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
A blog to empower sisters and educate them on matters of the Deen and Dunya!
Friday, August 26, 2011
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.
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