These People Are Not Happy

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Do not look at those who are living a life of luxury and extravagance, for they are to be pitied, not envied. People whose only concern is to spend extravagantly on themselves and indulge in their every whim and desire and seek pleasure - whether it is permissible or forbidden - are not happy.

Rather, they are living a hard life of stress and worry, because no one who deviates from the path of Allah and disobeys Him will ever find happiness. So, do not think that those who live a life of luxury and extravagance are happy and content, not at all.

Some poor women living in mud huts are better off than those who sleep on feather beds and sheets of brocade and silk in lofty palaces, because the poor woman who believes in Allah, the Exalted, and worships Him is better off than the one who has gone astray from the path of Allah.

Happiness exists in you and you should focus your efforts on yourself.

Wasalaam!

Ar-Rahim: The Merciful

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

There is no god but He, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

(2:163)

Rahim is another attribute, also in the intensive form derived from rahma (mercy). Here, mercy implies pity, patience and forgiveness, all of which sinners need. 

O My servants who have transgressed against their souls; do not despair of Allah's mercy; surely, He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Compassionate.

(39:53)

Allah is more merciful than vengeful. In a Hadith Qudsi, He says:

My mercy surpasses my wrath.

(Bukhari and Muslim)

In the Hereafter, Allah is All-Compassionate to the believers only.

My mercy embraces all things, and I shall prescribe it for those who are god-fearing.

(7:156)

Do you think this mother would throw her infant child in the fire? Allah is more merciful to His servants than she is to her child.

(Bukhari and Muslim)

To be merciful is essential for a Muslim. 

The merciful ones will be given mercy by the All-Merciful. Be merciful to those who are on this earth, and the One in heaven will have mercy on you.

(Al-Bukhari)

One who craves Allah's mercy shows compassion to others.

Wasalaam!

A Few Thoughts

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Wasalaam!

Some Advice From Maulana Muhammad Yusuf (ra)

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

These are some words said by Maulana Muhammad Yusuf (ra) while addressing the students of a religious institute on the occasion of the completion of the Sahih al Bukhari. He said:

Brothers! You completed the Sahih of Bukhari. Knowledge is gained. Now, on this knowledge, the effort to gain three objectives is necessary.

First, belief inside our self according to this knowledge.

Secondly, practice according to this knowledge.

Thirdly, spreading this belief and this practice in the world.

In the early period of Islam, when an effort was made on all these three aspects of knowledge which was brought by the Prophet Muhammad (saw), the false of that time (i.e. Rome and Persia), which was running on the worldly resources, turned into pieces.

In the future, Dajjal will show such great power that today's powers are nothing before that power. In that time, Imam Mahdi from the earth, and Prophet Isa (as) from the sky will come and will make an effort on this knowledge with the method of and in the manner of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). On this, Allah will ruin this power of Dajjal.

When in the past it has happened and it will happen in the future, then why we doubt its happening in the middle? All this can happen today if certain people make an effort on this knowledge in the way of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the Sahabah (ra).

The practices which have come out from the body of the Prophet (saw), Allah has made them more powerful than the atom. Allah has made each and every of his practices a means of bringing change in the world.

For example, Salat-ul-Istisqa (prayer to ask Allah for rain) is the means of bringing change to the state of the earth. Salat-ul-Khusoof and Salat-ul-Kusoof (prayers offered at the time of a lunar or solar eclipse) are for bringing change in the states of the sun and the moon. Dua and Salat-ul-Hajat (prayer offered in the hour of need) are for bringing change in all unfavourable circumstances, both individual and collective.

By the splitting of the moon into two parts on the Prophet's (saw) pointing of his index finger, we were told that the action which has come out of the body of the Prophet (saw) has power like this. This pointing of the finger was an action related to the nature; actions of Shariah are even more powerful.

Today, those who are in power are being asked by the people to implement our knowledge. I say that Quran and Ahadith have not come to beg from these people. The Quran has rather come to decide the existence or non-existence of these people. 

May Allah give us the ability to act upon all the correct teachings of Islam - Ameen!

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Zuhd

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Zuhd is an often misunderstood term, most probably because, among certain people - namely, certain followers of Sufi orders - it is taken to an extreme; or it is understood only on a superficial level. 

In the Arabic language, a Zahid - one who practices Zuhd - is someone who is austere and self-denying in his lifestyle. As an Islamic term, a Zahid is someone who gives up worldly pleasures and comforts for the sake of Allah, and because, through leading a self-denying existence in this life, he hopes to enjoy a comfortable and pleasure filled life in the Hereafter.

Suffice to say, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) was the leader of all Zahids. His Zuhd was based on his certain knowledge that this world is a fleeting abode. Its pleasures are few, limited and temporary; and life passes by so quickly that all people who live to be old agree that their lives went by quickly, that it seemed only yesterday that they were children. Such a life, therefore, cannot be compared to the everlasting life of the Hereafter. 

The Prophet (saw) kept his sight focused on the Hereafter, being very aware of what Allah has prepared for His believing slaves in terms of rewards, comfort, pleasures and eternal bliss. As such, he refused to take from this world anything that was above and beyond his basic needs. He understood that, the more one possesses in this life, the more attached one becomes to this world.

The Prophet (saw) was a Zahid not by force of circumstances, but by choice. As the leader of a nation, but moreover as a favoured and beloved Prophet of Allah, he could have had mountains of gold and silver. He could have led a luxurious and comfortable lifestyle. He only had to ask Allah, and he would have been given great wealth.

But he preferred to follow the way of Zuhd, to save his share of good things for the Hereafter. As a result of that choice, he spent many nights of his life hungry. At times, at least a month would pass by without a cooking fire being ignited in his house. During such periods of hardships, he would either go hungry for days, or he and his family would survive on water and dates. As one of his wives stated, it never occurred that he ate a satisfying amount of barley bread for three consecutive nights.

He would sleep not on a real mattress, but on a makeshift bed that was made of straw, one that would leave marks on the side of his body. On various occasions of his life, he would stave off the pangs of hunger by tying a rock around his stomach. His Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all), who themselves suffered frequently from want, were often saddened to see the signs of hunger on the Prophet's (saw) face. 

As for the Prophet's (saw) house, it was made neither of bricks nor cement nor any other strong, resistant and long-lasting material. It was, on the contrary, made of simple clay. It was small, and its roof was low. His clothing was simple and plain, and never once did he sit at a dining table to eat. He underwent such hardships in order to discipline his soul, to preserve his faith, and to be deserving of the promise that Allah made to him:



And verily, your Lord will give you so that you shall be well pleased.
(Surah Duha - Verse 5)

In the way he (saw) turned away from this world, without rejoicing in its treasures or enjoying its pleasures; and in the way he focused on the Hereafter, performing deeds purely for the sake of Allah - the Prophet Muhammad (saw) became the ideal role model for all Zahids, and more generally, for all Muslims. 

According to a the narrations, he (saw) said:

Live in this world as if you are a stranger or a traveller who is only passing through (one place on his way to a distant destination).

Seek little from this world, and Allah will love you. Refrain from taking what people have (with them), and people will love you.

What do I have to do with this world? Verily, the example of me with this world is nothing more than the example of a man who takes a noon-time nap underneath the shade of a tree, and who then gets up and leaves it.

The world is cursed, and everything in it is cursed - except for the remembrance of Allah, for good deeds that Allah loves, for a scholar, or for a student.

All that you have from wealth is what you eat and thus cause to be used up, what you wear and thus cause to be worn out, and what you give in charity and thus cause to remain for your benefit.

May Allah make us all the true people of Zuhd like our Prophet Muhammad (saw) - Ameen!

Wasalaam!

Islamic Perspective on Spying

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. 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.

(Surah Hujurat - Verse 12)

The part of the verse which we will be concentrating on is where Allah says,

And do not spy ..

A person should never endeavour to unravel what another person does privately, and should never search for another persons' faults. A person who spies on others will be punished in both worlds and will be disgraced in both worlds.

Spying is usually prompted by suspicion, which has been outlawed in the same verse. As Muslims, we should conceal the faults of our Muslim brothers and sisters, and should never seek to pursue the matter to condemn the person.

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said,

“When a person sees something in another which he thinks is inappropriate to disclose, and conceals it, he will receive the great reward of bringing back to life an infant girl who was buried alive”.

(Mishkaat)

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Umar (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) once mounted the pulpit and called out aloud:

“O those who have verbally accepted Islam, but in whose hearts Imaan (faith) has not reached! Do not harm the Muslims, do not insult them, and never spy on their private lives. The person who seeks to expose a hidden fault of another, Allah will expose him until he will be disgraced even in his own home”.

(Tirmidhi)

To investigate a person’s faults or sins is also regarded as spying. One will also be regarded as a spy when one pretends to be sleeping with the intention of listening to the private discussions of others. All forms of spying are haraam.

May Allah give us all the ability to keep away from spying on our fellow Muslims - Ameen!

Wasalaam!

Islamic Perspective on Excessive Assumptions

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

O you who believe, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. 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.

(Surah Hujurat - Verse 12)

The part of the verse which we will concentrate on is where Allah says:

O you who believe, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin.

Assumptions pave the way for many sins such as slander and backbiting.When assumptions are allowed to develop, it leads to many evils and serious conflict between people.

An assumption is nothing more than a personal opinion which most likely proves to be not true.

Allah says:

And they have thereof no knowledge. They follow not except assumption, and indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all.

(Surah An-Najm, Verse 28)

We should always have good thoughts about others and we shouldn’t have bad thoughts about any Muslim.

The Prophet (saw) said,

Beware of suspicion because suspicion is the falsest of all statements.

(Mishkaat)

The verse in Surah Hujurat makes it clear that all types of opinions about others are not sinful because Allah says that only SOME assumptions are a sin. There are also those assumptions that are encouraged e.g. having the good opinion about Allah that He is most merciful and forgiving while also abstaining from sins.

We should also have good opinions about fellow Muslims especially the pious Muslims.

The Prophet (saw) said,

Good opinions are part of good worship.

(Mishkaat) 

It is imperative for Muslims to stay away from such places, deeds and words that will lead others to suspect him of evil. It is not appropriate for a Muslim to live under a cloud of suspicion.

May Allah make us from those who always think the best of their fellow Muslims - Ameen!

Wasalaam!

Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Bravery

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

All of the Prophet Muhammad's (saw) noble characteristics were direct results of certain causes - such as his strong faith in Allah, his fear in Allah, and the complete trust he placed in Allah. In this regard, the characteristic of bravery is no exception. 

The Prophet (saw) was a paragon of bravery because he feared no one save Allah, because he had faith in Allah's promise to protect him from his enemies, and because he placed his complete trust in Allah.

As such, he was like a great mountain, in that he did not easily shake or tremble, but instead remained firm and steadfast through the most harrowing of situations. His enemies threats did not perturb him; life threatening situations did not frighten him; and the threat of physical harm or even death did not faze him in the least.

He placed his complete trust in Allah, seeking no one's help save His help, being confident in His promise, and being satisfied and happy with His decree. With such wonderful qualities, it is not surprising that he personally fought in battles, placing himself in harm's way, even when few, if any, others were willing to do the same.

Never once did the Prophet (saw) flee from a battle; never once did he retreat even a single step when the fighting intensified. In fact, when heads were decapitated; when swords sliced through air, skin, flesh and bones; when many people met their deaths in a matter of minutes or seconds; when swords clashed with shields, and when arrows penetrated armour - the Prophet (saw) was the closest member of his army to the enemy. At times, the Sahabah (ra) used the Prophet (saw) as a shield, knowing that they would stand a better chance against their enemy if they rallied around the Prophet (saw).

For the Prophet (saw), it did not matter how many enemy soldiers there were on a battlefield; it did not matter how many weapons they had; these things did not matter because he believed with certainty that, regardless of the strength of the enemy, Allah would help him overcome them.

On the Day of Hunayn, most Muslims fled from the battlefield during the initial stages of battle. The only Muslims who remained steadfast on the battlefield were the Prophet (saw) and six of hid Sahaabah (ra); and this verse was revealed to him:

Then fight (O Muhammad) in the Cause of Allah, you are not tasked (i.e. held responsible) except for yourself, and incite the believers (to fight along with you) ..
(Surah Nisaa - Verse 84)

The Prophet (saw) was neither nervous nor frightened during times of battle; instead, he was calm and at peace, for he desired martyrdom at least as much as he desired victory.

As a result of the Prophet's (saw) bravery, he sometimes sustained injuries and lost many of his Companions (ra). And yet, he never became weak, cowardly or fearful; instead, he ploughed forward on the battlefield as if he wanted to die. 

On the Day of Badr, he not only led his army, but also took part in the fighting during the most intense and dangerous stages of the battle. During the Battle of Khandaq, the Confederate armies were apparantly in complete control of the situation, confident that it was only a matter of time before they broke the siege and destroyed the Muslims of Madinah. 

As for the Muslim soldiers, their hearts reached their throats, so afraid were they; they were shaken and put to trial, with at least some of them being on the verge of hopelessness. Meanwhile, the Prophet (saw) remained patient, steadfast and confident of victory.

But as confident as he was, he did not forget to invoke Allah for help. He stood up, prayed, supplicated, and invoked his Lord for help, until Allah answered his prayers and caused his enemies to be defeated, to suffer humiliation and to retreat in disgrace even though they greatly outnumbered the Muslims.

The violent wind that Allah sent to the Confederate armies instilled terror into the hearts of the polytheist soldiers, and thus the siege came to an end. And on the night of Badr, the Muslims fell asleep; as for the Prophet (saw), he stood up, prayed and invoked Allah for help.

No one was as brave as was the Prophet (saw), who said:

"By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, I would love to be killed in the way of Allah, to then be resurrected, and to then be killed again".

Wasalaam!

Ar-Rahman - The Compassionate

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

"Say: 'He is the All-Merciful'"
(67:29)

Rahman is a special intensive form derived from rahma (mercy). In human beings, rahma means 'tenderness of the heart'. Yet, when attributed to Allah, it means 'granting blessings and warding off evil, through grace, condescension and beneficence'.

For this reason, Rahman, like the Name Allah, is not applied to any but God.

Allah's mercy in this world is general: given to the believer and the non-believer. He provides for them and gives them health and what they ask for. 

"We bestow Our mercy on whoever We will, and shall never deny the righteous their reward".
(12:56)

"Allah created 100 mercies, then He put one of them among His creatures by which they love one another, and Allah has the other 99".
(Al-Bukhari)

We must always ask for Allah's mercy and grace, and call Him by this name; our deeds by themselves, do not qualify us to go to Jannah.

Also, we ought to begin any important action after saying these words:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Believers are merciful to all creatures. A man was forgiven all his sins when he drew water out of a well in his shoe and gave it to a very thirsty dog.

Have compassion for all of Allah's creatures.

Wasalaam!