Quotes of the Week: June 21 - June 28

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The keys to the life of the heart lie in reflecting upon the Quran, being humble before Allah in secret, and leaving sins.

(Ibn Qayyim ra)

A busy life hides the people you miss. Distance pushes them further. Time becomes limited to talk to one another. But what the eyes can't see are the thoughts and duas that keep us close.

(Molana Qasim Sahib)

Five Reasons Why Allah Gives Us Problems:

1. To direct us

2. To inspect us

3. To protect us

4. To correct us

5. To perfect us

Allah is at work in our lives - even when you do not recognize or understand it. But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Allah - so just bow down to Him.

It is such that you will see a man who is viewed to be knowledgeable and an ascetic worshipper, but he speaks with words that bring the wrath of Allah, without giving them a second thought.

How often do you see a man who steers clear of evil sins and oppression but you see his tongue sever the honour of everyone - dead or alive, and he doesn't even care about what he says.

(Ibn Qayyim ra) 

Have a blessed week, inshallah.

Wasalaam!

Ramadan - Part One

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

When and what is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the 9^th month of Islamic calendar. This year it begins approximately 9^th July – 9^th August. Ramadan, as with any Islamic month, begins with the sighting of the crescent moon. Its name comes from the Arabic word Ar-Ramad which means, “the heat of the stones arising from the intense heat of the sun”. It was named Ramadan because when the Arabs changed the names of the months from the ancient language, they named them according to the seasons in which they happened to fall. The month which they named Ramadan, used to be called Natiq, and it fell in the summer which was the time of extreme heat.

Virtues of Ramadan

Ramadan is a great favour for us from Allah. But it will only be considered as a favour if we take it as such. Otherwise Ramadan will come and go without us gaining anything from it.

The Prophet (saw) said, “If my Ummah realise what Ramadan really is, they would wish that the whole year should just be Ramadan”.

Salman (ra) reports, “On the last day of Shaban, the Prophet (saw) addressed us and said, “O people, there comes over you now a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night more greater in virtue than a thousand months. It is a month in which Allah has made fasting compulsory by day, and has made sunnah the taraweeh at night.

Whosoever intends drawing near to Allah by performing any virtuous deed, for such person shall be the reward like the one who had performed a fardh (compulsory) act in any other time. And whoever performs a fardh action, shall be blessed with the reward of 70 faraaidh in any other time.

This is indeed the month of patience, and the reward of true patience is Paradise. It is the month of sympathy for one’s fellowmen. It is a month where the sustenance of a true believer is increased.

Whoever feeds another who fasted, in order to break the fast at sunset, for the feeder there shall be forgiveness of sins and emancipation from the Fire of Hell, and for such feeder shall be the same reward as the one who fasted, without that persons reward being decreased in the least.

Some of the companions said, “O messenger of Allah, not all of us possess the means  where we can give a fasting person to break his fast.” The Prophet (saw) replied, “Allah grants the same reward to one who gives a fasting person to break his fast a date, a drink of water or a sip of milk.”

This is a month, the first of which brings Allah’s mercy, the middle of which brings His forgiveness, and the last of which brings emancipation from the Fire of Hell.

Whoever lessens the burden of his servants in this month, Allah will forgive him and free him from the Fire of Hell.

And in this month, there are 4 things which you should continue to perform in great number, two of which shall be to please your Lord, while the other two shall be those without which you cannot do.

Those which shall be to please your Lord, are that you should:

1.       in great quantity recite the Kalima Tayyibah – (saying that Allah is one)

2.      do a lot of Istighfar (asking forgiveness from Allah)

And as for those which you cannot do without:

1.       beg Allah to grant you Paradise

2.      ask of Him to give you refuge from Hell

whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah shall grant that giver to drink from My fountain, such a drink where that person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Paradise”.

The Prophet (saw) said when Ramadan had drawn near, “Ramadan, the month of blessing has come to you, where Allah turns towards you and sends down to you His special mercy, forgives faults, accepts prayers .. boasts to His angels about you. So, show to Allah your righteousness from yourselves. For verily the most pitiable and unfortunate one is the one who is deprived of Allah’s mercy in this month.”

What do Muslims do in Ramadan?

Adult Muslims refrain from food, drink and intercourse between sunrise and sunset.

When we fast, we must also observe the various etiquettes of fasting e.g. not sinning.

 A hadith of Bukhari reads, “Allah has no necessity for a person to leave eating and drinking when he does not abstain from false speech and sinful deeds”.

So fasting is not only staying away from food, drink and intercourse but it is staying away from anything sinful. For example, we should stay away from arguing and indecent speech because in a hadith, the Prophet (saw) said, “When any one of you is fasting, he should not speak indecently, nor be rowdy. If another person swears at him, or wants to involve him in a dispute, he should just say, I am fasting meaning I do not wish to dispute”.

In another Hadith, the Prophet (saw) said, “There are many fasting persons who because they indulge in backbiting, illicit acts and haraam deeds, achieve nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst”.

Ramadan is a Muslim “invention”. Pre-Islamic Arabs used to fast here and there but never for one straight month.

When did Allah command us to fast in Ramadan?

Verse in Quran commanding observance of Ramadan – Surah Baqarah verse 183.

O you who believe! Fasting has been ordained for you just as it was ordained for those before you, so that you may attain piety.

This verse announces the obligation to fast.

Why do we fast?

The answer is in the Quran!

So that you may attain piety – the verse explains that fasting has been made obligatory so that we attain taqwa. Taqwa means to stay away from all types of sins, whether they’re major, minor, hidden or apparent.

When we fast, we experience a degree of difficulty to our nafs – carnal desires. Fasting is a form of worship which curbs these inclinations -  so we don’t do what we want, and therefore decreases the capacity to commit sins.

If a person fasts in accordance with the laws and etiquettes described in the Ahadith, then a person’s soul can truly be purified, and he will be closer to Allah.

The causes of most sins committed by people is through their tongue and private parts. A hadith of Tirmidhi says, that the Prophet (saw) was asked what will be the greatest cause for people entering the Hell Fire? He replied, “the tongue and the private parts”.  When we fast, the tongue and private parts are restricted, and therefore less able to commit sins. This is why the Prophet (saw) said “Fasting is a shield” It offers protection against sins and the Hell fire.

May Allah give us all the ability to make the most of this blessed month - Ameen.

Wasalaam!

Having a Sincere Intention

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The most important thing to do before starting anything is to have sincerity in what we are doing, and to make the right intention. The tiniest of actions can become huge just by having the right intention. Most of the books of Ahadith begin with the same Hadith:

It is narrated by Umar bin al-Khattab (ra), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw), say:

Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated.

(Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

This is a really important thing to remember because being sincere in what we do puts our physical and spiritual state together. By us making a sincere intention or changing our intention, the result of our action changes.

As Muslims, we  should always be checking our intentions and understanding the purpose of our actions. We should always be asking ourselves about our intentions for our short term and long term goals.  The believer should constantly ask himself; “Why am I doing what I am doing?”

 The Hadith above means that the person will be rewarded for only that which he intended. So, as mentioned in the Hadith, if a person performed the Hijrah (migration), but did it with a different intention then he would not be rewarded for that action of Hijrah (migration).

Riya, the showing off of deeds publicly, is a major sin which ruins sincerity and can invalidate actions. For example, giving money in charity will not be accepted as a good deed if it was for the sake of showing off to others.

The Prophet (saw) informed us that if you perform an act for the sake of someone else rather than for Allah’s sake, then Allah will reject that deed entirely and will leave the reward of it for the partner that the person has made. This highlights the implications of showing off as well as the graveness of associating another person in your actions which should have been for the sake of Allah.

Everything we do has to be intended for the sake of Allah. A good action with the wrong intention will not get us any reward in the Hereafter.

May Allah give us all the ability to have sincere intentions for everything that we do - ameen.

Wasalaam!

                                                                                    

The One Who Loves Allah

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

A scholar was once asked about the one who loves Allah. He said:

"It is one who spends little time with people and much time alone; who is always in thought and outwardly silent; who is in a spiritual state that overtakes his sight, hearing and speech; who does not become sad if afflicted with a calamity, and if afflicted with hunger, he is not aware; who looks to Allah in times of solace, who is happy with His company, and speaks to Him intimately, and does not contend with the people of this world over their world".

May Allah make us from one of those people who love Him sincerely - Ameen.

Wasalaam!

Quotes of the Week: 14th June - 21st June

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Frequently remind yourself that Allah is with you, that He will never fail you, that you can count upon Him. Say these words, "Allah is with me, helping me".

Don't be angry. Anger comes from Shaytaan. He came from fire, and fire is extinguished by wudhu. Therefore, when you become angry, perform wudhu.

Ask Allah, and you shall recieve.

Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us. He is our Protector, and in Allah must the believers place their trust.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak (ra) studied adab (manners and etiquette) for 30 years, and knowledge for 20 years. This shows the importance of manners and etiquette when studying knowledge. 

To be able to thank Allah for a blessing is a blessing in itself.
(Imam Shafi ra)

How sinful are those youth who speak gently with their friends while they shout at their mothers.

O friend! The cloth from which your burial shroud will be cut may have already reached the market, and you remain unaware.
(Imam Ghazali ra)

Have a blessed week everyone, inshallah.

Wasalaam!

Benefits of Reading Durood Shareef

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Ten Benefits of Reading Durood Shareef

1. Allah will send ten mercies upon the one who recites Durood Shareef once upon the Prophet (saw)

2. Allah will forgive his ten sins

3. Allah will raise his rank ten times

4. Allah will grant him ten rewards

5. The reciting of Durood Shareef before making dua brings hope of its acceptance

6. It will bring the intercession of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) on the Day of Judgement

7. It is a cause of forgiveness

8. It brings the pleasure of Allah

9. It will bring the reciter nearer to the Prophet (saw) on the Day of Judgement

10. It will remove all his worries in this world and the next.

Ubay Ibn Kaab (ra) reports that, "I asked, "O Prophet (saw) of Allah, I would like to recite a lot of salat (durood shareef) upon you, how much of the time that I have set aside for dua shall I use for it?" The Prophet (saw) replied, "As much as you wish". I said, "Then I shall use one quarter of it". The Prophet (saw) said, "It is as you wish, and if you increase beyond that, it shall be even better for you". I said, "In that case, I shall make it half of the time". The Prophet (saw) said, "It is as you wish, and if you increase beyond that, it shall be even better for you". I said, "I shall make it two-thirds of my time". The Prophet (saw) said, "It is as you wish, and if you increase beyond that, it shall be even better for you". I said, "O Prophet (saw) of Allah, I make the intention now that I shall set aside all the time of dua for salat (durood shareef) upon you". The Prophet (saw) replied, "In that case, all your worries shall be removed and your sins shall be forgiven".
(Tirmidhi, Ahmad and Haakim)




May Allah give us all the ability to recite abundant Durood Shareef everyday - Ameen.

Wasalaam!

Endurance and the Heart

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

"I endured because endurance is the best thing to rely upon.  If any advantage could be obtained by impatience, I would have adopted it. I endured many a misfortunes of such intensity that if they were to have fallen on a mountain, it would have been reduced to dust. 

I have exercised full control over my emotions and never shed a tear. Now, they are falling in my heart".

Allah says: "I have given everyone a special form of expression. From him it is praiseworthy, but from you it is blameworthy. From him it is honey, but from you it is poison. 

I do not need neither purity nor impurity, laziness in worship or eagerness in worship.

I have not made worship obligatory in order to make a profit. Rather, I do it as a kindness to My slaves.

I am not made holy by their glorifying Me, it is they who become pure and radiant.

I do not look at the tongue or speech, I look at the inward and the state.

I gaze into the heart to see whether it is humble, even though the words he uses are not humble, because it is the heart that matters".

Wasalaam!

Three Ahadith (1)

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

(1) Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (ra) has related: "I heard the Holy Prophet (saw) as having said that intentions determine the worth of a person's actions and he will attain what he intends. If by immigration, his aim is to please Allah and His Messenger (saw), then his migration is for this purpose. And, if he migrates seeking the attainment of some worldly object, or for the sake of marrying a woman, so his migration will be reckoned for that particular object".

(Bukhari and Muslim)

(2) Hazrat Aisha (ra) has related that the Holy Prophet (saw) said: "An army will advance towards the Kabah, and when it reaches the plain of Bedai Madinah, the entire army will be devoured by the earth". Whereupon she said: "Messenger of Allah (saw), why should those who were unwillingly accompanying the army, and those who do not belong to the army, suffer?" The Holy Prophet (saw) replied, "The whole army will be swallowed up by the earth, but on the Day of Judgement, they will be raised up according to their intentions".
(Bukhari and Muslim)

(3) Hazrat Aisha (ra) has related that the Holy Prophet (saw) said: "There is no emigration after the conquest of Makkah but only Jihad (striving and fighting in the cause of Allah) will continue, and good intentions. So, if you are summoned to fight, you should respond."
(Bukhari and Muslim)

Wasalaam!

Do Not Be Afraid

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The world we live in is all consuming. Night melts into day, days slip in and out of weeks, weeks blur as the months go by and, before we know it, another year has passed, and we are wondering where the time has gone.

Everything around us jostles and fights for our undivided attention. Families, friends, work, studies – the demands on our time are seemingly endless. Often, we are so immersed in the mundanity of the everyday, in the demands of our personal lives, that we become inward facing. We begin to feel distant from world events, cut off from the larger battles that are being fought all around us – religiously, socially and politically.

And we forget that we, too, have a part to play in the events that are affecting the Ummah and shaping the societies we live in.

We forget that we are meant to be one body, feeling each others pain, sacrificing for one another, ransoming ourselves and our wealth for the sake of Allah.

We forget that we are supposed to be the best of nations, calling to good, warning against evil, worshipping Allah with every fibre of our being, with every action, public and private.

We forget that we were tasked to be the bearers of glad tidings, that we have been given the honour of carrying this message to the four corners of the earth.

We know how important this work is; we know what is at stake, and we know the prize that awaits us.

But so many of us are afraid.

We hesitate to tell the truth, in case the people turn away from us. We bite our tongues , worrying that we will offend, fretting that our words will wound instead of heal.

Many times, we shy away from the confrontations, from the battles, from the clashes of civilisation and civility that can sometimes accompany this call, this da’wah.

Indeed, many of us feel we don’t have enough knowledge to give da’wah, thinking that this call should be reserved for the experts. It is then that we need to remember that da’wah is not only in giving talks or taking part in debates – it is in the little things we do, too. The da’wah we give with our actions, our manners and attitudes.

For every one of us is a caller. Whether it is with a surah or hadith that is learned and taught, a lesson that is attended, a cause that is supported, a good deed, a kind word, we are all callers. And our call should be a sincere call to the truth; to our families and loved ones, members of our community, to Muslims and non-Muslims.

We should not be afraid.

I invite you to reaffirm your commitment to spreading the message of Islam. Recommit to sharing the beauty of the deen, with everything at your disposal, the resources, gifts and talents that you have been with blessed with.

“If Allah guides a person through you, it is better for you than all that is on the earth” (Bukhari and Muslim)

May Allah make it easy for us to make sincere da’wah part of our regular ibadah and bless us by guiding others through us – ameen.

 (By Naima B. Robert)

Quotes of the Week: 7th June - 14th June

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa baraktuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Brothers - make a habit of offering Salah at the masjid. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to the masjid for the first time at your Janazah.

Sisters - wear hijab and cover yourselves. Don't wait for your funeral shroud to be the first time your whole body is covered.

If I have been guided by Allah to make dua, then I know that the response will come with it.

(Umar ibn Khattab ra)

Our greatest glory is not in never falling but rising every time we fall. 

Allah only puts us into a clouded state of mind in order for us to see the light. He is waiting for that cry, not the cry of words but the silent cry that finally understands, and says, "Allah, it is only You that can help me".

Everyone will pass through times of sleep and neglect following his lusts but do not sink into sleep as the morning of the Hereafter is close at hand.

(Ibn Qayyim ra)

If you take a child and you throw the child up, there's a point where they go into this state of complete panic. And then, when they come back into your arms, they are laughing. That is this world, I guarantee you. That moment, that is our life. We came from Allah, and we're going back to Allah. And there is just a moment where we are in a complete state of panic. But just relax, we're in good hands.

(Shaykh Hamza Yusuf)

Have a blessed week, inshallah.

Wasalaam!

His Signs Are Everywhere

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Alhamdulillah, everything is perfectly created and planned. When we think of this concept though, we often think of the sun that comes up every day at its appointed time, the precise alignment of the planets, or our perfect anatomy. We think of our ordained provisions, our birth, our death, or other big events as a reminder of fate and destiny. Usually, that is what we think of when we reflect on the perfection of Allah's planning and creation. It is in those big moments that we sit there and ponder and reflect on the message Allah is relaying to us.

But a huge part of our life is made up of a million little events, small moments, and subtle happenings that we let go by without an ounce of reflection. It could be a piece of advice someone gave us, a lecture we attended, something we have heard or seen, a conversation we were a part of, or even a delay or setback we witnessed.

We forget that even those not so obvious events happened by Allah's Will, and they also contain wisdom and perfection.

These moments are not random. They are not coincidences. Like the big moments and signs, these little ones also contain their own little wisdom, message and an opportunity for us to learn and grow.





 190. Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.

191. Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire. 

(Surah Ale-Imran)

May Allah make us from those described in the above verses - Ameen.

Wasalaam!  

People of Substance

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Muslims are meant to be people of reflection, and really, as an ummah today we need to reflect. Why are we in the state that we are in? Is it a lack of numbers? And the answer to that is no. One in every five people walking on the face of this earth is a Muslim. Is it because of wealth and resources? Again, the answer is no. Many of the greatest natural resources are in the hands of the Muslims. So what is the reason? A billion in number, so much wealth, and why are we in the decadence that we find ourselves in today?
 
The reason for this is that there is a lack of men and women of substance.
 
Men and women were mobilized when Hazrat Ali (ra) became the khalifah, and this was at a time of great turmoil, Hazrat Uthman (ra) had just been martyred. He ascended the pulpit and his first inaugral speech, his first khutbah, was what? All he said was, "O people, you are in need of a man of actions and not a man who just speaks". And then he descended from the pulpit. And really, this was a miracle of the Prophet (saw), he created men and women of substance. Because he never worked on structures but he worked on the hearts and the minds of individuals, until he created men and women who changed the landscape of history. Men and women who were heavy in the scales of Allah.
 
Men and women like Hazrat Abdullah ibn Masood (ra). On one occasion, he was climbing a tree, and he had very thin shins, and when the Sahabah (ra) saw his thin shins, they began to laugh. And the Prophet (saw) asked the Sahabah (ra), "What is making you laugh?" They said, "O Messenger of Allah (saw), the thin shins of Abdullah ibn Masood (ra)". The Prophet (saw) said, "I swear by Allah, if the thin shins of Abdullah ibn Masood (ra) were placed in one side of the scale, and the Mountain of Uhud was placed on the other side of the scale, the thin shins of Abdullah ibn Masood (ra) would be heavier than the Mountain of Uhud". Why? Because every muscle, every drop of blood which ran through these thin shins was for the sake of Allah. They weren't a large mass, but they were of quality. And this is a sunnah of Allah - Allah never judges a group of people by their numbers. He judges them by their quality, by their substance.
 
The greatest men of this ummah were who? It was the 313 who participated in the Battle of Badr. On one occasion, Hazrat Jibraeel (as) descended to the Prophet (saw) and he said, "O Messenger of Allah, who are the best from your ummah?" He said, "Those who participated in the Battle of Badr." And Jibraeel (as) said, "Similarly, out of all those angels in the heavens, the most honorable and the best are those angels who descended on the day of Badr and assisted the Muslims. These were 313 men but they were men of substance. They trusted Allah. They stood against an army of 1000, who were armed to their teeth. They hardly had any horses, they hardly had any weapons but they trusted Allah until they reached a state which was unparalleled in the history of Islam.

In the time of the Prophet (saw), there was a Sahabi called Haatib bin abi Bultah (ra). And Haatib (ra) was a Badri Sahabi, and when the Prophet (saw) decided to attack Makkah, he informed the Sahabah. And what Haatib (ra) did, and he was a man who had migrated but he wasn't a Qurayshi. He wrote a letter to the people of Makkah, informing them of the plans of the Prophet (saw), and the Prophet (saw) sent Ali (ra), Miqdaad (ra) and Zubair (ra) and he said, "Go to the Garden of Khaaq, and there you will find a lady on a camel and with her she will have a letter and bring that letter back". And they went to the Garden of Khaaq and exactly where the Prophet (saw) said they found a lady on a camel and they said, "Give us the letter." And she said, "I have no letter." But these people trusted in the words of the Prophet (saw), they knew that if the Prophet (saw) said something, it was the truth. They said, "Give us the letter otherwise we will have to search you". And from the plaits of her hair, she brought a letter forth, which was from Haatib (ra), informing the people of Makkah about the plans of the Prophet (saw). The Prophet (saw) summoned Haatib (ra) and he said, "What's this, Haatib?" And Haatib (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah (saw), do not hasten to pass judgement over me, because I am not a man who likes disbelief or I am displeased with Islam, but the reason I did this is because every other migrant Muhajir has family in Makkah who can help their direct family. I have no family, and the only reason I did this was so the people of Makkah wouldn't harm my family. And the Prophet (saw) turned to Haatib (ra) and he said, "Indeed, you have spoken the truth". And Hazrat Umar (ra) was standing there and he said, "O Messenger of Allah (saw), let me strike at the neck of this Munafiq!" And the Prophet (saw) said, "O Umar, didn't Haatib participate in the Battle of Badr?" And Umar (ra) said, "Yes, he did." The Prophet (saw) said, "Maybe Allah looks favourably upon the people of Badr, and He says, "O people of Badr, do as you wish because Jannah has become wajib upon you".

Why? Because these people trusted in Allah! Numbers never scared them. Nobody aspires to be a Salahuddin (ra). Nobody tries to be an Umar ibn Khattab (ra) or Abu Dharr (ra) or Abu Bakr (ra) or a Khadijah (ra) or a Fatima (ra). Nobody aspires to be like them. We live off our legacy. We remember these people but none of us aspire to be like them. 

May Allah make us all people of substance - Ameen.

(Shaikh Zahir Mahmood)

Wasalaam!

The Month of Sha'ban

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

All praise be to Allah - the eighth month of the Islamic calendar, Sha'ban, is finally upon us. First, we must continue to pray the dua which we started to pray in Rajab:

 O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan.
We should have hope in Allah that He accepts the second part of the dua for us, and allows us to reach the blessed month of Ramadan.

Apart from Ramadan, Sha'ban is the month where the Prophet Muhammad (saw) would fast the most.

Hazrat Aisha (ra) narrates, "The Prophet (saw) used to fast until we would say that he will never stop fasting and he would abandon fasting until we would say that he will never fast. I never saw the Prophet (saw) fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan and I did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha'ban"
(Sahih Bukhari)

Another Hadith mentions, ".. The Prophet (saw) used to fast the whole month of Sha'ban except for a few days. When he (saw) was asked the reason for this, the Prophet (saw) replied, "It is a month which people generally neglect between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which deeds are brought before the Lord of the Worlds. Therefore I like my deeds to be raised whilst I am fasting".
(Nasaai)

Hazrat Anas (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) was asked, "Which fast is the most meritorious after the fasts of Ramadan?" He replied, "Fasts of Sha'ban in honour of Ramadan". 
(Tirmidhi)

The Prophet (saw) said, "Allah draws up a list of the persons who will die in the forthcoming year. Therefore I like that my death comes when I am in a state of fasting".
(Nasaai)

The month of Sha'ban should be valued in its entirety. We do not know if we will be alive this time next year to enjoy its blessings again, therefore we should make the most of it whilst we still have the chance. There are many people in their graves who would wish for a chance like ours. 

One of the main things that we should try and do is make up any missed (qadha) compulsory fasts or prayers that we have been unfortunate to miss. It doesn't matter how many we have - at least try and make a start, inshallah.

The 15th Night of Sha'ban

A blessed night in Sha'ban is the 15th night. A few Ahadith regarding this night are:

Hazrat Ali (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, "When it is the 15th of Sha'ban, then stand in worship at night and fast during the day. Because Allah descends in this night at sunset to the first heaven and says: "Is there any seeker of forgiveness that I may forgive him? Is there any seeker of sustenance that I may sustain him? Is there anyone in affliction that I may remove his affliction? Is there anyone like this, like that and so on?" This continues until Fajr".
(Ibn Majah)

Hazrat Muadh ibn Jabal (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, "Allah looks upon all those created by Him on the middle night of Sha'ban and forgives all those created by Him, except the one who associates partners with Him or the one who has malice in his heart against another Muslim.

Subhanallah, this hadith is saying that:

•  Allah will forgive you if you were created by Him - which we all were!
• Allah will forgive you if you don't associate any partners with Him and believe and worship only Him
• Allah will forgive you if your heart is pure and clean towards another Muslim. 

There are many people who have some kind of hatred in their hearts for another person or people. This feeling of hatred is what will stop you from being forgiven by the Lord of the Worlds. This is why we should forgive everybody and encourage others to do the same, inshallah.

What should be done on this night?
1. Pray optional namaz (nafil salah)
2. Recite the Quran
3. Perform Dhikr 
4. Pray Durood Shareef
5. Make dua and supplicate to Allah for all your needs

What should not be done on this night?
1. Refrain from all activities that displease Allah
2. Refrain from cooking special meals or having special celebrations for this night
3. Try not to perform optional acts of worship collectively, but try to perform them alone

This night is meant for worshipping Allah in solitude. This is the time to enjoy direct contact with the Lord of the Universe, and to devote one's attention to Him and Him alone. These are the precious hours of the night in which nobody should intervene between one and His Lord, and one should turn to Allah with total concentration, not disturbed by anyone else.

On this night, if one does feel tired, then it will be better for him to go to sleep rather than start doing something which is sinful and will waste time.

The Fast of 15th Sha'ban
It is mustahab (preferable) to fast on the day following the night of the 15th. 

May Allah give us all the ability to make use of this blessed month, reap its rewards and may He allow us to reach the month of Ramadan in good health and Imaan - Ameen.

Wasalaam!

Quotes of the Week: 31st May - 7th June

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

"The servant has two standings in front of Allah. A standing in front of Him during the prayer and a standing in front of Him on the Day of meeting with Him. Whoever stood for the first standing, giving its due right, the other meeting will become easier for him. And whoever took this standing lightly and did not perform it with its due right, the other standing will be hard and severe for him"
(Ibn Qayyim ra)

"Hold fast to truthful companions, live with them closely for they are a charm at times of ease and an aid at times of difficulty. Stick to the truth even if the truth kills you, and do not involve yourself with issues that don't concern you. Do not ask about things which haven't taken place for indeed, that which has already taken place is enough to occupy you from it. Do not seek help or take affairs from someone who doesn't wish to see you succeed, and do not befriend the sinful lest you learn from his sins and evil. Keep away from your enemy and be cautious from even your friend, except for the truthful and trusted friend. And no one is trustworthy except him who fears Allah."
(Hazrat Umar Ibn Khattab ra)

"Don't let your happiness depend upon something you may lose one day.There is only One who is eternal and won't perish. In Him, you can find true and complete happiness. Your Lord, the Lord of Mankind, make Him your reason to smile and you will have eternal happiness, insha allah."

"Hate no one, no matter how much they've wronged you. Live humbly, no matter how wealthy you become. Think positively, no matter how hard life is. Give much, even if you've been given little. Keep in touch with the ones who have forgotten you. And forgive those who have wronged you, and do not stop praying for the best for those you love".
(Hazrat Ali Ibn Abi Talib ra)

"Deeds without sincerity are like a traveller who carries in his water jug dirt. The carrying of it burdens him and it brings him no benefit".
(Ibn Qayyim ra)

"Tell me, o lost soul, what is it you are searching for? What is it you wish to seek? Have you looked into your heart, that hole through which light seeps? Quit looking around blindly, for what you are searching for is before your very eyes. Only when you allow yourself to see, will your senses melt in humbleness before that very Light".

"He has so many other creatures yet He never forgets me, but I only have one Creator yet I've forgotten Him countless times".
(As-Saadi ra)

"Speak in such a way that others love to listen to you. Listen in such a way that others love to speak to you".

" You are confined only by the walls you build yourselves".

"If light is in your heart, you will find your way home".
(Rumi)

"Do not resent the calamities that come and the disasters that occur, for perhaps in something that you dislike will be your salvation, and perhaps in something that you prefer will be your doom".
(Hasan Basri ra)

"Your life is either an example or a warning".
(Al-Shareef ra)

Have a blessed week everyone!

Wasalaam!