5 Negative Character Traits (from Surah Hujurat)

By Raiiq Ridwan

The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, “I have been sent only to perfect good character.” [Narrated by Ahmad] It shows the importance of character in Islam when the Prophetsallallahu alayhi wasallam puts that much emphasis on building character. Unfortunately, in muslim circles today character is not seen as a very important hallmark of faith.

Character is so important in fact that Allah has mentioned about it all over the Quran. Surah Hujurat is one of the Surahs whose central theme is about the character traits of the believer and their behaviour towards others. This article will list five negative character traits that Allah has asked the believers to stay away from in Surah Hujurat.

1. Narrating whatever one hears

   “O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful” [Quran 49:6]
   Today in the age of information, it is very easy to pass on information to someone else without verifying. A lot of information passed on really is false. Things can get even worse when information is passed around about other people, causing rifts in families and a lot of pain and hurt. The Prophet said, “It is enough lying for a man to speak of everything that he hears.” [Narrated by Muslim] Narrating whatever we hear is considered lying, and Allah has cursed the liars over 10 times in the Quran. It is something we definitely need to stay away from

2. Mockery

   “O you who have believed, let not a group of people mock [other] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women mock [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of shamelessness after [one’s] faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” [Quran 49:11]
   Mockery has become such a part of life these days! Allah emphatically prohibits it. We are asked to remember that perhaps those whom we mock might actually be better than us. Allah also tells us in this verse about how the name of shamelessness is wretched. This is a reminder to use good language as well. More often than not, mockery involves use of foul language.

3. Suspicion

   “O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] suspicion. Indeed, some suspicion is sin.” [Quran 49:12]
   Many a times we are full of suspicion. Allah says that some types of suspicion is sinful. Obviously, if someone is hearing something or seeing something from someone who is known for deception, then it is ok to be suspicious. But many a times we are suspicious of everyone. Shaykh Bin Baaz says about it, “What is prescribed for the believer is to respect his brother if he offers an excuse to him, to accept his apology if possible, and to think positively of him as much as possible, striving to keep hearts free of resentment and aiming to bring about unity and co-operation in doing good. It was narrated from ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: Do not think badly of any word uttered by your brother when you can find a good interpretation for it.”

4. Backbiting

   “And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.” [Quran 49:12]
   Backbiting has become so commonplace today that it is not even seen as something wrong! Yet Allah gives such a gruesome example of how awful it really is. It is like eating the flesh of one’s dead brother. There is a hadith which says that backbiting someone is giving them a share of our good deeds and taking a share of their sins! Who would want to do something so nasty? Other hadith rank backbiting as one of the top 7 sins!

5. Feeling as if we are doing Islam a service

   “They consider it a favor to you that they have accepted Islam. Say, “Do not consider your Islam a favor to me. Rather, Allah has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful.” [Quran 49:17]
   At times we feel as if we are doing Islam a service by being Muslim. Almost as if Islam would be worse off if we did not exist. This is a very terrible trait. Islam is a gift of Allah to us, and He is free of any need. We need Islam, we need Allah, we need His Mercy. His faith will suffice without us, and His faith will shine without us

Source: islamic-reminders

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8 Essential Rakaat

You probably already know about the great reward of the rawatib— the twelve sunnah rakaat to be prayed daily so that a beautiful dwelling will be built for you in Paradise.
But do you also know about the eight sunnah rakaat that will make you fire-proof, inshaAllah?

Shaykh Bin Baz explained that the rawatib which the prophet, peace be upon him, used to preserve are twelve rakaat for the resident, not the traveler.

Twelve rakaat; four before Dhohr prayer with two tasleems, and two after Dhohr prayer; this makes six. Two after Magrib prayer and two after Isha prayer; this makes ten. And two before the morning (Fajr) prayer; this makes twelve.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to practice these consistently while present at his residence and admonished us as follows:

Whoever preserves four rakaat before Dhohr and four after it, Allah will make him forbidden for the fire. [Abu Dawud (1269), At-Tirmithi (427), An-Nisa’ (1818), Ibn Majah (1160) , classified saheeh by Al-Albani]

If the person prays four after Dhohr, thus adding two rakaat, then this is better, but it is not rawatib. The rawatib is two rakaat. If he prays four after Dhohr prayer, then this has in it virtue and a tremendous amount of good.

• So next time make a double intention to gain the reward for rawatib prayers and become fire-proof by praying four rakaat after Dhohr prayer.
• Teach others this rewarding habit, inshaAllah!

Praying you will benefit,

Understand Quran Academy Team

Source: islamic-reminders

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Are you a Hijabi Barbie? by Aishah Ahmed

“And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment…” [Surah an-Nur, 24:31]

I will not sugar coat my words. That has been done enough already. It is time that we take the words of Allah (S.W.T) seriously. Why do we find it difficult to abide by the rules of Allah (S.W.T)? Why do we somehow choose a middle path which looks alright to us on the surface but deep down, we know that it is not “OK”?

Hijabi But Not Hijabi

The ayah mentioned in the beginning is very clear. There is absolutely no ambiguity- Cover yourselves such that you do not reveal anything. But we being the “smart” generation have changed the definition of “reveal”. Let us take a sneak peak at the various trends in the world of hijabis today:

1. “We have covered ourselves!”

We find sisters, covered from head to toe, with nothing other than their face and hands visible. You may ask, “What is the problem?” The issue is that they can be referred to as being covered with clothes, but SubhanAllah, the tightness of their clothes leaves nothing to the imagination! Every feature of their body is displayed ‘wrapped’ in tight clothes.  And these sisters are quick to retort, “We are not revealing anything!”  The underlying problem seems to be that most of us feel that simply covering our hair with a piece of cloth is called hijaab. No, this is not true. Take some time and look at how Allah(S.W.T) has used words to describe the hijaab for women. He does not simply say ‘dress modestly’, but has also outlined the type of clothes we should be draped in. If you think deeply about the reason for this, you will realize that the definition of modesty varies from culture to culture. Let us take a simple example from the Asian Sub continent to illustrate this. An Indian woman wearing a saree 1 may consider a girl in a mini skirt as immodest, while forgetting that the saree she herself has draped reveals her entire midriff, back and chest area. But that is the culture of her country and she finds nothing wrong in it! In fact, the saree is a modest dress according to her. This is how our mind functions and Allah, al-‘Alim, knows our limitations. He (S.W.T) has therefore used specific terms such as khimar, 2 jilbab 3 and hijaab4 to describe the dress code for the Muslimah.

2. Hijab and Haya

Another misconception that people usually have about the hijab is that it is something physical. This is not true either. Hijab is the veil that has to be drawn over our body, our behavior and our speech. If we observe the proper ‘physical’ rules of hijab, yet have no constraint on our deeds and actions, and involve in haraam activities, what purpose has the covering served?

3. The Camel Hump Trend

I immediately remember my cousin when this topic is raised. She was visiting the Gulf (where this trend is quite common) and the first thing she told me was; “Now I understand what the camel hump is, which the Prophet (S.W.T) referred to in his hadith.” 5 We need to ask ourselves the question that who are we trying to please, Allah or others? The humps on our head get higher, the makeup gets heavier, the perfume gets denser, the clothes get tighter, yet we claim we are in hijaab. Is our hijaab making every glance turn in our direction? Is our attire dissuading people to look at us or is it inviting them? There is no special jury verdict required for this question!

Our hijaab should automatically create a sense of haya in us. We are not an item on public display for people to look and admire. Allah (S.W.T)  has blessed us with internal and external beauty to preserve and not to be tarnished. If we are truly dressed in the sense Allah (S.W.T) has instructed us to, both internally and externally, people will refrain from even looking at you, let alone harm you. The reasons may differ – some out of respect, some out of disinterest and some out of contempt – but at the end, the purpose is served. You remain protected like a pearl in its shell, beautiful, mesmerizing, radiant and untouched. Allah (S.W.T) highlights another purpose of hijaab in Surah al-Ahzaab, “you will be known”. 6 This is quite interesting. Ibn Katheer in his Tafseer says that, “……it will be known that they are free, and that they are not servants or whores.” 7 Allah (S.W.T) has shown us the precise yet subtle manner of being the ambassador of Islam. The hijaab is our uniform, our badge of honor, our pride. We have to hold onto this badge with love, commitment and sincerity and let the world know that we are not suppressed but choose to cover ourselves modestly. I leave you with this simple question which I need to answer as well: “If we claim that our hijaab is modest enough and that we are covered appropriately, then why do we put on the loose jalaabeeb 8 available in the prayer rooms before we stand for Salaah? Is Allah watching us only during our Salaah? Do we forget that He continues to watch us even when we leave our homes as “Hijabi Barbies”?”

Please share your thoughts about this article in the comments section below. We would love to hear what you have to say. 

References: 

1.  A sari, saree or shari is a South Asian female garment that consists of a drape varying from five to nine yards (4.57meters to 8.23meters) in length and two to four feet (60 cm to 1.20m) in breadth that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff↩
2.  http://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/quran-and-hijab#1-what-meaning-“khumur”-used-verse ↩
3.  http://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/quran-and-hijab#what-meaning-“jalabib” ↩
4.  http://www.al-islam.org/hijab-muslim-womens-dress-islamic-or-cultural-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi/introduction

Source: Islamic_reminders

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How to pray istikhaarah

Praise be to Allaah.

The description of Salaat al-Istikhaarah was reported by Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Salami (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said:

“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach his companions to make istikhaarah in all things, just as he used to teach them soorahs from the Qur’aan. He said: ‘If any one of you is concerned about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two rak’ahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say: 

"Allaahumma inni astakheeruka bi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as’aluka min fadlika, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa aqdir, wa ta’lamu wa laa a’lam, wa anta ‘allaam al-ghuyoob. Allaahumma fa in kunta ta’lamu haadha’l-amra (then the matter should be mentioned by name) khayran li fi ‘aajil amri wa aajilihi (or: fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri) faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li fihi. Allaahumma wa in kunta ta’lamu annahu sharrun li fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri (or: fi ‘aajili amri wa aajilihi) fasrifni ‘anhu [wasrafhu ‘anni] waqdur li al-khayr haythu kaana thumma radini bihi "

(O Allaah, I seek Your guidance [in making a choice] by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allaah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good for me both in this world and in the Hereafter (or: in my religion, my livelihood and my affairs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in this world and the next), then turn me away from it, [and turn it away from me], and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.”

(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6841; similar reports are also recorded by al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah and Ahmad).

Ibn Hijr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, commenting on this hadeeth:

“Istikhaarah is a word which means asking Allaah to help one make a choice, meaning choosing the best of two things where one needs to choose one of them.

Concerning the phrase ‘The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach us to make istikhaarah in all things,’ Ibn Abi Jamrah said: ‘It is a general phrase which refers to something specific. With regard to matters that are waajib (obligatory) or mustahabb (liked or encouraged), there is no need for istikhaarah to decide whether to do them, and with regard to matters that are haraam (forbidden) or makrooh (disliked), there is no need for istikhaarah to decide whether to avoid them. The issue of istikhaarah is confined to matters that are mubaah (allowed), or in mustahabb matters when there is a decision to be made as to which one should be given priority.’ I say: it refers to both great and small matters, and probably an insignificant issue could form the groundwork for a big issue.

The phrase ‘If any one of you is concerned…’ appears in the version narrated by Ibn Mas’ood as: ‘if any one of you wants to do something…’

‘Let him pray two rak’ahs of non-obligatory prayer.’ This is mentioned to make it clear that it does not mean fajr prayer, for example. Al-Nawawi said in al-Adhkaar: He can pray istikaarah after two rak’ahs of regular sunnah prayer done at zuhr for example, or after two rak’ahs of any naafil prayers whether they are regularly performed or not… It seems to be the case that if he made the intention to pray istikhaarah at the same time as intending to pray that particular prayer, this is fine, but not if he did not have this intention.

Ibn Abi Jamrah said: The wisdom behind putting the salaat before the du’aa’ is that istikhaarah is intended to combine the goodness of this world with the goodness of the next. A person needs to knock at the door of the King (Allaah), and there is nothing more effective for this than prayer, because it contains glorification and praise of Allaah, and expresses one's need for Him at all times.

The phrase ‘then let him say’ would seem to imply that the du’aa’ should be said after finishing the prayer, and the word thumma (then) probably means after reciting all the words of the salaat and before saying salaam.

The phrase ‘O Allaah, I seek Your guidance by virtue of Your knowledge’ is explaining ‘because You know best.’ Similarly, ‘by virtue of Your power’ most likely means ‘seeking Your help.’ ‘I seek ability’ (astaqdiruka) means ‘I ask You to give me the power or ability (qudrah) to do’ whatever is being asked for, or it probably means ‘I ask You to decree (tuqaddir) this for me.’ So it may mean making it easy.

‘I ask You of Your great bounty’ refers to the fact that Allaah gives out of His great generosity, but no one has the right to His blessings. This is the opinion of Ahl al-Sunnah.

‘You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not’ refers to the fact that power and knowledge belong to Allaah alone, and the slave has no share of them except what Allaah decrees for him.

‘O Allaah, if in Your knowledge this matter…’ According to one report, he should mention it by name. It is apparent from the context that he should state it, but it is probably sufficient to be thinking of the matter whilst making this du’aa’.

‘Then ordain it for me’ means ‘make it happen for me’ or it may mean ‘make it easy for me.’

‘Then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it’ means ‘so that my heart will no longer feel attached to it after it has been turned away.’

‘Make me pleased with it’ means ‘make me content with it, so that I will never regret asking for it or be sorry that it happened, because I do not know how it will turn out, even if at the time of asking I am pleased with it.’

The secret is that one’s heart should not be attached to the matter in question, because that will result in a person becoming restless. Being pleased with something means that one’s heart is content with the decree of Allaah.

(Summarized from the commentary of al-Haafiz Ibn Hijr (may Allaah have mercy on him) on the hadeeth in Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Da’waat and Kitaab al-Tawheed.).

Source: Islam Q&A 

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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Salatul Istikhara. (Prayer for Seeking Guidance) By Sheik Muiz Bukhari.

Guidance, Truly it is from Allah. Seek Allah’s Guidance & One never regrets. We all know the importance of Istikhara. Even if you are Scared/Confused about a major decision? Who has answers & knowledge of the future? Who knows what is beneficial to you & what is not? Who knows if your answer is a YES or NO? Let’s learn it properly insha Allah

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Stories Of The Prophets [Peace Be Upon THem All]

By Mufti Isma’il Musa Menk. [from Prophet Adam To Isaa)

*Note if you are using a phone to download please Use Your phone browser/chrome to open the link, the download button should be at the top right corner.

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Sultan Mahmood Ghaznawi and the Thieves

One night Sultan Mahmood Ghaznawi went walking among his subjects after taking off his royal clothes and putting on ordinary clothes. He chanced to come upon a group of thieves who were consulting amongst themselves. On seeing him they asked: “Who are you?”
The King (Sultan) replied: “I am also one like yourselves.” They understood that to mean that he was also a thief like themselves and allowed him to join their company. They then continued the conversation amongst themselves and it was decided that each one of them should explain what speciality or skill he possesses so that at the time of need a task could be put before him to show that special skill.
One of the thieves said: “Friends, I have a special gift in my ears, that whenever a dog barks, I fully understand what he says.”
The second one said: “I have a special gift in my eyes, that whatever I see in the darkness of night, I am able to recognize it in the light of day.”
The third one said: “I have this speciality in my arms that through the strength that lies in my arms, I can make a hole in the strongest wall, to enter a house.”
The fourth one said: “I have this special gift in my nose that by smelling the sand on the ground I am able to ascertain whether there is any treasure buried underneath it or not. It is just like in the case of Majnoon, who without being told, merely by smelling the ground, got to know where Layla was buried.”
The fifth one said: “I have such strength in my hands that no matter how high a building is, I can climb along its wall with my rope ladder and easily enter the building in this manner.”
Thereafter they all asked the King: “O man, what special gift do you possess which we can make use of in our thieving activities?”
The King replied: “I have this speciality in my beard that when criminals are handed over to their executioner, I merely shake my beard and such criminals are immediately set free.” (In other words, if as a show of mercy I shake my beard, the criminals found guilty of murder, are set free).
On hearing this the thieves said: “O dear Qutub, on the day of difficulty, you will be our one means of salvation.” (In other words, if we are arrested, then through you blessings we will be saved. Now we do not have to fear, because the rest of us had the special gift which would help us in our thieving exploits, but none of us had the means of granting safety from punishment. This speciality lies only with you. Now we need not have any fear of punishment. Now we can get on with our work).
They all went in the direction of the palace of Shah Mahmood with the King in their midst. Along the way a dog barked and the one who understood the dog’s language translated: “The King is also in you midst.” Although they heard it, no one paid any attention to this information, as their greed was uppermost in their minds. One of them smelled the ground and explained that this is the Royal Palace . There is a treasure in this place. The other one threw a rope ladder against the wall. The other one made a hole in the wall and they all entered to burgle. Afterwards they divided the loot amongst themselves and hastily each one of them went to hide his share of the spoils.
The King noted each one’s description and found out where each of them resided. He left them and secretly re-entered the Royal Palace . The following day the King related the entire story to his courtiers and thereafter sent the policemen to arrest them and to inform them of their death sentence.
When they were brought before the Court with hands bound together, they were all trembling in fear before the King’s throne. However, the thief who had this special gift of recognizing anybody during the day whom he had seen during the darkness, was quite at ease. In him together with the signs of fear there were also sights of hope. In other words, although he was struck by awe while standing before the King and although fearing the King’s wrath and revenge, he also had the hope, that the King would be true to his word, that when in mercy he shakes his beard, criminals will be set free. Furthermore he also had the hope of setting free al his companions because the King will surely not turn away from all those whom he knew and recognized.
This person’s face was changing from yellow to red, as within himself the feelings of fear and hope alternated. The Sultan Mahmood in Kingly dignity passed judgment that they all should be handed over to the Executioner to be hung on the gallows. As the King himself was witness to their crime, there was no need for any other witnesses.
As soon as the King announced his judgement, this person appealed in great humility: “Sire, with you permission, may I say something?” The King permitted him to speak and he said: “O Master, each one of us had exhibited his special gift which helped in this crime. Now it is time that the Kingly speciality should be exhibited according to the promise. I have all the while recognized you. Remember you had promised that in you beard there is this speciality, that if you cause it to move in mercy, the criminal will be saved from punishment. Hence, O King, shake you beard, so that through the blessings of your grace, all of us can be saved from the punishment of our crimes. Our specialities have brought us to the gallows. Now it is only you special gift that is left which can save us from being punished of our crimes. Our specialities have brought us to the gallows. Now it is only you special gift that is left which can save us from being punished. Now is the time for the exhibition of your speciality. Kindly shake your beard. Because of fear our lives have reached right up to our mouths. Please save us with the special gift that lies in your beard.”
Sultan Mahmood smiled at the plea and became filled with mercy and grace as he heard their pitiful admission of guilt. He said: “Each one of you have exhibited his special quality to such an extent that it has brought you to the brim of destruction, except in the case of this one. He recognized me as the Sultan. He saw me in the darkness of the night and recognized me as the Sultan. Hence for his having recognized me, I set all of you free. I feel ashamed at those eyes which recognized me not to shake my beard and thereby exhibit my special quality.”

LESSONS
The first lesson contained is this story is that while a person is committing a crime the true King of Kings is with him, and is fully aware of all that he does. “And He is with you wherever you are.” When a person commits any disobedience to Allah he is actually committing treachery against Him. Anyone who fails in his duty to Allah or in the rights which are due to me, is like a thief committing the theft of Allah’s treasures. For this reason, one should always bear in mind that the Master is the witness, seeing us at all times, and is aware of all that we do. If we commit any disobedience or iniquity, it means that in His very presence His treasury is being looted and robbed.
Think for a moment! Whom are you robbing? That King and Master tells you: “I am seeing what you do. I am with you. My laws have been revealed to you. Today your breaking that law. Today, in this world I will hide your fault, hoping that perhaps you will come upon the right road. But if you do not come to your senses, then tomorrow on the day of Qiyamat when you will be brought before Me, with hands bound together, then who will be able to save you from My anger and revenge?”

The second lesson from this story is that Allah will punish sinners in the hereafter although He may initially overlook them in this world. We see that at the time the thieves were looting the Royal treasury, the Sultan witnessed the entire incident. He was with them and allowed them to proceed without being punished. However in the end, he had them arrested. If, at all times, this thought is uppermost in our minds that Allah sees all our deeds then there will surely be fear in the heart against committing sins.

The third lesson from this story is this that on the day of Qiyamat no special quality will be of any benefit. All those deeds which contravene the laws of Allah will on the day of Qiyamat be bound around man’s neck even though, in this world, they were considered as being special qualities. The thieves mentioned those special gifts and qualities as if the were qualities of virtue, but in reality those very qualities were the cause of their destruction:
“Each one of them exhibited their special quality,
But all their qualities only caused their misfortune to increase.”
Any special quality which does not bring a person nearer to his Creator, and which does not connect the heart to Allah, and which is not a medium towards the remembrance of Allah is no quality of virtue. In fact it is a cure and a misfortune. All the powers and attributes of man which are used in rebellion against Allah and towards disobedience and negligence, will one day cause him to be brought before Allah as a criminal. All those nations who have made great progress and through scientific inventions have made this world subservient to them, but turn away from Allah, passing their lives in disobedience, will realize on the day of Qiyamat, whether the speciality of scientific progress had been the cause of receiving Allah’s grace or His anger.
“Blessed be to you the subjugation of the sun and moon,
But if there is no light in the heart there is no light anywhere.”

The fourth lesson from this story is that no special quality will be of benefit except that which leads towards recognizing Allah, just like the person who having seen the Sultan, recognized him and through this special quality, he not only saved himself but was also able to intercede on behalf of this companions. As for his other companions, their special quality became a means towards earning Allah’s punishment.
“Only the sight of the fortunate one was of any use
Who recognized the Sultan during darkness of night.”
The lesson derived is that this world is like a place of darkness. In the darkness of this world, every servant of Allah who follows the Divine Laws of Shariat and through its blessings recognizes Allah, will be provided with salvation against the punishment on hell-fire, on the day of Qiyamat. This recognition will also be a means towards intercession on behalf of other criminals, from among the sinners of the people of faith. However, there should not be any pride and over confidence in this recognition. In fact, one should alternate between fear and hope and in utmost humility beg for this intercession. Then Allah will accept this intercession from whomever He wishes according to His Mercy . For those whom He will not accept this intercession, He will in perfect justice exhibit His overwhelming vengeance. Hence, fortunate indeed is the person who, in the world, created within himself the knowledge of recognizing Allah. The Aarifeen (True knowers of Allah) who through their spiritual efforts and exercises recognize Allah with their souls, will tomorrow on the day of Qiyamat see Allah and attain salvation. Furthermore their intercession on behalf of other sinners will also be accepted. But the disbelievers and criminals will through their special qualities be admitted into hell-fire. On that day these poor starving ones with pale faces, patched coarse clothing, who today are being ridiculed and jeered at, will feast their eyes upon the countenance of Allah. On that day, the criminals will envy them:
“Would that we had lived like them in the world and acquired their qualities.
Would that we had recognized Allah properly!”

The fifth lesson is this that the story also illustrates the high position these righteous and saintly ones have as far as their humanity is concerned. What a pity that nations and people, just like those thieves, spend their short span of worldly lives looking upon means of delight and comfort as special gift and accomplishment, and look upon material progress as being actual progress. Whereas on the other hand, they have adopted uncouth habits like urinating while standing and cleansing themselves with paper after defecating. They also consider it normal to take a bath sitting in a tub and allow the water, which had become dirtied through being in contact with the anus to be drawn into their mouth and nose. They consider those actions as the norms of society. Can such people ever be considered to be cultured and people of progress? What a pity it is that the beloved cultural ways of Muslims should be cast aside and that such despicable ways of these people should be adopted.

Source; Rumi's mathnavi

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The Lonely Ember

A Musalli of a certain Masjid, who previously had been attending salaah in congregation regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the Imaam decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The Imaam found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for the Imaam’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The Imaam made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs.

After some minutes, the Imaam took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet fascination. As the one lone ember’s flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and “dead as a doornail.” Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.

Just before the Imaam was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the Imaam reached the door to leave, his host said, “May Allah reward you so much for your visit and especially for the “fiery” sermon. I shall be back for salaah in the Masjid at Fajr.”

 Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and reason with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for your Lord knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. (Qur’an Surah An-Nahl: 125)

Sayyidina Abdullah bin Umar(R.A.) reported that Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said that Allah created some of his creatures in order that they may fulfil the needs of people. When people face any difficulty they get worried and (enquire about them). Such people are protected from the punishment of Allah. (Tabaraani, Jama’al Fawa’id)

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7 Principles to Remember When Answering Questions about Islam

In an increasingly global world, we hear more and more news from around the world. Unfortunately, the world media doesn’t exactly portray Islam and Muslims in the right kind of light! To be honest, at times our behaviour in and of itself is a big turn-off for many non-Muslims— and Muslims as well.

However, what is true is that there are many questions that are asked about Islam and Muslims. Sometimes we do not know the answer to questions. Sometimes we do know the answer but are unsure of how to word it. Sometimes we just plain give the wrong answer. Sometimes we might give the right answer but wrongly present it!

This article aims to give those of you who know the very basic foundations of Islam a blueprint for answering any and all questions about Islam.

1. Remember your manners.

   Allah sent Musa alayhi salam to the worst tyrant in history, Firawn, who was a child murderer, a despot who had enslaved a whole nation. And yet Allah said, Speak to him gently. [Quran 20:44]
   You are never going to be as good as Musa alayhi salam, and the one you are calling to Islam will never be as bad as Firawn, so remember to be gentle. We get angry and frustrated very easily these days. One of the characters of the righteous mentioned across many Surahs in the Quran is that they swallow their anger.
   No one could have been more annoying than Firawn. He mocked Musa alayhi salam, he mocked Allah, and he mocked the believers, and yet Musa alayhi salam didn’t forget his manners.
   Allah says to our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam, So by mercy from Allah , [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have fled from you. [Quran 3:159]
   Allah is saying that if the Prophet had been harsh, then the Sahabah would have fled from him. The best man sent to the best group of people with Allah’s message would have failed if he had had bad manners! So, where do we stand?

2. Do it sincerely for Allah.

   When we are put on the spot and asked a question, there are many thoughts that can go through our minds. Shaytan tries to get us to lose our temper or to lose our intention. He might make us lose our tempers and that turns the questioner away. He might make us try and show off all our knowledge and thus we give too much information or make the conversation irrelevant, and the dawah suffers.
   Remember to always remind yourself and to remind Shaytan that you are answering only for the sake of Allah, to help someone else understand Islam. If you are doing it only for the sake of Allah, you will not show off. And if you want Allah to guide the person, you would not mock, scold, or shout at the person you are answering.

3. Empathize with the questioner.

   Many a time I have seen people mock and ridicule someone’s question. As a medical student, we have always been taught, “there is no stupid question,” and that is true of Islam as well.
   Often the ones asking us questions about Islam have no clue about what Islam is. They might ask questions that might seem judgemental, stupid, awkward, or downright weird. But as Muslims, we should never ever react negatively to a question. We should empathize with the asker, and even if the question is worded very badly, or is really harsh, we should still give the benefit of the doubt and try and answer in the best way possible. Allah has blessed us with a beautiful deen. Let us show its beauty through our character and manners as well!

4. Listen attentively until they finish.

   Listening inattentively is something I have been guilty of many times. Always remember to listen attentively to the person asking the question without interjecting or answering them before they have finished.
   One of the characteristics of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam that was mentioned was that he would never interrupt someone while they were speaking. There were times when the disbelievers came and were saying horrible stuff to him, and he still listened attentively and let them finish before giving them a response. Always listen attentively; it shows the questioner that you really care about their question, and that you are willing to answer them properly. It really helps them feel comfortable as well.

5. Keep your ego in check.

   There will be people who will make really racist or islamophobic remarks. There will be some who will demean the prophet or demean the Quran. There will be some who might make rude remarks about Muslim women and so on and so forth.
   In these times, it is easy to get very territorial or harsh. The feeling that we get is good— it is a sign that we still value our faith very highly. However, we must remember to keep our egos in check. We shouldn’t look down on others or dismiss them simply because we were hurt. We shouldn’t take any of their behaviour personally, and should remember to properly call them to Allah regardless of what they say. This is also seen in the conversation between Musa alayhi salam and Firawn, where he absolutely dodged every single personal attack that Firawn made, and simply kept calling him to Allah.

6. Start with talking about Allah and the basics of our deen.

   One of the biggest problems we have in our dawah today is that our focus gets lost when questions are asked. When someone asks about hijab we go on a tirade about how it “protects women,” or how it is their “freedom of choice.” When someone talks about Islamic law, we go on about how it is just and right, etc.
   The most important thing that we need to remember is this: all of Islam is from Allah, and until someone understands that, nothing will make sense to him.
   Whatever question one asks about Islam, the way forward is for us to first say, “I will come to your question, but firstly could I explain to you the basics of Islam?” This gives us the opportunity to explain the worldview of Islam. People come from various backgrounds. They do not know how Allah wants us to see the world. The very first things that should always be the topic of any answer are the following:
   a. Explain to them the concept of Allah, and that He is the Creator, and ultimately because He is the Creator, He is the only One who can legislate laws, or give conditions to human life.
   b. Explain that seeking nearness to Allah is the ultimate purpose of life, and that all that we do as Muslims is done because Allah commanded us to do so.
   c. Explain that Allah’s commands and prohibitions are detailed in the Quran and through the words of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
   If we do not set this base first, it is nearly impossible to give a logical answer to anything else. Once someone understands these principles we can we go on to answer their initial question.

7. Learn to say “I don’t know.”

   But what if we do not know the answer to the initial question? We just say we don’t know! The importance of these principles is that it helps us give something to the questioner about Islam.
   We do not know the answer to everything, but we can explain to them who Allah is, and the basics of Islam! And then if we do not know the answer, we just say “I don’t know.”
   We might very well say, “I don’t know the answer to your question, but I can give you a very basic understanding of what Islam is. And I will get back to you on that question later, would that be ok?”
   Imam Malik said, “Saying ‘I don’t know’ is half of knowledge.” Moreover, lying is a terrible sin. Lying with regards to the religion is even worse!
   I pray that Allah guides many people to Islam through your hands and makes us a community that lives up to the standards that our deen expects of us. Please comment on any other principle that you think is very necessary!

Allahu Allam.......

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The Quran on Magic: Jinn Lessons For the Kafir

"Here we sometimes receive letters from people saying they received help— usually in finding love or healing from an illness— from someone practising magic, and that that person will happily sell their favours to any brother or sister who has the means to pay for it."

As surprising as it is that Muslims seek help from the black arts, it’s even more shocking that they contact a Quranic educational institution to encourage other Muslims to continue in an error that the Quran strictly forbids.

On the subject of magic, there’s an amazing amount of ignorance in the ummah today. Women who dutifully don the hijab, fast, and pray regularly and men who never miss a Jumuah at the mosque are, when the going gets rough, ready to pay for some token, herb, or incantation guaranteed to bring good luck to a newborn baby or to keep a teenaged daughter from straying down the wrong road.

Especially in rural communities traditions of magic can be so entrenched that not even a millenium and a half of Islam have yet uprooted them— to our shame! Thus otherwise devout and pious families resort to consulting sorceresses and sorcerers because that’s what their parents did.

Is it All Harry Potter’s Fault?

We’re not about to condemn the wonderful literary and film productions based on a fictitious embracing of magic for entertainment purposes. Neither should we confuse black magic with the magical tricks used to amuse children at birthday parties.

The spiritual error lies with magic that attempts to sabotage, subvert, or otherwise control forces of fate and nature which belong only within the power of our creator.

So Why is Magic So Bad?

For starters, the moment we engage in magic we’ve stopped trusting in Allah (swt) and turned for help to a lesser power, setting that power up in His place. (Wake up and smell the shirk!)

When we pray ‘’Allahu akhbar’’ we’re affirming that Allah is the greatest. Why would we say this during salat and then seek help from a sorceress?

When we recite Al-Fatiha we say, You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Saying this and then turning our time and money over to a witch to see the future or to bring good luck is the worst kind of hypocrisy. Muslims must only ask help of the highest source of abundance and guidance— Allah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem.

What About Using the Quran for Magic?

The Quran was sent as a warning— and a call to worship and seek help from Allah (swt) alone. How could we even think of using it as a tool in a practice that Allah has forbidden?

Things the Quran Says About Magic:

Time for a deen refresher! Let’s stop taking this bad habit lightly and start by taking a careful look at what the Quran says about magic.

It’s how the kafir accused the prophets, as a way of denouncing the signs and words that came from Allah (swt). "But when there came to them Our visible signs, they said, ‘This is obvious magic." [Quran, 27 :13]

Magic is taught by demonic jinn ". . . . It was not Solomon who disbelieved, but the devils disbelieved, teaching people magic . . ." [Quran, 2:102]

The jinn’s knowledge was acquired by spying on angels ". . . . teaching people magic and that which was revealed to the two angels at Babylon, Harut and Marut...." [Quran, 2:102]

This knowledge was unlawfully taken and unlawfully practiced, and the jinn were unable to use the knowledge properly, resulting in great harm. [Quran, 2:102]

Practicing magic is an act of disbelief. [Quran, 2:102]

Practicing magic works harm, such as causing marital strife. [Quran, 2:102]

Those who buy magic won’t share in the Hereafter unless they repent and seek forgiveness ". . . . But the Children of Israel certainly knew that whoever purchased the magic would not have in the Hereafter any share. . . ."  [Quran, 2:102]

 
Buying magic is buying wretchedness. [Quran, 2:102]

Magicians pit themselves against the messengers of Allah in tests, but won’t succeed. Moses said, ‘Do you say [thus] about the truth when it has come to you? Is this magic? But magicians will not succeed.’
[Quran, 10:77]

But My Mom Says it’s Okay!

Even when you realise that practising or buying magic is haram, it may be hard to stand up to loved ones for whom it seems a normal part of life. Especially with parents it’s important to be gentle, kind, and respectful when refusing to accept good luck charms and other magical practices.

Pursue True Spirituality

Avoiding magic also means avoiding all occult practices, that is, anything that attempts to usurp, or give information on, the will of Allah (swt), including astrology charts, tarot, cards, and the reading of coffee grounds and tea leaves. Pray regularly, strive to be obedient, and devote yourself to studying and reflecting on the Quran, and you can avoid a mountain of error!

Even better— these true spiritual practices will also form the perfect protection against the harmful intents of those who practice sorcery.

May your mind and heart be opened,

The Understand Quran Academy Team

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Fate and Free Will in Islam

by Ibrahim Rasool

Knowing limits and balances and honoring them is key to following Islam. There are many demands in life that sometimes appear to be in conflict with each other. Nevertheless, one has to negotiate carefully with different needs and tread a middle path.

One such balance to be maintained is acting on free will while having faith in fate. Some people out of arrogance say that they make their own fate, as if God has no role. Some go to the other extreme of saying that free will is an illusion, suggesting that our lives have no point.

Seeing fate in a positive light

We experience the consequences of our actions as well as situations that we did not create ourselves. We pay for some of our mistakes. At times, we feel like we’re paying more than our due. We feel that we couldn’t have done much to avert this situation; we’ve just run into this. At those times we look to God for guidance and mercy. The best approach in such situations is to maintain patience and pray for help.

Most of us will probably live for sixty to seventy years. If everything is left to our whims and fancies, this might not be possible. For all the carelessness in my actions, I may ruin my life in a very short span. Fate can be considered as the guiding force in our life. It shapes and completes our life.

Belief in fate is actually the belief that our lives are in Safe Hands. It gives us solace during troubled times. This verse helps: “Say, nothing can befall us, except what God has ordained for us. He is our Supreme Lord. In God let the faithful put their trust.” [Quran, 9:51].

Be responsible, but seek mercy

How we get to act on free will while at the same time remaining bound to fate is known only to God. God, in His Infinite Wisdom, can maintain this duality. We ought to have faith in both. The knowledge of free will and its consequences makes us accountable and responsible. It teaches us to take control. Belief in fate teaches us to be composed in good and bad times.

The last verse in Surah Baqara aptly throws light on this subject. “God does not charge a soul with more than it can bear. It shall be requited for whatever good and whatever evil it has done. Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord, do not place on us a burden like the one You placed on those before us. Our Lord, do not place on us a burden we have not the strength to bear. Pardon us and forgive us and have mercy on us. You are our Lord and Sustainer, so help us against those who deny the truth.” [Quran, 2:286].

The verse starts with pointing towards God’s kindness and wisdom in not burdening any soul beyond its capacity. The verse continues with the inevitability of the consequences of our actions. But all hope is not lost when we err. There is always scope for mercy. God teaches us to invoke His Kindness and Mercy with the most beautiful and wise words. Memorizing this verse and reciting it often will provide a strong and stable anchor for our lives.

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The man who entered Jannah Al Firdous Without Praying Once

In Jannah Al Firdous without praying once, a powerful story told by brother Bilal Assad about the man that earned the highest level of paradise without praying once.. This displays the Mercy of Allah (swt) and how He looks at the quality of the deeds rather than the quantity.

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Size: 7MB
Format: Video
Time: 4:15

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