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- The sincere person... -
"The sincere
person is the one who hides his good deeds just like
he hides his evil deeds." (by Yaqub al-Makfoof)
- Asking Relevant Questions -
In the book
Tarteeb al-Madaarik by Qadi Iyaadh(rh) he mentions a
story amidst his biography of the great scholar and
Faqeeh Ziyaad bin Abdur Rahmaan al Qurtubee, a
student of Imam Malik(rh). Here is the exact quote:
Habeeb said: We were sitting with Ziyaad one day
when a herald of the King came with a parchment.
Ziyaad read it and then dipped his pen in ink and
wrote a reply. He then rolled up the parchment
gently and returned it to the herald to be given to
the King.
When the herald had left, Ziyaad turned to us and
asked, "Do you know what the author of this
parchment asked? He asked about the bowls of the
scale (Meezaan) on the day of Qiyaamah - are they
made of Dhahab (gold) or Waraq (silver)?
So I wrote back to him: I heard from Malik from Ibn
Shihaab who said: The Messenger of Allah(SAW) said,
"It is from the beauty of ones Islam that he leaves
that which does not concern him." Then I wrote:
Don't worry, when you are resurrected you'll find
out.
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- Sabrun Jamil - Beautiful Patience -
Mujâhid said:
“Beautiful patience is patience without any panic.”
‘Amr ibn Qays said: “Beautiful patience means to be
content with adversity and to surrender to the will
of Allâh.”
Yűnus ibn Yazîd said: I asked Rabî‘ah ibn Abu
‘Abdur-Rahmân: “What is the ultimate of patience?”
He said: “To be outwardly the same at the time of
affliction as one was the day before it struck.”
(This does not mean that a person does not or should
not feel pain or anguish; patience in this instance
means that one refrains from panicking and
complaining.)
"Whoever tries to be patient, Allah will make him
patient. And nobody can be given a better and
greater gift than patience."
(Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 24, No. 548)
Omar ibn Al Khattab said: "Whatever hardship befalls
a believing servant, Allah will make an opening for
him after it, and one hardship will be overcome by
two eases." (Malik Muwatta Book 21, No. 21.1.6)
Commenting on the meaning of Sabrun Jamîl, i.e,
beautiful patience, in the verse : "So be patient
with a good (i.e, beautiful) patience." (Quran
Ma'aarij 70:5) Qays ibn al-Hajjâj said: “The person
who is suffering from some affliction should behave
in such a way that nobody is able to distinguish him
from others (Ibn Qayyim)
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- The need for steadfastness-
" Yes, but
whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah and he
is a Muhsin, i.e, doer of that which is best, then
his reward is with his Lord. On such (a soul) shall
there be no fear, nor shall they grieve. " [Qur’an
Baqarah 2:112]
Mu'awiyah (RA)
reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "There
will not cease to be a group of my Ummah who are
obedient to Allah's orders. They will not be harmed
by those who desert them, nor by those who oppose
them, until Allah's order comes about, i.e, end of
this world, ..." (Bukhari, Vol.
4, #3641;
Muslim bi Sharh Nawawi, #4932)
Thawban (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAW)
said, "The nations are about to invite one another
and come upon you just as those partaking in meals
invite others to share in their dish". Someone
asked, 'Will that be because we are few in number
that day?' He (SAW) replied, "No, at that time you
will be numerous! But you will be froth/scum like
the froth/scum carried by the torrent, and Allah
will remove the fear of you from the hearts of your
enemies, and Allah will indeed throw wahn into your
hearts." Someone asked, 'What is wahn?' He (SAW)
replied, "Love for the world and hatred for death."
(Related by Abu Dawud, #4297)
Ibn Umar (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAW)
said, "When you take part in 'eenah, i.e, unlawful
transactions such as usury, and take hold of the
tails of cows, and become satisfied with
cultivation, and abandon striving in the path of
Allah, humiliation will be sent by Allah upon you
and He will not remove it until you return to your
Deen, i.e, the guided ways of your Religion of
Islam." (Abu Dawud, #3462; Also by Ahmed and others;
Sahih Jaami Sagheer of Albaani, #423)
Abul A'war As-Sulami (RA) reported: The Messenger of
Allah (SAW) said, "I caution you against the gates
of the ruler, since it becomes hard to endure and is
degrading." (Tabarani in Al-Kabeer as well as
others; Sahih Jaami Sagheer of Albaani, #2672)
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah
(SAW) said, "The believer is not stung from the same
hole twice." (Bukhari, Vol. 8, #6133; Muslim bi
Sharh Nawawi, #7423)
6. Sufyan ibn Abdullah (RA) reported: I said, 'O
Messenger of Allah! Tell me something in Islam after
which I may not have to ask anyone else besides
you'. He (SAW) replied, "Say (in affirmation): I
believe in Allah, and thereafter be steadfast."
(Muslim bi Sharh Nawawi, #158; Riyadh Saleheen of
Nawawi, #85)
Zubayr ibn Adiyy (RA) reported: We entered upon Anas
ibn Malik (RA) and complained to him of what we
suffered from Al-Hajjaj. So he said, 'Have patience,
a time will not come upon you except that what comes
after it is worse than it until you meet your Lord.
I heard this from your Prophet (SAW).' (Related by
Bukhari, Vol. 9, #7068)
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- A delayed response to dua -
While talking to himself Ibn
Al-Jawzi was blaming his soul in a gentle way. He
said: I found myself in trouble, and so I made Du'aa
consistently, all the while requesting relief and
comfort. The response to my Du'aa seemed to be
delayed, and so my soul became disturbed and
worried.
However, I rebuked it saying,
"Woe unto you; look attentively at yourself, are you
the one possessed or are you the possessor? Are you
the one that is controlled or are you the
controller? Are you not aware that this world is the
abode of tests for you? If you desire that your
goals be fulfilled and become impatient when they
are not, then, where is your test? Is it not the
ultimate test when you get the opposite of whatever
you desired?
"So, (dear restless soul) try
to understand the meaning of the word 'Abd, and
whatever is dear to you will become worthless, and
whatever is difficult will become easy." After it
deliberated over what I said, it became a little
appeased.
I informed it that I had a
second argument for it, and so I said, "Allah (SWT)
is a necessary requirement in order for any of your
aims to be fulfilled; yet you do not exhort yourself
to work for His (SWT) pleasure. This is ignorance,
as the matter should have been opposite to what you
desire, primarily because you are the one possessed.
(You should note) that the mindful 'Abd should make
sure that he fulfills the rights due to the Master,
and that it is not necessary that He (SWT) gives to
Al-'Abd whatever he desires or loves."
It made it quieter yet I then
mentioned that I had a third argument for it, and so
I said, "You are under the impression that the
response to your Du'aa has been slow; yet you were
responsible for this because you closed the door of
response (to your Du'aa) because of your constant
sinning. If, however, you open the door [by
developing Taqwa for Allah (SWT)], then the response
(to your Du'aa) would arrive quicker, because having
Taqwa for Allah (SWT) is the cause of all comfort."
Allah (SWT) said:
"...And whoever fears Allah and
keeps his duty to Him (Taqwa), He will make a way
for him, to get out (from every difficulty), and
will provide for him from sources that he never
could imagine…" [At-Talaaq:2-3]
Therefore, understand that if
you do not develop this Taqwa for Him (subhana wa
ta'ala), the result will be different from what you
expect. Woe is me from the drunkenness of
mindlessness which became stronger than any other
drunkenness in confronting the soul's aims to
prevent them ftom reaching its hopes. It (the soul)
knew that this was the truth, and so it became more
tranquil still.
I said to it, "I have a forth
argument for you, and it is that you seek a
particular answer (to your Du'aa); yet you are not
aware of the consequences that would result (if you
were granted what you desire) because what you seek
might be to your detriment. In this state you are
like a feverish child asking for candy.
"(0 soul) be conscious that
your Master is more aware about your well-being than
you are." As He (SWT) said: "... And maybe you will
dislike something that is good for You…" [Al-
Baqarah:2161
When this became clear to the soul, it became more
tranquil still. I then said to it, "I have a fifth
argument for you, and it is that your demands would
lessen your rewards and would reduce your status
(with Allah). However, if you would request that
which is good for your eternal abode (Al-Aakhirah),
it would be better for you. (O soul) it is crucial
that you understand what I have explained."
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- Remembering our destination -
When one’s mind is clear, he will be able to see
clearly, thus giving such a person a light in his
heart that will allow him to almost witness the
Warning and the Promise, Paradise and Hell, and
what Allah has prepared in this (Paradise) For His
Awliyaa` (loyal friends) and in that (Hell) for His
enemies. He will then witness people rushing out of
their graves following the call of the Truth
(Resurrection).
The angels in the heavens will the descend and will
surround them (creation). Allah will then come to
judge (between creation) and His Kursi (literally a
footstool or chair) will be raised. The earth will
shine with the Light of its Lord (Allah, when He
comes to judge between His creation), the Book (of
Records) will be opened and the Prophets and the
witnesses will be brought forward. The Mizan (Scale)
will then be established, the books of (individual)
records will fly around and the foes will converge,
each holding to its foe. Al-Houdh (the pool that
runs outside the gates of Paradise from a river
inside it) will then appear and its cups will appear
close by.
Thirst will intensify, but those who are allowed to
drink are few. Al-Jisr (the bridge over Hell that
everyone must pass over into Paradise) will then be
laid (over Hell) so that (mankind and the Jinn) can
pass over it (as for the disbelievers and those
whose sins outweigh their good deeds, they will fall
into Hell, where only the disbelievers will reside
for eternity). People will then be gathered in its
direction.
The Fire (Hell) will appear each part harshly
consuming the other parts beneath it. Those who fall
into it are far more than those who are saved from
it. Then, an eye will be opened in his (the man who
is thinking about these scenes) heart with which he
will be able to see clearly. His heart will then
witness some scenes of the Last Life, along with
imagining the various stages of the Last Life which
will last for eternity, as compared to this Dunya
and its briefness. [Ibn al Qayyim: Madaarij
us-Saalikeen]
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- Stick to seven things -
Abu Dharr(RA) said, “My companion (Rasoolillah(SAW))
ordered me with seven things:
(1) He ordered me to love the poor and be close to
them,
(2) and he ordered me to look at those below me and
not to look at those above me,
(3) He ordered me to keep the ties of the womb even
if others didn’t want to,
(4) he ordered me not to ask anyone for anything,
(5) he ordered me to speak the truth even if it was
bitter,
(6) he ordered me not to fear, for the sake of
Allaah, the blame of the blamers,
(7) he ordered me to frequently say “laa hawla walaa
quwwata illa billaah” (there is no might or power
except with Allaah), for it is from the treasure
from the treasures of Paradise.
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- The importance of good company -
In a Hadith, Rasoolillah(SAW) said: “The example
of a good companion and a bad companion is like that
of the seller of musk, and the one who blows the
blacksmith’s bellows.. So as for the seller of musk
then either he will grant you some, or you buy some
from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell
from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith’s
bellows then either he will burn your clothes or you
will get an offensive smell from him.” (Bukhari &
Muslim)
In his commentary of this Hadith, Imam an-Nawawi
said that the Prophet (SAW) compared a good
companion to a seller of musk and spoke of the
virtue of having companions who are good, who have
noble manners, piety, knowledge and good culture.
Such are those who grant us from their virtue. And
he (SAW) forbade us to sit with those who do evil,
commit a lot of sins and other bad deeds, as well as
with innovators, backbiters, and so forth. Another
scholar said: “keeping good company with the pious
results in attainment of beneficial knowledge, noble
manners and righteous actions, whereas keeping
company with the wicked prevents all of that.” Many
times a Muslim is encouraged by his friends to do
evil and to forget his duties. The result is that
Muslims themselves are often ashamed to leave them
to perform prayer, their friends thus causing them
to clearly deviate from the Right Path.
Allah(SWT) also says: “Friends on that Day will
be enemies one to another, except al-Muttaqoon (i.e.
those who have Taqwah).” (Surah 43: Ayah 67)
Hafidh Ibn Katheer, commenting on this verse,
relates a story on the authority of Ali Ibn Abi
Talib (RA) and says that any friendship for other
than Allah is turned into enmity, except what was in
it for Allah the Mighty and Majestic: “Two who are
friends for Allah’s sake; one of them dies and is
given good news that he will be granted al-Jannah,
so he remembered his friend and he supplicated for
him, saying: ‘O Allah, my friend used to command me
to obey You and to obey Your Prophet (SAW) and used
to command me to do good and to forbid me from doing
evil. And he told me that I will meet You. O Allah,
do not let him go astray after me, until you show
him what you have just shown me, until You are
satisfied with him, just like You are satisfied with
me.’ So he is told: ‘Had you known what is (written)
for you friend, would you have laughed a lot and
cried a little.’ Then his friend dies and their
souls are gathered, and both are asked to express
their opinions about each other. So each one of them
says to his friend: ‘You were the best brother, the
best companion and the best friend.’ And when one of
the two disbelieving friends dies, and he is given
tidings of Hellfire, he remembered his friend and he
said: ‘O Allah, my friend used to order me to
disobey You and disobey Your Prophet, and commanded
me to do evil, and forbade me from doing good, and
told me that I would not meet You. O Allah, do not
guide him after me, until you show him what you have
just shown me and until you are dissatisfied with
him just like You are dissatisfied with me.’ Then
the other disbelieving friend dies, and their souls
are gathered, and both are asked to give their
opinions about each other. So each one says to his
friend: ‘You were the worst brother, the worst
companion and the worst friend.”
Ali (RA) said: “Mix with the noble people, you
become one of them; and keep away from evil people
to protect yourself from their evils.” Ibn Hazm
said: “Anyone who criticises you cares about your
friendship. Anyone who makes light of your faults
cares nothing about you.”
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- Analogy: Our life and its ultimate end -
A man slipped down from the brink of a deep well.
Fortunately, a plant had grown in the wall of the
well, and while falling down his hands clutched a
branch of that plant. After the initial shock, he
began looking up and down. What he saw, was enough
to make him scared. A huge serpent, in the depth of
the well, was waiting for him to fall down.
Desperately, he decided to remain where he was and
then saw, to his horror, that two mice - one black,
another white - were busy cutting the root of that
plant. He lost his hope. Then he looked up, and his
heart was full of hope. He was not very far from the
rim of the well and, by a little judicious effort
could reach to safety very easily. Then he saw a
beehive in that plant. And forgetting his tragic
position, he began eating the honey. Of course, the
bees did not like it and began stinging him, but he
remained oblivious of all the troubles. A short time
after, the mice succeeded in cutting the plant down
and he fell in the mouth of the serpent.
We are that man; this world is that well; the
plant in midway is our life; which is being coded
away by every passing night and day - the black and
white mice; death is the serpent waiting for us. The
honey represents the pleasantries of this world, for
which we quarrel with other people- the bees, and
are bitten by them. What makes our plight more
tragic is the fact that rescue is never very far. It
just requires a little effort on our path to reach
the safety and security provided by the loving care
of Allah. We may easily reach to God and be safe
forever. Or, on the other hand, we may be destroyed
by death.
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- Caring for your mother -
At the time
of the Prophet (SAW), there was a young man named
Alqamah. He was very diligent in obeying Allah by
engaging in prayer and fasting and spending in
charity. Then he fell ill and his illness became
serious. His wife went to the Prophet and said, ”My
husband, Alqamah, is on his deathbed. I therefore
came to tell you, Messenger of Allah, about his
condition.” The Prophet (then) sent for Ammar or
Suhaib and Bilal, and told them to go to him (Alqamah)
and have him repeat the Shahadah. Thereupon they
went to him and found him in the agony of death.
They asked him to say, “La illaha illa Allah,” but
his tongue was unable to pronounce it. At that, they
came and told the Messenger of Allah that he was
unable to repeat the Shahadah.
The Prophet asked, “Is either of his parents alive?”
He was told, “Messenger of Allah, his mother is, but
she is very old.” The Prophet sent her a message
that if it was convenient for her (that is, is she
was able to go out), she should come to him;
otherwise she should stay in her house and the
Prophet would come to her.
The Prophet's messenger came to her and informed her
of the Prophet's message. She said, “May my life be
a ransom for him, it is my pleasure to go to him!”
She then stood up, leaning on her walking stick, and
came to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet
returned her greeting and said to her, “Umm Alqamah,
tell me the truth, for otherwise Allah Most High
will reveal the truth to me! What is the situation
concerning your son, Alqamah?” She replied,
“Messenger of Allah, he prays much, fasts a great
deal, and spends a great amount in charity.” The
Prophet said, “And what about yourself?” She said,
“Messenger of Allah, I am angry with him.” He said,
“Why?” She replied, “Messenger of Allah, he has
preferred his wife to me and has disobeyed me.” Then
Allah's Messenger said, “Umm Alqamah, surely your
anger has prevented Alqamah's tongue from
pronouncing the Shahadah.”
He then turned to Bilal and said, “Bilal, go out and
collect a quantity of firewood.” She said,
“Messenger of Allah, what do you plan to do?” He
replied, “I will burn him in front of your eyes.”
She said, “Messenger of Allah, he is my son! My
heart cannot bear your burning him in front of me!”
He said, “Umm Alqamah, Allah's punishment is more
severe and more lasting! Therefore, if you want
Allah to forgive him, be reconciled to him. By the
One in Whose Hand is my soul, the prayer, fasting,
and spending in charity (which he has done) are of
no benefit to Alqamah as long as you are angry with
him! Thereupon she said, “Messenger of Allah, I call
upon Allah Most High and His angels and the Muslims
who are present to be my witnesses that I am pleased
with my son Alqamah.” Allah's Messenger said,
“Bilal, go to him and see whether he is now able to
say, “La illaha illa Allah” or not. It may be that
Umm Alqamah is saying something for my sake which is
not in her heart.”
Thereupon Bilal went, and while entering the door he
heard Alqamah saying, “La illaha illa Allah.”
(Concerning this), Bilal remarked, “It is surely
true that while Alqamah's mother was angry with him
his tongue was tied, and now that she is pleased
with him his tongue is freed.” Alqamah died the same
day. The Prophet came to him and gave the order for
his washing and shrouding, and then prayed the
funeral prayer for him and buried him. He then stood
by the side of his grave and said, “You company of
Muhajireen and Helpers, if anyone favors his wife
over his mother, Allah and His angels and all the
people curse him! Allah does not accept his spending
(in charity) and his uprightness unless he repents
toward Allah, the Glorious and Majestic, and
reconciles with her and attains her pleasure,
because Allah's pleasure consists in her pleasure
and Allah's anger consists in her anger.”
(Tabarani and Ahmed)
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- The victorious ones -
Imaam Ahmad(rh)
said: "All praise and thanks are due to Allaah, who
in every age and interval between the Prophets,
raises up a group from the People of Knowledge, who
call the misguided to guidance and patiently bear
ill-treatment and harm. With the Book of Allaah they
give life to the dead, and by Allaah's light they
give sight to the blind. How many a person killed by
Iblees have they revived. How many people astray and
wandering have they guided. How beautiful their
effect has been upon the people and how vile people
have been towards them. They expel from the Book of
Allaah the alterations of those going beyond bounds,
the false claims of the liars and the false
interpretations of the ignorant ones- those who
uphold the banner of innovation and let loose the
trials and discord, who differ about the Book,
oppose the Book and agree to oppose the Book. Those
who speak about Allaah and His Book without
knowledge, argue about what is ambigious in the Book
and deceive the ignorant with such ambiguities. We
seek refuge in Allaah from the trials of the
misguided ones." [ar-Radd 'alaal-Jahmiyyah
waz-Zanaadiqah]
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- Hold yourselves to account before you are held to
account -
The believer is the on who is continuously
questioning his soul and holding it to account for
every word, movement and moment of rest. What did I
hope for from it? And what did I desire by it?
May Allâh
show mercy to Al-Hasan al-Basrî who said: “You will
not find a believer except that he is (constantly)
holding his soul to account. What did I intend with
that word of mine? What did I intend with my food?
What did I intend with my drink?”
Imâm
Ahmad wrote: “The intelligent person is the one who
controls his own soul (calls it to account) and acts
(in preparation) for what comes after death...”, and
what is after death? After death is the barzakh.
After death there is accountability and punishment.
After death are the Scales (upon which the deeds are
weighed) and the
Sirât
(the bridge over Hellfire) and then it is either
Paradise or Hellfire. So what have we prepared for
what comes after death?! “...and the incapable
person is the one who makes his soul follow its whim
and has many expectations from Allâh.”
Such a person is the one who says ‘Allâh
will forgive me, Allâh
will show mercy upon me’, he covets all these things
from Allâh
and yet he does not perform the righteous actions
and falls into many sins and acts of disobedience.
Righteous actions are one of the means of entering
Paradise. It is not sufficient for someone to have
expectations (from Allâh)
without making some effort and sacrifice and
striving with his soul to perform righteous actions.
Allah(SWT)
frequently links
îmân
with righteous actions and it is also one of the
ways of entering into Paradise. We ask Allâh
to grant us His Gardens.
Umar ibn al-Khattâb
said: “Call your souls to account before you are
called to account and weigh your souls (i.e. your
actions) before you are weighed for it will make the
accountability easier for you tomorrow if you call
your selves to account today” [Reported by Ahmad in
his Musnad]
Mâlik
ibn Dînâr
(rh) said: “May Allâh
show mercy to a servant who said :’Are you not the
perpetrator of this action? Are you not the
perpetrator of that action? Then he rebukes it,
strikes it and confines it to the Book of Allâh
and is becomes its master and guide.’”
How many souls are their who control and lead their
owners into the darkness and then into destruction
and refuge is sought from Allâh!
Let a person therefore, be the leader, the commander
and the forbidder of his soul and not the soul of
him.
And Al-Hasan (rh) said: “A believer is a guardian
over his soul. He calls his soul to account for the
sake of Allâh.
The reckoning on the Day of Judgement will be light
upon a people who call themselves to account in the
world and the reckoning on the Day of Judgement will
be hard on a people who take this matter lightly.”
And Ibn Kathîr (rh) said: “The believer (constantly)
returns to his soul (holding it to account) so he
says: ‘What did I intend by this action? What is for
me and what is for it? By Allâh
I shall never return to it.’ If it is an act of
disobedience for example, it is a way of guarding
his soul. He asks it constantly and calls it to
account with an intense and hard reckoning in this
world so that the reckoning on the Day of Judgement
is easy.”
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- Three questions -
Many years ago, during the time of the Tabi'in (the
generation of Muslims after the Sahabah), Baghdad
was a great city of Islam. In fact, it was the
capital of the Islamic Empire and, because of the
great number of scholars who lived there, it was the
center of Islamic knowledge. One day, the ruler of
Rome at the time sent an envoy to Baghdad with three
challenges for the Muslims. When the messenger
reached the city, he informed the khalifaha that he
had three questions which he challenged the Muslims
to answer.
The khalifaha gathered together all the scholars of
the city and the Roman messenger climbed upon a high
platform and said, "I have come with three
questions. If you answer them, then I will leave
with you great amount of wealth which I have brought
from the king of Rome." As for the questions, they
were:
"What was there before Allah?"
"In which direction does Allah face?"
"What is Allah engaged in at this moment?"
The great assembly of people were silent. (Can you
think of answers to these questions?) In the midst
of these brilliant scholars and students of Islam
was a man looking on with his young son. "O my dear
father! I will answer him and silence him!" said the
youth.
So the boy sought the permission of the khalifaha to
give the answers and he was given the permission to
do so. The Roman addressed the young Muslim and
repeated his first question, "What was there before
Allah?" The boy asked, "Do you know how to count?"
"Yes," said the man. "Then count down from ten!" So
the Roman counted down, "ten, nine, eight, ..."
until he reached "one" and he stopped counting "But
what comes before 'one'?" asked the boy. "There is
nothing before one- that is it!" said the man. "Well
then, if there obviously is nothing before the
arithmetic 'one', then how do you expect that there
should be anything before the 'One' who is Absolute
truth, All-Eternal, Everlasting the First, the Last,
the Manifest, the Hidden?"
Now the man was surprised by this direct answer
which he could not dispute. So he asked, "Then tell
me, in which direction is Allah facing?" "Bring a
candle and light it," said the boy, "and tell me in
which direction the flame is facing." "But the flame
is just light- it spreads in each of the four
directions, North, South, East and West. It does not
face any one direction only," said the man in
wonderment. The boy cried, "Then if this physical
light spreads in all four directions such that you
cannot tell me which way it faces, then what do you
expect of the Nur-us-Samawati-wal-'Ard: Allah - the
Light of the Heavens and the Earth!? Light upon
Light, Allah faces all directions at all times."
The Roman was stupified and astounded that here was
a young child answering his challenges in such a way
that he could not argue against the proofs. So, he
desperately wanted to try his final question. But
before doing so, the boy said, "Wait! You are the
one who is asking the questions and I am the one who
is giving the answer to these challenges. It is only
fair that you should come down to where I am
standing and that I should go up where you are right
now, in order that the answers may be heard as
clearly as the questions."
"This seemed reasonable to the Roman, so he came
down from where he was standing and the boy ascended
the platform. Then the man repeated his final
challenge, "Tell me, what is Allah doing at this
moment?"
The boy proudly answered, "At this moment, when
Allah found upon this high platform a liar and
mocker of Islam, He caused him to descend and
brought him low. And as for the one who believed in
the Oneness of Allah, He raised him up and
established the Truth. Every day He exercises
(universal) power (Surah 55 ar-Rahman, Verse 29)."
The Roman had nothing to say except to leave and
return back to his country, defeated. Meanwhile,
this young boy grew up to become one of the most
famous scholars of Islam. Allah, the Exalted,
blessed him with special wisdom and knowledge of the
deen. His name was Abu Hanifah (rahmatullah 'alayhi-
Allah have mercy on him) and he is known today as
Imam-e-A'dham, the Great Imam and scholar of Islam.
[Manaqib Abi Hanifah by Imam Muwaffaq]
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- The value of dressing modestly
-
The following incident took place when Muhammad Ali's daughters arrived
at his home wearing clothes that were not modest. Here is the story as
told by one of his daughters:
When we finally arrived, the chauffer escorted my younger sister,
Laila, and me up to my father's suite. As usual, he was hiding behind the door
waiting to scare us. We exchanged many hugs and kisses as we could
possibly give in one day.
My father took a good look at us. Then he sat me down on his lap and
said something that I will never forget. He looked me straight in the
eyes and said, "Hana, everything that God made valuable in the world is
covered and hard to get to. Where do you find diamonds? Deep down in the
ground, covered and protected. Where do you find pearls? Deep down at
the bottom of the ocean, covered up and protected in a beautiful shell.
Where do you find gold? Way down in the mine, covered over with layers
and layers of rock. You've got to work hard to get to them."
He looked at me with serious eyes. "Your body is sacred. You're far more
precious than diamonds and pearls, and you should be covered too."
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- Everything happens
for a reason - A story is told about a King in Africa who had a close friend that he grew up with. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) by remarking, "This is good, Allah Almighty knows best" One day the King and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the King. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the King fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good! Allah Almighty knows best." To
which the King replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and ordered his soldiers to put his friend into jail. About a year later, the King was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured the King and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to t! he stake. As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the King was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than whole. So after untying the King, they chased him out of the village.
When the King reached his Palace, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend.
"You were right" the King said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this." "No," his friend replied, "this is good...Allah Almighty knows best" "What do you mean, 'this is good'! How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"
The King's friend replied: "Remember that the Almighty knows best and if I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you on that hunting trip."
"He knows what is before them And what is behind them: And to Allah go back All questions (for decision)" Qur'an:Surah Al Hajj 22:76
Do Not Judge Things or Events by its Immediate Outcome! Allah Almighty, the Most High, is the All-Knowledgable, the All-Knower... He chooses to show us things... but sometimes... we are not shown the wisdom behind somethings. When we are confronted by circumstances that are not very pleasing.... we are quick to say: "This is not good..." but... is it really? We might not know the purpose behind it. It might turn to be a good thing.... thus.. .when we are faced with any situation... do not be too quick to judge... always remember.... this life is a test... the good and the bad.... and there is nothing that happens for no reason...our brains are just not gifted enough to understand these reasons yet. Everything happens to us for a reason.
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- Don't judge too
quickly -
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.
Lessons:
- Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
- Don't judge life by one difficult season.
- Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.
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- How Allah blesses the
one who seeks His Pleasure -
Ibn Rajab and others gave an account of a worshipper who ran out of resources
while he was in Makkah. He became extremely hungry and was about to die
from lack of nourishment. One day, as he was wandering in the precincts
of Makkah, he found an expensive necklace. He put it into his sleeves and
headed for the Masjid. On his way he came across a man announcing that
he had lost a necklace. The poor man later said, " I asked him to
describe it to me, and he did so, perfectly, leaving no room for doubt.
I gave him the necklace without taking reward from him. I said,: "O Allah, I have given it for You, so compensate me with what is better."
He went to the ocean and began a journey in a small boat. Only a brief
period of time passed before a storm came with heavy winds crashing into
the boat. The boat smashed into pieces and the man was forced to cling
to a piece of wood. The winds were violent, propelling him to the left
and to the right.
Finally, he was washed ashore onto an island. He found there a Masjid filled
with people who were praying, so he joined them. He found papers with parts
of the Qur'an written on them and he began to recite from them. The people
of the island asked him, "Do you read Qur'an?" He answered in
the affirmative. They said, " Teach our children Qur'an." So
he began to teach them and he took a salary for his services. One day,
they saw him writing and they asked, " Will you teach our children
to write?" Again he answered in the affirmative and began teaching
them for a salary.
A short time later, they said to him, " There is an orphaned girl
with us whose father was a good man. Will you marry her?" He agreed
to the marriage and later related, " I married her and found that
she was wearing the exact same necklace. She said that her father lost
it in Makkah and a man found it and returned to him. She said that her
father would always supplicate while prostrating, for her daughter to become
blessed with a husband similiar to the honest man. I then informed her
that I was that man."
" O Allah, I have given it for You, so compensate me with what is
better."
Abandoning something for the sake and Pleasure of Allah- Allah will definitely
compensate with something that is better, either sooner or later, in this
world or Hereafter.
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