An Excellent Example of Patience and Thankfulness

Abu Qilaaba al-Jurmiyy, the companion of Ibn ‘Abbaas

Narrated Imaam Al-Awzaa’ee from Abdullaah ibn Muhammad who said: “One day I set out to the shore on patrol; and those days we were stationed at Al ‘Arish [A town in N. Egypt], thus when I came to the end of the shore, I saw a small tent [at a distance – in the desert] so I set out for it.

Inside it there was a man who had lost his hands, and had lost his legs, and his sight and hearing had become heavy due to the affliction he had – thus there was not anything [more realistically] beneficial to him than his tongue.

And he was saying: ‘O, Allaah enable [and facilitate] for me that I praise and thank You, the praise which equates thanking You for the blessings which You have bestowed on me and gave me excellence to many more of whom You created.”

So I [was amazed and] said to myself: ‘By Allaah, I have to approach this man and ask him, from among the favors and blessings; what does he really have!? [While he is in this state!] Why is he saying these words? Does he have understanding, or knowledge of what he is saying!? Or is it just desires!?

So I approached the men and gave him the salaams [greetings of peace] and I said to him: ‘I heard you and you were saying: ‘O, Allaah enable [and facilitate] for me that I praise and thank You, the praise which equates thanking You for the blessings which You have bestowed on me and gave me excellence to many more of whom You created.’ So what favors and blessings do you [really] have [while you are in this state!!] and what excellences has He favored you with such that you praise Him because of them?’

So he replied: ‘Even on top of all what you see [of my deficiencies]; If Allaah was to send a fire from the sky to burn me, or commanded the mountains to crash me, or ordered the seas to drown me, and ordered the earth such that it swallows me: I would not increase except in thanking and praising my Lord – due to what He has favored me with – of a tongue [which I use to worship Him] !!

So, O slave of Allaah; as you have come here – and as you see my state – I have a need from you: as you see I have no capability over myself in benefitting or harm. But I have my son who comes to me at the time of prayers and he helps me in making Wudhoo for my prayers, and when I am hungry he feeds me, and when I thirst he gives me to drink: But I have not seen him for three days now – so help me by looking for him, may Allaah have mercy on you.’

So I said: ‘By Allaah there is no one who can get a better reward from Allaah by going out to help someone who is most worthy of being helped than someone

like you.’

Thus I set out looking for the son, and I had not gone a far distance when in between two sand-dunes I found a boy who had been attacked by a beast of prey and it killed him for meat ! I was in shock, and very overwhelmed in emotion.

And I said to myself, in what way shall I approach this man to explain to him this [while he is that state !]?

And after some time, I remembered the prophet Ayyoob (may peace be on him) [and how he was tried].

So I returned to the man, and entered; gave him salaams, and he replied the salaams and he said: ‘Aren’t you my friend? [I.e. you are the same person who was here right?]’

And I replied: ‘Indeed.’

So he said: ‘What happened to what I asked of you?’

And I replied: ‘Are you more excellent –in front of Allaah- or is the Prophet Ayyoob [May peace be on him]?’

He replied: ‘Of course, the Prophet Ayyoob [may peace be on him] is.’

Then I said: ‘You know what Allaah did with Him, how He tested him through his wealth, his family, and his children?’

He replied: ‘Of course.’

So I said: ‘And how did He find him?’

He replied: ‘Patient, Thankful, and Praising His Lord.’

So I said: ‘And that was until after [his trial was so hard that] his friends and his relatives abandoned him, do you know that?’

He replied: ‘Yes.’

So I said: ‘And that was until after [his trial was so hard that] the passers-by used to look down upon him [Ayyoob, due to the state he was in], do you know that?’

He replied: ‘Yes.’

So I said: ‘And how did his Lord find him?’

He replied: ‘Patient, Thankful, and Praising His Lord. May Allaah have mercy on you; Be concise.’

Thus I said: ‘The boy you sent me to search for, I found him in between two sand-dunes; and had been attacked by a beast of prey and it killed and ate him! So may Allaah bestow on you patience and increase you in reward!’

So he said: ‘All perfect praise is for Allaah who did not create from my off-spring those who would become open sinners such that they would have to be punished by the fire.’

Then he said the istirjaa’ [We are from Allaah, and to Him we shall all return (legislated to be said at times of calamity)], and [suddenly] he gave out some groans, and he then fell dead ! Indeed we are from Allaah, and to Him we shall all return !!

My calamity and despair just became greater. [What shall I do??]

A man like this, if I leave him here he will be eaten by the beasts, and even if I was to stay here; I cannot do anything! I cannot benefit nor harm!

So I covered him, with a cover [blanket] he had, and I sat there on the side of his head; crying. [After some time] While I am still in that state; I notice the approaching of four horse-men, and [when they got to me] they inquired: ‘O servant of Allaah, what is with you? And what is your story [why are you like this]?’ So I narrated to them my encounter. And then they said to me : ‘Un-cover his face, maybe we might recognize him.’

And I did just that; when the man fell down: and kissed the [dead] man’s hands at time, and kissed his forehead at times!!

And they were saying: ‘My may father be ransomed for you; Eyes which were restrained from the prohibitions of Allaah, My may father be ransomed for you; his body endured in worship while people would be sleeping!! ‘

So I said to them: ‘May Allaah have mercy on you, who is this man!?’

They replied: ‘This is Abu Qilaaba al-Jurmiyy, the companion of Ibn ‘Abbaas. He used to have immense love for the Prophet (sallahAllaahu alayhi wasallam).’

Then we washed him, and shrouded him with some clothing that we had, and we prayed over him, and then buried him…

And the men left and I went away; back to my resting-place.

During that night, when I was sleeping; I saw in a dream: that the [same] man was in a garden from the gardens of Paradise, dressed up from the beautiful adornments of paradise, and he was reciting in a tarteel [slow, rhythmic, correct form of recitation] :

“Salâmun ‘Alaikum (peace be upon you) for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!” [1]

So I said: ‘Aren’t you my companion [whom I encountered today]?’

He replied: ‘Yes. Of course.’

So I said: ‘So how is all this!?’

He said : ‘Indeed Allaah Has kept degrees which cannot be achieved except by patience in the times of difficulty, and being thankful [and humble] during the times of ease – and [while in both these situations] – having fear of Allaah [by observing his commands] in private and in company of others.’

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) Used To Supplicate…

Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to supplicate: “Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa bika amantu, wa `alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu, wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu. Faghfir li ma qaddamtu, wa ma akh-khartu, wa ma asrartu wa ma a`lantu, Antal-Muqaddimu, wa Antal-Mu`akhkhiru, la ilaha illa Anta (O Allah! to You I submit, in You I affirm my faith, in You I repose my trust, to You I turn in repentance and with Your Help I contend my adversaries and from You I seek judgement. O Allah! Grant me forgiveness for the faults which I made in past and those ones I may commit in the future, those which I committed secretly or openly. You Alone send whomever You will to Jannah, and You Alone send whomever You will to Hell-fire. There is none worthy of worship except You).” Another narration adds: “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (There is no strength to resist evil and no power to do good except through Allah).”
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Commentary: The prayer mentioned in this Hadith is, in fact, a Muslim’s declaration to turn in every matter to Allah, and to care about His Pleasure and His Orders regarding every act. It is also a declaration to befriend people for His sake and to show enmity towards people for Him alone. May Allah give every Muslim the ability to make this prayer and to act according to the declaration that he makes through it.

Commentary from Riyad us Saliheen. You can read Riyad Us Saliheen online at: http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/hadeeth/riyad/default.htm

A Very Powerful Hadith Qudsi To Reflect Upon

 

It was relayed on the authority of Abu Dhar al-Ghifari, radiyallahu ‘anhu, that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, said, of waht he related from his Lord, magnified and exhalted be He, Who said:

“O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit oppression against one another. O My servants, all of you are liable to err except for those whom I guide on the right path, therefore seek guidance from Me so that I should direct you to the right path. O My servants, all of you are hungry (needy) except for those whom I feed, therefore seek food from Me so that I may feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked (need clothes) except for those whom I provide garments, therefore seek clothing from Me so that I should clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day and I am there to pardon your sins, therefore seek forgiveness from Me so that I should grant you pardon. O My servants, you can neither do Me any harm nor can you do Me any good. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinns become as pious as the most pious heart of any one amongst you, it will not add anything to My Power or Kingdom. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinns become as wicked as the most wicked heart of anyone amongst you, it will not decrease anything from My Power or Kingdom. O My servants, even if the first amongst you and the last amongst you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinns gather together on a sector of land and all ask of Me and if I were to give everyone of them what they asked, that will not in any way decrease what I have anymore than a needle decreases what is in the ocean when it is put into it. O My servants, these deeds of yours which I am recording for you I shall reward you for them, so he who finds good should praise Allah and he who finds other than that should not blame anyone but himself.”

[Muslim]

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background

This hadith stresses on the prohibition of all forms of injustice and oppression in Islam. It commands its followers to practice justice which is one of the main objectives of the Shariah. It also encourages Muslims to seek guidance from Allah by means of supplication (du’a) and relying on Allah alone (Tawakul).

Even though we are commanded to do our best efforts in carrying out our daily activities, one should not be materialistic and rely on his efforts alone. It is only with Allah’s permission and support and His tawfiq that our efforts becomes successful. Hence, this hadith confirms certain aspects of al-qadar which have been pointed out before and the choice is Allah’s Glory, the all-Gracious and Powerful.

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lessons

As also mentioned in many verses of the Qur’an, Allah subhana wa ta’ala affirms His absolute justice and negates that He has never committed any kind of injustice towards anyone. Some verses of the holy Qur’an in this regards are:

In Surah Fussilat (41), Ayah 46 : “Your Lord is not at all unjust to His slaves”

In Surah al-Zukhruf (43), Ayah 76 : “No wise shall We be unjust to them but it is they who have been unjust to themselves”

In Surah Ghafir (40), Ayah 31 : “And Allah wills no injustice for His slaves”

In Surah al-Imran (3), Ayah 108 : “…and Allah wills no injustice to the world”

In Surah al-Nisa (4), Ayah 40 : “Surely Allah wrongs not even of the weight of an atom”

In Surah al-Kahf (18), Ayah 49 : “…and your Lord treats no one with injustice”

 

The forbidden injustices include all forms. The first, the highest level and the most extreme form of injustice is al-shirk or associating partners with Allah. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Verily joining others in worship with Allah is a great form of injustice indeed”
[Surah Luqman (31) : Ayah 13]

The second form is unjust towards one ownself such as committing sins. The third form is dhulm or unjust towards others whether human beings or other creatures.

It is a must that a Muslim should avoid injustice as it displease Allah subhana wa ta’ala and leads to His severe punishment.

 

Ibn Taymiyyah points out that good and bad may be related to one’s worldly life or one’s religion. The guidance and forgiveness that are mentioned in the hadith are related to one’s religion. Food and clothing are related to one’s worldly needs. These are examples of what every one of us needs.

 

The hadith shows us that humans are always in great need for Allah. We need Allah for everything because we are poor and needy. Allah is the only One Who does not need anybody. He does not need anything from us. He is the Almighty and the Most Powerful. So a Muslim should show his or her need to Allah all the time and should seek Allah’s support and Tawfiq in whatever he or she does. That is why we are ordered to do a lot of dhikr all the time because it expresses our needs to Allah subhana wa ta’ala.

It is by the help of Allah that we are able to do things. We are able to move and walk. We are able to sleep and wake up and do all our activities. All our internal bodily systems such as breathing, blood circulation and digestion and so on depend and work on Allah’s Will. If any of these functions stop working, no one can bring it back to normal except Allah. So we should always be grateful to Allah subhana wa ta’ala.

Most people remember Allah only when there is a problem. For example, when one of our bodily functions does not work properly (e.g. an injured muscle, a broken finger, etc.), it is only then that we remember the bounties of Allah and what He provided us. But we should not wait until a problem occurs to be grateful to Allah. We have to be grateful to Him all the time and thank Him for all His Ni’mah on us. This will increase our iman because the more we show our needs to Allah, the more we feel the bounty of Allah. People who are not grateful to Allah are considered arrogant because they do not recognize the bounties of Allah given to them.

 

Guidance is a great mercy and ni’mah from Allah the Almighty. It is very important for every Muslim to know that the most valuable thing that we have in our life is this guidance. Allah has guided us to the right path or iman and we have to be grateful to Him. This guidance in the form of the Qur’an was revealed to us by Allah through His Messenger, Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wasallam. So we should stick to its guidance and follow its teachings as a guide for us in everything we do in our lives. Our efforts alone cannot guide us. Even though we have our own will and choice, they are not independent. They are under Allah’s will and choice and belong to Him. We have aql (mind) but again it is created by Allah. We also have fitrah or the natural deposition but it is also created by Allah and belongs to Him. All these things are created by Allah. Allah showed us the right way to follow and be guided and warn us against Shaitan who is our greatest enemy and cause of our wrongdoings and misguidance. Allah also showed us how to deal with our own desires which He created in us. He told us that we should not be misled by these desires. We have to use them in the right ways.

When it comes to the issue of misguidance, we must know that it is not from the choice of Allah because He does not want us to be misguided. It is from our own will and choice. When someone is misguided it is his or her own attitude and behavior and it is he or she who chooses it to be like that. For example, takabur (arrogance) is one source of misguidance but it is a person’s character and attitude which affect the heart and cause misguidance. So when a person chooses to be misguided he or she will be so by his or her own will and not by Allah’s misguidance. Allah’s misguidance comes later as punishment for the person who chooses to be misguided. But if the person is misguided because of external factors which is out of his hands, he will be excused. For example, if the person did not receive the message of Islam at all or he received it but not in a clear way, then he will be excused for that misguidance. People who live in periods between two prophets (Ahlul Fatrah) are considered as being in excusable situations because they could not receive the messages of Allah at that period of time.

At the end of the hadith it is mentioned and stressed that whoever finds good record he should be thankful to Allah and praise Him for that, and anyone who finds other than that, which means bad record, he should not blame anyone except himself. This is a clear statement that shows the personal responsibility of one’s actions. It is the person’s own will and choice and not Allah’s. Allah is al-A’dil or Just. He never does injustice to His servants. In the Qur’an, we can find many verses that explain how people blame themselves during the Day of Judgment for not following the right path. It is the people themselves who chose to be misguided and hence they cannot blame any one else but themselves. This is also an important aspect of al-qadar that should be understood.

 

According to the scholars there are four types of guidance:

1. Guidance needed for the welfare of the worldly life. This type is general guidance for all living beings. They include Muslims and non-Muslims, animals and also other creatures. All are guided by Allah for their worldly well-being.

2. Guidance which benefits mankind in the religious sense. This type is beneficial for life in the Hereafter.

3. Guidance in terms of placing faith and guidance into the heart of a person. This can be done only by Allah, as mentioned in Surah al-Kahf, Ayah 117.

4. Guidance in the Hereafter as stated in Surah Yunus, Ayah 9. This fourth guidance is a result of the second guidance. Those who follow the message of Allah are guided to the right path and will be guided in the Hereafter.

 

The door of Taubah or repentance is open for all. The acceptance of our repentance is always available. Islam is a practical religion. It acknowledges our weaknesses. People are always subject to wrongdoings. They may neglect or delay performing obligations (wajib) or they may even indulge in sins (ma’asi’) but Allah subhana wa ta’ala is Oft-Forgiving and His door is open to all wrongdoers.

We are given the chance to repent and come back to Allah. This is a mercy from Allah. If we truly repent to Allah, our sins will be forgiven and even the bad records will be changed into good ones. Allah is telling us that He is Forgiving, Merciful and Compassionate. He requires us to come to Him and seek His forgiveness. We should know that the door of Allah is open to us all the time. If we do something wrong at night, we should come back to Him in the morning and if we do something wrong in the morning, we should come to seek His forgiveness during the night. We are always encouraged to do istighfar, which means to remember Allah and praise Him by reciting His Dhikr. We should maintain this istighfar regularly, for example, during the morning and evening times. It is also recommended to recite these adhkar after the salah and in some other specific times. We are encouraged to read these dhikr in our hearts.

 

The hadith shows the generosity of Almighty Allah. Allah gives His servants a lot of bounties and favours. The more they ask Him, the more He gives them His Ni’mah and countless Bounties. He wants us to ask Him more and seek His help and support. This is different from human beings because humans do not like to be asked frequently. The more you ask a human, the more they hate you and eventually will turn away from you. But the more we ask Allah the more He gives us. He wants us to come closer to Him and show Him our needs and humbleness. He will be pleased by our frequent taubah and repentance. This is also a kind of ibadah which is required to be practiced.

The early scholars (al-Salaf) used to ask Allah a lot and always seek His help in everything, even when a part of their shoe is cut they ask Allah to repair it for them. This shows that they were totally relying on Allah subhana wa ta’ala in their lives. We should also depend on Allah alone. We should not depend on our material aspects such as money and wealth as they cannot do anything for us. It is Allah alone Who deserves to be relied on. So every Muslim should be closer to Allah and seek His help and support. This will give us strength in our faith and iman. It will also give us more barakah (blessings) in our deeds and actions as explained in many verses of the Qur’an.

Istighfar is also one way to acquire good rizq or wealth because when we do istighfar we will get barakah in our rizq. It is this barakah or blessing of Allah which makes our wealth more beneficial regardless of how much money we earn. Some people earn a lot of money but there in no barakah in their wealth because they do not do istighfar nor are they grateful to Allah. People should show their need and humbleness to Allah who is the Master and Sustainer of the world.

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conclusion

The hadith shows us the proper relationship between mankind and Allah. It shows us the many attributes of Allah such as being Merciful, Forgiving, Powerful and Compassionate. In contrast, we as human beings are poor, needy and weak. We are in continuous need for Allah, our creator and sustainer. We need His Guidance, Help and Support. That is why in every raka’ah of our salah we are required to recite Umu al-Kitab or Surah al-Fatihah. We recite it at least 17 times everyday. It reminds us of our extreme need for our Lord and His Guidance and Support. Also this will strengthen our faith and iman.

In many verses of the Qur’an and in the hadiths of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, it is explained the importance of showing our need and humbleness to Allah and the worthiness of frequent taubah or repentance to Him. He will listen to us and will accept our supplication and repentance. He will be pleased by our du’a and prayers. He will shower on us His Mercy and Blessings and that is what we continuously need. We want to be guided, supported and forgiven. We seek the pleasure of Allah and it is the most important thing that a Muslim may achieve in life. Those who achieve it are described as Fa’izun or the most successful people.

 

 

Facts About Islam

Facts About Islam

Written by Dr. Ibrahim Dremali

1) “Islam” literally means “peace through the submission to God”. 2) “Muslim” literally means “anyone or anything that submits itself to the will of God”. 3) Islam is not a culture its followers number over 1.9 billion worldwide. Along with Judaism and Christianity, it is considered to be one of the three Abrahamic traditions. 4) There are five pillars of practice in Islam. These practices must be undertaken with the best of effort in order to be considered a true Muslim: A) Shahadah – declaration of faith in the oneness of God and that Muhammad is the last prophet of God. B) Formal prayer five times a day. C) Fasting during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan. D) Poor-due “tax” – 2.5% of one’s savings given to the needy at the end of each year. E) Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if physically and financially able. 5) There are six articles of faith in Islam. These are the basic beliefs that one must have in order to be considered a true Muslim. They are belief in: A) the One God. B) all the prophets of God. C) the original scriptures revealed to Prophets Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad. D) the angels. E) the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter. F) the divine decree (or destiny). 6) Islam is a complete way of life that governs all facets of life: moral, spiritual, social, political, economical, intellectual, etc. 7) Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world. To become Muslim, a person of any race or culture must say a simple statement, the shahadah, that bears witness to the belief in the One God and that Prophet Muhammad was the last prophet of God. 8. “Allah” is an Arabic word that literally means “God”. Muslims also believe that “Allah” is the personal name of God. 9) Allah is not the God of Muslims only. He is the God of all people and all creation. Just because people refer to God using different terms does not mean that they are different gods. Spanish people refer to God as “Dios” and French people refer to God as “Dieu”, yet they are all the same God. Interestingly, most Arab Jews and Arab Christians refer to God as “Allah”. And the word Allah in Arabic appears on the walls of many Arab churches. 10) The Islamic concept of God is that He is loving, merciful, and compassionate. But Islam also teaches that He is just and swift in punishment. Nevertheless, Allah once said to Prophet Muhammad, “My mercy prevails over my wrath.” Islam teaches a balance between fear and hope, protecting one from both complacency and despair. 11) Terrorism, unjustified violence, and the killing of innocent people are absolutely forbidden in Islam. Islam is a way of life that is meant to bring peace to a society, whether its people are Muslim or not. The extreme actions of those who claim to be Muslim may be, among other things, a result of their ignorance or uncontrolled anger. Tyrant rulers and those who commit acts of terrorism in the name of Islam are simply not following Islam. These people are individuals with their own views and political agendas. Fanatical Muslims are no more representative of the true Islamic teachings than Timothy McVeigh or David Koresh are of Christianity. Extremism and fanaticism is a problem that is common to all religious groups. 12) The word “jihad” does not mean “holy war”. Instead, it means the inner struggle that one endures in trying to submit their will to the will of God. Some Muslims may say they are going for “jihad” when fighting in a war to defend themselves or their fellow Muslims, but they only say this because they are conceding that it will be a tremendous struggle. But there are many other forms of jihad which are more relevant to the everyday life of a Muslim such as the daily struggles against self-desire, the struggle against a tyrant ruler or against the temptation of Satan, etc., etc. 13) Women are not oppressed in Islam. Any Muslim man that oppresses a woman is not following true Islam. Among the countless teachings of Prophet Muhammad which protected the rights and dignity of women is his saying, “…the best among you are those who treat their wives well.” 14) Islam grants Muslim women numerous rights in the home and in society. Among them are the right to work and earn money, the right to financial support, the right to an education, the right to an inheritance, the right to being treated kindly, the right to vote and representation on a board, the right to a dowry, the right to keep their maiden name, the right to worship in a mosque, etc., 15) All Muslims are not Arab. Islam is a universal religion and way of life which includes followers from all races of people. There are Muslims in and from virtually every country in the world. Arabs only constitute about 20% of Muslims worldwide. Indonesia has the largest concentration of Muslims with over 120 million. www.dremali.com And a nasheed (beatbox, not music):

Very Beautiful Hadith and Forgiveness in Islam

This is truly a beautiful hadith. Very touching.  Many non Muslims think our religion is too hard and that we view Allah as only to be feared. Wheras, in reality Islam combines an equal amount of Love, Fear, and Hope.  We are only humans so inevitably we will make mistakes and sin from time to time. Often, we tend to despair when we commit a sin. But Alhamdullilah, our forgiveness is only a prayer away. We don’t need any intercessors. We don’t have to pray to anyone else. We have a direct link. Mash’Allah what a beautiful religion…….a beautiful Way of Life!

On the authority of Anas, who said: I heard the messenger of Allah say:

Allah the Almighty has said: “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as its.”

 To receive forgiveness from God there are three requirements:

1. Recognizing the offense itself and its admission before God.
2. Making a commitment not to repeat the offense.
3. Asking for forgiveness from God.

If the offense was committed against another human being, or against society, a fourth condition is added:

1. Recognizing the offense before those against whom offense was committed and before God.
2. Committing oneself not to repeat the offense.
3. Doing whatever needs to be done to rectify the offense (within reason) and asking pardon of the offended party.
4. Asking God for forgiveness.

There are no particular words to say for asking forgiveness. However, Muslims are taught many phrases and words to keep repeating daily asking God’s forgiveness. For example:

• Astaghfiru-Allah, “I ask forgiveness from Allah”
• Subhanaka-Allah humma wa bi hamdika wa ash-hadu al la Ilaha illa Anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, “Glory be to You, Allah, and with You Praise (thanks) and I bear witness that there is no deity but You, I ask Your forgiveness and I return to You (in obedience)”.

Islamic teaching presents the prophet Muhammad as an example of someone who would forgive others for their ignorance, even those who might have once considered themselves to be his enemies. One example of Muhammad’s practice of forgiveness can be found in the Hadith, the body of early Islamic literature about the life of Muhammad. This account is as follows:
The Prophet (may peace be upon him) was the most forgiving person. He was ever ready to forgive his enemies. When he went to Ta’if to preach the message of Allah, its people mistreated him, abused him and hit him with stones. He left the city humiliated and wounded. When he took shelter under a tree, the angel of Allah visited him and told him that Allah sent him to destroy the people of Ta’if because of their sin of maltreating their Prophet. Muhammad (may peace be upon him) prayed to Allah to save the people of Ta’if, because what they did was out of their ignorance.

The Doors of Repentance
by Imâm al-Madîna al-Munawarrah ‘Alî Abd-ur-Rahmân al-Hudhaifî
 
 
Allaah says:
 “Whosoever desires honour, power and glory then to Allaah belong all honour, power and glory [and one can get honour, power and glory only by worshipping Allaah(Alone)]. To Him ascend (all) the goodly words i.e. and the righteous deeds exalt it (the goodly words i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until they are followed by by good deeds), but those who plot evils, -theirs will be a severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish.” (Faatir 35:10).

He also says: “And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic 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, (Islamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation.” (Ghaafir 40:60). 

Humbleness to and love for Allaah can only be actualised through worshipping Allaah in all aspects. Among the major acts of worship isrepentance. Even the greatest repentance which is the highest and the most compulsory act of worship is repentance from disbelief. Allaah says regarding what Prophet Hood as told his people:
 “And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him, He will send you (from the sky) abundant rain, and add strenght to your strength, so do not turn away as Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah).” (Hood 11:52) 

Allaah also stressed while inviting the unbelievers unto repentance:
 “If they then repent, it will be better for them, but if they turn away, Allah will punish them with a painful torment in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. And there is none for them on earth as a Wali (supporter, protector) or a helper.” (At-Tawbah 9:74) 

Repentance from all sins is obligatory on every adult Muslim. This is emphasized by Allaah is His saying: “And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.” (An-Noor 24:31) The meaning of ‘ Tawbah’ is to turn back to Allaah by abandoning all major and minor sins and to repent to Allaah from all known and unknown sins. Al-Agharr Al-Muzanee narrated that the Messenger of Allaah saws said:
 “O people! Repent to Allaah and seek for His forgiveness. I repent to Him in a day 100 times.” (Reported by Muslim).

A sincere repentance according to the scholars has conditions:

1. To discontinue the sin.

2. To regret over its occurrence.

3. To determine never to go back to that sin again.

4. To give back the right to whom it is due if the sin involves a man.

The Prophet saws has also informed us that repentance can be done any time during the day or night. Aboo Moosaa Al-Ash‘aree narrated that the Prophet saws said:
 “Allaah holds out His Hand during the night to receive the repentance of the one who has committed wrong during the day and holds outs His Hand during the day to receive the repentance of the one who has committed wrong during the night.” (Muslim)

Indeed, Allaah is very happy when any of His slaves repents. If he responds to the call of his Lord and repents, he will have a prosperous life in this world and the good rewards in the hereafter. If he however does not repent, Allaah will punish him for his sins and He is not unjust with anyone.
Be aware also dear brother, that, among the logical reasons behind Allaah’s love for His slaves’s repentance is that one of His attributes is ‘At-Tawwaab’ (the One who accepts repentance). It indicates that Allaah accepts the repentance even if it is done repeatedly. And this attribute necessitates the existence of a sinner who repents from his sins so that Allaah will accept his repentance and forgive him. All other beautiful names of Allaah are like that. Each name demonstrates a great attribute of Allaah that the name contains and each of Allaah’s Beautiful Names necessitates the appearance of its signs on the universe.
Another reason behind His love for His slave’s repentance is that Allaah Himself is the Benefactor, Master of Infinite Goodness; whoever obeys Him through repentance He will be kind to him and reward him in this world and the next and whoever neglects repentance, Allaah will be kind to him in this world and will punish him in the hereafter for his evil deeds; for your Lord is not unjust towards His slaves.
Further, it is alright to repent from some sins though one will be held responsible for sins that are not repented from.
Dear Muslims! Door of repentance is open to all and sundry until the sun rises from the west. It is then that the door of repentance will be closed and faith will be of no avail to a soul which has not believed before. Safwaan ‘Assaal narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allaah saws saying:
 “Allaah opened a door west side for seventy years for the purpose of repentance, it will not be closed until the sun will rises from the west.” (At-Tirmidhee)

Allaah has also promised the best reward and good abode for the repentant when He says
 : “(The believers whose Allaah has purchased are) those who repent to Allaah (from polytheism and hypocrisy, etc.), who worship Him, who praise Him, who fast (or go out in Allaah’s cause), who prostrate themselves (in prayer), who enjoin (people) for Al-Ma‘ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all what Islam has ordained) and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds and all that Islam has forbidden), and who observe the limits set by Allah (do all that Allah has ordained and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which Allah has forbidden). and give glad tidings to the believers.” (At-Tawbah 9:112) 

To emphasize Allaah’s love for the repentance of His servant, the Prophet saws said:
 “Allaah is happier when a servant of His repents to Him than a man who was on his camel in a waterless desert and the camel escaped from him with his food and water. When he has lost hope of finding it, he retired to a tree and lied down under its shade. As he was there, the camel suddenly appeared in front of him. He took hold of its halter and said in his state of excessive joy: ‘O my Lord You are my servant and I am Your Lord’. He uttered this erronious statement as a result of his being over-joyed.”(Muslim)

Fellow Muslims! Repentance is an act of worship done by the Prophets, Messengers and pious people. Allaah says:
 “Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirun (Muslim emigrants who left their homes and came to A-Madinah) who followed him (Muhammad) in the time of distress (Tabuk expedition, etc.), after the hearts of a party or them had nearly deviated (from the Right Path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of Kindness, Most Merciful.” (At-Tawbah 9:117) 

Muslim as a matter of necessity needs repentance every second of his life; he needs it after performing righteous deeds or after perpetrating forbidden acts. The Almighty says:
 “Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, tahat He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).” (Hood 11:3) 

Brothers in faith! Fear Allaah that you may attain His Pleasure and Paradise and be saved from His wrath and punishment. Allaah says:
 “ But as for him who repented (from polytheism and sins, etc.), believed (in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad), and did righteous deeds (in the life or this world), then he will be among those who are successful.” (Qasas 28:67) 

The Prophet saws also said:
 “Indeed, Allaah accepts the repentance of man as long as he hasnt started gargling (i.e. dying).”

Hasten to repentance and be consistent on that after every good deeds and bad ones. Allaah says: 
 “And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him (in Islam), before the torment comes upon you, then you will not be helped. And follow the best of that which is sent downto you from your Lord (i.e. this Qur’an, do what it orders you to do and keep away from what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not.” (Az-Zumar 39:54-55). 

Beware or wishful thinking that is caused by Satan and delusions of this finite world for, death can come suddenly. Some are indeed denied repentance by their unprepared ness for death and there are others who are lucky enough to repent sincerely before their death hence they are admitted among the righteous people by their Lord.

 

 

My Ramadan Diary: 9-30-2007

Subhan’Allah, I can’t believe Ramadan is nearly over. We are now approaching the last ten days of Ramadan. I have to look back and think, “What have I accomplished? Was it enough?” I don’t think we can ever do enough. We often go into Ramadan with many goals and end up exhausted halfway through and fail to meet most of them. Then, we feel guilty and disappointed with ourselves. I have been guilty of this myself. However, I have come to realize that all I can do is try and Thank Allah that I was  blessed with another opportunity and that I accomplished as much as I did. Truly, It could almost always be worse.I haven’t been fasting the past few days. Insh’Allah I will be able to fast in the next couple days.  It’s really lonely when everyone around is fasting and I’m not. I don’t like to eat in front of a fasting person. I remember when I worked smelling and seeing my co workers eating used to make fasting much harder. 

But anyway, we’re going into the last ten days now.  Insh’Allah we still have time to accomplish much more if we put our mind to it. No time like the present. In fact, the last ten days is when the Prophet(saw) would strive even harder in worship.

A little something on the last 10 days of Ramadan (insh’Allah will post more on Laylat al-Qadr in another post):

Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Trustworthy Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to strive hard (in worship) during the last ten days of Ramadaan in a way that he did not strive at any other times.

Muslim, 1175, from ‘Aa’ishah). Among the things he did were secluding himself in I’tikaaf and seeking Laylat al-Qadr during this time. (Al-Bukhaari, 1913; Muslim, 1169). In al-Saheehayn it is reported from the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that when the last ten days of Ramadaan came, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would stay up at night, wake his family and gird his loins. (al-Bukhaari, 1920; Muslim, 1174). Muslim added: he strove hard and girded his loins.

Her phrase “girded his loins” is a metaphor for his preparing himself to worship and strive hard in worship, more than usual. It has the meaning of “rolling up one’s sleeves” to worship (i.e. getting ready to make a great deal of effort).

It was also said that it was a metaphor for keeping away from women and abstaining from sexual relations.

The phrase “stay up at night” means that he would stay awake, spending the night in prayer, etc. It was reported in another hadeeth that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I never saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recite the entire Qur’aan in one night, or spend a whole night in prayer until the morning, or fast an entire month, except in Ramadaan.”

(Sunan al-Nasaa’i, 1641). The words “stay up at night” may mean that he spent most of the night in worship, or that he did not stay up for the entire night, but he did that at the times of ‘Ishaa and Suhoor, and other times, in which case it would mean that he stayed up for most of the night.

The phrase “and wake his family” means that he would wake his wives to pray qiyaam. It is known that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to wake his wives all year round, but he used to wake them to spend part of the night in qiyaam. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) woke up one night and said, “Subhaan Allaah! What tribulations have come down tonight! What treasure has come down tonight! Who will wake up the dwellers of the apartments? There may be women who are clothed in this world and naked in the Hereafter.”

(al-Bukhaari, 1074). It was also reported (in Saheeh al-Bukhaari) that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to wake ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) when he wanted to pray Witr. (al-Bukhaari, 952). But when he woke his wives during the last ten nights of Ramadaan, this was more persistent than at other times of the year.

The fact that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did this indicates the importance he attached to worshipping his Lord and making the most of this special time.

The Muslim should follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), for he is the best example, and he should strive hard in worshipping Allaah. He should not waste the hours of these days and nights. For we do not know, perhaps this time will never come again, for the spoiler of pleasures, i.e., death, which must come to all men, may come and snatch him and his life will end; then he will feel regret at the time when regret will be of no avail.