FORGIVE my back, I'll FORGIVE yours

[Hadith]
Rasul Allah, sal Allah alayhi wa sallam, said, "There was once
a merchant who would lend money to people. Whenever the person
he lent money to was in difficult circumstances, he would say to
his employees, 'Forgive him so that Allah may forgive us.' So,
Allah forgave him."
- Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Hadith 292

[Lessons from this Hadith]

When you and I forgive people, who are we actually setting
free? OURSELVES!

Because of the outstanding way this man dealt with
people, Allah forgave him, and blessed him with profit in this
life and the next.

Is there someone in your life that you are making things
difficult for? What can you do to make it easy for them?

HEAL yourself TODAY

[Quran]
"And We sent down in the Quran that which is healing and a mercy
to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss
after loss".
Quran 17:82

[Lessons from this verse]
Whatever pain you are feeling today, turn to the Qur'an for the
healing. When was the last time you picked up the Qur'an and
just read for the life of you? There's a sweetness there that
cannot be found anywhere else.

For the next seven days, make a daily time to recite some Qur'an
(or a little more if you are already doing so). Start a small,
but consistent habit.

SOIL your Soul??

[Quran]
Undoubtedly, the one who purifies (their soul) has succeeded /
And the one who soiled (their soul) has certainly failed.
- Surat AshShams 92/9-10

[Lessons from this Verse]
What's the goal in life? Is it just to collect materialistic
toys? Or is it .. to purify our souls? Yes.

We know that that is the right answer, but truthfully, what are
you doing about it? What more can you do, today!

For the next seven days, ask yourself daily, "What more can I do
today to purify my soul even more?"

ARRIVING at a REST STOP??

[Quran]
"The life of this world is just the enjoyment of delusion"
- Surah Al 'Imran, 185

[Lessons from this verse]
See the materialism of this world for what it is. It's just a
rest stop, just some shade, on the highway to the hereafter.
Treat it as such.

SUCCESS is calling YOU

[Hadith]
"Come to Success" - The Adhan, called 5 times a day from the
homes of Allah.

A blind man came to the Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam,
and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have no guide to lead me to
the mosque, so grant me a leave from attending the congregational
prayer in the mosque."
The Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, gave him permission.
But after he turned away, he called him back, and said, "Do
you hear the call to prayer?"
He said, "Yes."
He said, "Then respond to it."

(Muslim)

[Lessons from this Hadith]
Nothing in this world will give you success like turning with
your body, mind, and soul to Allah ta'ala. Find your comfort in
the Masjid, find your success in Salah!

TV-Turnoff LIFE

[Hadith]
Rasul Allah, sal Allah alayhi wa sallam, said, "Amongst the
beautiful (characteristics) of a person's Islam is that he pays
no heed to that which does not concern him."
- Tirmidhi

[Lessons from this Hadith]
Your mind is PRIME real estate. If you had a piece of land
right beside the greatest world attraction, wouldn't you open the
most amazing store on it?

Your brain and your life is more precious then that peice of
land. Only build on it that which concerns your success in this
life and the next.


For the next seven day, ask yourself this question daily, "Am I
using my time right now towards that which benefits me?"

How does my HEART look?

[Hadith]
Rasul Allah, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "Verily, Allah
does not look at your appearance or your possessions; rather He
looks at your heart and your deeds."
- Saheeh Muslim

[Lessons from this Hadith]
In our daily lives, most people measure each other by their
looks or their possessions (their car, their homes, etc.).

The One we MUST impress is Allah, and that is done with a clean
forgiving heart, and with righteous deeds.


For the next seven days, ask yourself throughout the day, "How
can I clean my heart now even more?"

DRIVING to the Hereafter

[Quran]
Your Lord has not forsaken you; nor does he ever turn away from
you. The life to come is far better for you than this present
life; you will be delighted at what your Lord will give you.
When you were an orphan, did he not enrich you?
Surat Ad-Duha 93

[Lessons from this Verse]
In our daily struggles, focusing on the life to come and what we
need to prepare for it today will bring the richness to our lives
that we are all seeking.

For the next seven days, ask yourself throughout the day, "In
the hereafter, will I regret how I spent my day today?"

The not-so-secret FORMULA

[Verse]
"Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith,
verily, to them will We give a new Life, a life that is good and
pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the
best of their actions."
- Surat AnNahl 16:97

[Lessons from this Verse]
The keys to Success: Eman and Righteous deeds. Eman and
Righteous deeds. It's repeated everywhere in the Qur'an.
Ask yourself, what can I do this week to increase my Eman? And
what can I do this week to increase my righteous deeds?

speak GOOD or keep QUIET

[Hadith]
Rasul Allah, sal Allah alayhi wa sallam, said, "Anyone who
believes in Allah and the Last Day (of Judgment) should not harm
his neighbor. Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day
should host his guest generously. And anyone who believes in
Allah and the Last Day should say what is good or keep quiet."
- Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 47

[Lessons from this Hadith]
Did you send out a bad mouthed email to someone recently? Did
you post something in a chat room or forum that you shouldn't
have? You are Muslim, so make sure whatever comes out of your
mouth is something that will bring you closer to Allah. If it's
not, then keep quiet. Test yourself, for the next 3 days, before
you say anything, ask yourself, "Is this something good to say?"

I SEE what pleases ME

[Hadith]
Rasul Allah, sal Allah alayhi wa sallam, said, "A believing man
should not hate a believing woman. If he dislikes one of her
characteristics, he will be pleased with (her other
characteristics)."
- Sahih Muslim, Hadith 705

[Lessons from this Hadith]
Focus on what's positive! That which is positive is infinite,
and in focusing on it, we are focusing on that which will bring
joy to our life.

For the next seven days, ask yourself this question at the end of
each day, "What are 10 beautiful things that happened to me
today?"

mind your MANNERS

[Hadith]
Rasul Allah, sal Allah alayhi wa sallam, said, "A believer may
achieve the status of one who fasts during the day regularly and
spends the night regularly in prayer: through his good manners."

[Lessons from this Hadith]
Ask yourself, what outstanding characteristic am I lacking in
the most? And then, for the next 10 days, just work on building
that blessed characteristic into your outstanding manners
portfolio!

please FORGIVE me

[Hadith]
Rasul Allah, sal Allah alayhi wa sallam, said, "If anyone continually asks forgiveness, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, relief from anxiety, and will provide for him from where he never realized."
- Abdu Dawood, Hadith 599

[Lessons from this Hadith]
This is your success formula: Constantly asking Allah for forgiveness. It is the key to mastering your emotions, and finding ways of provision that you never imagined!

For the next ten days, ask Allah for forgiveness 100x each day, and make it a habit.

Make things EASY!

[Hadith]
Rasul Allah, sal Allah alayhi wa sallam, said, "There was once a
merchant who would lend money to people. Whenever the person he
lent money to was in difficult circumstances, he would say to
his employees, 'Forgive him so that Allah may forgive us.' So,
Allah forgave him."
- Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Hadith 292

[Lessons from this Hadith]
When you and I forgive people, who are we actually setting free?
OURSELVES! Because of the outstanding way this man dealt with
people, Allah forgave him, and blessed him with profit in this
life and the next. Is there someone in your life that you are
making things difficult for? What can you do to make it easy for
them?

Make-A-Wish

I had forgotten my favorite Barbie at my friend
Fatima's house, and when I got my dolly back, all her hair
was chopped off and her scalp was painted an awful blue
color. I cried for days, but I eventually forgave Fatima,
and our friendship was still strong. Fatima and I had so
much in common, so many of the same dreams and aspirations.
We would sit in my father's car and fantasize about our
futures.

So one weekend when we were about 15 years old, we were at
her house with a bunch of other girls celebrating
something. I don't know what the occasion was, but I do
remember that we were all dancing Lebanese wedding style,
holding hands and whirling in a circle.
Suddenly, I felt her had slip out of mine. She fell to the
ground. And the rest is a blur. Our moms rushed in. The
ambulance came. She was in the hospital. She lost all her
hair. She looked like my disfigured Barbie.

My best friend Fatima had a brain tumor. She had cancer in
the late stages. My best friend was dying.

Enter the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Since 1980, they've been
granting wishes of terminally ill children around the
world. Fatima was eligible. You know what she wished for?
She wished for a brand new bedroom set.
Three weeks later, they literally sent her home from the
hospital to her newly delivered polished all wood death
bed.

The Make a Wish people do great things, no doubt, but their
power is limited. They do not have the ability to grant the
highest of humanly wishes. That wish is not a new bedroom
set, or a chance to meet a famous actor, or even a trip to
Disney land.

The greatest wish, the most significant wish, the dying
wish, brothers and sisters, is the one we belittle the
most, the one we minimize the most.
Sure, we all wish it, it does have a place on our wish
lists, but not with the passion befitting its status. You
all know what that wish is. I hardly need to tell you, but
I will, because the reminder benefits the believers.

It is the wish for jannah. It is a wish that is wasted.

Advice abounds around us: Don't waste your time! Don't
waste your money! Don't waste your health!

Today, I want to add to that: Don't waste your wishes!
Don't waste your wishes!

Ibn Umar used to say, "If you survive till the evening, do
not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive
till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening,
and take from your health for your sickness, and (take) from
your life for your death."

You are alive now. Yes, but how long does NOW actually
last?

Jannah is the loftiest of wishes. Allah SWT says in surah
al sajida, "And no soul knows what has been hidden for them
of comfort of the eye as reward for what they used to do."
In another ayah, Allah azza wa jal says: "You can tell in
their faces the radiance of the blessing."
The inhabitants of Jannah shall be in: "Gardens and
rivers." The inhabitants of Jannah are: "Most pleased with
what Allah gave them from His bounty."

We may be fooled by the wish making methods of those around
us. There's the "make a wish and blow out the candles"
mentality that has us hoping that the nicely wrapped boxes
won't contain useless gifts like an itchy sweater or yet
another watch.
There's the "jenie in a bottle mentality" where you only
have 3 wishes, so you better make the most of them or
else.

We are Muslims, there is nothing odd or strange about the
methods in which we make our wishes. We do not ask of a 2
cm long candle stuck in gooey pink icing. We do not seek of
a large blue man wearing a turban that fits in a small oil
lamp.

We are Muslims, we understand that the underlying theme of
a wish is to articulate hope and to identify goals. We
understand that the underlying theme of a wish is to
articulate hope and to identify goals.

Our wishes are found on our dua lists. Our hopes and
aspirations, are found on our dua lists. Our dua list is
our wish list.

And whom do we ask of? We ask of Allah, the creator of the
ultimate wish. Seek it brothers and sisters, bring the wish
close to your hearts. Wear the wish in all of your actions
and reactions. May you all be granted this wish. Say
Ameen.

Bagaimana terbentuknya sebiji mutiara

Khutbah khas buat muslimah
Muhammad Alshareef

Apabila berita kedatangan tentera Kristian yang sedang bersedia untuk menghapuskan orang Islam di sempadan, sampai ke pengetahuan Abu Qudaamah Ash-Shaamee, dia terus bergegas ke mimbar masjid. Dalam ucapan yang menyemarakkan semangat, Abu Qudaamah berjaya menyalakan semangat masyarakat Islam untuk mempertahankan tanah mereka, iaitu Jihad kerana Allah. Sewaktu dalam perjalanan pulang dari masjid, melewati lorong yang gelap dan terpencil, seorang wanita memberhentikannya lalu berkata, “As salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullah!”. Abu Qudaamah menghentikan langkahnya namun dia tidak memberikan apa-apa jawapan . Wanita tersebut mengulangi salamnya dan menambah, “Bukanlah ini pekerti seorang yang alim”. Dia maju ke hadapan sambil berkata, “Aku mendengar seruanmu di Masjid menggalakkan orang-orang beriman untuk mara berjihad dan apa yang ada padaku hanyalah ini….” Wanita tersebut menyerahkan dua utas tali kepadanya. “ Ia boleh digunakan sebagai tali untuk mengawal kuda. Semoga Allaah, ‘azza wa jall, menuliskan aku sebagai salah seorang yang mengikuti Jihad–Nya.”

Keesokan harinya tika penduduk kampung keluar untuk bersemuka dengan tentera musuh, datang seorang budak lelaki berlari menembusi perhimpunan tersebut dan berdiri di sebelah kuda Abu Qudaamah sambil berkata,“Demi Allaah, aku meminta izinmu untuk menyertai tentera ini.”Beberapa pejuang veteran mentertawakan budak tersebut. “Kuda-kuda ini akan memijak engkau,”mereka berkata. Tetapi Abu Qudaamah merenung jauh ke dalam mata budak tersebut bilamana dia mengulangi permintaanya, “Demi Allaah, izinku menyertainya.” Abu Qudaamah kemudian bersuara, “Hanya dengan satu syarat, seandainya engkau syahid, engkau akan membawaku ke syurga bersama-sama mereka yang engkau akan meminta shafa’at untuknya”. Budak tersebut tersenyum. “ Ianya adalah janji.”

Semasa kedua-dua pihak bertarung berhabis-habisan, budak tersebut yang duduk di belakang kuda Abu Qudaamah meminta, “Demi Allaah, berikan aku tiga bilah anak panah”. “Engkau akan mensia- siakannya!”balas Abu Qudaamah. Budak tersebut mengulangi permintaannya, “Demi Allaah, berikanku anak panah tersebut.” Lantas Abu Qudaamah memberikannya anak panah dan budak tersebut menumpukan tepat ke arah sasaran. “Bismillah!” Anak panahnya yang pertama tepat menembusi seorang pejuang Kristian. “Bismillah!” Anak panahnya yang kedua juga tepat menembusi pejuang Kristian yang kedua. “Bismillah!” Anak panahnya yang terakhir juga tepat menembusi pejuang Kristian yang seterusnya. Tiba-tiba, satu anak panah datang menembusi dada budak tersebut dan dia rebah dari kudanya. Abu Qudaamah segera turun ke sisinya, mengingatkan budak tersebut dalam nafas terakhirnya,“Jangan engkau lupa akan janjimu!” Budak tersebut menyeluk sakunya, mengeluarkan satu uncang dan berkata,“Tolong kembalikan ini pada ibuku.”“Siapa ibumu?” soal Abu Qudaamah. “Wanita yang menyerahkan dua utas tali kepadamu semalam.”

Renungkanlah kisah Muslimah ini. Bagaimana dia bisa mencapai tingkatan Taqwa ini di mana dia sanggup mengorbankan warisnya sementara para wanita zaman ini sanggup menggadaikan nyawa mereka asalkan anak mereka selamat di rumah. Sesungguhnya, wanita ini mengisi hidupnya dalam pengabdian kepada Allaah dan bilamana saat ujian tiba, dia berjaya melepasinya.Bukan sahaja dirinya sendiri lulus, malah anak lelakinya turut bersinar dengan keindahan Imaan yang sama, anak asuhannya sendiri.

Seringkali- mungkin dewasa ini bilamana kita jauh dari Sunnaah - segala syarahan, khutbah dan ceramah adalah ditujukan untuk Muslimin sahaja. Kita terlupa bahawa daripada Hady – panduan dan manhaj- Rasool Allaah, sal Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallaam, adalah baginda akan memperuntukkan satu hari khas dalam seminggu untuk mengajar para wanita. Mereka akan mendatangi baginda sama ada semasa Hajj, di jalan-jalan malahah juga di rumah baginda sendiri untuk bertanyakan baginda soalan-soalan berkenaan Deen. Di waktu menunaikan solat Eid, setelah memperingati para pemuda, baginda akan ditemani Bilal ke bahagian wanita untuk memberikan peringatan. Allaah, subhaanahu wa ta’alaa, juga mewahyukan satu surah lengkap dengan nama Surah An-Nisaa’— para wanita, Surah Maryam dan juga Al-Mujaadalah - wanita yang meminta. Sebagai langkah menghidupkan Sunnaah ini, ucapan ini ditujukan khas buat semua wanita beriman, al-Mu’minaat.

Duhai saudari, duhai ibu, duhai anak perempuan. Setiap orang mengidamkan kebahagian dan keseronokan, dan saya pasti bahawa kamu juga tidak berkecuali. Namun, di manakah kebahagiaan dan keseronokkan ini? Serta di mana dan bila kamu inginkan kebahagiaan tersebut? Adakah kamu inginkan kebahagiaan, adakah kamu ingin menikmati keseronokan di dunia ini sebagai gadaian kebahagiaan di akhirat? Atau adakah di akhirat kelak, kamu inginkan kebahagiaan tika kamu menemui Allaah?

Ke mana sahaja kamu pergi, kamu akan melewati sekumpulan manusia, media dan budaya yang bersumpah kepada kamu bahawa sesungguhnya kebahagiaan bermaksud kebahagiaan di dunia. Adakah ini sebenarnya kebahagiaan? Di hari Pembalasan, Allaah akan mengambil seorang kafir yang paling ‘bahagia’ di dunia dan menghumbannya ke dalam Jahannam - api neraka. Kemudian, Allaah akan menyoalnya “Pernahkah kamu merasai sebarang kebahagiaan?” Si kafir tersebut akan menjawab “Tidak!”.

Sesungguhnya, kebahagiaan sebenar adalah kebahagiaan di akhirat, tanpa mengira apa yang berlaku di dunia ini. Allaah akan membawa di hari Pembalasan nanti, seorang yang paling banyak diuji dan menempatkannya di dalam Jannah- syurga. Kemudian, Allah akan menyoalnya “Pernahkah kamu merasai sebarang kesedihan? Dia akan menjawab “Tidak!”

Janganlah menyangka bahawa kebahagiaan dan keseronokkan ini semata-mata untuk kehidupan di akhirat. Ia juga adalah berkait rapat dengan kehidupan di dunia ini. Dengar dan fahamilah kata-kata Allaah:

“Barangsiapa yang mengerjakan amal soleh, baik lelaki mahupun perempuan di dalan keadaan beriman, maka sesungguhnya akan Kami berikan kepadanya kehidupan yang baik( di dunia ini dalam kehormatan, kepuasan dan rezeki yang halal) dan akan Kami beri balasan kepada mereka dengan pahala yang lebih baik dari apa yang mereka kerjakan (iaitu syurga di Hari Akhirat).”Surah AnNahl (16:97)

Saudari sekalian, kamu perlu memahami bahawa kamu atau sesiapa sahaja bisa dimasukkan ke dalam neraka. Demi Allaah, sesungguhnya tidaklah kita setanding dengan puteri Rasool Allaah, sal Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallaam, Fatimah. Baginda menyatakan kepada anaknya,“Wahai Fatimah, anak kepada Muhammad, mintalah apa sahaja yang engkau inginkan dari kekayaanku, kerana aku tidak berupaya membantumu apa-apa di sisi Allaah.” Maksudnya adalah “tiada bererti pertalian darahmu denganku, seadainya engkau tidak bekerja untuk Jannah, pernyataan bahawa ayahku adalah sekian dan sekian tidak berupaya membantu engkau sama sekali.”

Islam melahirkan ramai muslimat yang telah menyempurnakan Taqwa mereka kepada Allaah ‘azza wa jall. Bilamana gadis-gadis lain menggantungkan poster penyanyi kafir dan atlit kafir dan pelakon kafir, gantungkanlah di hati kamu poster Fatimah dan Mu’minaah ulung yang lain.

Aasiyah, isteri Fir’awn, imannya di sisi Allaah subur di sebalik bayang seorang yang berkata “Akulah Tuhan kamu, yang Maha Tinggi!” Apabila kabar tentang keislaman Aasiyah sampai ke pengetahuan Fir’awn, dia memukul Aasiyah di samping menyuruh pengawalnya menyiksa Aasiyah. Mereka mengheretnya di bawah terik matahari, mengikat tangan dan kakinya, dan memukulnya berulang-ulang kali. Kepada siapakah Aasiyah mengembalikan dirinya? Dia kembali kepada Allaah! Dia berdu’aa, “Yaa Tuhanku, binakanlah untukku sebuah rumah bersama-samaMu di syurga dan selamatkanlahku daripada Fir’awn dan amalannya, dan selamatkanlahku daripada golongan yang zalim.”

Adalah diceritakan bahawa ketika Aasiyah berkata sedemikian, langit dibukakan untuknya dan dia melihat rumahnya di Jannah. Dia tersenyum. Pengawal yang melihat keadaannya terkejut – dia diseksa, dan masih bisa tersenyum? Dalam kekecewaan, Fir’awn mengarahkan untuk dibawakan batu yang besar dan dihempaskan ke atas Aasiyah, agar dia mati dihempapnya. Namun, Allaah mengambil nyawanya sebelum batu tersebut dibawakan, dan sesungguhnya dia terukir sebagai contoh kepada semua orang beriman, lelaki dan perempuan, sehingga akhir zaman:

Dan Allah telah membuat isteri Fir’awn sebagai perumpamaan kepada orang-orang yang beriman ketika dia berkata, “Yaa Tuhanku, binakanlah untukku sebuah rumah bersama-samaMu di syurga dan selamatkanlahku daripada Fir’awn dan amalannya, dan selamatkanlahku daripada golongan yang zalim.”Surah at-Tahreem (66:11)

Bilamana kita berbicara soal Jihad dan para shuhadaa’—mereka yang mati shaheed, tahukah kamu akan Muslim pertama yang dibunuh di jalan Allaah? Dialah Sumayyah, ibu kepada ‘Ammar. Apabila berita pengislaman keluarga Yasir sampai ke pengetahuan Abu Jahal, dia memukul dan menyeksa mereka sekeluarga, dengan penuh kejam hinggakan bilamana Rasool Allaah, sal Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallaam, melewati mereka saat keimanan mereka diuji sedemikian rupa, baginda hanya mampu berkata, “Bersabarlah, syurga menantimu!”

Abu Jahal menyeksa Sumayyah pada suatu hari sedang dia nekad untuk tetap bersama Deennya, dan sikap Sumayyah ini menaikkan darah Abu Jahal. Dia mengambil sebilah lembing dan menyula Sumayyah sedang Sumayyah terlantar di atas pasir yang panas sambil menghalakan pandangannya ke langit. Dialah orang yang pertama daripada keluarganya dan seluruh ummah, yang menemui Allaah sebagai shaheedah.

Saudari sekalian, suri teladan kita datangnya daripada Al-Quraan. Kamu mungkin pernah mendengar kisah seorang budak dan raja. Bilamana seluruh kampung tersebut memeluk agama Islaam kesan daripada kematian budak kecil tersebut, si raja mengarahkan agar dinyalakan api yang marak, dan barangsiapa yang berkeras daripada meninggalkan agamanya, akan dibakar hidup-hidup. Seorang muslimah berdiri di sisi api tersebut bersama-sama dengan bayinya. Dia merenung tajam anaknya, dan melihat anaknya yang kecil dan suci, dia berkira untuk beralih arah. Tiba-tiba, bayinya berkata kepadanya,“Apa yang membuatmu tertunggu wahai ibuku? Maralah sesungguhnya engkau berada di jalan yang benar!” Si ibu mengangguk akur. Kemudian, dengan bayi di tangannya, dia mara kepada ajalnya.

“Dan mereka tidak menyeksa orang-orang mukmin itu melainkan kerana mereka beriman kepada Allah Yang Maha Perkasa lagi Maha Terpuji. KepadaNya kerajaan langit dan bumi, dan Allah Maha Menyaksikan segala sesuatu. Surah Al-Burooj (85:8-9)

Duhai saudari, suri teladan buat kamu datang kepada kamu dari hari ini. Sepertimana yang diceritakan oleh anaknya, seorang wanita di sebuah perkampungan Muslim percaya bahawa segala perkara sia-sia yang berlaku dalam perhimpunan para wanita adalah sesuatu yang dia tidak sukai. Dia mengisi masanya dengan mendirikan solat dan berjaga malam untuk qiyaam al-layl, dan ketika usianya semakin meningkat dia memanggil anaknya, suatu hari, daripada bilik solatnya. Kata anaknya, “ Saya memasuki bilik dan ibuku sedang bersujud dan mengatakan bahawa dia telah lumpuh.” Anaknya membawa ibunya kepada doktor dan dia memulakan kitaran pemulihannya walaupun peluangnya untuk sembuh adalah tipis.Dia kemudian meminta anaknya membawanya pulang ke rumah, membawanya semula ke bilik solatnya, membawanya semula ke sujudnya. Sedang wanita tersebut berdu’aa kepada Allaah dalam sujudnya, dia memanggil anaknya pada waktu malam. “Astawdi’ukallaah alladhee laa yadee’u wa daa’i’uh – Kuserahkan kamu di bawah penjagaan Allaah, dan sesungguhnya apa sahaja yang berada di bawah penjagaan Allaah tidak akan sia-sia.” Wanita tersebut meninggal dunia dalam sujudnya. Badannya telah kaku dalam keadaan sujud dan jenazahnya dimandikan dalam keadaannya sujud. Solat jenazah ditunaikan ke atasnya dalam keadaannya sujud. Mereka membawa jenazahnya ke kubur dalam keadaannya sujud. Oleh itu, mereka mengebumikannya dalam keadaannya sujud. Sabda Rasool Allaah, sal Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallaam, “kita akan di bangkitkan sepertimana keadaannya ketika kita mati.” Sesungguhnya, wanita tersebut akan dibangkitkan di Hari Penghakiman dalam sujud kepada Allaah- Jalla Jalaaluhu wa taqaddasat asmaa’uhu – kerana demikianlah bagaimana dia hidup dan mati.

Bahagian II

Terdapat banyak kisah lain yang kita tahu berkisar tentang keimanan seorang ibu, seorang isteri, serta seorang wanita, dan banyak lagi kisah yang hanya Allaah mengetahui bilangannya. Bilamana halaqah dikendalikan, hadirin wanita melebihi lelaki. Di University Terbuka Amerika, majoriti penuntut adalah di kalangan wanita.Hadirilah perhimpunan guru-guru Islaam/sekolah Islaam atau ceramah dan kamu dapat melihat ketidakseimbangan antara hadirin wanita dan lelaki.Kadangkala, adalah amat menyedihkan apabila melihat lelaki kekurangan motivasi sepertimana yang ditonjolkan oleh wanita. Namun begitu, jika terdapat satu petanda yang cantik dalam semua ini – in shaa’ Allaahu ta’aala -- wanita-wanita inilah yang akan melahirkan sepasukan lelaki dan wanita berimaan dalam generasi akan datang. Wa Allaahu akbar!

Sewaktu Imam Ahmad masih kecil, bapanya meninggal dunia. Beliau sering menceritakan kepada anak muridnya tentang perit jerih yang dilalui ibunya dalam membesarkannya, dan dia akan berdu’aa untuknya. Dalam kedinginan malam di Baghdad, ibunya akan bangkit jauh lebih awal darinya untuk menjerang air agar anaknya, Ahmad bisa berwudhoo’ untuk Fajr. Kemudian dia akan membaluti anaknya dengan selimut, dirinya mengenakan Jilbab, dan memimpin Ahmad menerusi lorong yang gelap lagi dingin untuk tiba ke Masjid utama, seawalnya sebelum fajr semata-mata agar anaknya beroleh tempat duduk terbaik di dalam kelas.Anaknya Ahmad – pada waktu itu berada dalam darjah 2 atau 3- akan duduk sepanjang hari mentela’ah al-Quran dan Sunnah dan ibunya akan menantinya sehingga dia selesai agar dia dapat membawa Ahmad pulang ke rumah dengan selamat. Tika umur Ahmad mencecah 16 tahun, ibunya menyediakan sedikit wang dan makanan untuknya sambil berpesan, “Mengembaralah untuk mencari ilmu.” Imam Ahmad bertolak ke Mekkah dan Madinah dan tempat yang lain, dan bertemu dengan ramai ulamaak muktabar. Sesungguhnya, ibunya mendidik Ahmad menjadi salah seorang daripada empat Imaam yang terkemuka dalam Islaam.

Saudari sekalian, selepas semua ini, tanyalah seorang yang bukan Islam tentang apa dia mahukan daripada kamu? Adakah dia mahu kamu dibebaskan? Dibebaskan daripada apa? Daripada Allaah dan RasoolNya? Daripada Quran dan Sunnah? Daripada Jannah? Daripada Deen ini yang Allaah pilih buat kamu?

Dan apakah yang dia janjikan kepada kamu sebagai ganti? Kebahagiaan? Demi Allaah, tidaklah dia memilik apa-apa kebahagian untuk diberikan kepada kamu. Adakah dia berupaya memberikan kamu kasih sayang dan perlindungan daripada azab kubur, daripada malaikat yang menjaga neraka ataupun daripada maut? Mengapakah mereka mahu membebaskan wanita-wanita yang muda perawan? Mengapakah mereka tidak membebaskan golongan tua? Mengapa tidak mereka membebaskan golongan asli? Mengapa tidak mereka membebaskan banduan? Mengapa target mereka adalah golongan wanita muda, ramping dan tinggi, berumur dalam lingkungan 13 – 28? Dan mengapa seruan pertama mereka kepada kamu adalah melucutkan tudung kamu?

Ingatlah baik-baik bahawa teman- andai kamu menganggapnya sedemikian- kerana demi Allaah, tiada keraguan lagi bahawa dia bisa menjadi musuh terbesar kamu di Hari Pembalasan kelak:

Teman-teman akrab pada hari itu sebahagiannya menjadi musuh bagi sebahagian yang lain kecuali orang-orang yang bertaqwa.Surah Zukhruf (43:67)

Seorang perempuan kafir menyatakan pandangannya terhadap wanita sebagai, “Ianya bukanlah tentang siapa dirimu, tetapi apa yang kamu pakai dan bagaimana rupa parasmu!” Dan dengarlah pandangan Fabian, seorang ‘model’ Perancis, komennya, “dunia fesyen menjadikanku boneka fesyen, sebuah patung kayu! Misinya adalah untuk memesongkan jiwa dan menjajah pemikiran. Aku belajar untuk menjadi seorang yang tiada bernilai, berjiwa kosong dan tidak berperasaan. Kami hidup di dalam dunia yang penuh kekotoran dengan unsur-unsur yang kotor.”

Ketika Rasool Allaah, sal Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallaam, berdiri di banjaran Arafah dan menyampaikan ucapan selamat tinggal, baginda berkata kepada ummah, “Layanilah wanita dengan sebaik mungkin!” Sementara sejarah mencatatkan bahawa di Eropah, pada tahun yang sama Islaam mengetengahkan didikan ini, pendakyah Kristian berdebat sama ada wanita adalah manusia atau binatang. Golongan pendakyah ini merupakan nenek moyang golongan kafir yang mahu membebaskan kamu sekarang.

Terdapat banyak lagi yang bisa dibicarakan. Saya akhiri dengan nasihat daripada Rasool Allaah, sal Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallaam, kepada setiap ibu, anak dan isteri Muslimah, bahawa: “Jika seorang wanita memelihara solat lima waktunya, berpuasa di bulan Ramadhan, memelihara dirinya daripada zina dan mentaati suaminya, akan dikatakan kepadanya, ‘ dari mana-mana pintu yang kamu suka, masuklah ke dalam Jannah!” Saudari sekalian, itulah tempat yang kamu hendak tujui.

Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, sambutlah seruan Allaah dan Rasool apabila dia menyeru kamu kepada suatu yang memberi kehidupan kepada kamu, dan ketahuilah bahawa sesungguhnya Allaah membatasi di antara seseorang dan hatinya, dan hanya kepada-Nya kamu semua akan dikumpulkan. Surah Al-Anfal (8:24)



Allaah dan RasoolNya menyeru kamu kepada kehidupan hakiki. Wahai Muslimah, sahutlah!

Give and Receive

[Hadith]
Allah's Messenger, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "You will
be treated the way you treat others."

[Lessons from this Hadith]
Everyone goes around whining that they want to be respected.
But, honestly, how much respect do we serve out to others? Make
a list of all the different ways you want to be treated. When
you are done, you will have a to-do list of how you should treat
people. You've succeeded: you'll be treated back the way you
treated the people!

What's your REAL PURPOSE?

[Quran]

{Do you think that We created you in vain, and that you would
not be returning to Us?}23:115

[Lessons from this Hadith]
What's your purpose in life? We know the 'right' answer, but for
what purpose are we spending our days and hours?

Renew your intentions now, renew your purpose in life, and move towards it,
today and everyday, until you return to your Creator.

SMILE. You are on CAMERA

[Hadith]
Abdullah ibn Haarith, radi Allahu 'anhu, said, "I have never
seen any one who smiled more then Allah's Messenger." Sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam.

[Lessons from this Hadith]
Try this: with a big sloppy smile, tell your friend "I hate
you!". You will notice that they start laughing. Why? Because
your body is speaking louder then your words. Win the hearts of
people by following the example of Allah's Messenger, sal Allahu
alayhi wa sallam. Smile! The angels got you on camera.

HONESTY leads to Jannah

[Hadith]
Allah's Messenger, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "Be
honest, for verily honesty leads to righteousness, and
righteousness leads to paradise."

[Lessons from this Hadith]
Live your life in a way that if someone was to open the door on
you at any moment, you would have nothing to hide.This is true
success. Think of something that you may be ashamed people will
find out about, and take some action right now to stop doing
it.

Keep hope ALIVE

[Qur'an]
{Never lose hope in the mercy of Allah}
[Al-Ahzab 39:53]

[Lessons from this verse]
We get very hard on ourselves sometimes. And while there is
benefit in taking ourselves to account, the sunshine comes from
never losing hope in Allah's mercy. Allah's mercy and
forgiveness is able to emcompass whatever you have done. So
knock on that door right now.

my no.1 GOAL IS ..

 [Qur'an]

"To any that desires the soil of the Hereafter, We will increase in his soil, and to any that desires the soil of this world, We grant somewhat thereof, but he has no share or lot in the Hereafter."

"Barang siapa yang menghendaki keuntungan di akhirat akan Kami tambah keuntungan itu baginya dan barang siapa yang menghendaki keuntungan di dunia Kami berikan kepadanya sebagian dari keuntungan dunia dan tidak ada baginya suatu bahagianpun di akhirat."
[Surat Ash-Shura 42:20]

[Lessons from this Verse]
When you ask people what their number one goal in life is, rarely do you hear the person immediately respond by saying
"Pleasing Allah, Jannat Al-Firdows - the highest level of Jannah, and being with Rasul Allah, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, in the hereafter."
But ... isn't that the correct answer? Let's make it a reality with how we live our lives!

I have SO MUCH alhamdulillah

[Hadith]
Abu Hurayrah, radi Allahu 'anhu, narrated: the Prophet, sal
Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "Being rich does not mean having a
great amount of property. Being wealthly is being content."
Saheeh Al-Bukhari

[Lessons from this Hadith]
A fool and his riches soon depart, but we don't call them a fool
until they don't have any money left. Don't get caught in the
trap. Look all around you at what Allah has given you, and from
the bottom of your heart, be pleased and say ALHAMDULILLAH!
There you will find the real treasure!

It's all under CONTROL

Qur'an:
Say: "Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our protector": and in Allah must Believers place their trust.
Surat At-Tawbah 9:51

[Lessons from this Verse] Whatever tests you are going through today, Allah knows it. He is your protector. Turn to Allah in submission and worship, placing your trust in Him, and watch what happens!

WHY SHOULD I STUDY ISLAM?

By Muhammed Al-Shareef

Many years ago in Uzbekistan, a baby boy was born blind. His Mother, the strong Mu’minah that she was, did not lose sight of He who had the Power to cure him. She prayed and prayed for her sons sight. And within a few years the boy regained his eyes. She was widowed, the boy an orphan. She traveled with him to Makkah so that he could receive an Islamic Education. She arranged that he attend the circles of the scholars, and in those circles, he began excelling in the science of Hadith. He traveled to distant villages in search of the most authentic sayings of Rasul Allah (pbuh). He would pray two raka’at before accepting a hadith. His mother named him: Muhammad ibn Isma’il. And many of us know him today by the book he compiled, the book that stands after the Quran in authenticity: Saheeh Al-Imam Al-Bukhari!

In another land, in another time, chilly Baghdad winds would wake up another boy. Much before Fajr, his mother would bundle him in warm shawls and escort him through the darkness, making sure he reached the Masjid safely. After Fajr, she would wait for him as he read Hadith to the biggest scholars of the land. Then, long after the sun had come up, she would meet him outside and together they would walk home. She was a strong mother indeed, for her son grew up to become an Imam of the Muslim Ummah, an Imam by the name of Ahmad ibn Hanbal.
- (Manaaqib Ahmad, by Ibn Al-Jowzee)
Imam Suyuti authored his first book, Tafseer Bismillaah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheeem, when he was in grade 2! Dear brothers and sisters, why should we try to follow in the footsteps of these many other stars of Islam? The information that we shall in sha’ Allah learn is not like anything else. This knowledge is the law of Allah and the inheritance of the Prophets. It is our duty to preserve and protect the estate of Rasul Allah (pbuh), something that cannot happen without there being serious and sincere brothers and sisters spending long days and nights reading, reflecting, and teaching others.

Every Islamic revival that takes place is built on something. Some revivals are built on emotions, others on politics. Do you know which shall remain firm when the wind of woe blows? It shall be the one that was built on sound knowledge of the words of Allah and the Sunnah of Rasul Allah. A sincere man once stood on the beach shore watching, to his dismay, the waves thrashing a fish up and down, left and right. The man concluded that he must save the fish. He thrashed into the water and grabbed the fish by the tail. He then thrashed back to shore and threw the fish on the beach, satisfied that he had saved it from the water!

Dear brothers and sisters, when we work for the sake of Allah without knowledge of what the path of Allah is, many times we do as that young man did. We are living in an age of information. We have lights in every corner of the house when only yesterday our ancestors read by the light of the moon. We have publishing houses when only yesterday our ancestors wrote the books they owned with their own hands. We have CD’s to search the Hadith archives when our scholars spent days upon days searching for proof and evidence in their libraries. Shouldn’t the knowledge increase with all this ease? It should. But it has not.

Dear brothers and sisters, we know that when a prize is great, the responsibility, and the work required for that prize shall also be great. And because of this, we see the enormous reward promised to those scholars and students of Islam due to the heavy work required. The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Whoever seeks out a path to acquire knowledge (of the deen), Allah makes easy a path for them to Jannah!” – Muslim

Shaykh Abdur-Rahman As-Sa’dee said, “Thus any path a person takes, whether physical or otherwise, something that will help them in acquiring knowledge of the Deen, they enter in the words of the Prophet, “Whoever seeks out a path to acquire knowledge (of the deen), Allah makes easy a path for them to Jannah.”
Rasul Allah told us that when a person seeks out a path to learn about Islam, this is a sign that Allah loves them and that He wants good for them in this life and the next.

From Mu’aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Whoever Allah wishes good for, he grants them Fiqh (understading) of the Deen.” And Rasul Allah told us that the sincere scholars have a place with Allah that no one else can reach, and that they are the inheritors of the Prophet’s estate in passing it on to the world. Rasul Allah said, “The virtue of the scholar to a worshipper (Aabid) is similar to the virtue of the moon when it is full to the rest of the stars. And verily the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. Verily the Prophets did not leave behind dirhams and deenars, but rather they left behind knowledge. Thus whoever takes it, takes it as a bountiful share.” – Authentic, narrated by Abu Dawood, tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah.
The position of the people of Islamic knowledge reached such a level that Allah (Jalla Thanaa’uhu wa taqaddasat Asmaa’uhu) and the Angels pray for them!

From Abu Umaamah: Rasul Allah said, “Verily Allah and His angels, even the ant in its hole and the fish in the sea, verily (they all) pray for he who teaches people good.” – authentic, narrated by Tabraanee.

Rasul Allah prayed for them also. He said, as narrated by Zayd ibn Thabit, “May Allah grant light (and happiness and beauty in the face) of someone who hears a hadith from us and memorizes it until he passes it on to others!” – authentic, narrated by Tirmidhi. One of the hadith scholars that Imam Bukhari took from, Hisham ibn Ammar narrates a story that happened to him when he was 8 years old. He says, “My father sold a house of his for 20 Deenaars so that I could go for Hajj (and study Islam). When I arrived in Madinah, I went to the circle of Imam Maalik. He was sitting amongst his students like a king. People would ask him questions and he would answer. When I entered the crowd and my turn came up I said, ‘Haddithnee (recite to me)!’ He said, ‘Rather you read.’ I said, ‘No, you haddithnee!’ Imam Maalik said, ‘No you read!’ When I talked back and argued, he got angry and said to another student, go with this boy outside and smack him 15 times!’ That student took me outside and smacked me 15 times with a stick and then brought me back to Imam Maalik. I said, ‘you have Dhulm (wronged) me! My father sold his house so that I could come to you and be honored by listening to your teaching and seek knowledge from you. And you smacked me 15 times without any crime on my part, I shall not forgive you!’ Imam Maalik then said, ‘What is the expiation for this Dhulm (wronging)?’ I said, ‘You have to recite 15 hadiths to me, that is the expiation.’ So Imam Maalik began reciting the hadith to me until he completed 15. When he ended I told him, ‘beat me more and read more hadith to me.” Imam Maalik laughed and said, ‘be off.’ – From the book Ma’rifat Al-Qurraa’ al-Kibaar by Imam Adh-Dhahabi.

From the beginning of time, there has been a race between the doers of good and the doers of evil. Adam and Iblees, Musa and Fir’own, Muhammad and Abu Jahl. Today that race has not ended.

Think: How hard are the doers of evil working and how hard are we?
Umar once said, “I seek Allah’s protection from Jalad (the strength and enthusiasm) of the sinner, and the laziness of the God-fearer.” Subhaan Allah, it is as if he is contemplating the time that we are now living in. How can one of us be too lazy to pray 2 raka’at at night, when the people of the Dunya spend the entire night watching movies, some of which they have to read the translation on the bottom of the screen? How can we be too lazy to read for 2 hours, when the people of the Dunya – those who just want more money to continue their sin – spend days upon days of all-nighters studying for their exams? Why do we cringe at paying 6 dollars for an Islamic book, when the people of the Dunya spend hundreds, rather thousands in pursuit of their sin?
What’s wrong? What has happened to us?
Listen to those who came before us. Some Fuqahaa’ said, “For years I desired to eat Hareesah (a sweet dish) and I wasn’t able to because it was only sold during class time.”
Imam Su’bah said, “If I ever saw someone running in the streets of the village I would only think one of two things: He was either crazy or a student of Hadith!”
And Ibn Al-Jowzee said, “I haven’t seen a flaw more sad in the community than those who stop working even though they have the ability to continue.”

How do we correct the situation dear brothers and sisters? Let us reflect on the following:
Firstly: We must be sincere in our desire to learn Islam. We are learning this Deen to rid ourselves, firstly, of ignorance and then to help others to rid themselves of ignorance.
Do you know the first Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, and in many many other Hadith books? It is not a coincidence that the first hadith is: “Verily Actions are (judged) by their intentions…” The scholars are reminding us from the very beginning of our path to learning, from page one, that it must be for the sake of Allah. Allah ordered us to be sincere to Him in what we do: [. And they have been commanded no more than this: to worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true (in faith)…] Al Bayyinah, 5
Rasul Allah said, “Whoever studies that which is meant for the sake of Allah, desiring only a piece of the Dunya, he shall not smell the frangrance of Jannah on the Day of Judgement.” – authentic, narrated by Ahmad, and Tirmidhi.
Ibn Abbas said, “Verily a man shall be protected (by Allah) in proportion to his niyyah (intention for doing what it is he is doing).”

And this issue of intention is not an easy matter. Sufyan ath-Thowree said, “I have never nursed something more rebellious than my intentions.” – from the book, Al-Ja’mi’ li akhlaaq al-Raawee, by Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadi.
Listen to the advice of Imam Ibn Jamaa’ah if you want to know what it takes to correct your intention, “A proper and sincere intention when studying Islam is to intend to win the pleasure of Allah by what you are doing. You should intend to practice what you learn, to resurrect the Shariah, hoping that this knowledge will shine light on your heart, cleanse your soul, and bring you closer to Allah on the day of Judgement…Your intention for studying Islam should not be to win any worldly commodity, like leadership or fame or riches. It should not be learnt so that you can show off to your colleagues or so that people will revere you and sit you in a chief position in their gatherings, and so on…” – from Imam Ibn Jamaa’ah’s book, Tadhkirat as-Saami’ wal Mutakallim.

Secondly: We should understand that we are in a continuous war with Shaytaan, and he does not want us to succeed in this studying. Allah ta’aala says, [When thou does read the Qur-an, seek Allah's protection from Satan the Rejected One.] An-Nahl, 98

The Shaytaan shall sit in the face of every good thing that you try to do. Rasul Allah told us, “The Shaytaan sits in the path (of every goodness) that the son of Aadam (may try to take). He sat in front of him when he took the path to Islam and told him, ‘how could you leave the religion of your fathers and your fore-fathers?’ But he disobeyed him and became Muslim. Then Shaytaan sat in front of him in his path to Hijrah and said, ‘How could you leave your land and your sky?’ But he disobeyed him and migrated (from Makkah). Then he sat in front of him in his path of Jihaad and said, ‘Why should you do Jihad? It will only exhaust your wealth and body. You’ll be killed, your wife will marry someone else, and your wealth will be divided (to others).’ But he disobeyed him and went for Jihad.” Rasul Allah then said, “Whoever does this, it is a duty upon Allah that He shall enter him into Jannah!”

How will the Shaytaan sit in your face:
1. He will tell you to study tomorrow, and when tomorrow comes, study tomorrow. Procrastination is from the Shaytaan!
2. Shaytaan will tell you that you are busy now and that later in your life you shall take the time out to study Islam. After marriage, after graduation, after you get a job. Life shall pass and the ‘after’ shall live forever.
3. Shaytaan will tell you that the situation of the Ummah is lost and that you studying will not help anything, so don’t waste your time. Combat this with what you’ve seen from the Jihad of knowledge and teaching that Rasul Allah and those that came before us did.
4. Shaytaan will tell you that there are enough scholars, they don’t need you. Combat this with the fact that scholars shall die, and if the knowledge is not passed on to the next generation, it shall die in the community. There are 1.4 billion Muslims and the problem that always comes up is that there are not enough teachers and scholars. Everyone is a shepherd and everyone shall be responsible for his or her flock!

Thirdly: We should never forget to pray to Allah to bless us with His Mercy in succeeding in our intentions to learn Islam for His sake.
Allah ta’aala says [When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me…] Surah AlBaqarah, 186

Let us pray to Allah now to make this effort we are doing to learn His Deen, to learn His Shariah, sincere for His sake. And that He blesses us by His Mercy to succeed in what we intend. Verily, he has the Power to do anything. Ameen.

The solution is in your HANDS

[Qur'an]
And When My servants ask you about Me, I am indeed close: I listen to the prayer of every praying person when he calls on Me: So let them also, listen to My call, and believe in Me, so that they may walk straight.
Surat AlBaqarah 2:18              

[Lessons from this Verse]
Allah promises to listen to us when we raise our hands in supplication. Too often when we are down or just can't get things done, we suffer in silence, and forget to turn to Allah

in supplication. Not today!

Sabr and Shukr-The worry stops here!

by: Muhammad al-Shareef

Aasiyah, the wife of Fir’own (Pharoah). Her Eeman in Allah thrived under the shadow of someone that said, “I am your Lord, Most High!” When news reached Fir’own of his wife’s Eeman he beat her and commanded his guards to beat her. They took her out in the scalding noon heat, tied her hands and feet and beat her perpetually. Who did she turn to? She turned to Allah! She prayed, “My lord, build for me a home with you in Paradise and save me from Fir’own and his deeds and save me from the transgressing people.”

It was narrated that when she said this, the sky opened for her and she saw her home in Paradise. She smiled. The guards watched astonished, she’s being tortured and she smiles? Frustrated, Fir’own commanded a boulder to be brought and dropped on Aasiyah, to crush her to death. But Allah took her soul before the boulder was brought and she became an example for all the believing men and women till the end of time:

And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Fir’own – when she said, “My Lord, Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir’own and his deeds, and save me from the transgressing disbelieving people.” [Qur'an 66:11]

In the Hadeeth of Jibreel [the Angel Gabriel], when he came to the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam (May Allah's peace and blessing be upon him), and asked him about Islam, Eeman, and Ihsaan, the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said about Eeman,

“Eeman is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His Messengers, the Final Day, and the divine decree, the good and the bad thereof.”

For the past few weeks we have been reflecting on this Hadeeth, only glimpses. Today we shall conclude with the last article of Eeman: to believe in the Divine decree, the good and the bad thereof. As you and I travel though life we find ourselves in one of two situations. Either something good is happening in our lives and in which case – as Muslims - our role is have Shukr (to thank Allah for the blessing). Or something bad is happening to us, something we dislike and our role here is to have Sabr (patience). This is the formula for a happy life, a life cruising towards the pleasure of Allah. Sabr or Shukr, the worry stops here.


The Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said,

“Strange is the affair of the Mu’min (the believer), verily all his affairs are good for him. If something pleasing befalls him he thanks (Allah) and it becomes better for him. And if something harmful befalls him he is patient (Saabir) and it becomes better for him. And this is only for the Mu’mmin.”
Ibn Al-Jowzee said,

“If this Dunya was not a station of tests it would not be filled with sicknesses and filth. If life was not about hardship, then the Prophets and the pious would have lived the most comfortable of lives. Nay, Aadam (Adam) suffered test after test until he left the Dunya. Nuh (Noah) cried for 300 years. Ibrahim (Abraham) was thrown into a pit of fire and later told to slaughter his son. Ya’qub (Jacob) cried until he became blind. Musa (Moses) challenged Fir’own and was tested by his people. Iesa (Jesus) had no provision except the morsels his disciples provided him with. And Muhammad sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam met poverty with patience, his uncle - one of the most beloved relatives to him - was slain and mutilated and his people disbelieved in him...And the list of Prophets and the pious goes on and on.”


What happens to us happens by the will of Allah. It is an article of our Eeman in Qada’ and Qadr that we are pleased with Allah’s choice, Good or seemingly bad it is all the test of this Dunya. How could we imagine that we shall not be tested when those who were better than us suffered what they suffered? They however came away with the pleasure of Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala (How far from imperfection is He and He is the Most High).

Al Hasan ibn Arafah narrated, “I visited Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal after he was whipped and tortured. I said to him, “O Abu Abdillaah, you have reached the station of the Prophets!” He said, “Keep quiet. Verily, I saw nothing more than people selling their Deen. And I saw scholars that were with me sell their Faith. So I said to myself, ‘Who am I? What am I? What am I going to say to Allah tomorrow when I stand in front of Him and He asks me, “Did you sell your Deen like the others did?”? So I looked at the whip and the sword and chose them. And I said, “If I die I shall return to Allah and say: ‘I was told to say that one of Your Characteristics was something created but I did not.’ After that, it will be upto Him - either to punish me of be Merciful on me.”

Al-Hasan ibn Arafah then asked, “Did you feel pain when they whipped you?” He said “Yes, I felt the pain up to 20 lashes then I lost all feeling (They whipped him over eighty times). After it was over I felt no pain and that day I prayed Dhurhr standing.”
Al-Hasan ibn Arafah started weeping when he heard what had happened. Imaam Ahmad questioned him, “Why are you crying? I did not lose my Eeman. After that why should I care if I lose my life.”

They were better than us but this was how they were tested.
Let us discuss some facts about these tests of life, the good and the bad that befalls us:

* Much of what befalls us – the hard times – is the direct result of our own sins.
Allah, ta’ala (The Most High), says:
And whatever misfortune befalls you it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much. [Qur'an 42:30]
Muhammad ibn Seereen used to say when his debts piled up and he felt sad, “I know that the cause of this sadness is a sin I committed over 40 years ago.”

*People understand that when something bad happens it is a test from Allah. But dear Brothers and Sisters, the good things that happen to us are also a test.
Allah, ta’ala, says:
And we tested them with good (blessings) and evil (calamities) in order that they might turn back [Qur'an 7:168]
Abd al-Malik ibn Ishaq said, “There is no one that is not tested with health and prosperity to measure how thankful he is (Shukr).”
And the Companion – Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf, radhiAllaahu 'anhu (May Allah be pleased with him), said, “We were tested with hardship and were patient. And then we were tested with prosperity and we were not patient. Because of this Allah states:
O ye who believe! Let not your wealth or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers. [Qur'an 63:9]

* Patience must happen from the beginning, not three days later or one day later, at the first news of the calamity, when it first happens.

The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said,

“Verily patience (is only Sabr when practiced) at the first hit (of news).”

* There are things that contradict Sabr. Tearing ones shirt, for example, slapping ones face, slapping hands, shaving ones head, and cursing and wailing. Umm Salamah narrates: I heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam say,

“Any Muslim that says when a calamity befalls him that which Allah commanded him: To Allah we belong and to him we return. O Allah reward me in this calamity and give me better then it – (any Muslim that says this) Allah will grant him better than (that which he lost).” [Muslim]

* These tests and hardships wash our sins. 'Aaisha radhiAllaahu 'anha said,

“Verily fever sheds sins like a tree sheds leaves.”

* The hardships that befall us distinguish the believers from the insincere.

Shumayt ibn Ajlaan said,

“The pious and the ungrateful are hidden by health. Yet when calamities befall the two men are separated (by how they react).”
Allah says in the Qur'an:
Alif/Laam/Meem. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say, “We believe,” and will not be tested? Indeed We tested those who (lived) before them [Qur'an 29:1-3]

Sabr or Shukr--The Worry Stops Here

by: Muhammad al-Shareef

Ali radhiAllaahu 'anhu said,
“Verily Sabr is to Eeman what the head is to the body. When the head is cut off, the body falls. (He then raised his voice) Verily there is no Eeman for he who has no Sabr (patience).”

There are three types of Sabr that the Muslim must have:
a. Sabr in the obedience of Allah. For example, One must be patient and perform their Fajr at it’s time.
b. Sabr in not disobeying Allah. Like someone might say, “I have to listen to music in the car.” No you are command by He who gave you those ears to not listen to those lullabies of the Devil. And you must have Sabr in not disobeying Allah.
c. Sabr in what Allah Decrees on us. For example, if our child was to pass away we should be patient and seek the reward of Allah in our patience and say only that which is pleasing to Allah.

There are two keys. If we understand them we shall open the door to Sabr in our lives:
The First Key: Know that our souls, families and wealth do not belong to us, they belong to Allah. He gave it to us as a loan to see what we would do with it. And when he takes it back He is taking back what belongs to Him. We had nothing before the blessing and we’ll have nothing after it. We did not create the blessing from nothing, so how can we claim that it belongs to us.
The Second Key: We are on a journey and the destination is the hereafter – Paradise or Hell. We’ll be leaving the Dunya behind us and we’ll come back to Allah by ourselves. This is what needs our focus. And if Allah is pleased with us then no worry. If He is not pleased with us then all worry.

Let me draw your attention to a verse. Listen carefully. Allah revealed:
Guard strictly the (five obligatory) prayers, especially the middle Salaah (prayer) and stand before Allah in obedience. [Qur'an 2:238]
The verses before this deal with divorce. The verses after it deal with divorce. Why was this verse placed in the middle? The Ulama’ (Islamic scholars) have suggested, Wa Allaahu a’lam (and Allah knows best), that in the hard times that a person goes through they should not forget the remembrance of Allah, the Salaah. And it is that Salaah coupled with Sabr that will pull them through.
O you who believe! Seek Help in Patience and Salaah. Truly, Allah is with those that are patient. [Qur'an 2:153]
There is good news for those who intend to act on their Sabr. Allah promised them three things: His prayer for them, His Mercy, and their guidance.
Who, when afflicted with calamity say,
“Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.”
They are those on whom the Salawat (the blessing and forgiveness) of their Lord is upon them, and who shall receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones [Qur'an 2:157]
Allah says:
And We made from among them leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient. [Qur'an 32:24]
Sufyan ibn Uyaynah commented,
“i.e. When they took hold of the leading issue, we made them leaders!”