"O my soul! It is not, except a few days of patience;
As if the extent were but a few dreams.
O my soul! Pass quickly on through this world;
And leave it, for indeed life lies ahead of it."
Ibn Rajab, Fadl `Ilmus-Salaf, p.63
Monday, May 16, 2011
O my soul!
Ibn Rajab, Fadl `Ilmus-Salaf, p.63
Exam Duas
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Allâhumma infa‘nî bimâ ‘allamtanî wa ‘allimnî ma yanfa‘unî.
Oh Allah! Make useful for me what You taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me.
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Allâhumma innî as’aluka fahm an-nabiyyîna wa hifdh al-mursalîn al-muqarrabîn.
Oh Allah! I ask You for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to You.
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Allâhumma ij‘al lisânî ‘âmiram bi-dhikrika wa qalbî bi-khashyatika.
Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of Your remembrance, and my heart with consciousness of You.
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Allâhumma lâ sahla illâ mâ ja‘altahu sahlâ wa anta taj‘alu al-hazana idhâ shi’ta sahlâ.
Oh Allah! Nothing is easy except what You have made easy. If You wish, You can make the difficult easy.
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Dua for Anxiety
Allâhumma innî a‘ûdhu bika min al-hammi wa al-hazan. Wa a‘ûdhu bika min al-‘ajzi wa al-kasal.
Wa a‘ûdhu bika min al-jubni wa al-bukhl. Wa a‘ûdhu bika min ghalabat id-dayni wa qahr ir-rijal.
Oh Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from helplessness and laziness, from cowardice and stinginess, and from overpowering of debt and from oppression of men.
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Allahumma infa’nii bimaa ‘allamtanii wa’allimnii maa yanfa’uunii. Allahumma inii as’aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifzal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen. Allahumma ijal leesanee ‘aiman bi dhikrika wa qalbi bi khashyatika. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’u qadeer wa anta hasbun-allahu wa na’mal wakeel.
Oh Allah! Make useful for me what you have taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. Oh Allah! I ask you for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to you. Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of your remembrance and my heart with consciousness of you. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, and you are my availer and protector and best of aid.
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Saturday, May 14, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Abdur-Raheem Green - The Existence of God & Purpose of Life
Is there a god? Why do people worship things? Why do we live? Why do we exist rather than not? Is there a purpose of this life? What is it?
the British convert to Islam, Abdur-Raheem Green, in the lecture you see above, focuses on these essential questions and their answers from an Islamic perspective.
Facebook Can Make You Face Hell (MP3)
Click on the title to download the lecture by brother Abu Mussab Wajdi Akkari
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Duas to be recited (if one has worries about the future)
*proper presence of mind and sincerity of intention are required.
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite:
And he said,
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite:
“Allaahumma aslih li deeni alladhi huwa ‘ismatu amri, wa aslih li dunyaaya allati fiha ma’aashi, wa aslih li aakhirati allati ilayha ma’aadi, waj’al al-hayaata ziyaadatan li fi kulli khayr, wa’l-mawta raahatan li min kulli sharr
(O Allaah, correct my religious commitment which is the foundation of my life, and correct my worldly affairs in which is my livelihood, and grant me good in the Hereafter to which is my return. Make my life a means of accumulating good, and make death a respite for me from all evil).” (Narrated by Muslim, 2720).
And he said,
“Allaahumma rahmataka arju fa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘aynin wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, laa ilaaha illa anta
(O Allaah, for Your mercy I hope, so do not abandon me to myself even for a moment. And correct all my affairs. There is no god but You).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood with a saheeh isnaad, no. 5090; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib, p. 49).
Friday, May 6, 2011
Waking up
Natalia Siegel
“And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” – Noble Qur'an 33:3
Our desires, wishes, hopes, dreams, aspirations and longings are a desert. We can see nothing there, except the endless amounts of dry sand. No matter where we look – right or left – the desert is spread all around us, and its vastness reaches as far as our eyes can see.
So there we are, in the desert of our desires, wishes and hopes, and we are holding in our hands a cup of water. That cup is nothing else than the thing we put our complete trust in, hoping it will make the change in the desert that we expect to see. We are grasping that cup with all our might; we hang on to it, expecting, that once we pour out its contents on the dry sands of the desert – it will transform its bareness into the richness of a flourishing garden.
And we pour the water out. And the tears fill our eyes. Because the hot dry sand immediately soaks in the water, without leaving any trace of its ever being there.
No garden.
Disappointed and defeated, we fall on our knees weeping. And we mourn over the shattered dream of happiness, which never came into being.
And in that blinding grief that overcomes us, there is a great lesson – that cup of water could never change a desert into a garden. It was never meant to be able to do so. All it could be sufficient for – is quenching our thirst for a brief moment. Nothing more.
“And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” – Noble Qur'an 33:3
So there we are, in the desert of our desires, wishes and hopes, and we are holding in our hands a cup of water. That cup is nothing else than the thing we put our complete trust in, hoping it will make the change in the desert that we expect to see. We are grasping that cup with all our might; we hang on to it, expecting, that once we pour out its contents on the dry sands of the desert – it will transform its bareness into the richness of a flourishing garden.
And we pour the water out. And the tears fill our eyes. Because the hot dry sand immediately soaks in the water, without leaving any trace of its ever being there.
No garden.
Disappointed and defeated, we fall on our knees weeping. And we mourn over the shattered dream of happiness, which never came into being.
And in that blinding grief that overcomes us, there is a great lesson – that cup of water could never change a desert into a garden. It was never meant to be able to do so. All it could be sufficient for – is quenching our thirst for a brief moment. Nothing more.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Stairwell to Heaven
Shibli Zaman
Quietly, I slipped into the cold dark stairwell and lightly shut the door behind me. I looked around to see if I was truly alone. I saw not a soul; only gray concrete and thinly painted slab. It was freezing cold and even though I could not feel the concrete floor, I just knew that when I pressed my face against it, the gelidity would most certainly sting. I cared not and turned towards Mecca, closed my eyes, took a deep breath and…Wait! Did I hear a door open a few floors up?
I paused so that I might not unnerve an unsuspecting techie rushing to a meeting, or alarm an overzealous, yet mightily bored, security guard who would gladly find something to do in saving the building from someone skulking in the stairwell. Within moments I realized that all was clear. Yet, my anxiety in possibly being discovered saddened me. In the secrecy of that cold and dark landing between the stairs I felt like a thief. Why was I there?
Friends, co-workers, colleagues and associates often wonder why I walk away from what I am doing at any given moment, no matter how important the task at hand may be, to perform one of the five daily prayers prescribed in Islam. To them it seems so nugatory that I walk away from the proverbial hamster’s wheel for those fleeting 5 minutes to talk to God and bow before Him. I find their puzzlement ironic since within it rests the very answer to their question.
Their bewilderment is in itself a clear indication that humans simply would not afford the time to pray if not ordered to do so. God states in the Qur’an:
Quietly, I slipped into the cold dark stairwell and lightly shut the door behind me. I looked around to see if I was truly alone. I saw not a soul; only gray concrete and thinly painted slab. It was freezing cold and even though I could not feel the concrete floor, I just knew that when I pressed my face against it, the gelidity would most certainly sting. I cared not and turned towards Mecca, closed my eyes, took a deep breath and…Wait! Did I hear a door open a few floors up?
I paused so that I might not unnerve an unsuspecting techie rushing to a meeting, or alarm an overzealous, yet mightily bored, security guard who would gladly find something to do in saving the building from someone skulking in the stairwell. Within moments I realized that all was clear. Yet, my anxiety in possibly being discovered saddened me. In the secrecy of that cold and dark landing between the stairs I felt like a thief. Why was I there?
Friends, co-workers, colleagues and associates often wonder why I walk away from what I am doing at any given moment, no matter how important the task at hand may be, to perform one of the five daily prayers prescribed in Islam. To them it seems so nugatory that I walk away from the proverbial hamster’s wheel for those fleeting 5 minutes to talk to God and bow before Him. I find their puzzlement ironic since within it rests the very answer to their question.
Their bewilderment is in itself a clear indication that humans simply would not afford the time to pray if not ordered to do so. God states in the Qur’an:
“And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us to [remove] an affliction that touched him. Thus is made pleasing to the transgressors that which they have been doing.” (10:12)
Nouman Ali Khan - Respecting Parents - Quran Weekly
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as] "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small."" - Noble Qur'an 17:23-24
Makkah Fajr 4th May 2011
[And Luqman said]: "O my son! (Aqim-is-Salat) establish prayer and enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and bear patiently that which befalls you; surely these acts require courage" - Noble Qur'an 31:17
Allah knows, while we know not
When we miss a bus, lose a job, or find ourselves unable to marry the person we want, have we ever stopped to consider the possibility that it may have been for our own good? Allah tells us in the Qur'an:
When Allah ta'ala closes a door we wanted to open so badly, let us not despair. Let us not end up staring indefinitely at the closed doors of our lives. Let us not forget to notice the ones that have opened. Let us take a step back and notice the bigger picture. Often Allah takes things away from us, only to replace them with something greater...
“…But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” (2:216)
When Allah ta'ala closes a door we wanted to open so badly, let us not despair. Let us not end up staring indefinitely at the closed doors of our lives. Let us not forget to notice the ones that have opened. Let us take a step back and notice the bigger picture. Often Allah takes things away from us, only to replace them with something greater...
Pray as you have seen me pray
Hayya'alas salah. Hayya'alal falah. (Come to prayer. Come to success.)
The importance of the prayer in Islam cannot be understated. It is the first pillar of Islam that the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned after mentioning the testimony of faith, by which one becomes a Muslim. It was made obligatory upon all the prophets and for all peoples. Allah has declared its obligatory status under majestic circumstances. For example, when Allah spoke directly to Moses, He said:
"And I have chosen you, so listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily, I am Allah! There is none worthy of worship but I, so worship Me and offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance." (Taha 13-14)
The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad."
(Recorded by al-Tabarani)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?" The people said, "No filth would remain on him whatsoever." The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, "That is like the five daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them."
(Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
The Side-note: If we want to have PEACE and TRANQUILITY within the boundaries of our own families (or some-time-in-the-future-to-be families, inshaAllah), let us engrave in the back of our minds :
"A family that prays together - stays together."
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Do not kill yourselves...
What is the ruling on committing suicide in the case of severe depression in which the sick person is not aware of the consequences of what he does? Will Allah forgive him for this action?
Is it possible that the suffering that the sick person goes through because of this disease is an expiation for his sins?
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Praise be to Allah.
Suicide is a major sin, and the one who does that is faced with a warning of eternity in the Fire of Hell, where Allah will punish him with the means that he used to commit suicide. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“Whoever throws himself down from a mountain and kills himself will be throwing himself down in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever drinks poison and kills himself will be sipping it in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever kills himself with a piece of iron will have that iron in his hand, thrusting it into his belly in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5442) and Muslim (109)
It was narrated from Thaabit ibn Dahhaak (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5700) and Muslim (110).
Is it possible that the suffering that the sick person goes through because of this disease is an expiation for his sins?
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Suicide is a major sin, and the one who does that is faced with a warning of eternity in the Fire of Hell, where Allah will punish him with the means that he used to commit suicide. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“Whoever throws himself down from a mountain and kills himself will be throwing himself down in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever drinks poison and kills himself will be sipping it in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever. Whoever kills himself with a piece of iron will have that iron in his hand, thrusting it into his belly in the Fire of Hell for ever and ever.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5442) and Muslim (109)
It was narrated from Thaabit ibn Dahhaak (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
“Whoever kills himself with something will be punished with it on the Day of Resurrection.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5700) and Muslim (110).
When a calamily strikes...
If a calamity befalls the Muslim in his health or his wealth, etc, what is the correct way of dealing with it according to Islam?
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Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Calamities and disasters are a test, and they are a sign of Allah’s love for a person, because they are like medicine: even though it is bitter, despite its bitterness you give it to the one whom you love. In the saheeh hadeeth it says:
Calamities are good for the believer in the sense that reward is stored up for him in the Hereafter thereby; how can it be otherwise when he is raised in status thereby and his bad deeds are expiated? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
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Firstly:
Calamities and disasters are a test, and they are a sign of Allah’s love for a person, because they are like medicine: even though it is bitter, despite its bitterness you give it to the one whom you love. In the saheeh hadeeth it says:
“The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.”Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2396) and Ibn Maajah (4031); classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
Calamities are good for the believer in the sense that reward is stored up for him in the Hereafter thereby; how can it be otherwise when he is raised in status thereby and his bad deeds are expiated? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“When Allah wills good for His slave, He hastens the punishment for him in this world, and when Allah wills ill for His slave, he withholds the punishment for his sins from him until he comes with all his sins on the Day of Resurrection.”Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2396); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
7 Ways to Improve Our Relationship with the Noble Qur'an
“وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا”
“O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur’an as a thing (abandoned)” - Noble Qur'an 25: 30
ARE you one of those people who rarely touch the Qur’an? Or do you read daily, but don’t find it is having the impact on you that it should? Whatever the case may be, these are some simple tips that can help you connect with the Qur’an.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
‘A person may commit a sin and enter Paradise because of it…’
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Sin may be more beneficial for a person, if it leads him to repent, than doing a lot of acts of worship. This is what is meant by the words of one of the salaf: ‘A person may commit a sin and enter Paradise because of it, or he may do an act of worship and enter Hell because of it.’ They said: ‘How is that?’ He said: ‘He may commit a sin and continues to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers his sin, so he feels ashamed and repents and seeks forgiveness and regrets it, so that will be the means of his salvation. And he may do a good deed and continue to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers it and it fills him with self-admiration and pride, so it is the cause of his doom. So the sin may be the factor that leads him to do acts of worship and good deeds and to change his attitude so that he fears Allaah and feels shy before Him and feels humiliated before Him, hanging his head in shame and weeping with regret, seeking he forgiveness of his Lord. Each of these effects is better for a person than an act of worship that makes him feel proud and show off and look down on people. Undoubtedly this sin is better before Allaah and is more likely to bring salvation than one who admires himself and looks down on others, and who thinks that he is doing Allaah a favour. Even if he says words that indicate something other than that, Allaah is the Witness over what is in his heart. Such a person may feel hatred towards people if they do not hold him in high esteem and humiliate themselves before him. If he were to examine himself honestly, he would see that clearly.”
Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/299
“Sin may be more beneficial for a person, if it leads him to repent, than doing a lot of acts of worship. This is what is meant by the words of one of the salaf: ‘A person may commit a sin and enter Paradise because of it, or he may do an act of worship and enter Hell because of it.’ They said: ‘How is that?’ He said: ‘He may commit a sin and continues to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers his sin, so he feels ashamed and repents and seeks forgiveness and regrets it, so that will be the means of his salvation. And he may do a good deed and continue to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers it and it fills him with self-admiration and pride, so it is the cause of his doom. So the sin may be the factor that leads him to do acts of worship and good deeds and to change his attitude so that he fears Allaah and feels shy before Him and feels humiliated before Him, hanging his head in shame and weeping with regret, seeking he forgiveness of his Lord. Each of these effects is better for a person than an act of worship that makes him feel proud and show off and look down on people. Undoubtedly this sin is better before Allaah and is more likely to bring salvation than one who admires himself and looks down on others, and who thinks that he is doing Allaah a favour. Even if he says words that indicate something other than that, Allaah is the Witness over what is in his heart. Such a person may feel hatred towards people if they do not hold him in high esteem and humiliate themselves before him. If he were to examine himself honestly, he would see that clearly.”
Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/299
A beautiful poem by Imam al-Shafi’i
Let days go forth and do as they please
And remain firm when settled is the Decree
Don’t be afraid of what happens by night
For the affairs of this world are not to last
And be a man, strong in the face of calamities
And let your nature be that of kindness and honesty
If your faults become too much in front of the people
And you wish that they were to be concealed,
Then know that kindness covers all faults
And how many faults are kept hidden by kindness!
No sadness lasts forever, nor any happiness
And you shall not remain in poverty, or any luxury
Generosity cannot be hoped from the miserly
For no water exists in the Fire for the thirsty
Your provision will not be lessened due to life’s delays
And it cannot be increased due to your haste
If, in your heart, you possess contentment
Then you and those who possess the world are equal
And for him upon whose horizon death descends,
No earth can offer him protection, nor any sky
Indeed, the earth of Allah is certainly vast
But if decree descends, then decree is constricted
Let days be the ones that betray you at all times
For no cure can avail a person of death
And remain firm when settled is the Decree
Don’t be afraid of what happens by night
For the affairs of this world are not to last
And be a man, strong in the face of calamities
And let your nature be that of kindness and honesty
If your faults become too much in front of the people
And you wish that they were to be concealed,
Then know that kindness covers all faults
And how many faults are kept hidden by kindness!
No sadness lasts forever, nor any happiness
And you shall not remain in poverty, or any luxury
Generosity cannot be hoped from the miserly
For no water exists in the Fire for the thirsty
Your provision will not be lessened due to life’s delays
And it cannot be increased due to your haste
If, in your heart, you possess contentment
Then you and those who possess the world are equal
And for him upon whose horizon death descends,
No earth can offer him protection, nor any sky
Indeed, the earth of Allah is certainly vast
But if decree descends, then decree is constricted
Let days be the ones that betray you at all times
For no cure can avail a person of death
Roadmap to Paradise
Unknown Author
Take Adam and Eve avenue until you come to the intersection of Habil (Abel) road, and Qabil (Cain) street; merge right on Habil (Abel) and continue for the next twenty miles till you come to Noah's Ferry.
Take the ferry to Safety Land, ignore the majority of other travel agencies’ directions, and arrive at Abraham's Super Highway also known as High way One God Only (1).
Follow Abraham but avoid the exit of Sodom and Gomorrah townships until you get to Moses lane but pass Gold and Greed bridges and take it to Jesus' Mercy road. Here you will encounter a lot of confusion, streets are not well marked, and many peddlers along the road are giving away maps with conflicting directions to travelers. The Romans have renamed Pagans’ path as Jesus' mercy road.
If you are not sure about the authenticity of Jesus' mercy road, review your map. See if Jesus' mercy path is a continuation of Abraham’s Super Highway. If it is a continuation you are fine, but still proceed with caution. If you have diverged, make a U-turn and go back to Abraham’s high way (1) and re-try again.
Take Adam and Eve avenue until you come to the intersection of Habil (Abel) road, and Qabil (Cain) street; merge right on Habil (Abel) and continue for the next twenty miles till you come to Noah's Ferry.
Take the ferry to Safety Land, ignore the majority of other travel agencies’ directions, and arrive at Abraham's Super Highway also known as High way One God Only (1).
Follow Abraham but avoid the exit of Sodom and Gomorrah townships until you get to Moses lane but pass Gold and Greed bridges and take it to Jesus' Mercy road. Here you will encounter a lot of confusion, streets are not well marked, and many peddlers along the road are giving away maps with conflicting directions to travelers. The Romans have renamed Pagans’ path as Jesus' mercy road.
If you are not sure about the authenticity of Jesus' mercy road, review your map. See if Jesus' mercy path is a continuation of Abraham’s Super Highway. If it is a continuation you are fine, but still proceed with caution. If you have diverged, make a U-turn and go back to Abraham’s high way (1) and re-try again.
For the Student of Knowledge
Ibn Jama'ah - "Tadhkirat as-Sami' wal-Mutakallim", p. 83
"So, it is upon the student of knowledge to abandon socialization, as abandoning it is from the most important things that the student of knowledge must do - let alone with members of the opposite gender - especially with those who spend most of their time in play, and spend little of their time in thought, as the nature of individuals can rob you.
The harms of socialization include the passing of life without any benefit, as well as the decline of wealth and religious practice, if this socialization were to occur with the wrong people.
The student of knowledge should not mix except with either those who he can benefit, or can benefit from. And if he is offered the friendship of one who will waste his time with him, will not benefit him, will not benefit from him, and will not assist him in reaching his objective, he should politely end the relationship from the start before it progresses to something deeper, as when something becomes established, it becomes more difficult to change it. There is a phrase that is constantly on the tongues of the Fuqaha':
"So, it is upon the student of knowledge to abandon socialization, as abandoning it is from the most important things that the student of knowledge must do - let alone with members of the opposite gender - especially with those who spend most of their time in play, and spend little of their time in thought, as the nature of individuals can rob you.
The harms of socialization include the passing of life without any benefit, as well as the decline of wealth and religious practice, if this socialization were to occur with the wrong people.
The student of knowledge should not mix except with either those who he can benefit, or can benefit from. And if he is offered the friendship of one who will waste his time with him, will not benefit him, will not benefit from him, and will not assist him in reaching his objective, he should politely end the relationship from the start before it progresses to something deeper, as when something becomes established, it becomes more difficult to change it. There is a phrase that is constantly on the tongues of the Fuqaha':
"Repelling something is easier than removing it."So, if he requires someone to befriend, let that person be righteous, religious, pious, wary, intelligent, full of benefit, having little evil, good at complying, rarely conflicting, reminding him if he forgets, cooperating with him when he is reminded, helpful if he is in need, and comforting if he is in distress."
The Useless Matters
Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah
There are ten useless matters:
There are ten useless matters:
- Knowledge that is not acted on
- The deed that has neither sincerity nor is based on following the righteous examples of others
- Money that is hoarded, as the owner neither enjoys it during this life nor obtains any reward for it in the Hereafter
- The heart that is empty of love and longing for Allah, and of seeking closeness to Him
- A body that does not obey and serve Allah
- Loving Allah without following His orders or seeking His pleasure
- Time that is not spent in expiating sins or seizing opportunities to do good
- A mind that thinks about useless matters
- Serving those who do not bring you close to Allah, nor benefit you in your life
- Hoping and fearing whoever is under the authority of Allah and in His hand; while he cannot bring any benefit or harm to himself, nor death, nor life; nor can he resurrect himself.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Save your Heart
Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah - "al-Wabil as-Sayyib", p. 45
“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, a 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.”
“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, a 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.”
Creation is in Need of Allah
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah
Written by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh based on Ighathat ul Lahfan (1/6-42) of Ibn ul Qayyim
Man always looks for what benefits him and what protects him from harm. However, to accomplish this, man must be able to realize what is harmful. He must then know whom he should need, trust, and love so that he can attain what is beneficial as well as to feel good about his choice. He also must know the proper and good approach that would make him achieve this goal. This latter condition requires that man:
Certainly, man can have no better guidance than that which comes from the One Who had perfected everything, and the One who Has no deficiency in Himself and in His Attributes. The One Who is Ever-Living and Who does not die. There can be no One better than the One Who Has no need for anything; the One Who is rich; the Giver; the One who, after all, controls man's soul. Man is so poor to Him. He is Allah, the True and only God. Man can bring harm to himself if he seeks other than Allah for help. Allah is the One Who can help man drive away any harm for it cannot occur without His Will and His Power.
Allah sent down His Books and chose His Messengers to guide man to:
Written by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh based on Ighathat ul Lahfan (1/6-42) of Ibn ul Qayyim
Man always looks for what benefits him and what protects him from harm. However, to accomplish this, man must be able to realize what is harmful. He must then know whom he should need, trust, and love so that he can attain what is beneficial as well as to feel good about his choice. He also must know the proper and good approach that would make him achieve this goal. This latter condition requires that man:
a) Know about harm
b) What ways can be used to drive harm away
Certainly, man can have no better guidance than that which comes from the One Who had perfected everything, and the One who Has no deficiency in Himself and in His Attributes. The One Who is Ever-Living and Who does not die. There can be no One better than the One Who Has no need for anything; the One Who is rich; the Giver; the One who, after all, controls man's soul. Man is so poor to Him. He is Allah, the True and only God. Man can bring harm to himself if he seeks other than Allah for help. Allah is the One Who can help man drive away any harm for it cannot occur without His Will and His Power.
Allah sent down His Books and chose His Messengers to guide man to:
a) Know His Lord as He had explained about Himself, and
b) Seek Him Alone while living in accordance with His plan
A Radical Experiment in Empathy
"Take yourself out of your shoes - and put yourself into the shoes of another person"
- Sam Richards
A really thought-provoking talk.
The Man in the Red Underpants
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| Press on the link below to download this book |
What does he want and why are his pants red and not pink? Did he really get his red underpants from Agent Provacateur and what does he want anyway?
None of these questions are dealt with in this book! Rather this book asks you to think about how you would deal with the man in the red underpants. It will take you on a journey in which you will encounter some startling conclusions. If you believe in unbelievable things without proof, then put this book down now, and if you think that you’re a thinker, think again!
The man in the Red Underpants will make sure your life is never the same again…
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Allah is Rich, I'm Poor...
Written By Kamil Mufti
This is a fact that none can escape, yet you go after the treasures of the world and renounce the Lord of Truth.
Look at this world with the eyes of your heart, you will find it ugly and loathsome; look at it with your physical eyes and it will lure you to the side and slaughter you.
Be content with whatever Allah has decreed for you. Fear Allah in your innermost being. Implement His commands. Once your heart complies with the Divine Decree, the Lord of Truth will grant you from sources you never imagined:
This is a fact that none can escape, yet you go after the treasures of the world and renounce the Lord of Truth.
"Know that the life of this world is but a play and a passing delight and a beautiful show, and the (cause of) your boastful vying with one another, and (of your) greed for more and more wealth and children." [57:20]
Look at this world with the eyes of your heart, you will find it ugly and loathsome; look at it with your physical eyes and it will lure you to the side and slaughter you.
Be content with whatever Allah has decreed for you. Fear Allah in your innermost being. Implement His commands. Once your heart complies with the Divine Decree, the Lord of Truth will grant you from sources you never imagined:
"And whosoever is conscious of Allah, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Indeed Allah has sent a measure for all things." [65:2-3]
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