Friday, May 28, 2010

Clean your heart before it blackens!

"When the servant performs a sin a black spot appears on his heart, and if he seeks forgiveness this black spot is removed, and if he returns to sin the black spot grows until his heart becomes black, and this is the 'Raan' about which Allah said, 'Nay! But on their hearts is the covering of sins (raan) which they used to earn.'" (Qur'an, 83:14)

(Hadith An-Nasa'i and Al-Tirmidhi)

7th obstacle in the path of a Muslim

THE UNAVOIDABLE OBSTACLE

In 'Madarij as-Salikin' (1/218-222), Ibn al-Qayyim has a section about the obstacles that Satan puts into the path of the one who chooses to live his life for Allah. He mentions the six commonly known obstacles in the order that they will be thrown into the path of the believer, such that whoever passes through one obstacle is then faced with the next

1-disbelief,
2- innovation in religion,
3- major sins,
4- minor sins,
5- permissible acts that distract one from acts of obedience,
6- acts of obedience that are of lower reward than others.


However, he mentions a seventh and final obstacle for the one who passes through the above six successfully:

"…So, if he successfully passes through these, there remains only one obstacle from which the enemy (Satan) calls him from, and this is an obstacle that he must face. If anyone were to be saved from this obstacle, it would have been the Messengers and Prophets of Allah, and the noblest of His Creation.

This is the obstacle of Satan unleashing his troops upon the believer with various types of harm: by way of the hand, the tongue, and the heart. This occurs in accordance with the degree of goodness that exists within the believer. So, the higher he is in degree, the more the enemy unleashes his troops and helps them against him, and overwhelms him with his followers and allies in various ways.

There is no way he can overcome this obstacle, because the firmer he is when calling to Allah and fulfilling His commands, the more the enemy becomes intent upon tempting him with foolish people. So, he has essentially put on his body armor in facing this obstacle, and has taken it upon himself to confront the enemy (Satan) for Allah's sake and in His Name, and his worship in doing so is the worship of the best of those who know Allah…and none are aware of this except those with complete and perfect insight."

Ibn al-Qayyim's words here are worthy of reflection (as always). Notice here how, as opposed to the other six obstacles, this particular obstacle is something that the believer has no control over. If one is a kafir, it is in his hands to abandon kufr for faith. If one is upon bid'ah, it is in his hands to abandon bid'ah for the Sunnah. If one is indulged in major or minor sins, it is in that person's hands to abandon those sins and instead indulge in acts of worship and goodness, and so on and so forth. This is because each of these actions emanate from the person himself, and he thus has the ability to cease from and repel these actions and traits whenever he chooses.

As for the harm that others seek to inflict upon the person due to his faith, there is no way to avoid this obstacle. Why not? Because if one has passed through all of the other obstacles successfully, there is no other way for Allah to test and distinguish him. This is the ultimate test, the test of a lifetime, the test that only the strongest can pass – and this is why this was the test reserved for the Prophets, Messengers, and their true followers.

When it is said that the obstacle is unavoidable, what is meant is its occurrence, not the possibility of reducing and easing the hardship related to that obstacle. So, one is not to sit with his hands on his knees and abandon supplication to Allah, seeking permissible means of help from others, etc. in addition to the other means available to deal with this obstacle. Yes, the Prophet said: "Know that if the entire world were to gather to do you some harm, they would be unable to harm you except with something that Allah has Decreed for you," but he also said: "Be keen in doing that which will benefit you." In fact, part of the test of this final obstacle is for you to display your dependence and trust in Allah by calling upon Him, perfecting your worship, strengthening your resolve, making your connection and dedication to Him stronger than it ever was before, and remaining in such a state until the end. This is how you pass the test, overcome the obstacle, and become part of that blessed group that Ibn al-Qayyim described as being "the best of those who know Allah" and "those with complete and perfect insight."

"Even if he repeats the same sin 70 times a day"

Allah's messenger :saws: said

"One is not counted as a persistent sinner if he sincerely asks forgiveness every time he sins,
even if he repeats the same sin 70 times a day."

[Tirmidhi, Abu Daud]



How much Allah loves to forgive:

"Were you not to sin, Allah would have removed you, and brought another people who would sin, then ask for Allah's forgiveness, and Allah would forgive them."

[Sahih Muslim]

If you leave even one fast of Ramadan..

Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah :saws: said:
"If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life he could not make up for it."
(Bukhari)

Allah says: "He knows he has a Lord who forgives sins"

Messenger of Allah :saws: said

If somebody commits a sin and then says,
'O my Lord! I have sinned, please forgive me!'
and his Lord says,
'My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sins).'

Then he remains without committing any sin for a while
and then again commits another sin
and says, 'O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,'
and Allah says,
'My slave has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for it, I therefore have forgiven my slave (his sin).'

Then he remains without committing any another sin for a while and then commits another sin (for the third time)
and says, 'O my Lord, I have committed another sin, please forgive me,'
and Allah says,
'My slave has known that he has a Lord Who forgives sins and punishes for it I therefore have forgiven My slave (his sin), he can do whatever he likes.'

[Bukhari]

Do not say "I USED TO do such-and-such good deed"

Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said to Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him), “O Abd Allah! Do not be like so-and-so. He used to pray at night and then left it.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore, one should take on an amount of works one can sustain, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said,
The most beloved of actions to Allah are the most constant, even if little.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

There's blessing in work started early in the morning

“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘O Allah, bless my Ummah in the mornings.’ Whenever he sent out troops or an army, he would send them at the beginning of the day.”
[
Reported by Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

Once upon seeing Fatimah -may Allah be pleased with her- sleeping just after fajr, the messenger of Allah S.A.W.S. woke her up and told her not to sleep at that time.
[Targheeb, ref. Baihaqi]

He S.A.W. never took Revenge for a personal matter

'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha says:
''I have never seen Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam avenge himself for a personal affliction, but if one transgressed a prohibited thing from those prohibited by Allah (to commit a haraam act. The commentators on hadith say the rights of man are also included) then there was no one more angry than Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam. Whenever Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam was given a choice between two things, he always chose the one that was simple, if it did not lead to any type of sin."

[Shamaail Tirmidhi]

"We complained to Prophet about hunger...

Abu Talhah Radiyallahu 'Anhu says:
"We complained to Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam about the severe pangs of hunger, and showed him the stones fastened on our stomachs. A stone was fastened on the stomach of every one of us due to severe hunger. Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam showed us two stones fastened onto his stomach". (Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam experienced more hunger than we did, and he had spent a longer period than us since he had last eaten).
[Tirmidhi]

Commentary: It was a custom among the people of Madinah that they fastened stones onto their stomachs when they experienced severe pangs of hunger.

The Jew who tested the Prophet's two qualities

Zayd bin Sa'nah Radiyallahu'Anhu who was a Jew, once began saying:

'There was not a sign of prophethood in Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam which I had not found in him, except for two signs, which I did not have the opportunity to test. The first is that his hilm (gentleness) will overcome his anger. The second is, the more one acts foolishly towards him the more he will tolerate it.

I looked for a chance to test these two signs, and kept on coming and going to his gatherings. One day Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam came out of his house. 'Ali was with him. just then a badawi type of person came and said:
'O Rasulullah, my community have accepted Islaam, and I had told them that, if they became Muslims, they shall receive abundant sustenance. And now such a time has come where drought has befallen us. I fear that they will leave Islaam. If the idea is suitable, it is suggested that you assist them.'
Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam looked towards a person who may have been 'Ali. He replied, 'Ya Rasulullah, there is nothing available'.
Sayyidina Zayd Radiyallahu 'Anhu who was of the Jewish faith at that time, was witnessing this incident, he said. 'O Muhammad, if you can do this, a certain amount of dates of a certain person's palm grove be given to me at a fixed time, then I shall pay now in advance and collect the dates at the appointed time.'
Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam replied this was possible, but if you do not stipulate the palm grove I can make an agreement. I accepted it, and paid eighty mith-qaal of gold (according to well known sayings one mithaqaal equals 100 grains or four and half maa-shaas approx. four and half grams).
Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam gave the gold to this badawi and said to him, 'Do not forget to be just, and fulfil their needs with this.'

Zayd Radiyallahu 'Anhu further says, when two or three days were left for the time to collect the dates, Rasulullah was sitting near a well while returning from a funeral with the Sahaabah, among whom were Abubakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthmaan.

I came and caught the hem of the kurtah and sheet of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam and cynically said:
'O Muhammad, you do not want to pay my debt. I swear by Allah, that I know all the children of 'Abdul Muttalib very well. You are very poor payers'.
'Umar looked at me in anger and said: 'O enemy of Allah! what are you mumbling? I swear by Allah, that if I did not fear (the presence of Rasulullah) I would have severed your head'.
Rasulullah was looking at me very calmly, and said smilingly to 'Umar: ''Umar, This person and I are in need of something more. He should have told me to take care in fulfilling his rights and should have advised in a better manner when putting forward his claim. Go take him and fulfill his rights, and for having scolded him give him in lieu twenty saa' (approximately two mann approx 66,5 kg) dates extra in excess of his right'.

Umar took me and fulfilled my rights and gave me the twenty extra saa'.
I asked: 'For what are these twenty extra saa'?''
Umar replied: 'This is the command of Rasulullah'.
Zayd Radiyallahu 'Anhu said:''Umar do you know me?
'Umar replied: 'No'
I said: I am Zayd bin Sa'nah.
He asked: 'The Allaamah (great learned) of the Jews?'
I replied: 'I am that very person'.
He said: 'Being a man of such calibre, why did you behave before Rasulullah in such a manner?'
I replied: 'Two signs from the signs of prophethood were left, which I was not able to test. The first is the hilm (gentleness) of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam suspersedes his anger. The second is that, the more one acts foolishly towards him, the more he will tolerate it. Now I have tested these two also, therefore I make you witness to my acceptance of Islam.
I give half of my wealth in charity (sadqah) to the ummah of Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam''.
Therefore he returned to the noble presence of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam and accepted Islaam. Later he took part in many battles and was martyred in the Battle of Tabuk (May Allah be pleased with him).



-From Shamaail Tirmidhi, Jam'u; Fawaa-id and Jam'ul Wasaa-il.

Look at the one who is at a lower level than you and be thankful

Messenger of Allah S.A.W.S. said:
"When one of you looks at one who stands at a higher level than you in regard to wealth and physical structure he should also see one who stands at a lower level than you in regard to these things (in which he stands) at a higher level (as compared to him)."
[Sahih Muslim]

"Look at those who stand at a lower level than you but don't look at those who stand at a higher level than you, for this would make the favours (conferred upon you by Allah) insignificant (in your eyes)."
[Sahih Muslim]


Commentary: We are encouraged to look at those lower than us in wealth and appearance (so long as it does not instill any pride in the heart), so that we feel contented and thankful to Allah for His favors . However, in matters of Faith and Taqwah, a man must look at those higher than him, in order to take inspiration from them and reach a higher level of imaan.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

5 rights of sitting on the road

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Beware of sitting in the roadways."
They said, "Messenger of Allah. we must have places where we can sit and talk together."
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If you must sit there, then give the roadway its rights."
They asked, "What are the rights of the roadway, Messenger of Allah?"
He said, "Lowering the gaze, refraining from causing annoyance, returning the greeting, commanding the right and forbidding the wrong."

[Hadith Bukhari]

Beautiful Hadith on Obedience of the Sahaaba

It is related from Anas, "While I was serving wine to the people in the house of Abu Talha - and at that time their wine was made from dates,
and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded that a caller announce, 'Wine has been made unlawful!'"
Anas said, "Abu Talha said to me, 'Go out and spill it.' So I went out and spilled it and it flowed in the streets of Madina.
Some people said, 'People were killed while there was wine in their stomachs.' So Allah revealed,
'Those who believe and do right actions are not to blame for what they have consumed (in the past).' (5:93)"

[Bukhari]

He will be swallowed by the land on Judgment day :Hadith

Prophet S.A.W.S. said "If someone commits an injustice in regard to any land, his neck will be encircled with it from the seven earths." [Bukhari]

Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'If anyone wrongs someone else even to the extent of a piece of land measuring a hand's width, his neck will be encircled with it from the seven earths.' [Bukhari]

Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If anyone takes any land without right, on the Day of Rising he will be swallowed up in the seven earths." [Bukhari]

Allah breaks ties with one who breaks ties with relatives

Relatives are those who are related to you through blood and close-ties; such as the brother, the uncle, the aunt, or their children.


"And give to the relative his right."
[Soorah al-Israa' 17:26]

"And worship Allaah alone, and do not set-up any partner to Him in worship,
and be kind and good to the parents, and to the relatives." [Soorah an-Nisaa 4:36]

So it is obligatory upon everyone to treat their relatives in the best possible manner, and to support them in accordance with their needs, and what they seek of help and support.


Bukharee related a hadith in which Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:

"Indeed Allaah created the creation, until he was finished doing so, the Rahm: (womb/ties of relation) stood-up and said: "Is this the place of one who seeks refuge in you from those who severe and cut ties with me?"

So Allaah said: Yes, Indeed Would it please you that I keep ties with those who keep ties with you, and cut-off ties with those who cut-off lies with you?

So the Rahm': said: "Yes, indeed"

So Allaah said: Then this is for you.

Then Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Recite if you wish: "Would you then, if you were given the authority, cause corruption in the land, and cut-off lies of relations. They are those upon whom is the curse of Allaah, so that He makes them deaf and blinds them." [Soorah Muhammad 47:22-23]


The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said:
"Whosoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day let him keep the ties of relations." [Bukhari]

Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The waaasil (one who keeps the ties of relations) is not the one who merely does so out of reciprocation. Rather, the waasil is the one who, even when the relatives cut-off him, yet he still maintains ties with them." So a man asked: O Messenger of Allaah, I have relatives with whom I maintain ties of relations, yet they cut-off from me. I treat them kindly, yet they treat me in an evil manner. And I am forbearing and patient with them, yet they behave rudely and ignorantly towards me. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:


"If the situation is as you say, then it is as if you are filling their mouths with sand. And Allaah will continue to aid and support you as long as you continue doing what you are doing."
[Bukhari]

Spreading kindness in the home

'Aa'ishah (RA) said: "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
'When Allah (SWT) wills some good towards the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them.'"
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/71; Saheeh al-Jaami', 303)


According to another report:
"When Allah loves the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them."
(Reported by Ibn Abi al-Dunya and others; Saheeh al-Jaami', no. 1704)


In other words, they start to be kind to one another. This is one of the means of attaining happiness in the home, for kindness is very beneficial between the spouses, and with the children, and brings results that cannot be achieved through harshness, as the Prophet (SAW) said:


"Allah loves kindness and rewards it in such a way that He does not reward for harshness or for anything else."
(Reported by Muslim, Kitaab al-Birr wa'l-Sillah wa'l-Aadaab, no. 2592)

"Do not sit in company of those who wrong" (6:68)

"When you see men engaged in vain discourse about Our Signs, Turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. If Satan ever makes you forget, then after recollection, do not sit in the company of those who do wrong."

[Qur'an 6:68]

Messenger of Allah SAWS said
"It is better to sit alone than in company with the bad; and it is better still to sit with the good than alone."
[Bukhari]

Ahadith on dealing with anger

Advice On Dealing With Anger

Anger is one of the evil whispers of Shaytan, which leads to so many evils and tragedies, of which only Allah knows their full extent. For this reason Islam has a great deal to say about this bad characteristic, and the Prophet (saws) described cures for this “disease” and ways to limit its effects, among which are the following:

(1) Seeking refuge with Allah from the Shaytan:

Sulayman ibn Sard said: “I was sitting with the Prophet (saws), and two men were slandering one another. One of them was red in the face, and the veins on his neck were standing out. The Prophet (saws) said, ‘I know a word which, if he were to say it, what he feels would go away. If he said “I seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytan,” what he feels (i.e., his anger) would go away.’” (Reported by al-Bukhari, al-Fath, 6/337)

The Prophet (saws) said: “If a man gets angry and says, ‘I seek refuge with Allah,’ his anger will go away.” (Saheeh al-Jaami‘ al-Sagheer, no. 695)

(2) Keeping silent:

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “If any of you becomes angry, let him keep silent.” (Reported by Imam Ahmad, al-Musnad, 1/329; see also Sahih al-Jaami‘, 693, 4027)

This is because in most cases, the angry person loses self control and could utter words of kufr (from which we seek refuge with Allah), or curses, or the word of divorce (talaaq) which would destroy his home, or words of slander which would bring him the enmity and hatred of others. So, in short, keeping silent is the solution which helps one to avoid all that.

(3) Not moving:

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “If any of you becomes angry and he is standing, let him sit down, so his anger will go away; if it does not go away, let him lie down.”

The narrator of this hadeeth is Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), and there is a story connected to his telling of it: he was taking his camels to drink at a trough that he owned, when some other people came along and said (to one another), “Who can compete with Abu Dharr (in bringing animals to drink) and make his hair stand on end?” A man said, “I can,” so he brought his animals and competed with Abu Dharr, with the result that the trough was broken. (i.e., Abu Dharr was expecting help in watering his camels, but instead the man misbehaved and caused the trough to be broken). Abu Dharr was standing, so he sat down, then he laid down. Someone asked him, “O Abu Dharr, why did you sit down then lie down?” He said: “The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: . . .” and quoted the hadeeth. (The hadeeth and this story may be found in Musnad Ahmad, 5/152; see also Sahih al-Jaami‘, no. 694).

According to another report, Abu Dharr was watering his animals at the trough, when another man made him angry, so he sat down . . . (Fayd al-Qadeer, al-Manaawi, 1/408)

Among the benefits of this advice given by the Prophet (saws) is the fact that it prevents the angry person from going out of control, because he could strike out and injure someone, or even kill - as we will find out shortly - or he could destroy possessions and so on. Sitting down makes it less likely that he will become overexcited, and lying down makes it even less likely that he will do something crazy or harmful. Al-‘Allaamah al-Khattaabi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his commentary on Aboo Daawood: “One who is standing is in a position to strike and destroy, while the one who is sitting is less likely to do that, and the one who is lying down can do neither. It is possible that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told the angry person to sit down or lie down so that he would not do something that he would later regret. And Allah knows best.”(Sunan Abee Daawood, with Ma‘aalim al-Sunan, 5/141)

(4) Following the advice of the Prophet (saws):

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that a man said to the Prophet (saws), “Advise me.” He said, “Do not become angry.” The man repeated his request several times, and each time the Prophet (saws) told him, “Do not become angry.”(Reported by al-Bukhari, Fath al-Baaree, 10/456)

According to another report, the man said: “I thought about what the Prophet (saws) said, and I realized that anger combines all kinds of evil.”(Musnad Ahmad, 5/373)

(5) Do not become angry and Paradise will be yours (a saheeh hadeeth, see Saheeh al-Jaam‘, 7374. Ibn Hajr attributed it to al-Tabaraanee, see al-Fath 4/465):

Remembering what Allah has promised to the righteous (muttaqeen) who keep away from the causes of anger and struggle within themselves to control it, is one of the most effective ways of extinguishing the flames of anger. One of the ahaadeeth that describe the great reward for doing this is: “Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allah will fill his heart with contentment on the Day of Resurrection.”(Reported by al-Tabaraanee, 12/453, see also Sahih al-Jaami‘, 6518)

Another great reward is described in the Prophet’s (saws) words: “Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it, Allah will call him before all of mankind on the Day of Resurrection, and will let him choose of the Hoor al-‘Ayn whoever he wants.”(Reported by Aboo Daawood, 4777, and others. It is classified as hasan in Sahih al-Jaami‘, 6518).

(6) Knowing the high status and advantages offered to those who control themselves:

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “The strong man is not the one who can overpower others (in wrestling); rather, the strong man is the one who controls himself when he gets angry.” (Reported by Ahmad, 2/236; the hadeeth is agreed upon) . The greater the anger, the higher the status of the one who controls himself. The Prophet (saws) said: “The strongest man is the one who, when he gets angry and his face reddens and his hackles rise, is able to defeat his anger.” (Reported by Imam Ahmad, 5/367, and classified as hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami‘, 3859)

Anas reported that the Prophet (saws) passed by some people who were wrestling. He asked, “What is this?” They said: “So-and-so is the strongest, he can beat anybody.” The Prophet (saws) said, “Shall I not tell you who is even stronger then him? The man who, when he is mistreated by another, controls his anger, has defeated his own Shaytan and the Shaytan of the one who made him angry.”(Reported by al-Bazzaar, and Ibn Hajr said its isnaad is saheeh. Al-Fath, 10/519)

(7) Following the Prophet’s (saws) example in the case of anger:

The Prophet (saws) is our leader and has set the highest example in this matter, as is recorded in a number of ahaadeeth. One of the most famous was reported by Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (saws), and he was wearing a Najraanee cloak with a rough collar. A Bedouin came and seized him roughly by the edge of his cloak, and I saw the marks left on his neck by the collar. Then the Bedouin ordered him to give him some of the wealth of Allaah that he had. The Prophet (saws) turned to him and smiled, then ordered that he should be given something.”(Agreed upon. Fath al-Baaree, 10/375)

Another way in which we can follow the example of the Prophet (saws) is by making our anger for the sake of Allah, when His rights are violated. This is the kind of anger which is praiseworthy. So the Prophet (saws) became angry when he was told about the imam who was putting people off the prayer by making it too long; when he saw a curtain with pictures of animate creatures in ‘Aa’ishah’s house; when Usaamah spoke to him about the Makhzoomee woman who had been convicted of theft, and he said “Do you seek to intervene concerning one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?”; when he was asked questions that he disliked, and so on. His anger was purely for the sake of Allah.

(8) Knowing that resisting anger is one of the signs of righteousness (taqwaa):

The righteous (al-muttaqoon) are those praised by Allah in the Qur'an and by His Messenger (saws). Paradise as wide as heaven and earth has been prepared for them. One of their characteristics is that they (interpretation of the meaning) “spend (in Allah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, [they] repress anger, and [they] pardon men; verily, Allah loves al-muhsinoon (the good-doers).” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:134]

These are the ones whose good character and beautiful attributes and deeds Allaah has mentioned, and whom people admire and want to emulate. One of their characteristics is that (interpretation of the meaning) “. . . when they are angry, they forgive.” [al-Shooraa 42:47]

(9) Listening to reminders:

Anger is a part of human nature, and people vary in their anger. It may be difficult for a man not to get angry, but sincere people will remember Allah when they are reminded, and they will not overstep the mark. Some examples follow:

Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man sought permission to speak to 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him), then he said: “O son of al-Khattaab, you are not giving us much and you are not judging fairly between us.” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was so angry that he was about to attack the man, but al-Hurr ibn Qays, who was one of those present, said: “O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, Allah said to His Prophet (saws) (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish’ [al-A‘raaf 7:199]. This man is one of the foolish.” By Allah, ‘Umar could go no further after al-Hurr had recited this aayah to him, and he was a man who was careful to adhere to the Book of Allah.(Reported by al-Bukhari, al-Fath, 4/304).

This is how the Muslim should be. The evil munaafiq (hypocrite) was not like this when he was told the hadeeth of the Prophet (saws) and one of the Companions said to him, “Seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytan.” He said to the one who reminded him, “Do you think I am crazy? Go away!”(Reported by al-Bukhari, al-Fath, 1/465). We seek refuge with Allah from failure.

(10) Knowing the bad effects of anger:

The negative effects of anger are many; in short they cause damage to one’s own self and to others. The angry person may utter words of slander and obscenity, he may attack others (physically) in an uncontrolled manner, even to the point of killing. The following story contains a valuable lesson:

‘Ilqimah ibn Waa’il reported that his father (may Allah be pleased with him) told him: “I was sitting with the Prophet (saws) when a man came to him leading another man by a rope. He said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, this man killed my brother.’ The Messenger of Allah (saws) asked him, ‘Did you kill him?’ He said, ‘Yes, I killed him.’ He asked, ‘How did you kill him?’ He said, ‘He and I were hitting a tree to make the leaves fall, for animal feed, and he slandered me, so I struck him on the side of the head with an axe, and killed him.’ . . .” (Reported by Muslim, 1307, edited by al-Baaqi).

Anger could lead to less than killing, such as wounding and breaking bones. If the one who caused the anger runs away, the angry person turns his anger in on himself, so he may tear his clothes, or strike his cheeks, or have a fit, or fall unconscious, or he may break dishes and plates, or break furniture.

In the worst cases, anger results in social disasters and the breaking of family ties, i.e., divorce. Ask many of those who divorced their wives, and they will tell you: it was in a moment of anger. This divorce results in misery for the children, regret and frustration, a hard and difficult life, all as a result of anger. If they had remembered Allah, come to their senses, restrained their anger and sought refuge with Allah, none of this would have happened. Going against the Shariah only results in loss.

The damage to health that results from anger can only be described by doctors, such as thrombosis, high blood pressure, tachycardia (abnormally rapid heartbeat) and hyperventilation (rapid, shallow breathing), which can lead to fatal heart attacks, diabetes, etc. We ask Allah for good health.

(11) The angry person should think about himself during moments of anger:

If the angry person could see himself in the mirror when he is angry, he would hate himself and the way he looks. If he could see the way he changes, and the way his body and limbs shake, how his eyes glare and how out of control and crazy his behaviour is, he would despise himself and be revolted by his own appearance. It is well-known that inner ugliness is even worse than outer ugliness; how happy the Shaytan must be when a person is in this state! We seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytan and from failure.

(12) Du‘aa’:

Du'a’ is always the weapon of the believer, whereby he asks Allah to protect him from evil, trouble and bad behaviour and seeks refuge with Him from falling into the pit of kufr or wrongdoing because of anger. One of the three things that can help save him is: being fair at times of contentment and of anger (Saheeh al-Jaami‘, 3039). One of the du‘aa’s of the Prophet (saws) was:

“O Allah, by Your knowledge of the Unseen and Your power over Your creation, keep me alive for as long as You know life is good for me, and cause me to die when You know death is good for me. O Allah, I ask You to make me fear You in secret and in public, and I ask You to make me speak the truth in times of contentment and of anger. I ask You not to let me be extravagant in poverty or in prosperity. I ask You for continuous blessings, and for contentment that does not end. I ask You to let me accept Your decree, and for a good life after death. I ask You for the joy of seeing Your face and for the longing to meet You, without going through diseases and misguiding fitnah (trials). O Allah, adorn us with the adornment of faith and make us among those who are guided. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”

Protecting a muslim's honour

The Prophet (SAWS) said: "Whoever protects his brother's honour in his absence, will be entitled to Allah's protection from the Fire." [Related by Ahmad, classed as Sahih]

The Prophet (SAWS) said: "Whoever protects his brother's honour, Allah will protect his face from the Fire of the Day of Resurrection." [Narrated and classed as Hasan by al-Tirmidhi]

Prophet (SAWS) said: "Whoever protects a Muslim from a hypocrite, (probably he said:) Allah will send an angel to protect his flesh from the Fire of Hell; and whoever accuses a Muslim of something, seeking to disgrace him, Allah will detain him on the bridge of Hell until he has been fully punished for what he said." [Abu Dawud: Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud]

Prophet (SAWS) said: "The Muslim who helps another when the latter's honour and dignity are under attack, shall be helped by Allah, Glorious and Sublime is He! - at a time when he would wish for Allah's help. But he who forsakes a Muslim whose dignity is under attack, shall have Allah forsake him at a time when he would wish for Allah's help." [Al Ghazali, Ihyaa Ulum al Din; Kitab Adab al Suhbah p 369]

Prophet (SAWS) said "If a person conceals the weakness of another in this world, Allah will conceal their weakness in the hereafter." [Mishkaat]

"Whoever sees an evil deed must..."

Messenger of Allah S.A.W.S. said:

"Whoever of you sees an evil deed should
change it with his hand [by acting], or if he cannot do that, then with his tongue [by speaking out], or if he cannot do that, then with his heart - and that is the weakest of faith."


[Sahih Muslim]

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

What did Prophet (SAWS) do at home?

Aisha (ra) the wife of the Prophet (saw) was asked: ' What did the Prophet (saw) do at home.' She replied: 'He used to work for his family (ie he helped out around the home with the daily chores), and when he heard the adhan (the call of prayer) he would go (to the Mosque).

(Bukhari)

Some one asked Aisha Ra "What was the usual practice of Rasulullah S.A.W.S. at home?" She replied: "He was a human being from among other humans. He himself removed lice from his clothing, milking his sheep, and did all his work for himself."

(Tirmidhi)

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Who does Allah LOVE?

Patience
"And Allah loves as-Sabirun (the patient)." (Quran: 3:146)

Justice and Dealing with Equity
"Be just: that is nearer to piety; and fear Allah." (Quran: 5:8)

Putting Trust in Allah
"Certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him)." (Quran: 3:159)

Perfection of One's Work
The Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Allah loves that if one does a job he perfects it." (Bayhaqi)

Kindliness
"Aisha narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah loves kindliness in all matters." (Bukhari)

Repentance
"Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto him in repentance." (Quran: 2:222)

Piety
"Verily, then Allah loves those who are al-Muttaqun (the pious)."
(Quran: 3:76)

Good-doing
"Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers)." (Quran: 2:195)


Purification
"And Allah loves those who make themselves clean and pure" (Quran: 9:108)


Humility of the Rich

Muslim narrated: Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas said: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Allah loves the believer who is pious and rich, but does not show off."

Sense of Honour
Al-Tirmidhi narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Allah loves from amongst his slaves, the one who has a sense of zeal or honor."

Generosity

Al-Hakim narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Allah is All-Generous and He loves generosity in sale, purchase and judgment."

Virtuosity
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: " Allah loves the slave-believer who is poor but virtuous enough to refrain from begging though he has many children." (Muslim and Ahmed)

Strength
Muslim narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "The strong believer is better and more loved by Allah than the weak one, but they are both good."

Love for the Sake of Allah
Al-Tabarani, Ibn Ya'la, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "If two men love each other for the sake of Allah, the stronger in love to his brother will be more loved by Allah."

Forgiveness
"O Allah! You are forgiving and you love forgiveness" [Hadith Ahmad]
"Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allâh should forgive you?" (Qur'an 24:22)

Continuous Performance of Righteous Deeds
Bukhari and Muslim narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "The best loved deeds to Allah are the ones that are continuous even if they are not very many."

Loving and Visiting Believers
Malik narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Allah said: My love is due to those who meet for My sake, visit one another and make any effort for My pleasure."


Good Manners and Conduct
Al-Tirmidhi narrated: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "The best loved by me and the nearest to me on the seats on the Day of Resurrection are those who have the best manners and conduct amongst you, who are intimate, are on good terms with others and are humble, and the most hated by me and who will be on the furthest seats from me are those who are talkative and arrogant."

Following the Messenger S.A.W.S.
"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Quran: 3:31)

Monday, May 24, 2010

"..the Prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Resurrection"

Those Who Love One Another for Allah's sake

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "There are people from the servants of God who are neither prophets nor martyrs, (but) the prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Resurrection. . .They are those who love one another for the spirit of God. . .I swear by God, their faces will glow and they will be (sitting) in (pulpits of) light. They will have no fear (on the day) when the people will have fear, and they will not grieve when the people will grieve."

He then recited the verse: "Behold! Verily for the friends of God, there is no fear, nor shall they grieve." (Quran, 10:62)


- Sunan of Abu Dawood, Hadith 1563

Quran will say "O Lord, adorn him" so he will be given a crown

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

"The Qur'aan will come on the Day of Resurrection and will say, 'O Lord, adorn him.' So he will be given a crown of honour to wear. Then it will say, 'O Lord, give him more.' So he will be given a garment of honour.' Then it will say, 'O Lord, be pleased with him.' So Allaah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said to him, 'Recite and advance in status, and for each verse you will gain one more hasanah (reward for good deed)."

(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2915. He said, this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. Al-Albaani said in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2328, this is hasan).

Qur'an will come on Judgment as a man who..

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

'The Qur'aan will come on the Day of Resurrection like a pale man saying to its companion, "Do you recognize me? I am the one who made you stay up at night and made you thirsty during the day…" Then he will be given dominion in his right hand and eternity in his left, and a crown of dignity will be placed upon his head, and his parents will be clothed with garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, "O Lord, how did we earn this?" It will be said to them, "Because you taught your child the Qur'aan."'"

(Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, 6/51).

Our body parts warn our tongue!

Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

"When man wakes up in the morning each day, all parts of the body warn the tongue saying,
'Fear Allah as regards us for we are at your mercy; if you are upright,
we will be upright and if you are crooked, we become crooked.'"

(At-Tirmidhee)

Wudhu makes us glow on Judgment Day

The Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam went to the (Baqi`) cemetery and said:

"May you be secured from punishment, O dwellers of abode of the believers! We, if Allah wills, will follow you. I wish we see my brothers."

The Companions said, "O Messenger of Allah! Are not we your brothers?"

He said, "You are my Companions, but my brothers are those who have not come into the world yet."

They said; "O Messenger of Allah! How will you recognize those of your Ummah who are not born yet?"

He said, "Say, if a man has white-footed horses with white foreheads among horses which are pure black, will he not recognize his own horses?"

They said; "Certainly, O Messenger of Allah!" He said, "They (my followers) will come with bright faces and white limbs because of Wudu'; and I will arrive at the Haud (Al-Kauthar) ahead of them."


[Muslim]

An angel defends you when you don't argue


"Once, a person was verbally abusing Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) while the Prophet (S.A.W.S.) was curiously watching with a smile. After taking much abuse quietly, Abu Bakr responded to a few of his comments. At this, the Prophet
(S.A.W.S.) exhibited his disapproval, got up and left.

Abu Bakr caught up with the Prophet (S.A.W.S.) and wondered, 'O Messenger of Allah, he was abusing me and you remained sitting. When I responded to him, you disapproved and got up.'

The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.S.) responded, 'There was an angel with you responding to him. When you responded to him, Shaytan took his place.'

He (S.A.W.S.) then said: 'O Abu Bakr, there are three solid truths: If a person is wronged and he forbears it (without seeking revenge) just for the sake of Allah almighty, Allah will honor him and give him the upper hand with His help; if a person opens a door of giving gifts for cementing relationships with relatives, Allah will give him abundance; and, if a person opens a door of seeking charity for himself to increase his wealth, Allah will further reduce his wealth.'"


(Musnad Ahmad)

Greatness of Seeking knowledge

The Prophet Mohammad Posted Image said:

"Whoever treads on a path in search of Islamic knowledge, Allah will ease the way to Paradise for him. The angels will lower their wings, pleased with this seeker of knowledge, and everyone in the heavens and on earth will ask forgiveness for the knowledgeable person, even the fish in the deepest of waters will ask for his forgiveness."

[Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi # 2835-sahih hadith]

WHY does Allah test us? (3:179)

Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good.

(Qur'an 3:179)

Commentary: Allah creates certain situations in which the faith of those who profess to believe is severely tested. The result is that the man of faith stands out clearly from the hypocrite.

Allah tests with GOOD and BAD

Allah tests with difficulties, as well as, blessings:

Allah says:

“Every soul shall taste of death. And We will test you with evil and with good by way of trial. And to Us is your return.”

[Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 35].

“Know that your wealth and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a mighty reward.”

[Sûrah al-Anfâl: 28]

Many people do not realize that they are tried just as severely with the good that they are given as they are by the misfortunes that befall them.

Allah says:

“And as for man, whenever his Lord tries him by honoring him and makes him lead an easy life, he says: ‘My Lord honors me’. But when He tries him by straitening his means of subsistence, he says: ‘My Lord has disgraced me’.”

[Sûrah al-Fajr: 15-16]