- Unparalleled justice -

A man from the Copts came to Umar ibn al-Khattab(RA) in Al-Madinah, and said, "O Commander of the Faithful! I seek refuge in you from oppression." Omar replied, "You have sought refuge where it is to be sought." The Egyptian said, "I was racing the son of `Amr ibn al-`Aas(RA), and defeated him. Then he began to beat me with a whip saying: I am the Son of Nobles!"

So Umar wrote to `Amr commanding him to appear before him with his son. So they appeared before him. Umar inquired, "Where is the Egyptian? He is to take the whip and beat him!" Then the Egyptian began to beat the son of `Amr with the whip as `Umar said to him, "Beat the Son of Nobles!"

Anas said, "So he beat him. I swear by Allah, as he was beating him we pitied his wailing. He did not desist until we stopped him."

Then Umar said to the Egyptian, "Now beat the whip upon `Amr's bald head!" He replied, "O Commander of the Faithful! For it was his son who beat me, and I have evened the score with him."

Upon this Umar said to `Amr, "Since when do you enslave the people when their mothers bore them as free men?" He said, "O Commander of the Faithful! I was unaware of this, and he did not come to me (for justice)."

Reference: Seerah Omar ibn al-Khattab, Ibn Abdi-l Hakam; Kanzu-l `Ummaal, al-Hindi; Rabee`u-l Abraar, al-Zamakhshari   Return to top

- Staying sharp -

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason,the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.

"Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!" Very motivated for the boss' words, the woodcutter try harder the next day,but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.

"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees."

Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don't take time to sharpen the axe." In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp?

There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But God doesn't want us to get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like taking time to pray, to read. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow.

If we don't take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. So start today. Think about the ways by which you could do your job more effectively and add a lot of value to it.                                                                Return to top

- Between The Past And The Future -

Your life in the present moment is in between the past and the future. So what has preceded can be rectified by tawbah (repentance), nadam (regret) and istighfar (seeking Allaah’s forgiveness). And this is something that will neither tire you, nor cause you to toil as you would with strenuous labour. Rather it is an action of the heart. Then as regards the future (then it can be corrected) by withholding yourself from sins. And this abandonment is merely the leaving of something and to be at ease from it. This also is not action of the limbs, which requires you to strive and toil. Rather this is a firm resolve and intention of the heart – which will give rest to your body, heart and thoughts. So as for what has preceded, then you rectify it with repentance. And as for the future – then you rectify it with
firm resolve and intention. Neither of these involves any hardship or exertion of the limbs. But then your attention must be directed to your life in the present - the time between two times. If you waste it, then you have wasted the opportunity to be of the fortunate and saved ones. If you look after it, having rectified the two times – what is before and after it, as we have said – then you will be successful and achieve rest, delight and ever-lasting bliss. However, looking after it is harder than that which comes before and after it, since guarding it involves keeping to that which is most befitting and beneficial for your soul, and that which will bring it success and well-being. [Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah]                                                                                          Return to top

- Wisdom behind response to dua -

                    If Allah(SWT) answers your prayers, He is increasing your "Faith"
                    If He(SWT) delays, He is increasing your "Patience"
                    If He(SWT) does not answer, He has "Something better for you"                                             Return to top

- Your body is sacred and precious -

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." [More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali's Life Lessons Through His Daughter's Eyes]                     Return to top

- Five darknesses and Five lights -

Ibn Hajar (rahmahtullah alaih) has stated in his book, Munahbihat that there are, "five kinds of darknesses for which there are five specific lights.
 1. The love of the world is a darkness, the light for it is piety
 2. Sin is a darkness the light for which is tawbah
 3. The grave is a darkness, the light for which is the Kalimah (la illah illallah)
 4. The next life is a darkness, the light for which is good deeds
 5. The bridge of the Arterlife (Pul Siraat) is a darkness, the light for which is faith."                      Return to top

- Beauty unparalleled -

Malik ibn Dinar (may Allah be pleased with him) says that once he was walking through an alley of Basra when he saw a beautiful regal maid riding and being escorted by several servants. Malik called out to her and said: 'O maid! Will your master sell you?' 

'How can you say that old man?' she replied.

'Will your master sell you?' Malik asked again.

'if he does, are the likes of you going to buy?' she asked.

'Yes! Even better than you.'

She laughed and asked her servants to escort Malik to her quarters. On arriving at her place, the maid informed her master who also laughed and asked to see Malik. Malik was brought in and had an immediate impact on the master. 'What do you want?' the master asked him.

'Sell me your maid.' Malik said

'Can you afford to buy her?' Master asked

'To me she is worth no more than two rotten date pits.' Malik replied.

Everybody in the room burst into laughter. 'How can her price be that,' they all asked mockingly.

'Because she has so many defects.' Malik said

'And just what might her defects be?'

'If she does not wear perfume her perspiration stinks,' said Malik. 'If she does not brush her teeth, her teeth give off foul odor. If she does not groom her hair, it becomes infested with lice and disheveled. If she lives for a few more years, she will become an old woman. She menstruate, urinates and defecates. Perhaps she only likes you for selfish reasons. She probably isn't loyal to you and if you die before her, she will find someone else just like you. I am in a position to buy for much cheaper than you want for your maid, a maid whose constitution is of pure camphor: if she were to mix her expectorate in salty, bitter water, it would become sweet; if she were to speak to the dead, they would respond to the melody of her voice. If she raised her hand towards the sun, it would lose it shine; if she appeared at night, it would radiate with light and if she confronted the horizon with her dresses and jewelry, she would adorn it (the horizon). She is a maid who has been nurtured in musk and saffron; raised in gardens and suckled by the waters of Tasneem (Waters of Paradise). She will never be disloyal and her love for you will never falter. Which one of these maids is more deserving of a price?' Malik concluded.

'The one you described.' The master conceded.

'Then you should know that she is very affordable and accessible.'

'What is her price? May Allah have mercy on you.'

'Very cheap. Spare a moment at night and offer two units of prayer with sincerity. While you place food in front of you, think of the hunger and sacrifice your craving for lavish food (and feed the hungry). Remove stones (impediments) and dirt (obstacles) from the road. Spend the reminder of your life on bare necessities. Remove your worries of this world of oblivion so that you may live in this world with the honor of an abstemious person, go tomorrow to the station of dignity in peace and dwell in Paradise forever.'

The master turned to the maid and asked: 'O maid! Have you listened to what our man has said?'

'Yes.' She replied.

'Has he spoke the truth, or is he merely telling a tale.'

'No, he has spoken the truth. He has been kind and offered advice.'

The master then exclaimed: 'If that is the case, then you are free for the sake of Allah. And such and such property is yours. And all your servants around me, you are all free and you may have such and such properties. This house is mine and everything in it is a charity in the path of Allah.'

He then ripped a piece of rough curtain cloth and replaced his expensive clothes with the curtain cloth.

The maid remarked: 'I have no life after you, my master.'

She also took off her attire and replaced it with some rough clothing and set off with her master. Malik saw them off: he took one route and they took another. 

[Kitabul Taibeen Minal Mulook Was Salateen:14]                                                                        Return to top

- 6 stages to knowledge -

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (rahimahullaah) - said:
"There are six stages to knowledge:
Firstly: Asking questions in a good manner.
Secondly: Remaining quiet and listening attentively.
Thirdly: Understanding well.
Fourthly: Memorising.
Fifthly: Teaching.
Sixthly- and it is its fruit: Acting upon the knowledge and keeping to its limits."                             Return to top

- Advice: Perfecting ones character -

On one occasion, a man came to Imam Shafi'i and asked him "How do you manage to have such perfect character all the time?"

Imam shafi'i replied "i take my critics seriously"                                                                        Return to top

- What good is reading the Quran if you can't understand it? -

An old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Quran. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, 'Grandpa! I try to read the Quran just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Qur'an do?'

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, 'Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.' The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You'll have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, 'See Grandpa, it's useless!' 'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.' The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out. 'Son, that's what happens when you read the Qur'an. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out.                                                                                                             Return to top

- 5 conditions before you disobey Allah, the Almighty -

The Young Lad: O Abu Ishaaq, I am wronging my soul, advise me with something  that’ll hold me back from disobeying Allah and breathe new life into my heart.

Ibrahim ibn Adham: Alright. If you take 5 things from me and fulfill them, you can disobey Allah ‘azza wa jall all you want and no harm will come to you.

The Young Lad: (Interested) Ok, tell me.

Ibrahim ibn Adham: One, if you want to do other than what Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala wants you to do, then do not eat the food that He provides you.

The Young Lad: Then where am I supposed to eat from when all the food on earth is from Allah?

Ibrahim ibn Adham: Dear lad, is it right that you eat the food Allah ‘azza wa jall has given you and then go off and disobey him?

The Young Lad: No it is not right. What is the second?

Ibrahim ibn Adham: Two, if you want to live life to the fullest in disobedience of Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala, don’t live on His land.

The Young Lad: That’s harder than the first. Where shall I live when all that is in the east and west belongs to Him?

Ibrahim ibn Adham: Dear lad, is it right that you eat His food and live in His land, yet still insist on turning your cheek when he calls you?

The Young Lad: No it’s not right. What’s the third?

Ibrahim ibn Adham: If you want to disobey Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala, yet still eating the food He gave you and still living in His land, then find a place where He can’t see you.

The Young Lad: O Abu Ishaaq, how can that be so when Allah is the All-Seeing and All-Knowing of all that happens, even what the heart whispers?

Ibrahim ibn Adham: Dear lad, is it right that you eat His food and live in His land and disobey Him while He watches you and what you are exposing?

The Young Lad: No it’s not right. What’s the fourth?

Ibrahim ibn Adham: When the angel of death comes to snatch your soul, tell him to give you a day so that you can sincerely ask Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala for forgiveness and change your life.

The Young Lad: He won’t agree to that.

Ibrahim ibn Adham: Dear lad, if you find yourself helpless to push off death for just one day and you understand that it cannot be delayed by your wishes, how do you expect to win?

The Young Lad: (With a sigh) What is the fifth?

Ibrahim ibn Adham: When the gatekeepers of Hell come to drag you away on your face to Jahannam (Hellfire) refuse to go with them.

The Young Lad: Nothing will stop them.

Ibrahim ibn Adham: How do you expect to be saved then?

The Young Lad: Enough, Abu Ishaaq. (And he lowers his head crying). O Allah, forgive me for my transgression.
Epilogue: The young lad went on to become a student of Ibrahim ibn Adham(rh). He repented to Allah sincerely and lived an upright life with his teacher until death parted the two. Imam Ibrahim ibn Adham died in the year 778 CE, over a thousand years ago.
[Kitab at-Tawwaabeen, Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisi]                                                                                  Return to top

- Death of the heart -

Umar Ibn Al Khattab(radiallahu anhu) said to Al Ahnaf bin Qais(RA):
Oh Ahnaf, the more one laughs,the less dignity will he possess.
               Whoever jokes (excessively or indecently) is a person who will be taken lightly.
               Whoever does something frequently will be come known by that thing.
               Whoever speaks often, errors often; the more one errors, the less modesty will he possess
               Whoever has a low level of modesty will also have a low level of piety and when one has a low level of piety then
               his heart dies...                                                                                                                   Return to top

- The times we are in -

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Sa'id that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said to a certain man, 'You are in a time when men of understanding (fuqaha') are many and Qur'an reciters are few, when the hudud defined in the Qur'an are guarded and its letters are neglected, when few people ask and many give, when they make the prayer long and the khutba short, and put their actions before their desires.

A time will come upon people when their fuqaha' are few but their Qur'an reciters are many, when the letters of the Qur'an are guarded carefully but its hudud are neglected, when many ask but few give, when they make the khutba long but the prayer short, and put their desires before their actions.' [Al-Muwatta of Imam Malik Ibn Anas 9.41.91]                                              Return to top

- The power of repentance by the Mercy of Allah(SWT) -

It was narrated that in the days that Musa (Alahi salaam)wandered with Bani Israel in the desert an intense drought befell them. Together, they raised their hands towards the heavens praying for the blessed rain to come. Then, to the astonishment of Musa (Alahi salaam) and all those watching, the few scattered clouds that were in the sky vanished, the heat poured down, and the drought intensified.

It was revealed to Musa that there was a sinner amongst the tribe of Bani Israel whom had disobeyed Allah (Subhanahu wa taala) for more than forty years of his life.

Allah (Subhanahu wa taala) told Musa (Alahi salaam).

Let him separate himself from the congregation, only then shall I shower you all with rain

Musa (Alahi salaam) then called out to the throngs of humanity  "There is a person amongst us who has disobeyed Allah for forty years. Let him separate himself from the congregation and only then shall we be rescued from the drought"

That man, waited, looking left and right, hoping that someone else would step forward, but no one did. Sweat poured forth from his brow and he knew that he was the one. The man knew that if he stayed amongst the congregation all would die of thirst and that if he stepped forward he would be humiliated for all eternity. He raised his hands with a sincerity he had never known before, with a humility he had never tasted, and as tears poured down on both cheeks he said:
"O Allah, have mercy on me! O Allah, hide my sins! O Allah, forgive me!"

As Musa (Alahi salaam) and the people of Bani Israel awaited for the sinner to step forward, the clouds hugged the sky and the rain poured. Musa (Alahi salaam) asked Allah (Subhanahu wa taala),
"O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward."

And Allah (Subhanahu wa taala) replied,
"O Musa, it is for the repentance of that very person that I blessed all of Bani Israel with water."

Musa (Alahi salaam), wanting to know who this blessed man was, asked,
"Show him to me O Allah!"

Allah (Subhanahu wa taala) replied,
"O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?"

"Say "O my servants who have wronged their souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah...indeed Allah forgives. surely He is Forgiving, Compassionate".[Surah                                                                                         Return to top