitting oneself to Allaah ta3alla.
WHAT CAN BE TAKEN FROM THE HADITH:
1. the virtue of hastening in the iftaar and delaying the suhur
2.the virtue of placing the right hand over the left in salah and that it is sunnah.
taken from the book "40 Hadeeth-each hadith relating to 3 matters" written by sh. Saalih as-Sadlan
Umm Abdullah
it was narrated on the authority of Abu ad-Dardaa(radiaAllahu anhu) that he said:
Allaah's Messengers(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) said:
"3 are from the akhlaaq of the prophets:
1.hastening in the iftaar or breaking of the fast.
2.delaying the suhur or pre-dawn meal.
3, and placing the right hand over the left hand in the salah."
[reported by at-Tabarani in "al-Kabeer" in a marfu3 mawquf sahih way, it is authentic.]
MEANING of the Hadith:
Allaah has given the prophets and messengers with high akhlaaq, they were the highest example in chastity and generousity and in humbleness , patience , courage, and hastening towards the good.And there came in this narration 3 matters from their akhlaaq:
FIRST: hastening in the iftaar:
They would hasten to break the fast when its time came just like they would hasten to fast when its time came.
SECOND: delaying the suhur:
it is also another praiseworthy act of the prophets, and this is done so, because for the one who delays his suhur, then his whole day he is active and strong.
THIRD: placing the right hand over the left in Salah:
another beautiful mannerism of the prophets, which shows humbleness, tranquility, submitting oneself to Allaah ta3alla.
WHAT CAN BE TAKEN FROM THE HADITH:
1. the virtue of hastening in the iftaar and delaying the suhur
2.the virtue of placing the right hand over the left in salah and that it is sunnah.
taken from the book "40 Hadeeth-each hadith relating to 3 matters" written by sh. Saalih as-Sadlan
Umm Abdullah
Friday, May 27, 2011
Amongst the Greatest Losses...
assalamu alaikum
Ibn Qayyim(rahimahullah) said:
“Know that the greatest of losses is for you to be preoccupied with one who will bring you nothing but a loss in your time with Allah – the Mighty and Majestic – and being cut off from Him; wasting your time with the person, a weakening of your energy, and the dispersing of your resolve. So, if you are tested with this – and you must be tested with this – deal with him according to how Allah would wish, and be patient with him as much as possible. Get closer to Allah and His Pleasure by way of this person, and make your getting together with him something to benefit from, not something to incur a loss from. Be with him as if you are a man who is on a road who was stopped by another man, who then asks you to take him on your journey. Make sure that you are the one who gives him a ride, and that he is not the one giving you the ride. If he refuses, and there is nothing to gain from travelling with him, do not stop for him, bid him farewell, and do not even turn back to look at him, as he is a highway robber, regardless of who he really is.
So, save your heart, be wary of how you spend your days and nights, and do not let the Sun set before you arrive at your destination.”
{‘al-Wabil as-Sayyib‘}
Ibn Qayyim(rahimahullah) said:
“Know that the greatest of losses is for you to be preoccupied with one who will bring you nothing but a loss in your time with Allah – the Mighty and Majestic – and being cut off from Him; wasting your time with the person, a weakening of your energy, and the dispersing of your resolve. So, if you are tested with this – and you must be tested with this – deal with him according to how Allah would wish, and be patient with him as much as possible. Get closer to Allah and His Pleasure by way of this person, and make your getting together with him something to benefit from, not something to incur a loss from. Be with him as if you are a man who is on a road who was stopped by another man, who then asks you to take him on your journey. Make sure that you are the one who gives him a ride, and that he is not the one giving you the ride. If he refuses, and there is nothing to gain from travelling with him, do not stop for him, bid him farewell, and do not even turn back to look at him, as he is a highway robber, regardless of who he really is.
So, save your heart, be wary of how you spend your days and nights, and do not let the Sun set before you arrive at your destination.”
{‘al-Wabil as-Sayyib‘}
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Practicing the Deen....is it hard?
Assalamu alaikum,
Some people say Islam is hard to practice or there is too much to do or we are in difficult times where Islam is hard to practice. I have pesonally heard this. We need to realize and know that Allah is not Unjust and unfair. Allah created us for one sole purpose and that is to worship Him. Allah says in several places in His noble book that DO YOU THINK YOU WERE CREATED JUST FOR FUN? Just to party, enjoy yourself and live life to the "fullest" as some ignorant people now say??
NEVER!! By Allah, who raised the skies without any pillars, we are not here for any of these things except for one clarified purpose! Many muslims, in fact any Muslim who reads the Quran, listens to lectures, has some knowledge, must have heard the verse:
And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).(ath-Thaariyat:56)
However, how many of us actually live this verse? How many of us actually contemplate our state and ask, " am I worshiping Allah? Am I fulfilling this verse?"
Its so amazing how you will not hear a muslim actually say practicing the deen is tough but many of us say this by how we live, behave, and dress. To be honest, Allah's deen is the most easy and flexible. How dare any Muslim say that practicing Islam is difficult or hard when Allah Almighty said so many times that he does not burden a soul more than it can bear!??! Allah is the most Just. He doesnt oppress any one.
Allah says:
And Allah wills no injustice for (His) slaves.(surah al Ghaafir:31)
No one can come on judgment day, disbeliever or believer and say "O ALLAH, you have oppressed me!" In fact, most of the regretful people on that day will be asking or rather, be BEGGING, Allah for a second chance, as they have nothing else to ask for or say.
I think its high time that we realize that we are the ones who need to CHANGEE for Islam, not Islam itself. The religion of Allah is complete and perfect. No doubt about it. Its very amazing that in Islam, a person is required to do as much good(obligations, acts of worship)as they CAN. So how is this unfair?!!There is no overburdening someone or making things difficult on them. Allah is truly the Most Merciful. Didnt Allah say:
So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can(at-Taghabun:16)
Allah didnt say to fear Him and thats it but Allah out of his mercy said AS MUCH AS YOU CAN! A person can be in a situation where they cannot pray so they are excused to another alternative, a person is excused from performing hajj if they do not have the means of travelling and wealth. imagine if we were ordered to make hajj regardless of our situations!? How merciful is the Most High!
On the authority of Abu Hurairah 'Abd-ur-Rahmaan ibn Sakhr (radiAllaahu 'anhu) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayi wa sallam) say:
"What I have forbidden for you, avoid. What I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you can. For verily, it was only the excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their Prophets that destroyed [the nations] who were before you".
[Related by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
Look carefully at the bolded parts of this hadith. What is the beloved Messenger saying? Whatever is haraam or made haram by Allah and His Messenger then STAY AWAY from it period!! subhnaAllah! How many Muslims have not only stopped practicing the obligations but with that, indulge in the forbidden!! It would have been a less evil situation to stop practicing but without getting involved in the haram.
Wallahi, Allah will not have mercy on this ummah until we WAKE up and return to back to our deen! Many ignorant muslims always point fingers at the kuffar, whenever Muslims are in the media or when bad things happen to the ummah around the globe. For example, when we see what is happening to the Muslims in Palestine, every Muslim's heart aches and blood boils and we just get fired up and wish to do something.But yet what amazes me more is how we wish to help change the situation without even looking to change our ownselves first. Honestly, did we think this deen is that cheap and helpless...
How many of us actually think of this when Allah says:
Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves(surah ar-Ra'ad:11)
Indeed the purchase of Allah is expensive, indeed the purchase of Allah is expensive! It is paradise and let me tell you that paradise is not FREE!! You have to pay the price to enter it. No one goes to jannah for free and thats why the more sacrifice and trouble one goes through for the sake of Allah, the higher their level in paradise is.
So please brothers and sisters, next time the thought of "practicing the deen is difficult or tough" comes into our mind, let us instead say that we are the ones being difficult and we need to change ourselves and only then will Allah the Most High help us and give us victory.
by Umm Abdullah
Some people say Islam is hard to practice or there is too much to do or we are in difficult times where Islam is hard to practice. I have pesonally heard this. We need to realize and know that Allah is not Unjust and unfair. Allah created us for one sole purpose and that is to worship Him. Allah says in several places in His noble book that DO YOU THINK YOU WERE CREATED JUST FOR FUN? Just to party, enjoy yourself and live life to the "fullest" as some ignorant people now say??
NEVER!! By Allah, who raised the skies without any pillars, we are not here for any of these things except for one clarified purpose! Many muslims, in fact any Muslim who reads the Quran, listens to lectures, has some knowledge, must have heard the verse:
And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).(ath-Thaariyat:56)
However, how many of us actually live this verse? How many of us actually contemplate our state and ask, " am I worshiping Allah? Am I fulfilling this verse?"
Its so amazing how you will not hear a muslim actually say practicing the deen is tough but many of us say this by how we live, behave, and dress. To be honest, Allah's deen is the most easy and flexible. How dare any Muslim say that practicing Islam is difficult or hard when Allah Almighty said so many times that he does not burden a soul more than it can bear!??! Allah is the most Just. He doesnt oppress any one.
Allah says:
And Allah wills no injustice for (His) slaves.(surah al Ghaafir:31)
No one can come on judgment day, disbeliever or believer and say "O ALLAH, you have oppressed me!" In fact, most of the regretful people on that day will be asking or rather, be BEGGING, Allah for a second chance, as they have nothing else to ask for or say.
I think its high time that we realize that we are the ones who need to CHANGEE for Islam, not Islam itself. The religion of Allah is complete and perfect. No doubt about it. Its very amazing that in Islam, a person is required to do as much good(obligations, acts of worship)as they CAN. So how is this unfair?!!There is no overburdening someone or making things difficult on them. Allah is truly the Most Merciful. Didnt Allah say:
So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can(at-Taghabun:16)
Allah didnt say to fear Him and thats it but Allah out of his mercy said AS MUCH AS YOU CAN! A person can be in a situation where they cannot pray so they are excused to another alternative, a person is excused from performing hajj if they do not have the means of travelling and wealth. imagine if we were ordered to make hajj regardless of our situations!? How merciful is the Most High!
On the authority of Abu Hurairah 'Abd-ur-Rahmaan ibn Sakhr (radiAllaahu 'anhu) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayi wa sallam) say:
"What I have forbidden for you, avoid. What I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you can. For verily, it was only the excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their Prophets that destroyed [the nations] who were before you".
[Related by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]
Look carefully at the bolded parts of this hadith. What is the beloved Messenger saying? Whatever is haraam or made haram by Allah and His Messenger then STAY AWAY from it period!! subhnaAllah! How many Muslims have not only stopped practicing the obligations but with that, indulge in the forbidden!! It would have been a less evil situation to stop practicing but without getting involved in the haram.
Wallahi, Allah will not have mercy on this ummah until we WAKE up and return to back to our deen! Many ignorant muslims always point fingers at the kuffar, whenever Muslims are in the media or when bad things happen to the ummah around the globe. For example, when we see what is happening to the Muslims in Palestine, every Muslim's heart aches and blood boils and we just get fired up and wish to do something.But yet what amazes me more is how we wish to help change the situation without even looking to change our ownselves first. Honestly, did we think this deen is that cheap and helpless...
How many of us actually think of this when Allah says:
Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves(surah ar-Ra'ad:11)
Indeed the purchase of Allah is expensive, indeed the purchase of Allah is expensive! It is paradise and let me tell you that paradise is not FREE!! You have to pay the price to enter it. No one goes to jannah for free and thats why the more sacrifice and trouble one goes through for the sake of Allah, the higher their level in paradise is.
So please brothers and sisters, next time the thought of "practicing the deen is difficult or tough" comes into our mind, let us instead say that we are the ones being difficult and we need to change ourselves and only then will Allah the Most High help us and give us victory.
by Umm Abdullah
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
"One Day those who disbelieved will wish they were Muslims"PART 2
assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,
previously, we talked about how Allaah(azza wa jall) told us that one day the disbelieving people will REGRET the kufr and waste of time they did in this world and deny that they had any accomplishments in life when they see the reality beyond death. I want to share a sad and amazing story based on this verse exactly. Many of us have probably read it or heard it before but as Allaah said in His book that remembrance and telling stories benefit the people.
Imam ibn Qayyim al Jawzi relates in his works, the story of a Muslim man named Abd ibn AbdurRaheem. He was a mujahid during the early muslim generations after the sahabah. He was also a haafidh(memorizer) of the Quran and a somewhat student of knowledge. This man was someone who amazed the people due to his life of jihaad and level of knowledge. In this time, the Muslims were waging war and battles against the Romans and it so happened that one day the Muslims encountered the Romans in one of the cities. The muslims besieged the city and the fort of the kuffar, so they were totally surrounded. As this man was going around, he saw from one of the balconies of the fort, a beautiful woman looking out with a sad expression. He completely froze and just fell head over heels for this lady. So he began to correspond with this shaytana, may Allah not make us slaves of our desires, because once your desires become your master, know that you have lost paradise. They talked and the more they talked, he fell more in love with her. While, his brothers were out there fighting and getting injured and killed for Allaahs word to be the highest, and here is their old pal, the haafidh, the student of knowledge conversing with the enemy's woman folk! wa subhnaAllah! He, eventually asked her how he can come in to see her, she said, "you cant." He inquired, "why not?" and she replied,"you have to become a christian to enter." So what did he do? He abandoned the truth which turned the sahabah(may Allah be pleased with them) from being alcoholics, pagans, womanizers, and every bad thing to becoming the conquerors of Persia and Arabia. Later on, the city was taken by the Muslims and years passed by. One day, some of his old Muslim friends ran into him in the marketplace and they talked. He looked somewhat differently, dressing not as his old self,with a cross hanging from his neck. They asked,"Oh so and so what happened to you? You use to be a mujahid haafidh of the Quran student of knowledge, our brother? What happened to your quran, hadith, and etc?" He said, " Oh, I forgot all of that! Now I am married, I have a family." He then said that he forgot all of Quran except the following verses where Allaah(azza wa jall) says:
رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ لَوۡ كَانُواْ مُسۡلِمِينَ (٢) ذَرۡهُمۡ يَأۡڪُلُواْ وَيَتَمَتَّعُواْ وَيُلۡهِهِمُ ٱلۡأَمَلُۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ (٣)
"Perhaps (often) will those who disbelieve wish that they were Muslims [those who have submitted themselves to Allah's Will in Islam Islamic Monotheism, this will be on the Day of Resurrection when they will see the disbelievers going to Hell and the Muslims going to Paradise].Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be preoccupied with (false) hope. They will come to know!"(Surah al Hijr:2-3)
So choose now, O Muslim(a), what are you? A slave of Allah or a slave to your desires which in turn are workers for the accursed shaytan?? make the decision before a day comes when the decision for your final destination will be judged.
And Allah is the Turner of the Hearts and the one who guides.
previously, we talked about how Allaah(azza wa jall) told us that one day the disbelieving people will REGRET the kufr and waste of time they did in this world and deny that they had any accomplishments in life when they see the reality beyond death. I want to share a sad and amazing story based on this verse exactly. Many of us have probably read it or heard it before but as Allaah said in His book that remembrance and telling stories benefit the people.
Imam ibn Qayyim al Jawzi relates in his works, the story of a Muslim man named Abd ibn AbdurRaheem. He was a mujahid during the early muslim generations after the sahabah. He was also a haafidh(memorizer) of the Quran and a somewhat student of knowledge. This man was someone who amazed the people due to his life of jihaad and level of knowledge. In this time, the Muslims were waging war and battles against the Romans and it so happened that one day the Muslims encountered the Romans in one of the cities. The muslims besieged the city and the fort of the kuffar, so they were totally surrounded. As this man was going around, he saw from one of the balconies of the fort, a beautiful woman looking out with a sad expression. He completely froze and just fell head over heels for this lady. So he began to correspond with this shaytana, may Allah not make us slaves of our desires, because once your desires become your master, know that you have lost paradise. They talked and the more they talked, he fell more in love with her. While, his brothers were out there fighting and getting injured and killed for Allaahs word to be the highest, and here is their old pal, the haafidh, the student of knowledge conversing with the enemy's woman folk! wa subhnaAllah! He, eventually asked her how he can come in to see her, she said, "you cant." He inquired, "why not?" and she replied,"you have to become a christian to enter." So what did he do? He abandoned the truth which turned the sahabah(may Allah be pleased with them) from being alcoholics, pagans, womanizers, and every bad thing to becoming the conquerors of Persia and Arabia. Later on, the city was taken by the Muslims and years passed by. One day, some of his old Muslim friends ran into him in the marketplace and they talked. He looked somewhat differently, dressing not as his old self,with a cross hanging from his neck. They asked,"Oh so and so what happened to you? You use to be a mujahid haafidh of the Quran student of knowledge, our brother? What happened to your quran, hadith, and etc?" He said, " Oh, I forgot all of that! Now I am married, I have a family." He then said that he forgot all of Quran except the following verses where Allaah(azza wa jall) says:
رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ لَوۡ كَانُواْ مُسۡلِمِينَ (٢) ذَرۡهُمۡ يَأۡڪُلُواْ وَيَتَمَتَّعُواْ وَيُلۡهِهِمُ ٱلۡأَمَلُۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ (٣)
"Perhaps (often) will those who disbelieve wish that they were Muslims [those who have submitted themselves to Allah's Will in Islam Islamic Monotheism, this will be on the Day of Resurrection when they will see the disbelievers going to Hell and the Muslims going to Paradise].Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be preoccupied with (false) hope. They will come to know!"(Surah al Hijr:2-3)
So choose now, O Muslim(a), what are you? A slave of Allah or a slave to your desires which in turn are workers for the accursed shaytan?? make the decision before a day comes when the decision for your final destination will be judged.
And Allah is the Turner of the Hearts and the one who guides.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
"One Day those who disbelieved will wish they were Muslims"`
assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
Allah(azza wa jall) says in His noble book:
رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ لَوۡ كَانُواْ مُسۡلِمِينَ (٢) ذَرۡهُمۡ يَأۡڪُلُواْ وَيَتَمَتَّعُواْ وَيُلۡهِهِمُ ٱلۡأَمَلُۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ (٣)
It may be that those who disbelieve wish ardently that they were Muslims. (2) Let them eat and enjoy life, and let (false) hope beguile them. They will come to know! (3) [Surah al Hijr ayaat 2-3]
Yes! One day, these disbelieving people will wish they were believers, but that will be too late then. Even those intelligent among the kuffar, as soon as they see the hellfire and its horrors, will regret and deny that they had accomplished anything or were even intelligent minded people. Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein,... Darwin, where do you think those individuals are today? Indeed, they are with their lord and they have seen the reality. Ibn Qayyim(rahimahullah) says that if you look at the Quran, you will see that most of the arguments of the people of Jahannam(hellfire) are those of regrets and requests for second chances. Allaah informed us of what the wrongdoers and disbelievers cry out when they approach death:
وَيَوۡمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيۡهِ يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى ٱتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلاً۬ (٢٧) يَـٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِى لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلاً۬ (٢٨) لَّقَدۡ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّڪۡرِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَآءَنِىۗ وَڪَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ خَذُولاً۬ (٢٩)
"And (remember) the Day when the Zalim (wrong-doer, oppressor, polytheist, etc.) will bite at his hands, he will say: "Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger ( Muhammad ). "Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so-and-so as a friend! "He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (this Qur'an) after it had come to me. And Shaitan (Satan) is ever a deserter to man in the hour of need." [Surah al Furqan ayaat 27-29]
also;
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرۡجِعُونِ (٩٩) لَعَلِّىٓ أَعۡمَلُ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فِيمَا تَرَكۡتُۚ كَلَّآۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآٮِٕلُهَاۖ وَمِن وَرَآٮِٕهِم بَرۡزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ (١٠٠)
"Until, when death comes to one of them (those who join partners with Allah), he says: "My Lord! Send me back, "So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected."[Surah al Muminoon ayaat 99=100]
That is the true regret and the biggest loss. May Allah protect us from it. However, we should all be careful and safeguard our imaan and deen at all times. No one can fool or hide from Allaah. We should always remember that Allah(azza wa jall) is ar-Raqeeb as Allaah says:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبً۬ا
Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.[Surah an-Nisaa ayah 1]
One of the Salaf recited the verse "Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them)." from Surah al Fajr to a man who use to lie a lot, after that, this man never lied. SubhnaAllah! How many of us today-forget lying, steal, backbite, curse, and do every sin under the sun, and not realize that Allaah is WATCHING ME!
This ummah lost its honor and glory the day it started commit sins publicly and openly disobey Allaah! We need to turn back to Allah and we need to do it NOW, not later. Never say, " I WILL" this is what our pious predecessors use to warn from doing.at-Tasweef which comes from the word sawfa meaning "I WILL" The shaytan uses this trick to lead many people astray. Some people have the idea that death comes at a later stage and that it is a peace of cake to declare the shahada the last minute, just like that. First of all, who said death is fixed to a certain age and category of people? O slaves of Allaah, death recognizes no gender, age, kings,presidents, or any superpower! Death will come to you whether you approve of it or not, whether you are ready or not! The best people on the face of the Earth, tasted death, what do you think about me and you! The leader of all mankind, the best of Allaah(azza wa jall)'s creation felt the agony of death as he(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) was leaving this world to go to his Lord! what do you think about us!?
Allaah(azza wa jall) says:
And the stupor of death will come in truth: "This is what you have been avoiding!"
to be cont'd............
Allah(azza wa jall) says in His noble book:
رُّبَمَا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ لَوۡ كَانُواْ مُسۡلِمِينَ (٢) ذَرۡهُمۡ يَأۡڪُلُواْ وَيَتَمَتَّعُواْ وَيُلۡهِهِمُ ٱلۡأَمَلُۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَعۡلَمُونَ (٣)
It may be that those who disbelieve wish ardently that they were Muslims. (2) Let them eat and enjoy life, and let (false) hope beguile them. They will come to know! (3) [Surah al Hijr ayaat 2-3]
Yes! One day, these disbelieving people will wish they were believers, but that will be too late then. Even those intelligent among the kuffar, as soon as they see the hellfire and its horrors, will regret and deny that they had accomplished anything or were even intelligent minded people. Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein,... Darwin, where do you think those individuals are today? Indeed, they are with their lord and they have seen the reality. Ibn Qayyim(rahimahullah) says that if you look at the Quran, you will see that most of the arguments of the people of Jahannam(hellfire) are those of regrets and requests for second chances. Allaah informed us of what the wrongdoers and disbelievers cry out when they approach death:
وَيَوۡمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيۡهِ يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى ٱتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلاً۬ (٢٧) يَـٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِى لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلاً۬ (٢٨) لَّقَدۡ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّڪۡرِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَآءَنِىۗ وَڪَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ خَذُولاً۬ (٢٩)
"And (remember) the Day when the Zalim (wrong-doer, oppressor, polytheist, etc.) will bite at his hands, he will say: "Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger ( Muhammad ). "Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken so-and-so as a friend! "He indeed led me astray from the Reminder (this Qur'an) after it had come to me. And Shaitan (Satan) is ever a deserter to man in the hour of need." [Surah al Furqan ayaat 27-29]
also;
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرۡجِعُونِ (٩٩) لَعَلِّىٓ أَعۡمَلُ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فِيمَا تَرَكۡتُۚ كَلَّآۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآٮِٕلُهَاۖ وَمِن وَرَآٮِٕهِم بَرۡزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ (١٠٠)
"Until, when death comes to one of them (those who join partners with Allah), he says: "My Lord! Send me back, "So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected."[Surah al Muminoon ayaat 99=100]
That is the true regret and the biggest loss. May Allah protect us from it. However, we should all be careful and safeguard our imaan and deen at all times. No one can fool or hide from Allaah. We should always remember that Allah(azza wa jall) is ar-Raqeeb as Allaah says:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبً۬ا
Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.[Surah an-Nisaa ayah 1]
One of the Salaf recited the verse "Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them)." from Surah al Fajr to a man who use to lie a lot, after that, this man never lied. SubhnaAllah! How many of us today-forget lying, steal, backbite, curse, and do every sin under the sun, and not realize that Allaah is WATCHING ME!
This ummah lost its honor and glory the day it started commit sins publicly and openly disobey Allaah! We need to turn back to Allah and we need to do it NOW, not later. Never say, " I WILL" this is what our pious predecessors use to warn from doing.at-Tasweef which comes from the word sawfa meaning "I WILL" The shaytan uses this trick to lead many people astray. Some people have the idea that death comes at a later stage and that it is a peace of cake to declare the shahada the last minute, just like that. First of all, who said death is fixed to a certain age and category of people? O slaves of Allaah, death recognizes no gender, age, kings,presidents, or any superpower! Death will come to you whether you approve of it or not, whether you are ready or not! The best people on the face of the Earth, tasted death, what do you think about me and you! The leader of all mankind, the best of Allaah(azza wa jall)'s creation felt the agony of death as he(salaAllahu alayhi wassalam) was leaving this world to go to his Lord! what do you think about us!?
Allaah(azza wa jall) says:
And the stupor of death will come in truth: "This is what you have been avoiding!"
to be cont'd............
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)