Put First Things First – The Best Thing to Do!

I think it was many years ago when I first informed from a close contact of a book titled ”The 7 habits of highly effective people” authored by Dr. Steven Covey. With over 15 million copies sold in different languages, this universal and timeless publication highlights 7 principles that can maximise ones productivity and effectiveness in achieving goals by presenting a plethora of individual stalwart characteristics which can help one attain felicity.

Amongst the ideas under the context of self-mastery, Covery presents the idea of putting first things first in respect to planning and prioritising weekly chores based upon the premises of importance and to evaluate whether results of such engagements reflect upon personal inclined ethics with the effect of motivating one further towards their objectives.

Amongst the capacious challenges that a substantial amount of us face is our desire in trying to accomplish so much in so little time, and thus become so overwhelmed in our thoughts trying to establish exactly what we should be doing and what our obligations are at a given point in time. I mean everyone of us wants to build a grand mosque with multipurpose facilities, everyone wants to build an educational institition with a first class Islamic curriculum bringing forth the next Imam Abu Hanifah, everyone wants to liberate Masjid al-Aqsa, I am sure there must have been some part of our life where we wanted to be the next Shaykh-ul ibn Taimiyyah, we would all love to engage in dawaah, participate in jihad, teach others, learn ilm and so many other great acts of worship so that this can elevate our status to the highest level of jannah! I mean we all dream this kinda stuff at some stage of our life right ?!  This common contention is however that this cycle of thought leads us to solely conceptualise on what we cannot accomplish moreso than what we can accomplish. This can be well and good, and as Ibn al-Jawzi said, a person can be rewarded for his intentions more than for his actions. However, the  purpose of having sincere intentions is to not only be constructive and but hopefully to extract something tangible from that intention (depending on the deed ofcourse).

Part of being generative is to have a methodical framework as to when to focus on what. For example, if your worship and intentions for specific efforts are organized and you properly place your focus where and when it should be, you’ll find yourself accomplishing much more as a Muslim, no matter if you’re a scholar who teaches, a caller to Allah who motivates, or a general worshipper who simply wants to get closer to your Lord.

Without emersing this entry into meticulous detail, I think getting a classical scholarly prespective per se is will hopefully shed some insight into looking at the process of being productive. Taking the translated extract from another website, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim had written in ‘Madarij as-Salikin’ (1/188):

“…They say that the best worship is to do what will please the Lord at every time in accordance with what that particular time calls for.

So, the best acts of worship during the time of Jihad is Jihad, even if this leads to abandoning certain rituals such as night prayer, fasting, etc. In fact, this applies even if you are to not pray a complete obligatory prayer as you would in times of safety and calm.

And the best thing to do when you have a guest, for example, is to see to his rights as a guest and to preoccupy yourself with that instead of the recommended rituals you would usually engage in at the time.

Such is also the case in fulfilling the rights of your wife and family.

The best thing to do during the early morning hours is to be preoccupied with prayer, Qur’an, supplication, remembrance of Allah, and asking His Forgiveness.

The best thing to do when teaching a student or ignorant person is to completely turn your attention towards teaching him.

The best thing to do during the call to prayer is to leave whatever rituals you are engaged in and to occupy yourself with repeating after the one making the call.

The best thing to do during the five prayers is to try your best in carrying them out in the best possible manner and to rush to perform them right away, and to go out to the mosque – even if it is far – is better.

The best thing to do when someone needs help physically or financially is to busy yourself with helping that person, relieving his distress, and to place this as a priority over your private worship that you’d usually be engaged in.

The best thing to do when reciting the Qur’an is to have your heart and mind present in order to reflect over and understand it as if Allah is personally addressing you with it. So, to have your heart present to understand and reflect over it and to have the zeal to implement its commands is greater than the attentiveness of the heart of one who has received a message from the ruler to that message.

The best thing to do when standing at ‘Arafah is to exert yourself in being humble before Allah, supplicating, and remembering Him instead of fasting.

The best thing to do during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah is to increase in worship, especially saying ‘Allahu Akbar,’ ‘La ilaha illa Allah,’ and ‘al-hamdu lil-Lah.’ This is better here than the Jihad that is not an individual obligation.

The best thing to do during the last ten nights of Ramadan is to stay in the mosque and to seclude yourself in it without mixing with others and being distracted by them. This is to the point that it is better than teaching them and practicing the Qur’an with them according to many of the scholars.

The best thing to do when you have a brother who is sick or dying is to visit him, attend his funeral, and to prefer this over your private worship or social activities.

And the best thing to do when a disaster befalls you or people hurt you is to fulfill the obligation of having patience while continuing to interact with them and not running from them, since the believer who mixes with people and is patient despite their harm to him is better than the believer who doesn’t mix with them and isn’t harmed by them.

And the best thing you can interact with them in is whatever is good, and this is better than to seclude yourself from them in such a case. As for bad things, it is better to seclude yourself from them in such a case. However, if you know that mixing with in this case will help remove or reduce the bad, it is better to mix with them than to abandon them.

So, the best thing to do in every time and situation is whatever will please Allah at that particular time and situation and to focus on the foremost obligation at that particular time and whatever it necessitates and requires…”

So, while Ibn al-Qayyim’s advice above illustrates very distinct acts of worship, you hopefully get the point. It echoes amongst the 7 habit principles ie  having a ”be proactive” attitude which Ibn Qayyim is postulating here to reinforce the point that to look to what’s in front of you and what needs to be done then and there, as this is the best way to please Allah in that particular situation. If we employ such a characteristic in our regular day to day activities in general and your service to Allah and Islam in particular, we will find that you’ll get much more out of our daily routine. May Allah The Most-High bless us with the tawfiq in making every second of our life in His servitude, to forgive us for our short comings and to grant us the best in both this world and the hereafter!

 

Changing the World with Apples, Pomegranates and Milk??!!!

Reblogged from Diamonds Are Forever:

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The following stories involve an apple, a pomegranate, and milk. This was originally sent via email by a former President of FOSIS UK, I have just edited it slightly. No – it’s not a recipe for some funky milkshake; although that would taste awesome ! But rather it’s the right cocktail needed (complememted with dua’a) for attaining the countenance of Allah The Ultimate Bestower in your life and in the future generations insh’Allah.

Read more… 1,170 more words

This was my first post 3 years ago Mash'Allah TabarakAllah! :) Times have changed since then and perhaps so have I, Allahualam! But had to repost this because it was relevant back then and sure is right now subhna'Allah! May Allah The Ultimate Bestower bless us with the best in this world and the hereafter! Ameen

 

A day in the life of Shaykh-ul Islam ibn Taymiyyah

Subhan’Allah this is truly what a productive Muslim is mash’Allah! Always inspiring to read the stories of Ibn Taymiyyah and the great scholars of this deen that really gave it 110% fisabillah! Well worth a quick read because it is both short and simply remarkable in how he utelised his time very efficiently subhan’Allah! BTW he didnt have a family of his own, partly due to the fact that he was thrown in jail several times by the enemies of the truth… Also reminds those who truly reflect and ponder, the beautiful name of Allah The Most-High, Al-Qawi (The Supremely-Strong)…..Laillahaillah

al-Imam al-Bazzar wrote a long, first hand account of the life of Ibn Taymiyyah, who was his personal friend and companion. The book is called‘al-A’lam al-’Aliyyah fi Manaqib Ibn Taymiyyah,’ and this is a very, very small glimpse from it:

“During the nights, he would separate himself from everybody, secluding himself with his Lord, strictly maintaining his recitation of the MightyQur’an, and repeating the various types of daily and nightly worship.

When the night was over, he would rejoin the people for the Fajr prayer, praying the optional prayer before meeting them. When he would begin the prayer, your heart would want to fly from its place just from the way in which he would make takbirat al-ihram. When he would begin the prayer, his limbs would shake, moving him left and right. When he would recite, he would elongate his recitation, just as was authentically reported in regards to the recitation of the Messenger of Allah. His bowing and prostration, as well as his coming up from them, are from the most complete of what has ever been reported in regards to the obligatory prayer. And he would severely lighten his sitting for the first tashahhud, and would say the first taslim out loud, to the point that everyone who was present would hear it…

…And I came to know that it was his habit that nobody would speak to him unless absolutely necessary after the morning prayer. He would remain in a state of dhikr of Allah, listening to himself. Sometimes, he would let those sitting next to him listen to his dhikr, all the while constantly turning his eyesight to the sky. He would remain in such a state until the Sun rose, and the time in which prayer is forbidden had passed.

During my stay in Damascus with him, I would spend some of the day and most of the night with him. He would draw me near to him, sitting me beside him. I would hear what he would recite and repeat, and I saw that he would repeat ‘al-Fatihah’ over and over again, and would spend all of his time between Fajr and sunrise doing this.

So, I kept thinking to myself, wondering: why would he recite this specific chapter of the Qur’an in exclusion to the others? Eventually, it became clear to me – and Allah Knows best – that his intention in doing so was to combine with his recitation between what was narrated in the ahadith and what was discussed by the scholars, in regards to whether the narratedadhkar should take precedence over recitation of the Qur’an, or vice versa. So, he saw that in repeating ‘al-Fatihah,’ he could combine between both opinions, and reap the benefits of both actions, and this was from his strength in logic and depth of insight.

After this, he would pray Duha, and if he wanted to hear Hadith in another place, he would rush to that place with whoever was with him at the time.

It was rare that any intelligent person would see him and not come and kiss his hands. Even the busiest of businessmen would walk from what they were doing to greet him and seek his blessings. With all of this, he would give everyone of them their share of time, greetings, etc.

If he saw any evil in the street, he would work to remove it, and if he heard of a funeral taking place, he would rush to pray in it, or would apologize for missing it. Sometimes, he would go to the grave of the deceased after he finished listening to Hadith and pray over it (Asking Allah The Most Merciful to forgive the deceased et al).

Afterwards, he would return to his mosque, where he would remain either giving fatawa to the people or fulfilling their needs, until it was time to pray Dhuhr in congregation. He would spend the rest of the day in such a manner.

His classes were general for the old, the young, the wealthy, the poor, the free, the slave, males, and females. He appealed to everyone that would pass by him of the people, and everyone of them would feel that Ibn Taymiyyah was treating them better than he was treating anyone else present [as was the great sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)].

He would then pray Maghrib, and would follow it up with as much optional prayer as Allah made possible. I, or someone else, would then read his writings to him, and he would benefit us with various points and notes. We would do this until we prayed ‘Isha’, after which we would continue as we were before, delving into the various fields of knowledge. We would do this until much of the night had passed. During this entire time – night and day – Ibn Taymiyyah would constantly remember Allah, mention His Oneness, and seek His forgiveness.

And he would constantly raise his eyesight to the sky, and would not stop doing this, as if he saw something there that kept his eyesight hooked. He would do this for as long as I was staying with him.

So, Subhan Allah! How short were these days! If only they were longer! By Allah, until this day, there has never been a time in my life that is more beloved to me than the time I spent with him, and I was never seen in a better state than I was at that time, and this was for no other reason than the barakah of the Shaykh, may Allah be Pleased with him.

Every week, he would visit the sick, especially those at the hospital.

I have been informed by more than one person – whose trustworthiness I do not doubt – that the entire life of the Shaykh was spent in the way that I witnessed (and described above). So, what worship, and what jihad is better than this?”

 

35 Statements from the Salaf regarding Sincerity (IKHLAS)!!!

Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah , The Lord of the worlds.

[The Cattle 6:162]

[Below are collected sayings from 'Ihyaa' 'Uloom ud-Deen' of Abu Hamid al-Ghazaali, 'Mukhtasar Minhaaj ul-Qaasideen' of Ibn Qudaamah and 'az-Zuhd' of 'Abdullaah Ibn al-Mubaarak]

1 – Bishr al-Haafi said: “That I seek the world with a wind instrument is more beloved to me than that I seek it with my Deen.”

2 – Ibraaheem an-Nakha’i said: “When Shaytaan comes to you while you are in prayer and says: ‘You are showing off,’ make it longer.”

3 – One of the Salaf said: “Direct me to an action by which I will never cease to be performing for Allaah the Exalted.” It was said to him: “Always intend good, because you will never cease to be performing even if you do not perform any actions. The intention is made even in the absence of any actions. Whoever intended to pray at night and then slept, the reward for what he intended will be written for him.”

4 – One of them said: “I love that I have an intention for every single thing; even my eat, drink and sleep.”

5 – It was said to Sahl: “What is the hardest thing for the soul (to achieve)?” He said: “Sincerity, when there is no other desire in it.”

6 – Ya’qoob al-Makfoof said: “The sincere person is the one who hides his good deeds just like he hides his evil deeds.”

7 – One of them wrote to his brother: “Make your intention sincere in all of your actions, and little action will suffice you.”

8 – Ayyoob as-Sakhtiyaani said: “Purifying the intention is harder than all other actions for those who act.”

9 – Yahyaa bin Mu’aadh said: “Sincerity separates good actions from faults like the separation of milk from dung and blood.”

10 – as-Soosi said: “What Allaah desires from the actions of His creation is sincerity and nothing else.”

11 – al-Junayd said: “To Allaah belong servants who understand, and when they understand they act, and when they act they make their actions sincere. Their recalling of sincerity at the time of doing righteousness is what accumulates the greatest good for them.”

12 – Hawshab used to cry and say: “My name has reached the large Mosque (meaning, the people will know who I am)!”

13 – as-Soosi said: “Sincerity is to lose the vision of sincerity in oneself.”

14 – One of them said: “Whoever sees sincerity in his sincerity, his sincerity is itself in need of sincerity. The destruction of every sincere person lies in his sincerity to the extent that he sees sincerity in himself. When he abandons seeing sincerity in himself he will be sincere and purified.”

15 – Abu ‘Uthmaan said: “Sincerity is to forget about the creation by constantly looking at the Creator (in terms of gaining admiration for your deeds).”

16 – Ibraaheem bin Adham said: “The one who loves fame is not truthful to Allaah.”

17 – Sufyaan ath-Thawri said: “They (the Salaf) used to hate fame and reputation due to wearing nice garments because eyes would stretch towards them.”

18 – Na’eem bin Hammaad said: “‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak frequently used to sit in his house for long periods of time, so it was said to him: ‘Don’t you feel lonely and isolated?’ He said: ‘How can I feel isolated while I am with the Prophet (saw)?’.”

19 – Ja’far bin Hayyaan said: “The foundations of these actions are the intentions. Indeed a man reaches with his intentions a position he does not reach with his actions.”

20 – One of the people of wisdom used to say: “When a man is speaking in a gathering and his speech amazes him, let be silent. When he keeps silent and his silence amazes, him let him speak.”

21 – Mutraf bin ‘Abdullaah ash-Shakheer said: “That I spend the night sleeping and wake up remorseful is more loved to me than that I spend the night standing in prayer and wake up in admiration.”

22 – an-Nu’maan bin Qays said: “I never saw ‘Abeedah performing any voluntary prayers in the mosque of al-Hayy.”

23 – ‘Ali said: “The one who shows off has three charactersistics: he is lazy when by himself, he is lively and energetic when with others and he increases in his actions when he is praised and decreases in them when he is criticised.”

24 – al-Hasan said: “The one who shows off desires to overcome what Allaah has decreed for him. He is an evil person who desires to inform the people that he is righteous in order to hear what they would say. He has obtained a position of vileness and wickedness from his Lord. It is therefore essential for the hearts of the believers to recognise him.”

25 – Sahl bin ‘Abdullaah said: “There is nothing which is tougher upon the soul than acheiving sincerity. How many times have I tried to remove the inclination to show off from my heart except that it sprouted in a different colour?”

26 – Ibn Mas’ood said: “Do not learn knowledge for three reasons: to amaze and confound the foolish, to argue with the learned and to make people’s faces turn towards you. Rather, seek what is with Allaah with your hearts and actions, since only that will remain and whatever is besides it will go.”

27 – Abu Sulaymaan ad-Daarini said: “Glad tidings for the one who took a single step desiring nothing but the face of Allaah by it.”

28 – Some of the Salaf said: “Whoever had a single instance in his lifetime which was purely and sincerely for the sake of Allaah – the Exalted – will be saved, and this is due to the greatness of sincerity.”

29 – Abu Sulaymaan ad-Daarini said: “When the servant is sincere, the inclination to show off and the many whisperings (of the Devils) are cut off from him.”

30 – It has also been said: “Sincerity is that the servants inward and outward actions are equal. Riyaa’ is when the outward appearance is better than the inner self and truthfulness in one’  sincerity is when the inner self is better cultivated and more flourishing than the outward appearance.”

31 – Some of the Salaf have said: “Sincerity is that you do not seek a witness over your action besides Allaah or one who gives reward besides Him.”

32 – Makhool said: “Never does a servant maintain sincerity for forty days in succession except that the streams of wisdom from his heart appear on his tongue.”

33 – ‘Adiyy ibn Haatim said: “The people destined for the Fire will be ordered towards Paradise until they come close to it and smell its fragrance, see its palaces and what Allaah has prepared in it for its people. Then an announcement will be made that they be turned away from it. There will be no portion for them in it. They will return in loss and ruin just like the ones before them. Then they will say: ‘O our Lord! If you had entered us into the Fire before You showed us what You have shown us from Your reward and what You have prepared for your friends and allies, it would have been easier upon us.’ Then the Exalted will say: ‘This is what I intended with you. When you used to be alone you would combat me (or show boldness to Me) with grave sins and when you used to meet people you would meet them with humility. You would show to the people other than that which you used to give Me from your hearts. You feared people but you did not fear Me. You honored the people but you did not honor Me, you abandoned actions for the people but you did not abandon them for Me. This day, will I make you taste a tormenting punishment as well as prevent you from receiving that reward.”

34 – It has been said: “The damage caused to every servant lies in his being pleased with himself. Whoever looks at his soul and sees something in it which he deems to be good has caused its destruction. And whoever does not suspect his soul at every single moment is one who is deceived.”

35 – Ibn al-Qayyim said: “Sincerity is the unification of one’s wish and intent.”

 

“I Am Not Crying Because…..”

“And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe. “

Surah Ibrahim [14:7]

A man reached 70 years of age and he faced a disease; he could not urinate. The doctors informed him that he was in need of an operation to cure this disease. He agreed to have the operation done as the problem was giving him much pain for days. When the operation was completed, his doctor gave him the bill which covered all the costs. The old man looked at the bill and started to cry. Upon seeing this the doctor told him that if the cost was too high then they could make some other arrangements. The old man said “I am not crying because of the money but I am crying because Allah let me urinate for 70 years and He never sent me a bill.”

“And He gave you from all you asked of Him. and if you try to count the blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful. 

Surah Ibrahim [14:34]

Allah states that the servants are never able to count His blessings, let alone thank Him duly for them. In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah( Peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate;

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ غَيْرَ مَكْفِيَ وَلَا مُوَدَّعٍ وَلَا مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْهُ رَبَّنَا

O Allah ! All praise is due to You, without being able to sufficiently thank You, nor ever wish to be cutoff from You, nor ever feeling rich from relying on You; our Lord!

It was reported that Prophet Dawud peace be upon him, used to say in his supplication, “O Lord! How can I ever truly thank You, when my thanking You is also a favor from You to me”
Allah the Exalted answered him, “Now, you have thanked Me sufficiently, O Dawud,” meaning, `when you admitted that you will never be able to duly thank Me.’

 

”Let nobody have a favor over you….”

From Shaykh/Dr. A. ‘Azzam, may Allah have mercy on him and raise his status:

Let Nobody Have Any Favor Over You:

“al-Imam Ahmad – may Allah have Mercy upon him – would not accept any gifts from the people, so that they would not have any favor over him. He would reject the gifts of the rulers. One time – and the people loved to present him with gifts – he sent one of his sons to buy a loaf of bread. So, when the baker asked the boy who he was, he replied: “I am the son of Ahmad bin Hambal.” So, instead of filling the bag with bread, the baker filled it with gold and silver, and gave it to him. When Ahmad bin Hambal opened the bag and found gold and silver, he told his son: “Go back to him.” When he gave the bag back, the baker called out to him: “Come, at least take the bread that you paid a dirham for!” Imam Ahmad’s son said: “My father commanded me to return everything.

” They would wish that they could give him some gift, but, he was honorable in the face of such a reality, as the Prophet said: “Abstain from the dunya, and Allah will Love you. Abstain from what is with the people, and the people will love you.”

Then came the tribulation of the creation of the Qur’an. al-Ma’mun adopted this belief, and came to torture Ahmad bin Hambal, so that he would do the same. al-Ma’mun died, al-Mu’tasim continued in torturing him, and he took a stand for Allah – the Mighty and Exalted – in which he honored this religion. Eighteen years, and three rulers who tortured him so that he would accept and endorse the belief of the Qur’an being created, but, he refused. Then came al-Wathiq, who reversed all that had happened in terms of the affair of the creation of the Qur’an. He wanted to honor Ahmad bin Hambal publicly, but, Imam Ahmad refused. So, he sent for his sons and showered them with gifts, which they accepted. When Ahmad bin Hambal learned that his sons had accepted the gifts of al-Wathiq, he built a wall between his home and theirs, boycotting them.

One day, Ahmad bin Hambal became sick. So, his doctor instructed him to roast a ear of corn in the oven and eat it. So, he bought the corn, and asked that it be roasted. So, it was taken to the oven of his uncle, Salih. When it was brought back to Ahmad, he asked: “Where did you roast it?” They said: “In the oven of your uncle, Salih.” He said: “I will not even taste it, as his wealth has been mixed with the gifts of the ruler.”

As a result, it got to the point that even the jinn would fear him! A crazed girl was brought to al-Wathiq, so, he said: “Send her to Ahmad bin Hambal.” When she was brought to Ahmad, they asked him: “Please cure this crazed girl for us!” So, he began to speak to the jinni that had possessed this girl, saying: “Get out of this girl! Get out of this girl!” But, it didn’t come out. He continued, saying: “Get out, or I’ll – and Ahmad began to threaten the jinni – ” and the jinni came out, saying: “O Ahmad! You feared Allah, so, everything is afraid of you! You feared Allah, so, everything is afraid of you!” The jinni waited until Ahmad bin Hambal eventually died, and it returned to possess the girl once again. So, they brought the girl to a shaykh – who, as it was said, is more like us than Ahmad bin Hambal – and he began to speak to the jinni, saying: “Get out, or I’ll…” Suddenly, the jinni began to laugh, saying: “Ahmad bin Hambal has died; Ahmad bin Hambal has died…”"

“Abstain from the dunya, and Allah will Love you. Abstain from what is with the people, and the people will love you.”

['Fi Dhilal Surat at-Tawbah'; p. 195-196]

 

Overcoming Arrogance

As we continue Surat al-Fatiha, we find that this chapter of the Qur’an has some of the best cures for the greatest sicknesses of the heart. Let’s go over a few.

The first disease, and one of the greatest diseases of the heart, is kibr (arrogance). That is why the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ said “The one who has even an atom’s weight of arrogance in their heart will not go to Paradise” (related by Abdullah bin Masood).

How do we define arrogance? After the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ made this statement, some of his companions said, “Ya Rasulallah, O Messenger of God, we like to dress nicely. We like to wear nice clothes and nice shoes.” The Prophet ﷺ said this is not kibr. We can take one lesson from this: as Muslims we should dress nicely. Even if we wear a thobe orshalwar khmeez (Arab or Desi cultural clothing), we should iron it and have a nice appearance. One time the Prophet ﷺ sent his companions on a mission and told them, “Straighten your saddles and have a good appearance” (related by  Abu Dawud with a sound chain of narration). Having a good appearance doesn’t mean dressing like J. Lo or Shahrukh Khan. Having a good appearance means that I dress nicely and Islamically. That’s why Sheikh Muhammed Shanqiti, one of my teachers, told me that every Imam should have a budget to buy decent-looking clothes. This does not mean that you go out and buy a five thousand dollar suit, but the person should have a good appearance.

The Prophet Muhammed ﷺ defined arrogance for us when he said, “Arrogance is to turn away from the truth when it’s given to you and to look down on people.”

Turning away from the truth is very dangerous. For example, someone comes to you and says, “Ya akhi (O my brother) I swear by Allah, I love you more than myself and I saw you doing something today and it’s wrong.”

Then you reply, “Well, back home this is the way we do things.” You’d better check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Or for example, someone comes to a sister and says, “Sister, masha’ Allah, you did a really great job today, however according to Islam we should do it like this.”

And you reply, “Well, I don’t do it like that.”

This is turning away from the truth. It’s very sneaky, because when someone disobeys Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) and they do so knowingly, it is because they feel that they know better than Allah (swt). This is scary. For example if someone suggests that we need to pray and another replies “You know, I don’t think we should pray in the library. All kinds of things are going on in the news about Muslims, I think it would be wiser and more intelligent if we wait and pray tomorrow.” Well, that’s an opinion, but it doesn’t matter what he thinks, because this is what Allah (swt) commands.

Humble yourself, because after the sins of Iblees, the first sin was the sin of logic. Deistic philosophy, as Newton said, that God created us and the world works like a clock. He just created creation and left it to function without intervention, therefore creation can think whatever they want to think. This is not how we work. We believe, as we saw in al-Fatiha, that Allah (swt) is close to us. Allah (swt) said “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near,” (Qur’an, 2:186).

When Allah (swt) told Adam `alayhi assalaam (upon him be peace), “[…] do not come close to this tree […]”, Iblees said, “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal,” (Qur’an, 7:19 – 20). Logically, being angels and living forever seem quite good, so Adam and Eve ate from the tree. That’s why the`ulema(scholars) said that Allah (swt) gave this story at the beginning of humanity to let us know that for the one who submits to Allah (swt), even their logic is subservient to His orders. As Francis Bacon said, the human’s intellect is like a dim lantern: sometimes it gets it right, but sometimes they fall on their face. And Allah (swt) says that, “There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book,” (Qur’an 5:15). The Qur’an is a bright light. Nobody can get lost with it.

So the first form of arrogance is turning away from people and disobeying Allah (swt). For example we don’t pray Fajr (the pre-dawn prayer) because we read in Time magazine two years ago that eight hours of sleep is the average needed for a healthy individual. Masha’ Allah, most college students don’t have that problem because they’re getting fourteen or twelve hours of sleep, or playing video games all night. So we think we shouldn’t go to Fajr because we need to wake up early and go to class. This is turning away from and debasing the truth.

The second form of arrogance is even more dangerous. It is to look down on people.

We are going to go through some causes of arrogance and then we’ll talk about their cures in Surat al-Fatiha and then next week we’ll continue with al-riyaa (showing off) and what Imam Ghazali said about the five kinds of riyaa. We will also talk about how al-Fatiha cured al-riyaa and al-hasad. Al hasad means more than envy, and insha’ Allah in the future we will give you the translation.

What are some of the reasons for arrogance?

The first one is that people in general become arrogant when they start to have a lot of knowledge or when they start to become (assumedly) pious. The arrogance of knowledge and piety. These two have possibly destroyed more people than any other kind of arrogance.

A way to understand this is to ask ourselves: who was the most pious person that ever walked the face of the earth? It wasRasulallah ﷺ. What happens when someone starts to feel that they’re pious? They think to themselves, “I’m so close to Allah, I’m praying my tahajjud (late night prayers), I’m fasting twice a week. Masha’ Allah, look at me.” And then here comes a sister who, for example, doesn’t wear hijab. The “pious” sister who wears hijab is disgusted. Or she doesn’t talk to the sister without hijab. Or maybe she thinks, “Hmmm, I sure am lucky I’m not like you.” This can be arrogance. Of course we say that the level of the person who wears hijab is high with Allah (swt), higher than the one who doesn’t wear hijab. But if the one who wears hijab does so without ikhlas, sincerity, and she feels that she is better than others, she’s in trouble.  Maybe a brother memorized the Qur’an and spent some time to learn how to read the Qur’an correctly. He comes to the masjid and discovers some brothers reading the Qur’an incorrectly. He says to himself, “Masha’ Allah, I’m so great!” This is the danger of knowledge.

Nobody was more knowledgeable than the Prophet ﷺ, but yet he used to say salaam (lit. peace, in this case greetings) to children. When he was walking through Madinah and saw some kids he would say, “As-salaam alaykum, peace be upon you,” and he would be smiling. He wouldn’t say, “I’m a sheikh, I’m an ’alim (person with knowledge).” No. The Prophet ﷺ used to sit on the floor and eat food with people. Sisters always like to hear that the Prophet ﷺ used to do the chores in the home when he went home to be with his wives. He didn’t go home and say, “Are you asking me to wash the dishes? Do you know who I am?” No, he used to serve and help them.

One time the people saw Abu Bakr radi allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) sewing the soles of his own shoes. They exclaimed, “You are Amir al Mumineen (leader of the Believers)!” He said, “Me? I’m nothing. Who am I?”

This is humility. It is to be careful about your knowledge. You know how you can understand this? Who is the greatest scholar? Iblees. Nobody knows more than Iblees. But where is Iblees now? Is he chilling with the European fatwa (legal ruling) council? No. He is the fatwa of the people of hellfire. That’s why one poet said, “Knowledge is like rain, and behavior is the soil. If the soil is corrupted it doesn’t matter what kind of rain you put on it. Iblees knows more than every human being, but still the only thing he got is curses.” Even the kuffar (disbelievers) curse Iblees. So his knowledge, without humility, did nothing for him. And what was Iblees’s major mistake? He said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay,” (Qur’an 38:76).

If we look at the lives of the salaf (righteous people) we find that they used to fight themselves to be humble. Hasan Al Basry was the greatest scholar in his area. He used to say, “I will not leave a room until I feel that I am worse than everybody in the room.”

How did the Prophet ﷺ act with a sinner? We all know the hadith that one time he was giving a khutbah (sermon) and he was on the minbar (pulpit). The Prophet ﷺ watched as a man walked in and then sat down. What did the Prophet ﷺ say to him? He said, “Did you pray?” He did not say, “What didn’t you pray! You are a sinner!” He simply asked if the man had prayed, even though he was watching the man. Why? Because the caller to Allah (swt) never wants the people he is calling to feel that he is better than them. So even though the Prophet ﷺ was watching the man, he asked if he had prayed. When the man said no, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Stand and pray.”

The second lesson from this hadith is that our da’wah (invitation to Islam) is never based on suspicion. Our da’wah is based on facts. For example, one time I went to a masjid and forgot my topi (prayer hat). One man asked me, “What kind of guy are you, you don’t even wear a kufi (prayer hat)! You don’t believe in wearing a kufi?” I thought to myself, “Subhan Allah(glory be to God), I forgot it at home. I had it but I left it in the house.” If I had told him that he would have felt bad.

Sometimes when we see someone doing something we jump to conclusions. For example we see a guy in the cafeteria talking to a girl, we think, “Ah ha, I knew it!” We shouldn’t think like that. Maybe he has to talk to her for a class assignment or some other reason. Or maybe he is a sinner. But how are you going to deal with him? As my sheikh told me, the one who calls to Islam is like a physician. You don’t give Prilosec to every patient. To some people you give penicillin, others amoxicillin, Tylenol, or Advil. Everybody’s medicine is different. Maybe you see a sister walking across the campus and you see her do something wrong. You say, “Istaghfir Allah! Authoo billah! I seek protection in Allah!” But you have to be sure she is doing something wrong. What happened to her? What problem is she having? This is a sign of humility.

Do you know what Ibn Qayyim said? He said a sinner can go to Paradise and an obedient servant can go to hell. How? Because the one who was obedient to Allah (swt) was obedient out of arrogance. For example, he would think to himself, “I pray Fajr on time, I’m good. I pray tahajjud, I have a beard, I follow the sunnah (way of the Prophet ﷺ), I’m better than you.” Like Shaytan. But the sinner realizes one day the he has been sinning and when he realizes that, his heart breaks. He goes in front of Allah (swt) and he starts crying, he gives Allah (swt) the sadaqah (charity) from his eyes, and he starts repenting to Allah (swt). Then Allah (swt) forgives him and he is among the people of Paradise.

This is the kibr of piety and knowledge.

The second form of looking down on people is position. When someone gets a position and they feel proud of themselves, for example they boast, “Yeah, I’m MSA President now” or “I’m a big Sheikh.” Position can be in a lot of things: family, money, position in an organization, or academic position. For example, “I made the Dean’s list every year”. But have you made Allah’s list? This is the danger of position.

Although the Prophet ﷺ had the highest position he was very humble. Even if righteous people are given positions they work to be humble. I had a Sheikh who I was studying with. One day my kufi fell off. He ran, grabbed my kufi and put it on my head. I was embarrassed and I said, “Istaghfir Allah (I seek forgivness from Allah), you’re the Sheikh!” He quoted the verse, “Be merciful to the believers.” Why did Allah (swt) say that the true believers are merciful to the believers? Because they do not look at the believers, even the sinners, with arrogance. They are soft with them. Firm, but soft. It doesn’t mean that if you see a guy out there drinking a forty you should say, “Oh, brother Suhaib said I have to make sure, so maybe that’s not beer, maybe it’s apple juice.” Most definitely you need to go and advise the person, but how you advise them and carry yourself is very important in order to deliver the right medication.

People used to come to the Prophet ﷺ and ask, “What’s the best action?” Sometimes he would answer, “To pray on time.” Another time he answered, “Being good to your Mom and Dad.” Yet another time he answered, “Jihad.”

Why is the answer changing? Because the patient is different. Most of these hadiths are found in al-Bukhari and they aresahih (authentic). So you need to know how to deal with the patient. And the first patient is you.

When we look at righteous people, we find that they used to force themselves to be humble. For example, Umar ibn Abdulaziz. One day Umar ibn Abdulaziz was sitting with his companions when his sword fell from his horse. One guy ran to get it and put it back, then asked Umar, “Is this enough, is there anything else I can do for you?” Umar replied, “If I stand, I am Umar ibn Abdulaziz. If I sit, I am [still just] Umar ibn Abdulaziz. Who am I? Why are you doing that?” You know Umar ibn Abdulaziz used to dig a hole in his backyard and sit in it when he couldn’t pray qiyam al-layl (praying during the night). He would sit in this grave and say to himself, “This is where you are going to live. This is your permanent residence.” Then he would get up and pray in the night. He would force himself to be humble with people.

People used to come to Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) and say, “Make du`a’ (supplication) for me, ya Amir al Mumineen (leader of the Believers).” Subhan Allah, you know what he used to reply? “Who am I? I am aathim (a sinner).” Subhan Allahnowadays when you come to someone and say, “Make du`a’ for me” it makes them feel proud of themselves. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (ra) used to keep a list of the hypocrites. After Umar (ra) became the khalifa (caliph) and 700 cities were conquered by him, he would go to Hudhayfah and ask, “Please, am I on the list? Tell me if I’m on the list, I need to know.” This is Umar (ra) who used to have lines on his face from crying in the night. He’s afraid that he’s a hypocrite. This is humility. One time a man found Umar (ra) walking and carrying a water skin on his shoulder. This was the habit of the slaves in the time before the Prophet ﷺ. They would carry water on their shoulders. Now here is the leader of the Muslim nation carrying this like a slave. The man went to Umar (ra) and said, “Oh Umar! How come you are doing this? This is not at your level. It is not for you.” And you know what Umar said? Subhan Allah, it’s amazing. He said, “You know when people come to me and I say something, they obey me and listen to me. When they do that I found that arrogance fell into my heart. So I am carrying this on my back to make myself humble.”

Imam al-Shaarawi, one of the great scholars of Qur’anic interpretation in the last 100 years in Egypt, used to give a dars(lesson) every Friday on TV. About seven million people would be watching. One day, Imam Shaarawi came to the masjid in Cairo. Suddenly he got up and left. Now, those of you who have been to Muslim countries know that at Maghrib time the public restrooms in masjids are really bad. A man came into the restroom and found Sheikh Shaarawi, who was about seventy-five, scrubbing the toilets in his Azhari dress. The man said, “Subhan Allah! Sheikh Shaarawi, how come you’re doing this?” He replied, “I was sitting in the masjid and I started to think I’m this great Qur’anic scholar. So I wanted to kill this arrogance.” He was scrubbing the toilets in the robes of ‘ulema to break himself and make himself humble. Some of us think that we have so much spiritual knowledge, but even if we’re given one position we become very proud.

So, to fight yourself and struggle against yourself is important to fight arrogance. One time I gave this Eid khutbah in MCA (Muslim Community Association). A man came to me afterwards and started brushing his hands on me (in a congratulatory fashion). I started to feel that I was becoming proud of myself, that I wasn’t getting any barakah (mercy, good) from this, so I started to rub him back. He was surprised and he asked, “What are you doing?” I said, “I’m the same as you.” I’m not saying this to praise myself, but rather to show that you have to fight yourself. If not, you’re going to start slipping—especially academically. Someone might start praising you and saying, “Oh, Muhammed, you’re such a scholar in physics. We think you’re such a genius. You’re going to be the next Hawkins.” Then two years later, Muhammed says, “I don’t believe in Allah.” We have some people right now on this campus like that who have lost themselves because of academic arrogance.

 

Dhul-Hijjah pictures reminder! :)

Assalamulaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu,

A quick lesson from todays webinar mash’Allah!

I know long reminders bores people so I hope this works i’A!

To pray 1 prayer in masjid al-aqsa is multiplied by 500!

To pray 1 prayer in masjid al-nabwi is multiplied by 1000!

To pray 1 prayer in masjid al-haram is multiplied by 100,000!

To pray 1 prayer in the battlefield is multiplied by 1,000,000!

And finally…………………..

“There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved by Allaah than these (ten) days.” [al-Bukhaaree, at-Tirmidhee and others] The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, was then asked: “Not even Jihaad in Allaah’s way?” He replied: “Not even Jihaad in Allaah’s way; except for a person who went out (for Jihaad) with his self and wealth and came back with none (i.e. lost all for Allaah).” [at-Tirmidhee, authenticated in al-Albaanee’s Irwaa’ ul-Ghaleel, #953]

So just imagine whats the reward for prayer & acts of worship in Dhul-Hijjah then iA.

Please make duaa for me this Dhul-Hijjah (post-grad assignments & exams, dawaah orgs (both youth & student) & jannah al-firdous iÁ).

 

15 Ways to increase your earnings & wealth

1. The Taqwa of Allah

And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). (2) And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allâh will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allâh has set a measure for all things. [Surah Al-Talaaq, Verse 2-3]

And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwâ (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes). [ Surah Al-Araf, Verse 96]

2. Seeking forgiveness and repentance

“I said (to them): ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving; (10) ‘He will send rain to you in abundance; (11) ‘And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.’ “[Surah Nooh, Verses 10-12]

“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 strength to your strength, so do not turn away as Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh).”[Surah Hood, Verse 52]

And (commanding you): “Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that 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 his wealth, and even 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). [Surah Hood, Verse 3]

3. Tawakkul

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab Radhiyallahu Anhu reported that Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,“If you were to put trust in Allah (Tawakkul) the way that Allah deserves, then you would be provided for as birds are; they leave (in search of food) at the beginning of the day famished, and return at the end of the day full” [Shaykah Al-Abani’s Silsilat Al-Sahihah, # 310]

And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allâh will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allâh has set a measure for all things.[Surah Al-Talaaq, Verse 2-3]

Would that they were contented with what Allâh and His Messenger (peace be upon him) gave them and had said: “Allâh is Sufficient for us. Allâh will give us of His Bounty, and so will His Messenger (from alms, etc.). We implore Allâh (to enrich us).” [Surah Al-Tawba, Verse 59]

4. Constantly worshiping Allah Ta’ala

Abu Hurayrah Radhiyallahu Anhu stated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,“Allah says, ‘O son of Adam! Take time out to constantly worship me, I will fill your chest with richness , and remove your poverty. And if you do not do so. I will make your hands filled with occupation, and will not remove your poverty” [Shaykh Al-Albani declared it to authentic in his Sunan Al-Tirmidhi]

Ma’qal Ibn Yasaar Radhiyallahu Anhu reported that Prophet (peace be upon him) said:“Your Lord, all glory and honor be to Him says, ‘O Son of Adam! Take the time out to constantly worship Me, I will fill your chest with richness! O Son of Adam! Do not distance yourself from Me, or I will fill your chest with poverty, and fill your hands with work ”[Shaykah Al-Albani’s Silsilat Al-Sahihah, # 1359]

5. Thanking Allah Ta’ala

And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshiping none but Allâh), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe.” [Surah Ibrahim, Verse 7]

6.  Frequently performing Hajj and ‘Umrah

It has been reported by Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud Radhiyallahu Anhu that the Prophet of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:“Follow up between Hajj and ‘Umrah (i.e. continuously repeat the performance of Hajj and ‘Umrah) because they both eliminate poverty and sins just like a furnace eliminates the dirty impurities of iron, gold and silver. And an accepted Hajj has no reward less than paradise” [Shaykh Al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Al-Tirmidhi (1/245)]

7. Establishing the ties of kinship

Abu Hurayrah Radhiyallahu Anhu reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:“Whoever is pleased with the fact that his Rizq be increased, and his life-span be extended, then let him establish the ties of kinship”[Al-Bukhari, # 5985]

Anas Ibn Malik reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:“Whoever wishes to have his Rizq increased, and his life-span be extended, then let him establish the ties of kinship” [Al-Bukari, # 5986]

Abu Hurayrah Radhiyallahu Anhu reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:“Learn enough of your lineage, so that you can establish the ties of kinship, for establish the ties of kinship increases the love amongst families and multiplies wealth and extends age” [Shaykh Al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Al-Tirmidhi (2/190)]

8. Spending in the Way of Allah Ta’ala

Say: “Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He wills of His slaves, and (also) restricts (it) for him, and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allâh’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers.”[Surah Saba, Verse 39]

Abu Hurayrah Radhiyallahu Anhu said that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:“ Allah has said: ‘O Son of Adam! Spend I will spend on you!”[Sahih Muslim (2/690)]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:“There is not a single day in which a servant wakes that two angels come down (from the Heavens). One of them says, O’ Allah! Give to the one that spends a substitute (for what he has spent). And the other one says, ‘O Allah! Give to the one that withhold some (his money) destruction!”[Al-Bukhari #1442]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,“While a person was in an open area of land, he heard voice in a cloud above him say. “water the garden of so-and-so!” So the cloud immediately departed, and started pouring its rain out on a rocky plain. A large crevice in the rocks collected all of this water. So the man followed the water (in its course), and he found a man standing in his garden, using an instrument to direct this water in different directions *(to irrigate his garden). He said to him, ‘O servant of Allah! What is your name?’ The man said ‘So-an-so,’ the same name that he had heard in the clouds! Then the man asked him, ‘O servant of Allah! Why are you asking me my name?’ So he responded. ‘I heard a voice in the clouds- the same clouds that this water came from- saying, “water the garden of so-and-so” with your name. What do you interpret this as (i.e. why do you think this happened )?’ So he said, ‘If you say this (i.e. if what you say occurred), then (the reason for this is that) I see what (crops) come out of it (this garden), and I give one third in charity, and I eat with my family one third of it, and I return one third of it (to cultivate more crops)”” and in another narration, it is reported that he said, …and I give one third of it to the poor, and the beggars, and the wayfarers.’ [Muslim (4/2288)]

9. Hijrah, Emigrating for the sake of Allah Ta’ala

He who emigrates (from his home) in the Cause of Allâh, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by. And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allâh and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely incumbent upon Allâh. And Allâh is Ever Oft¬Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Surah Al-Nisa, Verse 100]

10. Marriage

And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Sâlihûn (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allâh will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allâh is All-Sufficent for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people). [Surah Al-Nur, Verse 32]

11.Supporting students of Islamic knowledge

Anas Ibn Malik Radhiyallahu Anhu said,“There were two brothers (that lived) at the time of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). One of them would come to Prophet (Peace be upon him), whereas the other one would seek his sustenance (by working). So the the one who used to seek his sustenance complained to the Prophet (peace be upon him) about his brother. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) replied,‘It is possible that you are provided your rizq because of him’” [Shaykh Al-Albani agreed it to be authentic, Saheeh Sunan Al-Tirmidhi(2/274)]

12. Showing kindness to the Poor

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,“The only reason that you are aided in victory (against your enemies) and provided with sustainance due to your weak?” [Al-Bukahri (14/179)]

13. Being honest in ones dealings

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:“The two parties of a transaction have the right (to annul the contract) as long as they don’t separate (from each other). So, if they were truthful (to one another), and honest in explaining (the defects of an item), then they will be blessed in their transaction. But, if they lied, and hid (the defects of an item) then the blessings of their transaction are destroyed” [Muslim, # 3836]

14.Making the Hereafter One’s main Concern

Once Zayd Bin Thabit was with Marwan, the leader of the City, when he went to visit ‘Abd Al-Rahman Ibn ‘Uthman Bin ‘Affan, Abd Al-Rahman said, “Nothing caused him to come here, at this hour except a question that he wants to ask.” So he asked him (what the matter was). He replied, “He (meaning Marwan) asked us about matters that we heard the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) say”. I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say “Whoever puts this world as his only (and primary) goal, then Allah will divide his affairs for him, and He will place poverty before his eyes, and nothing will come to him of this world except that which was already written (i.e. pre-destined) for him. But whoever made the Hereafter his goal, the Allah will gather his affairs for him, and he will place richness in his heart, and the world will come to him conquered and submissive” [Al-Albani Silsila As-Saheehah, #950 ]

15. Striving to achieve the goal (for sustainance)

He knows that there will be some among you sick, others traveling through the land, seeking of Allâh’s Bounty; yet others fighting in Allâh’s Cause. So recite as much of the Qur’ân as may be easy (for you), and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât) and give Zakât, and lend to Allâh a goodly loan, And whatever good you send before you for yourselves, (i.e. Nawâfil non-obligatory acts of worship: prayers, charity, fasting, Hajj and ‘Umrah), you will certainly find it with Allâh, better and greater in reward. And seek Forgiveness of Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful [Surah Al-Muzammil, Verse 20]

And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayât (signs etc.). Then, We have obliterated the sign of the night (with darkness) while We have made the sign of the day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything (in detail) with full explanation. [Surah Al-Isra, Verse 20]

15 Ways to increase earnings

 

The Lost and Found Nation of Qur’an

  

The Qur’an’s role in developing the right mindset and attitude towards life cannot be underestimated. Unfortunately, for many Muslims the Qur’an has become a book of mere blessings. Let there be no doubt that its blessings can neither be fathomed nor its beauty and aura captured. Many have left a daily, practical relationship with the Book of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He) and instead have settled for a mystical relationship with it whose outcomes are not easily measured or understood. This is very dangerous. The outcomes of such attitudes can have paralyzing effects such as:

1. A chronic neglect of the Arabic language.
2. Preferring to give other sources priority over the Qur’an.
3. A dark depression that one is neither able to comprehend nor understand.

I would like to address the third point as I feel it is the cause of points one and two. Many feel that they are unable to approach the Qur’an, draw conclusions from its lessons and articulate its beautiful message in their daily lives. Thus we have an Ummah who is cut from its umbilical cord, frustrated, spiritually tired, and on the verge of collapse. The further we withdraw from our relationship with the Qur’an, the more our reference for life is replaced by other sources. This is one of the major reasons for the problems we see in our communities. Here are two examples:

1. A brother who spent the majority of his pre-pubescent and early adult life listening to DMX, 50 Cent, and Biggie will undoubtedly have issues when he gets married. When his wife trips, his mind will not revert to the statement of Allah (swt), “And live with them (your wives) in an honorable manner.” (Qur’an 4:19) Instead, his reaction will be “Girl $#$%^*!” Perhaps he will go back to his “Tommy Vercetti” and try to take matters into his own hands.

2. A sister who makes her seven circuits around the black elevator at her local mall once a week. She busies herself looking at the Sunday newspapers in order to get “the best deals” and “the finest clothes.” She compounds this with a 62 oz. Big Gulp of films, songs, and Internet sources which can only increase her desire to want more. She has to start asking herself some hard questions. What type of wife will she be to a brother involved in the struggle for da`wah (the call to Islam)? I’ve seen many of the sisters involved in seeking knowledge and performing da`wah sell their fellow brothers out and opt for a high flying Muslim Donald Trump who doesn’t practice. Then after some time, she leaves the work and we lose an important piece to the puzzle. They leave the brothers who have made sacrifices for the din (religion), and settle for the comforts of this life. No doubt we should be taking care of our sisters, but those brothers involved in performing da`wah are in need of the best sisters. If those sisters leave those brothers on the front lines empty handed, then the da`wah takes a hit. (Before any sisters start to burn their “Mothers of the Believer” CDs, don’t worry. The same applies to brothers who leave the sisters in the da`wah and run after the latest Aishwarya Rai).

These are the outcomes – perhaps a bit over the top – of materialism and selfishness (look at the crazy cost of mahrs [dowries] these days). If our constructs are based on revelation, strong tarbiyah (discipline) and a correct understanding of community, many of these problems would be addressed with the medication of revelation and communal support. However, we are constantly hounded with the fact that we are mere ‘awam (Qur’anic illiterates) lacking the basic skills to interpret the Creator’s message. In turn, this has led to another phenomenon—Hijrah from the Qur’an.

Sh. Muhammad al-Hassan Walid al-Dido al-Shanqiti (may Allah preserve him) stated that the Qur’an’s verses were divided by the scholars into the following:

1. Those verses whose meanings are only known to Allah (swt). An example would be alif lam mim (Qur’an, 2:1).
2. Those verses whose interpretation must be done by specialized scholars who finished a sound curriculum of study and are recognized by fellow contemporaries.
3. Those verses that can be explained by the serious students of knowledge who have access to scholars and resources.
4. Those verses that are understood by the common person. For example, “Say: He is Allah the unique” (Qur’an, 112:1) or “And there is nothing like Him.”(Qur’an, 16:74)

Verses found under the fourth category are understood by all. They are clear and offer a treasure of lessons for those who sit and ponder on them. We must bring back this understanding to Western Muslims who are struggling to uncover the true essence of their identities, roles, and purposes. If the common Muslim is disconnected from the roots of his or her identity, then it is not fair for religious leaders to blame or chastise them for something those very leaders forbade them from. If the Prophet’s ﷺ companions lost the ropes that tied their camels, they would seek the answer in the Book of Allah (swt). Then what can we say about those who are trying to find the answers to their purposes and identities?

Action Items:

1. Start a weekly halaqa (study circle) of Qur’an in your home.
2. Read a few verses and discuss them as a family or by yourself (if by yourself, keep a diary of what you’ve read and your thoughts. Then when you have a family, you can use what you’ve written.)

May Allah bless upon us the love of the Qur’an and help us read it and act on its profound lessons.

Imam Suhaib Webb