The son of Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyad – Allah have mercy on him – said to his father:
“Father! How sweet (beautiful) the speech of the companions is!”
[Al-Fudayl] said, “Son, do you know why it was so sweet?”
He replied, “No father, I do not.”
He [Al-Fudayl] said, “Because they sought Allah the Exalted when they spoke.”
Al-Bayhaqi, Shu’ab Al-Iman 2:299
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
When ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affaan stood by a grave he would weep until his beard became wet. It was said to him, “You remember Paradise and Hell and you do not weep, but you weep because of this?” He said, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The grave is the first of the stages of the Hereafter; whoever is saved from it, whatever comes afterwards will be easier for him, but if he is not saved from it, what comes afterwards will be worse for him.’” And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have never seen any scene but the grave is more frightening than it.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2308; Ibn Maajah, 4567; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1684)
[Narrated by Haani’ (the freed slave of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan)]
[Narrated by Haani’ (the freed slave of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan)]
Time will not wait for us no matter how healthy or wealthy we are.
People far healthier than us and wealthier have passed on and time is still ticking.
So never allow yourself to be deceived by your wealth or health.
Use your time wisely and be charitable.
Remember that every moment that goes by will never return, so make the most of it.
Mufti Ismail Menk
People far healthier than us and wealthier have passed on and time is still ticking.
So never allow yourself to be deceived by your wealth or health.
Use your time wisely and be charitable.
Remember that every moment that goes by will never return, so make the most of it.
Mufti Ismail Menk
Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen was asked, “What are your guidelines concerning usage of time, and protecting it from being wasted?”
He answered saying, “It is necessary for a student of knowledge to protect his time from being wasted. Time-wasting occurs in a number of ways :
1. That one leaves learning and revising what one has read.
2. That one sits with his friends and indulges in vain talk which contains no benefit.
3. This is the most harmful of them upon a student of knowledge: That he has no concern except pursuing people’s statements, [for] “maa qeela wa qaala” (What was said and what he said), and [for] “maa hasala wa maa yahsul” (What occurred and what is taking place), regarding an issue of no concern to him.
No doubt, this is from a weak Islaam, as the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “From a person’s good Islaam is to leave that which doesn’t concern him.”
Busying oneself with “Qeela wa qaala” (What was said and what he said), and excessive questioning are time-wasters.
In reality it is a disease which, when it comes into man - we ask Allaah for well-being - it becomes his greatest concern. He may show enmity to one who does not deserve enmity, or he may ally one who doesn’t deserve alliance due to concerning himself with these issues, which busy himself away from knowledge, with the pretext of “championing the truth”, while this is not the case.
Rather, this is pertaining to occupying oneself with an issue which does not concern him.
If a report comes to you, without you having pursued it or sought it, then all people receive news but they don’t busy themselves with it, nor does it become their greatest concern, because this occupies the student of knowledge. It corrupts his affair, and opens for the ummah the door of hizbiyyah (partisanship) then the ummah will split.”
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-`Uthaymeen [This fatwaa (Islaamic verdict) is taken from “Kitaabul-’Ilm” of Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen compiled by Shaykh Fahd ibn Naasir ibn Ibraaheem as-Sulaymaan, printed by Daar ath-Tharya lin-Naashir (First print 1417H/1996CE), (pp. 204-205).]
He answered saying, “It is necessary for a student of knowledge to protect his time from being wasted. Time-wasting occurs in a number of ways :
1. That one leaves learning and revising what one has read.
2. That one sits with his friends and indulges in vain talk which contains no benefit.
3. This is the most harmful of them upon a student of knowledge: That he has no concern except pursuing people’s statements, [for] “maa qeela wa qaala” (What was said and what he said), and [for] “maa hasala wa maa yahsul” (What occurred and what is taking place), regarding an issue of no concern to him.
No doubt, this is from a weak Islaam, as the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “From a person’s good Islaam is to leave that which doesn’t concern him.”
Busying oneself with “Qeela wa qaala” (What was said and what he said), and excessive questioning are time-wasters.
In reality it is a disease which, when it comes into man - we ask Allaah for well-being - it becomes his greatest concern. He may show enmity to one who does not deserve enmity, or he may ally one who doesn’t deserve alliance due to concerning himself with these issues, which busy himself away from knowledge, with the pretext of “championing the truth”, while this is not the case.
Rather, this is pertaining to occupying oneself with an issue which does not concern him.
If a report comes to you, without you having pursued it or sought it, then all people receive news but they don’t busy themselves with it, nor does it become their greatest concern, because this occupies the student of knowledge. It corrupts his affair, and opens for the ummah the door of hizbiyyah (partisanship) then the ummah will split.”
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-`Uthaymeen [This fatwaa (Islaamic verdict) is taken from “Kitaabul-’Ilm” of Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen compiled by Shaykh Fahd ibn Naasir ibn Ibraaheem as-Sulaymaan, printed by Daar ath-Tharya lin-Naashir (First print 1417H/1996CE), (pp. 204-205).]
Monday, October 29, 2012
Oh sinner, don't feel safe from the evil consequence of
it (sin). And that which comes along with sin is greater (in evil) than
the sin: The minute amount of shyness that you have from the one on your right and the one on your left while your
committing sin is greater (in evil) than the sin; and your laughing
while you don't know what Allah will do with you is greater (in evil)
than the sin; and your happiness with sin when you commit it is greater
(in evil) than the sin; and your sadness over sin when it ( the chance
to commit sin) passes you is greater (in evil) than the sin; and your
fear of the wind when it moves the door which veils you while you're
committing sin, and your heart isn't disturbed (by the fact) that Allah
sees you is greater (in evil) than the sin. Beware! Do you know what the
sin of Ayoob was for which Allah tested him in his body with severe
sickness and by the depletion of his wealth ? A poor man sought his help
against an oppressor that he might repel the oppressor. So, he (Ayoob)
didn't help him, nor did he prohibit the oppressor from his oppression so
Allah tested him.
Ibn 'Abbaas [Al Imam ibn ul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah mentions in his tremendous book "Al-Jawaab ul-Kaafy li man sa`ala 'an id-Dawaa` ish-Shaafy" , "...and also in 'al-Hilya']
Ibn 'Abbaas [Al Imam ibn ul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah mentions in his tremendous book "Al-Jawaab ul-Kaafy li man sa`ala 'an id-Dawaa` ish-Shaafy" , "...and also in 'al-Hilya']
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The intent or purpose behind knowledge
is that you can worship Allah upon insight and understanding, and
that fear of Allah occurs for you, and that you follow that which the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم and his companions were upon, and the
purpose from knowledge is not [simply] gathering information nor to
boast with it, for knowledge is not intended in of itself, rather it is a
means to gaining closeness to Allah the Most High.
Shaikh Ahmad Baazmool stated in his book, “Explanation of the Statement of Ibn Seereen – Indeed this Knowledge is Religion” [p82 - 83]
Shaikh Ahmad Baazmool stated in his book, “Explanation of the Statement of Ibn Seereen – Indeed this Knowledge is Religion” [p82 - 83]
With regard to what is
called the “honeymoon”, it is even worse and more reprehensible, because
it is an imitation of the non-Muslims and it is a great waste of money.
It also leads to neglect of many religious matters, especially if this
time is spent in a non-Muslim country, after which they come back with
habits and customs that are harmful to them and to their society. These
are matters which are dangerous to the ummah. But if the man were to
travel with his wife to do ‘Umrah or to visit Madinah, there is nothing
wrong with that, in sha Allah.
Shaykh ibn Uthaimeen [Quote from Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/176]
Shaykh ibn Uthaimeen [Quote from Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/176]
Seek knowledge, because seeking it for the
sake of Allah is a worship. And knowing it makes you more God-fearing;
and searching for it is jihad, teaching it to those who do not know is
charity, reviewing and learning it more is like tasbeeh.
Through knowledge Allah will be known and worshiped. With the
knowledge Allah will elevate people and make them leaders and imams, who
will in turn guide other people.
[Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya vol.10, p.39]
[Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya vol.10, p.39]
When your companion becomes angry and says
something that is unwarranted, you should not take it too hard. His
situation is that of a drunken person who is not aware of what is taking
place. Instead, be patient, even if it means only for a little while.
If you reciprocate his words with harsh words of your own, you become
like the sane person who seeks revenge on a madman, or the conscious
person who seeks retribution from an unconscious one. Look at him with a
merciful eye and pity him for his actions.
Ibn al-Jawzi
Ibn al-Jawzi
*** The Repentance Of Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad, The Thief And Highway Robber ***
Here follows the incident concerning the repentance al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad rahimahullah, who made a complete turn from being a thief and highway robber to an ascetic person, an ardent worshiper of Allah, and then to a great scholar of Hadith and a person who invited towards Allah through his ways and his speech. All this happened when he heard the Qur’an with his heart and his intellect. He then turned to Allah with a true and sincere repentance .
Al-Hafiz lbn Hajar says the following under his biography: “He is the ascetic and ardent worshiper of Allah. Fudayl ibn lyad at-Tamimi al-Yarbut al-Khurasani and then al-Makki. He passed away in 187 A.H. May Allah shower His mercy on him.”
“Abu ‘Ammar al-Husayn ibn Hurayth, a student of al Fudayl, says: ‘I heard al-Fadl ibn Musa saying: al-Fudayl ibn Iyad was a thief, a highway robber between the towns of Abiward and Sarakhs. The reason for his repentance was that he fell in love with a young woman. While he was climbing the wall to her house, he heard someone reciting the following verse :
“Has the time not come for the believers that their hearts submit to the remembrance of Allah?” (Surah al-HadId, 57: 16)
When he heard these words, he said: ‘Indeed, my Sustainer. The time has come.’
So he went away from there. The night forced him to seek refuge in a ruined building. When he entered it, he saw a group of travelers standing inside. He overheard one of them saying: ‘Let’s depart now.’ Another replied: ‘We should rather wait till morning because Fudayl will be lying in wait on the road in order to rob us.’
Fudayl says: ‘I thought to my self and said: ‘I am spending the nights in committing sins while a group of Muslims are fearing me here. I think that the only reason Allah sent me to them was so that I may tremble [in fear of Him]. "O Allah! I turn in repentance to You. My repentance is that I will live in the neighborhood of the Sacred House (the Ka’bah).’
He then moved to Makkah, settled down their and lived in it’s neighborhood till he passed away there".
“lbrahim ibn al-Ash’ath, the servant of al-Fudayl, said "I have not seen anyone apart from al-Fudayl in whose heart Allah was the greatest. When Allah was mentioned before him, or if he heard the Qur’an, fear and grief would become apparent on him, his eyes would shed tears and he would cry to such an extent that those who were sitting near him would feel sorry for him.’
Rabah ibn Khãlid said: “Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said to me: ‘When I look at al-Fudayl, my grief is renewed and I detest my self.’ He then began crying.”
Here follows the incident concerning the repentance al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad rahimahullah, who made a complete turn from being a thief and highway robber to an ascetic person, an ardent worshiper of Allah, and then to a great scholar of Hadith and a person who invited towards Allah through his ways and his speech. All this happened when he heard the Qur’an with his heart and his intellect. He then turned to Allah with a true and sincere repentance .
Al-Hafiz lbn Hajar says the following under his biography: “He is the ascetic and ardent worshiper of Allah. Fudayl ibn lyad at-Tamimi al-Yarbut al-Khurasani and then al-Makki. He passed away in 187 A.H. May Allah shower His mercy on him.”
“Abu ‘Ammar al-Husayn ibn Hurayth, a student of al Fudayl, says: ‘I heard al-Fadl ibn Musa saying: al-Fudayl ibn Iyad was a thief, a highway robber between the towns of Abiward and Sarakhs. The reason for his repentance was that he fell in love with a young woman. While he was climbing the wall to her house, he heard someone reciting the following verse :
“Has the time not come for the believers that their hearts submit to the remembrance of Allah?” (Surah al-HadId, 57: 16)
When he heard these words, he said: ‘Indeed, my Sustainer. The time has come.’
So he went away from there. The night forced him to seek refuge in a ruined building. When he entered it, he saw a group of travelers standing inside. He overheard one of them saying: ‘Let’s depart now.’ Another replied: ‘We should rather wait till morning because Fudayl will be lying in wait on the road in order to rob us.’
Fudayl says: ‘I thought to my self and said: ‘I am spending the nights in committing sins while a group of Muslims are fearing me here. I think that the only reason Allah sent me to them was so that I may tremble [in fear of Him]. "O Allah! I turn in repentance to You. My repentance is that I will live in the neighborhood of the Sacred House (the Ka’bah).’
He then moved to Makkah, settled down their and lived in it’s neighborhood till he passed away there".
“lbrahim ibn al-Ash’ath, the servant of al-Fudayl, said "I have not seen anyone apart from al-Fudayl in whose heart Allah was the greatest. When Allah was mentioned before him, or if he heard the Qur’an, fear and grief would become apparent on him, his eyes would shed tears and he would cry to such an extent that those who were sitting near him would feel sorry for him.’
Rabah ibn Khãlid said: “Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said to me: ‘When I look at al-Fudayl, my grief is renewed and I detest my self.’ He then began crying.”
THE INTEGRITY OF AL-FUDAYL BIN 'IYAAD
Ar-Rashid, a first century ruler, once said to al-Fudayl bin Iyad, "Admonish me."
"O Leader of the believers!" said al-Fudayl. "Indeed your grandfather, al-Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet, once went to the Prophet and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, appoint me to be a leader.' The Messenger of Allah said, 'My uncle, indeed, being a leader leads to sorrow, and regret on the Day of Resurrection. If you are able to go without ever being a leader, then do so!'"
Moved to tears, ar-Rashid said, "Give me more."
al-Fudayl looked at ar-Rashid and said, "O one who has a handsome face, if you are able to protect that face from the Hell-fire then do so. And beware of ever cheating or betraying your people."
Being much moved by al-Fudayl's words, ar-Rashid wanted to reward him.
"Do you have any debts?" he asked.
"To my Lord, yes, and He will hold me accountable for them," said al-Fudayl.
"I am of course referring to debts to other human beings," said ar-Rashid.
After al-Fudayl answered in the negative, ar-Rashid said to one of his assistants, "Give him 1000 dinars, which he can use to help his family."
Al-Fudayl was greatly offended by these words and said, "How perfect Allah is! I am guiding you to safety and you want to reward me with this paltry, worldly sum!" He then left, refusing to take anything.
Ar-Rashid, a first century ruler, once said to al-Fudayl bin Iyad, "Admonish me."
"O Leader of the believers!" said al-Fudayl. "Indeed your grandfather, al-Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet, once went to the Prophet and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, appoint me to be a leader.' The Messenger of Allah said, 'My uncle, indeed, being a leader leads to sorrow, and regret on the Day of Resurrection. If you are able to go without ever being a leader, then do so!'"
Moved to tears, ar-Rashid said, "Give me more."
al-Fudayl looked at ar-Rashid and said, "O one who has a handsome face, if you are able to protect that face from the Hell-fire then do so. And beware of ever cheating or betraying your people."
Being much moved by al-Fudayl's words, ar-Rashid wanted to reward him.
"Do you have any debts?" he asked.
"To my Lord, yes, and He will hold me accountable for them," said al-Fudayl.
"I am of course referring to debts to other human beings," said ar-Rashid.
After al-Fudayl answered in the negative, ar-Rashid said to one of his assistants, "Give him 1000 dinars, which he can use to help his family."
Al-Fudayl was greatly offended by these words and said, "How perfect Allah is! I am guiding you to safety and you want to reward me with this paltry, worldly sum!" He then left, refusing to take anything.
In
the tongue there are two great diseases; the disease of speech, and the
disease of silence. If the tongue is saved from one, it will not be
saved from the other. For, the one who is silent in regards to justice
is a mute Shaitan, and the one who conveys injustice is an articulate
Shaitan.
[Ibn Al-Qayyim]
[Ibn Al-Qayyim]
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Tips For Making The Most Out Of Your Salah:
1) Before making your salah, think of this : Have you ever considered the fact that you are praying to the King of kings ? That when you hear the adhan or check your prayer times, you get this overwhelming feeling that your Lord is calling you upon Him?
2) Rather than considering salah as one of those long daily rituals you have to carry out because it's part of the 'deen' - why not look at it as meaningful conversation with Allah. A time during the day where you put all your worldly matters in the hands of Allah and ask Him to bless you and help you. You know He can.
3) When you're praying, avoid looking up at the sky or around you, no matter how fidgety you can be. This only makes you distracted and will take the worth out of your salah. How would you like it if you are having a conversation with someone and they keep turning away? The best way to stop this from happening is praying in a quiet room away from all the noise and distractions of life.
4) Avoid being paranoid. By that I mean, don't over-think stuff like 'Did you carry out wudhu properly', 'How many sajdah have you got left', again that will only distract you. It's also shaytan's greatest weapons against you to make you stay away from practicing the perfect prayer.
5) Don't recite your prayers silently and don't recite them too loud. Try to reach a medium. This will stop your thoughts from getting you confused with your recitation and also increase your concentration levels.
6) Give each letter, each movements and each du'aa its moment. Just because 'Allahu akbar' takes less time and less effort than the 'tashawud' doesn't mean you take it less seriously.
7) Take your time! That soap opera you are watching is not going to vouch for you on Judgement Day. Set your priorities straight.
Sheikh Khalid Yasin
1) Before making your salah, think of this : Have you ever considered the fact that you are praying to the King of kings ? That when you hear the adhan or check your prayer times, you get this overwhelming feeling that your Lord is calling you upon Him?
2) Rather than considering salah as one of those long daily rituals you have to carry out because it's part of the 'deen' - why not look at it as meaningful conversation with Allah. A time during the day where you put all your worldly matters in the hands of Allah and ask Him to bless you and help you. You know He can.
3) When you're praying, avoid looking up at the sky or around you, no matter how fidgety you can be. This only makes you distracted and will take the worth out of your salah. How would you like it if you are having a conversation with someone and they keep turning away? The best way to stop this from happening is praying in a quiet room away from all the noise and distractions of life.
4) Avoid being paranoid. By that I mean, don't over-think stuff like 'Did you carry out wudhu properly', 'How many sajdah have you got left', again that will only distract you. It's also shaytan's greatest weapons against you to make you stay away from practicing the perfect prayer.
5) Don't recite your prayers silently and don't recite them too loud. Try to reach a medium. This will stop your thoughts from getting you confused with your recitation and also increase your concentration levels.
6) Give each letter, each movements and each du'aa its moment. Just because 'Allahu akbar' takes less time and less effort than the 'tashawud' doesn't mean you take it less seriously.
7) Take your time! That soap opera you are watching is not going to vouch for you on Judgement Day. Set your priorities straight.
Sheikh Khalid Yasin
The example of obedience that grows and
increases, is like a seed that you plant, which becomes a tree, then
bears fruit, and you ate this fruit and planted their seeds again and
whenever the tree bears fruit you eat it and plant its seeds. The exact
example can be applied to sins and the way they increase.
There is an old proverb and the wise will understand it: ‘The reward for good deeds is that they are followed by other good deeds, and the punishment for bad deeds is that they are followed by other bad deeds.’
Ibn al-Qayyim
There is an old proverb and the wise will understand it: ‘The reward for good deeds is that they are followed by other good deeds, and the punishment for bad deeds is that they are followed by other bad deeds.’
Ibn al-Qayyim
How is it possible for one's heart to be
certain that one is going to meet Allah, that Allah sees and hears all
that he does, and knows his secret open affairs, and that he will be
made to stand before Allah, answerable for all his deeds - how can one
be certain and aware of all of this, and yet persist upon things which
displease Allah; persist upon abandoning Allah's orders, neglecting His
rights, and yet claim that he has good expectation of Allah?
Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah
Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah
I have never envied anyone over anything: if a
person is going to be in the Fire, how could I envy him over some
worldly matter when he is destined for the Fire?! And if he is going to
Paradise, how could I be envious of a man of Paradise with whom Allah
tabaraka wa ta’ala is pleased?!
Muhammad ibn Sireen
Muhammad ibn Sireen
The similitude of the heart in its travel to
Allah is like a bird. Love is its head, and khawf (i.e. fear) and rajaa'
(i.e. hope) are the wings. When the head and both wings are sound, the
bird is capable and skilled in flying. However, when the head is cut
off, the bird will die. When the bird loses a wing, it then becomes a
target for every hunter and predator. The scholars favored, however, the
wing of khawf over the wing of rajaa', especially when the person is
young and healthy. They favored the wing of rajaa' over the wing of
khawf when the person is about to leave this world.
Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah
Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah
Pride, with its consequences, remains a great
sin opposing the purpose for which Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala)
created His creation, just as the greatest sin, polytheism. Allaah
(subhaanahu wa ta’aala) created His creation and revealed His Book in
order that complete obedience be devoted to Him, alone. Therefore, He
(subhaanahu wa ta’aala) forbade the entry into Paradise for polytheists
and any of those who have the weight of a mustard seed of pride in their
hearts.
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah
A man came to Al-Hasan Al-Basri and said:
“I heard you say that if you commit sins, then Allah prevents you from things. I do all the sins that you can think of and don’t do many good deeds. I have a beautiful wife and beautiful kids and a lot of money and land and I am successful. Allah did not prevent me from anything. How is it that you say that because of sins Allah prevents you?”
He said:
“Do you pray Qiyam’l-Layl? Do you enjoy your du'aa? Do you enjoy your ṣalat? That is enough prevention that He prevented you from communicating with Him.”
“I heard you say that if you commit sins, then Allah prevents you from things. I do all the sins that you can think of and don’t do many good deeds. I have a beautiful wife and beautiful kids and a lot of money and land and I am successful. Allah did not prevent me from anything. How is it that you say that because of sins Allah prevents you?”
He said:
“Do you pray Qiyam’l-Layl? Do you enjoy your du'aa? Do you enjoy your ṣalat? That is enough prevention that He prevented you from communicating with Him.”
GREATNESS OF ALLAH
He is controlling the affairs of all the kingdoms. He commands and prohibits, creates and gives provision, and gives death and gives life. He raises and lowers peoples status, alternates night and day, gives days (good and not so good) to men by turns, and causes nations to rise and fall, so that one nation vanishes and another emerges. His command and decree are carried out throughout the heavens and on earth, above it and below it, in the oceans and in the air. He has knowledge of all things and knows the number of all things. He hears all voices, and does not mistake one for another; He hears them all, in all the different languages and with all their varied requests and pleas. No voice distracts Him from hearing another, He does not confuse their requests, and He never tires of hearing the pleas of those in need. He sees all that is visible, even the walk of a black ant across a solid rock in the darkest night.
The unseen is visible to Him, and secrets are known to Him. Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him (its needs from Him). Every day He has a matter to bring forth (such as giving honor to some, disgrace to some, life to some, death to some, etc.)! [al-Rahmaan 55: 29 interpretation of the meaning]. He forgives sins, eases worries, relieves distress, helps the defeated person back on his feet, makes the poor rich, guides the one who is astray and confused, fulfills the needs of the desperate, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, conceals faults, and calms fears. He raises the status of some and lowers the status of others. Even if all the inhabitants of heaven and earth, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn alike, were to be as pious as the most pious among them, this would not increase His sovereignty in the slightest; if they all, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn alike, were to be as rebellious as the most rebellious among them, this would not decrease His sovereignty in the slightest. If everything in heaven and on earth, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn, living and dead, animate and inanimate, were to stand in one place and ask of Him, and He were to give them everything that they asked for, this would not decrease what He has by even an atoms weight.
He is the First, before Whom there is nothing, and the Last, after Whom there is nothing, may He be blessed and exalted. He is the Most deserving of being remembered, the Most deserving of being worshiped, the Most deserving of being thanked. He is the Most Compassionate of kings, the Most Generous of those who are asked. He is the King Who has no partner or associate, the One who has no rival, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has no son, the Most High, and there is none like unto Him. Everything will perish save His face [al-Qasas 28: 88 interpretation of the meaning], and everything will vanish except His sovereignty. He will not be obeyed except by His permission, and He will not be disobeyed except with His knowledge. He is obeyed, so He shows His appreciation, and He is disobeyed, so He forgives. Every punishment on His part is justice, and every blessing from Him is a favor. He is the closest of witnesses and the nearest of protectors. He seizes people by their forelocks, records their deeds and decrees the appointed time for all things. Hearts conceal nothing from Him, for secrets are known to Him. His gift is a word and His punishment is a word: Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, Be! and it is. [Yaa-Seen 36: 82 interpretation of the meaning].
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) described the greatness of Allaah in the most beautiful way -- (Adapted from al-Waabil al-Sayib, p. 125)
He is controlling the affairs of all the kingdoms. He commands and prohibits, creates and gives provision, and gives death and gives life. He raises and lowers peoples status, alternates night and day, gives days (good and not so good) to men by turns, and causes nations to rise and fall, so that one nation vanishes and another emerges. His command and decree are carried out throughout the heavens and on earth, above it and below it, in the oceans and in the air. He has knowledge of all things and knows the number of all things. He hears all voices, and does not mistake one for another; He hears them all, in all the different languages and with all their varied requests and pleas. No voice distracts Him from hearing another, He does not confuse their requests, and He never tires of hearing the pleas of those in need. He sees all that is visible, even the walk of a black ant across a solid rock in the darkest night.
The unseen is visible to Him, and secrets are known to Him. Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him (its needs from Him). Every day He has a matter to bring forth (such as giving honor to some, disgrace to some, life to some, death to some, etc.)! [al-Rahmaan 55: 29 interpretation of the meaning]. He forgives sins, eases worries, relieves distress, helps the defeated person back on his feet, makes the poor rich, guides the one who is astray and confused, fulfills the needs of the desperate, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, conceals faults, and calms fears. He raises the status of some and lowers the status of others. Even if all the inhabitants of heaven and earth, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn alike, were to be as pious as the most pious among them, this would not increase His sovereignty in the slightest; if they all, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn alike, were to be as rebellious as the most rebellious among them, this would not decrease His sovereignty in the slightest. If everything in heaven and on earth, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn, living and dead, animate and inanimate, were to stand in one place and ask of Him, and He were to give them everything that they asked for, this would not decrease what He has by even an atoms weight.
He is the First, before Whom there is nothing, and the Last, after Whom there is nothing, may He be blessed and exalted. He is the Most deserving of being remembered, the Most deserving of being worshiped, the Most deserving of being thanked. He is the Most Compassionate of kings, the Most Generous of those who are asked. He is the King Who has no partner or associate, the One who has no rival, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has no son, the Most High, and there is none like unto Him. Everything will perish save His face [al-Qasas 28: 88 interpretation of the meaning], and everything will vanish except His sovereignty. He will not be obeyed except by His permission, and He will not be disobeyed except with His knowledge. He is obeyed, so He shows His appreciation, and He is disobeyed, so He forgives. Every punishment on His part is justice, and every blessing from Him is a favor. He is the closest of witnesses and the nearest of protectors. He seizes people by their forelocks, records their deeds and decrees the appointed time for all things. Hearts conceal nothing from Him, for secrets are known to Him. His gift is a word and His punishment is a word: Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, Be! and it is. [Yaa-Seen 36: 82 interpretation of the meaning].
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) described the greatness of Allaah in the most beautiful way -- (Adapted from al-Waabil al-Sayib, p. 125)
Friday, October 26, 2012
❂ Du'aa to recite when suffering from anguish, mental or physical pain ❂
Laa 'ilaaha 'illAllaahul-'Azhimul-Halim, laa 'ilaaha 'illAllaahu Rabbul-'Arshil-'Azhim, laa 'ilaaha 'illAllaahu Rabbus-samaawaati wa Rabbul-'ardhi wa Rabbul-'Arshil-Karim.
There is none worthy of worship but Allah the Mighty, the Forbearing. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of the Heavens and Lord of the Earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne.
Al-Bukhari 8/154, Muslim 4/2092
Laa 'ilaaha 'illAllaahul-'Azhimul-Halim, laa 'ilaaha 'illAllaahu Rabbul-'Arshil-'Azhim, laa 'ilaaha 'illAllaahu Rabbus-samaawaati wa Rabbul-'ardhi wa Rabbul-'Arshil-Karim.
There is none worthy of worship but Allah the Mighty, the Forbearing. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of the Heavens and Lord of the Earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne.
Al-Bukhari 8/154, Muslim 4/2092
Everything that is loved – if it is not loved for
His sake then this love is nothing but distress and punishment. Every
action that is not performed for His sake then it is wasted and severed.
Every heart that does not reach Him is wretched, veiled from achieving
its success and happiness.
Ibn Al-Qayyim (Al-Fawaa`id)
Ibn Al-Qayyim (Al-Fawaa`id)
There will come a day when we would give up
everything we ever loved in this life, everything that preoccupied our
hearts and minds, every mirage we ran after, just to have that
conversation with Allah. But on that Day, there will be some from whom
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) will turn away… and forget, as they had once forgotten Him.
Yasmin Mogahed
http://www.yasminmogahed.com/2011/08/18/a-sacred-conversation/
Yasmin Mogahed
http://www.yasminmogahed.com/2011/08/18/a-sacred-conversation/
The truth is, when we thought we were looking
for a good husband or a good wife or a good job or a lot of money or a
lot of fame, we were really just looking for God. So it’s no wonder that
we got disappointed when the husband, the wife, the job, the money or
the fame didn’t fill our need—or our emptiness.
Yasmin Mogahed
Yasmin Mogahed
*** REPENTANCE OF MALIK BIN DINAR ***
Malik bin Dinar, may Allah be pleased with him, [d.130 (748 CE)] narrated the following story about himself, saying, “I was a man who indulged in fun and enjoyment and suffered from an overwhelmingly addiction to wine. I bought a slave girl with whom I was very happy. She later gave birth to a beautiful girl who I loved dearly. I saw her progress from crawling to walking. Whenever I sat down for a drink, she would come and take the cup from my hands and spill the wine on the ground.At the tender age of two years she died and left me grieving. It was the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban and I fell asleep drunk. I saw in my dream that it was the Day of Resurrection and I came out of my grave with a huge sea serpent after me. I began to run but it chased me. The faster I ran, the faster it came. I passed by an old man dressed in clean garments who was very weak. I called out to him “O Sheikh, please save me from this monster!” He replied, “O my son, I am a very old man and this monster is too powerful for me, I cannot prevail from it. Perhaps if you carry on someone else may be able to help you.”
I continued to run, with the serpent still following me. I passed by a pit of blazing fire and was about to fall into it, but someone said, ”You are not its inhabitant.” On hearing this, I turned and ran towards the mountain. I found that there were many gates to it and each gate had guards. A voice called out, ”Let this wretched man in before his enemy captures him.”
The gates opened and I saw a group of children, their faces shone like the moon, and among them was my little girl! She came towards me like a beam of light and with her right hand hit the serpent, which then fled. She sat by me and said, ”O my father, has not the time arrived for the heart of those who believe to submit to Allah’s reminder (Dhikr) and the truth (Qur’an) which has been revealed?” [Al-Hadid 57:16] I replied, “O my child, do you know the Qur’an?” She answered, ”I learn it from you.” I then asked, ”O my daughter, what are you doing here?” She said, ”We are Muslim children who have died and we will live here until the Day of Resurrection and wait for our parents.”
At this I said, ”O my daughter, who was that monster chasing and trying to kill me?” She said, ”O my father, that was your bad deeds, which you accumulated and could have destroyed you.” I then asked, ”And who was that weak old man?” She said, ”He was your good deeds, which you weakened to such an extent that he had no power to defend you. Therefore, O my father, repent and turn towards Allah, and be not among those who will perish.” Suddenly I woke up. I repented for my sins and turned to Allah.”
The lesson we learn from this story is that when young children die in infancy and their parents show patience and control of their emotions, it becomes a means of their salvation in the Hereafter. Allah Most High has taught us, when He tries us with an affliction, to say: All praise is due to Allah. Truly, we are Allah’s and truly unto Him is the return.
Has the time not come for
those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly
submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down
of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given
the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so
their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly
disobedient.
[Qur'an, Surah Al-Hadid (57): 16]
[Qur'an, Surah Al-Hadid (57): 16]
Repentance is one of the realities of the religion of Islam.
The one who repents is the one who Allah loves. Repentance is that you
abstain and abandon that which Allah dislikes and return to that which
Allah loves. It is important that we never think that is too late for us
to repent because this is an idea of the Shaitan to prevent you from
repenting.
Ibn ul Qayyim
Ibn ul Qayyim
WORSHIP is:
► To obey Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala in all matters;
► To fear Allah at all times in all places;
► To remember Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala at every junction of one’s life;
► To submit to each and every command of Allah and His Messenger (sallAllahu 'alyhi wasallam) regardless of what one’s heart desires;
► To abstain from everything which Allah and Messenger (sallAllahu 'alyhi wasallam) have prohibited;
► To fulfill all the rights of one’s family, friends, loved ones, neighbors, and the society at large;
► To earn one’s livelihood in a lawful manner so that one may support one’s family;
► To spend of one’s means in the cause of Allah;
► To do anything to further the cause and spread of Islam;
► To promote and enjoin the good ;
► To abstain from evil and to stop evil
► Prayers, fasts, pilgrimage, zakaah etc. are obligatory training courses ordained by Allaah so that man may truly fulfill the mission which he was created for that is worship of Allaah Subhanahu Taa'la, The Creator, Most Majestic, Most Supreme.
► To obey Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala in all matters;
► To fear Allah at all times in all places;
► To remember Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala at every junction of one’s life;
► To submit to each and every command of Allah and His Messenger (sallAllahu 'alyhi wasallam) regardless of what one’s heart desires;
► To abstain from everything which Allah and Messenger (sallAllahu 'alyhi wasallam) have prohibited;
► To fulfill all the rights of one’s family, friends, loved ones, neighbors, and the society at large;
► To earn one’s livelihood in a lawful manner so that one may support one’s family;
► To spend of one’s means in the cause of Allah;
► To do anything to further the cause and spread of Islam;
► To promote and enjoin the good ;
► To abstain from evil and to stop evil
► Prayers, fasts, pilgrimage, zakaah etc. are obligatory training courses ordained by Allaah so that man may truly fulfill the mission which he was created for that is worship of Allaah Subhanahu Taa'la, The Creator, Most Majestic, Most Supreme.
If you see
that you have turned away from something from Allaah’s Religion or you
see that you have turned away from the Book of Allaah, the Mighty and
Majestic, either from reciting its [actual] words, or reciting it [by
pondering over] its meaning, or reciting it by acting on it, then it is
obligatory on you to cure yourself – and know that the cause of that
turning away is SINS.
Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him [Tafsir Surah al-Maa’idah, vol. 1, p. 483]
Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him [Tafsir Surah al-Maa’idah, vol. 1, p. 483]
It is mentioned that when al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr was the Chief Justice (of
Egypt), one day he was passing through the market with a caravan,
looking well groomed. So a Jew who was selling hot oil, looking very
disheveled and dirty because of the oil, accosted him by grabbing the
reins of his mule saying, “Yaa Shaykhul-Islaam, you claim that your Prophet said that the dunyaa is a prison for the mu’min and a jannah for
the kaafir; so what type of prison are you in and what type of jannah
am I in?”
He (Ibn Hajr) replied, “Regarding what Allaah has prepared for me in the hereafter from its bliss, then it is as if I am in prison, and with regards to what Allaah has prepared for you in the hereafter from its punishment, then it is as if you are in jannah.”
At which point the Jew became a Muslim.
(Faydhul-Qadeer: 3/546)
He (Ibn Hajr) replied, “Regarding what Allaah has prepared for me in the hereafter from its bliss, then it is as if I am in prison, and with regards to what Allaah has prepared for you in the hereafter from its punishment, then it is as if you are in jannah.”
At which point the Jew became a Muslim.
(Faydhul-Qadeer: 3/546)
Thursday, October 25, 2012
"The teaching of the Prophet
sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was that a sheep is sufficient on behalf
of a man and the members of his household, even if they are many in
number". [Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah (Zaad al-Ma’aad 2/294)]
"In fact, a single sheep is sufficient on behalf of the members of a household, even if there are one hundred or more, as is indicated by the Sunnah". [Al-Shawkaani rahimahullah (Nayl al-Awtaar 5/182)]
"In fact, a single sheep is sufficient on behalf of the members of a household, even if there are one hundred or more, as is indicated by the Sunnah". [Al-Shawkaani rahimahullah (Nayl al-Awtaar 5/182)]
The
story about the great trial of Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) is an
interesting one and there are many lessons that can be derived from it
by those who believe in Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) and claim to
follow his creed.
To summarize what had transpired:
Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) had prayed to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) to grant him a son. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) fulfilled his wish and gave him Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) at very old age.
"O God! Grant me with a righteous son. So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing son." (Surah as-Saffat: 100-101)
When the child attained 13 years of age, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) commanded Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) in his dream to sacrifice him for His sake.
"When he was old enough to assist in his endeavor, he said: 'My son! I see in my dream that I am sacrificing you. See what you think?'" (Surah as-Saffat: 102)
Because it was the command from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala), the righteous son encouraged his old father to discharge his duty.
"He said: 'O Father! Do whatever you have been commanded. If Allah wishes, you will find me to be patient." (Surah as-Saffat: 102)
Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) set out with his son Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) to the sacrificing spot. It was certainly not an easy task!
On the way, Shaytan appeared in a form of an old advising man. He tried to stop Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) from offering the sacrifice, but because of the strong faith in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala), Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam)'s determination to comply with the command of his Creator could not be shaken.
Shaytan then tried his luck with young Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) and persuade him to escape from his ill fate. As a result of his father's invocation, Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) was a righteous son and he too, could therefore not be influenced.
Both, the father and the son chased Shaytan away. They then arrived at the sacrificing spot at Mina. Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) tied the hands and the legs of his son so as not to be perturbed by his pain and restlessness. He blindfolded himself and carrying the knife enacted the command of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala).
When Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) removed his fold, he saw Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) by his side and in his place; a ram lay slain before them. Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) trembled lest Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) rejected his sacrifice. Suddenly he heard a voice that was soothing:
"We called out to him: O Ibrahim! You have indeed fulfilled the vision! Thus indeed We reward the virtuous. This indeed was a manifest trial. Then We ransomed him with a great sacrifice, and We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times: Peace be to Ibrahim." (Surah as-Saffat: 104-109)
To summarize what had transpired:
Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) had prayed to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) to grant him a son. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) fulfilled his wish and gave him Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) at very old age.
"O God! Grant me with a righteous son. So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing son." (Surah as-Saffat: 100-101)
When the child attained 13 years of age, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) commanded Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) in his dream to sacrifice him for His sake.
"When he was old enough to assist in his endeavor, he said: 'My son! I see in my dream that I am sacrificing you. See what you think?'" (Surah as-Saffat: 102)
Because it was the command from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala), the righteous son encouraged his old father to discharge his duty.
"He said: 'O Father! Do whatever you have been commanded. If Allah wishes, you will find me to be patient." (Surah as-Saffat: 102)
Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) set out with his son Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) to the sacrificing spot. It was certainly not an easy task!
On the way, Shaytan appeared in a form of an old advising man. He tried to stop Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) from offering the sacrifice, but because of the strong faith in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala), Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam)'s determination to comply with the command of his Creator could not be shaken.
Shaytan then tried his luck with young Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) and persuade him to escape from his ill fate. As a result of his father's invocation, Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) was a righteous son and he too, could therefore not be influenced.
Both, the father and the son chased Shaytan away. They then arrived at the sacrificing spot at Mina. Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) tied the hands and the legs of his son so as not to be perturbed by his pain and restlessness. He blindfolded himself and carrying the knife enacted the command of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala).
When Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) removed his fold, he saw Prophet Ismail (AlayhisSalam) by his side and in his place; a ram lay slain before them. Prophet Ibrahim (AlayhisSalam) trembled lest Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) rejected his sacrifice. Suddenly he heard a voice that was soothing:
"We called out to him: O Ibrahim! You have indeed fulfilled the vision! Thus indeed We reward the virtuous. This indeed was a manifest trial. Then We ransomed him with a great sacrifice, and We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times: Peace be to Ibrahim." (Surah as-Saffat: 104-109)
Question:
What should be done if Eid coincides with Friday?
Answer:
If the day of Eid coincides with Friday, then whoever prays Eid with the imaam does not have to attend Jumu’ah (it is not obligatory on him); in his case it becomes Sunnah. If he does not pray Jumu’ah, he has to pray Zuhr. This is in the case of people other than the imaam. As for the imaam, he has to be present for Jumu’ah and lead those Muslims who attend the prayer. The Jumu’ah prayer should not be forsaken completely on this day.
[by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan]
What should be done if Eid coincides with Friday?
Answer:
If the day of Eid coincides with Friday, then whoever prays Eid with the imaam does not have to attend Jumu’ah (it is not obligatory on him); in his case it becomes Sunnah. If he does not pray Jumu’ah, he has to pray Zuhr. This is in the case of people other than the imaam. As for the imaam, he has to be present for Jumu’ah and lead those Muslims who attend the prayer. The Jumu’ah prayer should not be forsaken completely on this day.
[by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan]
I heard Shaykul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah (Azza Wa Jall)
sanctify his soul, say, 'Remembrance to the heart is like water to fish.
What will be the state of the fish if it becomes seperated from the
water?'
I once attended Fajr prayer with Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, he then sat and remembered Allaah (Azza Wa Jall) until it was nearly midday. He then turned around and said to me, "This is my early morning meal, if I do not take this breakfast, my strength will drop."
I once attended Fajr prayer with Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, he then sat and remembered Allaah (Azza Wa Jall) until it was nearly midday. He then turned around and said to me, "This is my early morning meal, if I do not take this breakfast, my strength will drop."
Ibn al-Qayyim says of Ibn Taymiyyah's remembrance of his Lord ( Al-Waabil as-Sayyib of Ibn al-Qayyim, pg. 60, Daar al-Bayaan)
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
✿ HOW I CAME TO ISLAM ✿
By ~ Yusuf Islam (Cat Steven)
All I have to say is all what you know already, to confirm what you already know, the message of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as given by God - the Religion of Truth. As human beings we are given a consciousness and a duty that has placed us at the top of creation. Man is created to be God's deputy on Earth, and it is important to realize the obligation to rid ourselves of all illusions and to make our lives a preparation for the next life. Anybody who misses this chance is not likely to be given another, to be brought back again and again, because it says in Qur'an Majeed that when man is brought to account, he will say "O Lord, send us back and give us another chance." The Lord will say, "If I send you back you will do the same."
* MY EARLY RELIGIOUS UPBRINGING
I was brought up in the modern world of all the luxury and the high life of show business. I was born in a Christian home, but we know that every child is born in his original nature - it is only his parents that turn him to this or that religion. I was given this religion (Christianity) and thought this way. I was taught that God exists, but there was no direct contact with God, so we had to make contact with Him through Jesus - he was in fact the door to God. This was more or less accepted by me, but I did not swallow it all.
I looked at some of the statues of Jesus; they were just stones with no life. And when they said that God is three, I was puzzled even more but could not argue. I more or less believed it, because I had to have respect for the faith of my parents.
* POP STAR
Gradually I became alienated from this religious upbringing. I started making music. I wanted to be a big star. All those things I saw in the films and on the media took hold of me, and perhaps I thought this was my God, the goal of making money. I had an uncle who had a beautiful car. "Well," I said, "He has it made. He has a lot of money." The people around me influenced me to think that this was it; this world was their God.
I decided then that this was the life for me; to make a lot of money, have a 'great life.' Now my examples were the pop stars. I started making songs, but deep down I had a feeling for humanity, a feeling that if I became rich I would help the needy. (It says in the Qur'an, we make a promise, but when we make something, we want to hold onto it and become greedy.)
So what happened was that I became very famous. I was still a teenager, my name and photo were splashed in all the media. They made me larger than life, so I wanted to live larger than life and the only way to do that was to be intoxicated (with liquor and drugs).
* IN HOSPITAL
After a year of financial success and 'high' living, I became very ill, contracted TB and had to be hospitalized. It was then that I started to think: What was to happen to me? Was I just a body, and my goal in life was merely to satisfy this body? I realized now that this calamity was a blessing given to me by Allah, a chance to open my eyes - "Why am I here? Why am I in bed?" - and I started looking for some of the answers. At that time there was great interest in the Eastern mysticism. I began reading, and the first thing I began to become aware of was death, and that the soul moves on; it does not stop. I felt I was taking the road to bliss and high accomplishment. I started meditating and even became a vegetarian. I now believed in 'peace and flower power,' and this was the general trend. But what I did believe in particular was that I was not just a body. This awareness came to me at the hospital.
One day when I was walking and I was caught in the rain, I began running to the shelter and then I realized, 'Wait a minute, my body is getting wet, my body is telling me I am getting wet.' This made me think of a saying that the body is like a donkey, and it has to be trained where it has to go. Otherwise, the donkey will lead you where it wants to go.
Then I realized I had a will, a God-given gift: follow the will of God. I was fascinated by the new terminology I was learning in the Eastern religion. By now I was fed up with Christianity. I started making music again and this time I started reflecting my own thoughts. I remember the lyric of one of my songs. It goes like this: "I wish I knew, I wish I knew what makes the Heaven, what makes the Hell. Do I get to know You in my bed or some dusty cell while others reach the big hotel?" and I knew I was on the Path.
I also wrote another song, "The Way to Find God Out." I became even more famous in the world of music. I really had a difficult time because I was getting rich and famous, and at the same time, I was sincerely searching for the Truth. Then I came to a stage where I decided that Buddhism is all right and noble, but I was not ready to leave the world. I was too attached to the world and was not prepared to become a monk and to isolate myself from society.
I tried Zen and Ching, numerology, tarot cards and astrology. I tried to look back into the Bible and could not find anything. At this time I did not know anything about Islam, and then, what I regarded as a miracle occurred. My brother had visited the mosque in Jerusalem and was greatly impressed that while on the one hand it throbbed with life (unlike the churches and synagogues which were empty), on the other hand, an atmosphere of peace and tranquility prevailed.
* THE QUR'AN
When he came to London he brought back a translation of the Qur'an, which he gave to me. He did not become a Muslim, but he felt something in this religion, and thought I might find something in it also.
And when I received the book, a guidance that would explain everything to me - who I was; what was the purpose of life; what was the reality and what would be the reality; and where I came from - I realized that this was the true religion; religion not in the sense the West understands it, not the type for only your old age. In the West, whoever wishes to embrace a religion and make it his only way of life is deemed a fanatic. I was not a fanatic, I was at first confused between the body and the soul. Then I realized that the body and soul are not apart and you don't have to go to the mountain to be religious. We must follow the will of God. Then we can rise higher than the angels. The first thing I wanted to do now was to be a Muslim.
I realized that everything belongs to God, that slumber does not overtake Him. He created everything. At this point I began to lose the pride in me, because here to I had thought the reason I was here was because of my own greatness. But I realized that I did not create myself, and the whole purpose of my being here was to submit to the teaching that has been perfected by the religion we know as Al-Islam. At this point I started discovering my faith. I felt I was a Muslim. On reading the Qur'an, I now realized that all the Prophets sent by God brought the same message. Why then were the Jews and Christians different? I know now how the Jews did not accept Jesus as the Messiah and that they had changed His Word. Even the Christians misunderstand God's Word and called Jesus the son of God. Everything made so much sense. This is the beauty of the Qur'an; it asks you to reflect and reason, and not to worship the sun or moon but the One Who has created everything. The Qur'an asks man to reflect upon the sun and moon and God's creation in general. Do you realize how different the sun is from the moon? They are at varying distances from the earth, yet appear the same size to us; at times one seems to overlap the other.
Even when many of the astronauts go to space, they see the insignificant size of the earth and vastness of space. They become very religious, because they have seen the Signs of Allah.
When I read the Qur'an further, it talked about prayer, kindness and charity. I was not a Muslim yet, but I felt that the only answer for me was the Qur'an, and God had sent it to me, and I kept it a secret. But the Qur'an also speaks on different. I began to understand it on another level, where the Qur'an says, "Those who believe do not take disbelievers for friends and the believers are brothers." Thus at this point I wished to meet my Muslim brothers.
* CONVERSION
Then I decided to journey to Jerusalem (as my brother had done). At Jerusalem, I went to the mosque and sat down. A man asked me what I wanted. I told him I was a Muslim. He asked what was my name. I told him, "Stevens." He was confused. I then joined the prayer, though not so successfully. Back in London, I met a sister called Nafisa. I told her I wanted to embrace Islam and she directed me to the New Regent Mosque. This was in 1977, about one and a half years after I received the Qur'an.
Now I realized that I must get rid of my pride, get rid of Iblis, and face one direction. So on a Friday, after Jumma' I went to the Imam and declared my faith (the Kalima) at his hands. You have before you someone who had achieved fame and fortune. But guidance was something that eluded me, no matter how hard I tried, until I was shown the Qur'an. Now I realize I can get in direct contact with God, unlike Christianity or any other religion. As one Hindu lady told me, "You don't understand the Hindus. We believe in one God; we use these objects (idols) to merely concentrate." What she was saying was that in order to reach God, one has to create associates, that are idols for the purpose. But Islam removes all these barriers. The only thing that moves the believers from the disbelievers is the salat. This is the process of purification.
Finally I wish to say that everything I do is for the pleasure of Allah and pray that you gain some inspirations from my experiences. Furthermore, I would like to stress that I did not come into contact with any Muslim before I embraced Islam. I read the Qur'an first and realized that no person is perfect. Islam is perfect, and if we imitate the conduct of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) we will be successful. May Allah give us guidance to follow the path of the ummah of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). Ameen!
By ~ Yusuf Islam (Cat Steven)
All I have to say is all what you know already, to confirm what you already know, the message of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as given by God - the Religion of Truth. As human beings we are given a consciousness and a duty that has placed us at the top of creation. Man is created to be God's deputy on Earth, and it is important to realize the obligation to rid ourselves of all illusions and to make our lives a preparation for the next life. Anybody who misses this chance is not likely to be given another, to be brought back again and again, because it says in Qur'an Majeed that when man is brought to account, he will say "O Lord, send us back and give us another chance." The Lord will say, "If I send you back you will do the same."
* MY EARLY RELIGIOUS UPBRINGING
I was brought up in the modern world of all the luxury and the high life of show business. I was born in a Christian home, but we know that every child is born in his original nature - it is only his parents that turn him to this or that religion. I was given this religion (Christianity) and thought this way. I was taught that God exists, but there was no direct contact with God, so we had to make contact with Him through Jesus - he was in fact the door to God. This was more or less accepted by me, but I did not swallow it all.
I looked at some of the statues of Jesus; they were just stones with no life. And when they said that God is three, I was puzzled even more but could not argue. I more or less believed it, because I had to have respect for the faith of my parents.
* POP STAR
Gradually I became alienated from this religious upbringing. I started making music. I wanted to be a big star. All those things I saw in the films and on the media took hold of me, and perhaps I thought this was my God, the goal of making money. I had an uncle who had a beautiful car. "Well," I said, "He has it made. He has a lot of money." The people around me influenced me to think that this was it; this world was their God.
I decided then that this was the life for me; to make a lot of money, have a 'great life.' Now my examples were the pop stars. I started making songs, but deep down I had a feeling for humanity, a feeling that if I became rich I would help the needy. (It says in the Qur'an, we make a promise, but when we make something, we want to hold onto it and become greedy.)
So what happened was that I became very famous. I was still a teenager, my name and photo were splashed in all the media. They made me larger than life, so I wanted to live larger than life and the only way to do that was to be intoxicated (with liquor and drugs).
* IN HOSPITAL
After a year of financial success and 'high' living, I became very ill, contracted TB and had to be hospitalized. It was then that I started to think: What was to happen to me? Was I just a body, and my goal in life was merely to satisfy this body? I realized now that this calamity was a blessing given to me by Allah, a chance to open my eyes - "Why am I here? Why am I in bed?" - and I started looking for some of the answers. At that time there was great interest in the Eastern mysticism. I began reading, and the first thing I began to become aware of was death, and that the soul moves on; it does not stop. I felt I was taking the road to bliss and high accomplishment. I started meditating and even became a vegetarian. I now believed in 'peace and flower power,' and this was the general trend. But what I did believe in particular was that I was not just a body. This awareness came to me at the hospital.
One day when I was walking and I was caught in the rain, I began running to the shelter and then I realized, 'Wait a minute, my body is getting wet, my body is telling me I am getting wet.' This made me think of a saying that the body is like a donkey, and it has to be trained where it has to go. Otherwise, the donkey will lead you where it wants to go.
Then I realized I had a will, a God-given gift: follow the will of God. I was fascinated by the new terminology I was learning in the Eastern religion. By now I was fed up with Christianity. I started making music again and this time I started reflecting my own thoughts. I remember the lyric of one of my songs. It goes like this: "I wish I knew, I wish I knew what makes the Heaven, what makes the Hell. Do I get to know You in my bed or some dusty cell while others reach the big hotel?" and I knew I was on the Path.
I also wrote another song, "The Way to Find God Out." I became even more famous in the world of music. I really had a difficult time because I was getting rich and famous, and at the same time, I was sincerely searching for the Truth. Then I came to a stage where I decided that Buddhism is all right and noble, but I was not ready to leave the world. I was too attached to the world and was not prepared to become a monk and to isolate myself from society.
I tried Zen and Ching, numerology, tarot cards and astrology. I tried to look back into the Bible and could not find anything. At this time I did not know anything about Islam, and then, what I regarded as a miracle occurred. My brother had visited the mosque in Jerusalem and was greatly impressed that while on the one hand it throbbed with life (unlike the churches and synagogues which were empty), on the other hand, an atmosphere of peace and tranquility prevailed.
* THE QUR'AN
When he came to London he brought back a translation of the Qur'an, which he gave to me. He did not become a Muslim, but he felt something in this religion, and thought I might find something in it also.
And when I received the book, a guidance that would explain everything to me - who I was; what was the purpose of life; what was the reality and what would be the reality; and where I came from - I realized that this was the true religion; religion not in the sense the West understands it, not the type for only your old age. In the West, whoever wishes to embrace a religion and make it his only way of life is deemed a fanatic. I was not a fanatic, I was at first confused between the body and the soul. Then I realized that the body and soul are not apart and you don't have to go to the mountain to be religious. We must follow the will of God. Then we can rise higher than the angels. The first thing I wanted to do now was to be a Muslim.
I realized that everything belongs to God, that slumber does not overtake Him. He created everything. At this point I began to lose the pride in me, because here to I had thought the reason I was here was because of my own greatness. But I realized that I did not create myself, and the whole purpose of my being here was to submit to the teaching that has been perfected by the religion we know as Al-Islam. At this point I started discovering my faith. I felt I was a Muslim. On reading the Qur'an, I now realized that all the Prophets sent by God brought the same message. Why then were the Jews and Christians different? I know now how the Jews did not accept Jesus as the Messiah and that they had changed His Word. Even the Christians misunderstand God's Word and called Jesus the son of God. Everything made so much sense. This is the beauty of the Qur'an; it asks you to reflect and reason, and not to worship the sun or moon but the One Who has created everything. The Qur'an asks man to reflect upon the sun and moon and God's creation in general. Do you realize how different the sun is from the moon? They are at varying distances from the earth, yet appear the same size to us; at times one seems to overlap the other.
Even when many of the astronauts go to space, they see the insignificant size of the earth and vastness of space. They become very religious, because they have seen the Signs of Allah.
When I read the Qur'an further, it talked about prayer, kindness and charity. I was not a Muslim yet, but I felt that the only answer for me was the Qur'an, and God had sent it to me, and I kept it a secret. But the Qur'an also speaks on different. I began to understand it on another level, where the Qur'an says, "Those who believe do not take disbelievers for friends and the believers are brothers." Thus at this point I wished to meet my Muslim brothers.
* CONVERSION
Then I decided to journey to Jerusalem (as my brother had done). At Jerusalem, I went to the mosque and sat down. A man asked me what I wanted. I told him I was a Muslim. He asked what was my name. I told him, "Stevens." He was confused. I then joined the prayer, though not so successfully. Back in London, I met a sister called Nafisa. I told her I wanted to embrace Islam and she directed me to the New Regent Mosque. This was in 1977, about one and a half years after I received the Qur'an.
Now I realized that I must get rid of my pride, get rid of Iblis, and face one direction. So on a Friday, after Jumma' I went to the Imam and declared my faith (the Kalima) at his hands. You have before you someone who had achieved fame and fortune. But guidance was something that eluded me, no matter how hard I tried, until I was shown the Qur'an. Now I realize I can get in direct contact with God, unlike Christianity or any other religion. As one Hindu lady told me, "You don't understand the Hindus. We believe in one God; we use these objects (idols) to merely concentrate." What she was saying was that in order to reach God, one has to create associates, that are idols for the purpose. But Islam removes all these barriers. The only thing that moves the believers from the disbelievers is the salat. This is the process of purification.
Finally I wish to say that everything I do is for the pleasure of Allah and pray that you gain some inspirations from my experiences. Furthermore, I would like to stress that I did not come into contact with any Muslim before I embraced Islam. I read the Qur'an first and realized that no person is perfect. Islam is perfect, and if we imitate the conduct of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) we will be successful. May Allah give us guidance to follow the path of the ummah of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). Ameen!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Imam al-Ḥasan al-Baṣri once saw the famous ascetic Farqad al-Sabakhi.
Al-Ḥasan: “Someone told me that you don’t eat Falu-dhaj (an expensive delicacy)?”
Farqad: “I’m scared that I won’t be able to show enough gratitude to Allah for it!”
Al-Ḥasan: “You silly man! And you think you can offer enough gratitude for just the cold water you drink?!”
Al-Ḥasan: “Someone told me that you don’t eat Falu-dhaj (an expensive delicacy)?”
Farqad: “I’m scared that I won’t be able to show enough gratitude to Allah for it!”
Al-Ḥasan: “You silly man! And you think you can offer enough gratitude for just the cold water you drink?!”
If you send salaam upon the Messenger (salAllaahu alaiyhi wasallam) from the farthest ends of the Earth, your
salaam will reach him, because Allaah has appointed angels who travel
about the Earth, and if anyone sends salaams upon the Messenger (salAllaahu alaiyhi wasallam), they convey that salaam to the Messenger
(salAllaahu alaiyhi wasallam). So if we say now, “O Allaah, send
blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allaah,” our salaam will be
transmitted to him. In prayer we say, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka
ayyuha’l-nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (Peace be upon you, O
Prophet, and the mercy of Allaah and His blessings),” and the salaam is
transmitted to him…
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
Sunday, October 21, 2012
The greatest of these
things we waste are two, upon which are founded all other wasted things:
the waste of the heart, and the waste of time. Wasting of the heart is
to prefer the world over the Hereafter; and wasting of time is to have
too much hope. Every corruption is found in the following of desires and
having too much hope; and every benefit is found in the following of
the guidance and preparing for the meeting with Allaah; and Allaah’s
help is sought.
Ibn Al-Qayyim [Al-Fawa’id, ashrah la yantaf’i biha]
Ibn Al-Qayyim [Al-Fawa’id, ashrah la yantaf’i biha]
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