I'm SAD, what can I SAY?

Hadith
Asmaa' bint Omays, radi Allahu 'anha, said:
Allah's Messenger,sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, told me, "Shall I not teach you words to say whenever you are aflicted with something? Say:'Allahu Rabbi (Allah is my Lord), Laa Shareeka lah (He has no partner).'" - Abu Dawood

[Lessons from this hadith]
The entire universe is the creation of Allah. When you find yourself aflicted by something, follow this advice of what to say and notice what happens. Allahurabbi, laa shareeka lah!

Bake a HUMBLE pie

From the Qur'an
{And give glad tidings to the humble. Those whose hearts, when Allah is mentioned, are filled with fear, who show patient perseverance over their afflictions, keep up regular prayer, andspend (in charity) out of what We have bestowed upon them.} 22:34-35

Dan sampaikanlah berita gembira (wahai Muhammad) kepada orang-orang yang tunduk taat; Iaitu orang-orang yang apabila disebut nama Allah, gerun gementarlah hati mereka dan orang-orang yang sabar (cekal hati) terhadap kesusahan yang menimpa mereka dan orang-orang yang mendirikan sembahyang, serta orang-orang yang mendermakan sebahagian dari rezeki yang Kami berikan kepadanya. Al-Hajj :34-35

[Lessons from this verse]

There are four ingredients to humility for the sake of Allah.

1. A heart conscious of Allah;

2. Having patience during afflictions;

3. Regular in Salah; and

4. Giving charity.

Are you missing an ingredient? Go add it today!

Just FORGIVE people

From the Qur'an

{It is part of the Mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them. Were you severe or harsh-hearted, they would have went away from you: so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs (of the moment). Then, when you have taken a decision, placey our trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who place their trust(in Him).}

[Maka dengan sebab rahmat (yang melimpah-limpah) dari Allah (kepadamu wahai Muhammad), engkau telah bersikap lemah-lembut kepada mereka (sahabat-sahabat dan pengikutmu), dan kalaulah engkau bersikap kasar lagi keras hati, tentulah mereka lari dari kelilingmu. Oleh itu maafkanlah mereka (mengenai kesalahan yang mereka lakukan terhadapmu) dan pohonkanlah ampun bagi mereka dan juga bermesyuaratlah dengan mereka dalam urusan (peperangan dan hal-hal keduniaan) itu. Kemudian apabila engkau telah berazam (sesudah bermesyuarat, untuk membuat sesuatu) maka bertawakallah kepada Allah, sesungguhnya Allah Mengasihi orang-orang yang bertawakal kepadaNya.]

( Al-Imran,3:159)

[Lessons from this verse]

It is not the snake bite that kills,it's the venom that flows through the blood. The antidote is forgiving people. Don't let anger rent space in your mind and heart. Forgive and pass over people's faults.

A bridge to PARADISE

Hadith Riwayat Muslim

Muslims are brothers

“Dari Abu Hurairah r.a., dari Nabi SAW, yang bersabda :

“Barangsiapa yang melapangkan seorang mukmin suatu kesusahan dari kesusahan-kesusahan dunia, nescaya Allah akan melepaskan dirinya dari suatu kesusahan dari kesusahan-kesusahan di hari kiamat. Dan barangsiapa yang meringankan penderitaan seorang yang susah, nescaya Allah akan meringankan penderitaan dirinya di dunia dan di akhirat. Barangsiapa yang menutup keaiban seorang Muslim, nescaya Allah akan menutup keaibannya di akhirat. Dan Allah selalu menolong hambaNya, selagi hambaNya berusaha menolong saudaranya. Barangsiapa yang menuju satu jalan untuk menuntut ilmu, nescaya Allah akan memudahkan suatu jalan baginya ke syurga. Dan tidak berhimpun suatu kelompok manusia dalam suatu rumah dari rumah-rumah Allah, mereka membaca Kitabullah dan mempelajarinya antara sesama mereka, melainkan diturunkan ke atas perhimpunan mereka ketenteraman, diliputi oleh rahmat, di kelilingi oleh para Malaikat dan disebut Allah kepada sesiapa yang di sisiNya. Sesiapa yang dilengahkan oleh amalannya maka tidak akan dipercepatkan oleh keturunannya.”

(It was related on the authority of Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu 'anhu, that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:
"Whosoever relieves from a believer some grief pertaining to this world, Allah will relieve from him some grief pertaining to the Hereafter. Whosoever alleviates the difficulties of a needy person who cannot pay his debt, Allah will alleviate his difficulties in both this world and the Hereafter. Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter. Allah will aid a servant (of His) so long as the servant aids his brother. Whosoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them, and Allah makes mention of them amongst those who are in His presence. Whosoever is slowed down by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage." )
(Hadith Riwayat Muslim)

LESSONS

"Whosoever relieves from a believer some grief pertaining to this world, Allah will relieve from him some grief pertaining to the Hereafter."

• The one who successfully removes a grief or distress that a Muslim is encountering will be rewarded more than the one who helps and tries his best to minimise the consequences of a certain difficulty.
• We have to motivate Muslims to help others and to remove the distress or difficulties of one another.
• The reward for the removal or relief of the distress of a Muslim will be rewarded by a removal of a similar distress or difficulty in the Hereafter
• The difficulties of this life are incomparable to the distress aspects of the Hereafter (which nobody can endure as it is beyond human capacity), Allah reserves the reward for removing a distress of a distressful aspect of this life until the Day of Judgment.

"Whosoever alleviates the difficulties of a needy person who cannot pay his debt, Allah will alleviate his difficulties in both this world and the Hereafter."

• The person who is owed the money might forgive the borrower and try to help him not just by giving him more time but also by reducing the amount of money owed or forgiving him.In the Hereafter Allah will reward him and forgive his sins because of his generosity.
• This means that there is a situation where a person who is kind to those in need and Allah will relief that person by rewarding him a great reward from Allah's Mercy and Help.
  

"Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter."

• Muslims should not reveal the mistakes of their Muslim brothers to others. Some Muslims today take it as a topic for fun and entertainment to reveal the mistakes of others even on very minor issues.
• As Muslims we should refrain ourselves from such acts. Consequently, the reward will be that Allah will conceal our faults from others.
• In this life we are subject to faults. If we do not conceal the faults of others, Allah will put us in a situation where our faults will be exposed to other people and everyone will be talking about them. So the punishment is relevant or of the same nature of the act if it is a bad act.
  
  
  "Allah will aid a servant (of His) so long as the servant aids his brother."

• The greater the help, the greater the reward.
• This is something that Muslims should take seriously because if we have a community which care about each other and help one another, then there would be no needy.
• This should be our attitude - we should seek to be motivated to offer our help at any time to our Muslim brothers.
  

"Whosoever follows a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise."

• Here we can find the encouragement of Islam in seeking and gaining knowledge.
• The knowledge seekers will be rewarded if the knowledge is beneficial to oneself as well as for the betterment of the Muslim community.
• This statement of the hadith can be interpreted in 3 ways:
  · Allah will make it easy for the knowledge seeker to gain the knowledge that he is seeking.
  · Allah will make it easy for the knowledge seeker so that he will benefit from the knowledge he is seeking. This means that he will benefit from the knowledge and this will lead him to enter Paradise. There are many people who seek knowledge but there are no blessings in the knowledge they seek. The crucial point here is the person should seek knowledge with good intentions.
  ·For the one who seeks knowledge with good intentions, Allah will safely help him go through the horrible incidents and situations on the Day of Judgment.
• Ibn Rajab classifies ilm (knowledge) into two types:
  · The outcome of knowledge is placed in the heart. That is the knowledge about Allah and His attributes that implies fearing Allah, glorifying Him, and loving Him.
  · The knowledge that we merely memorise or speak about - without our hearts being influenced or affected. This means that if the person does not abide by the knowledge that he has already obtained, then he is in a very critical situation where the he may be subject to the punishment of Allah.

"No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them, and Allah makes mention of them amongst those who are in His presence."

Here the hadith implies a preferable act: to go to the mosque, to recite and study the Qur'an, or attending lectures. Ibn Rajab says that this can be applied to all branches of knowledge and not just the Qur'an. The hadith mentions four rewards for those who gather in the mosque:

• Tranquility - this is a great reward which includes relief from stress and being calm.
• The Mercy of Allah over them.
• The angels surrounding them.
• Allah making mention of them amongst those who are in His presence.
  

"Whosoever is slowed down by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage."

• This indicates that doing deeds are the means of getting the rewards and that will lead a person to Paradise.
  
  CONCLUSION
  "A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim - he does not wrong him nor does he forsake him when he is in need; whosoever is fulfilling the needs of his brother, Allah is fulfilling his needs; whosoever removes distress from a believer, Allah removes from him a distress from a distressful aspect of the Day of Resurrection; and whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection."
  


• Muslims are brothers - one will not harm another nor will he do injustice or fail him when he is in need.
• So, the hadith can be taken as a motivation for helping other Muslims, especially those who are in need.
• We just need to imagine the situation of the ummah when we help each other and fulfill the needs of others.
• We will end up being a better society, with less needy people, and stronger social ties that will lead to the strength of the Muslim ummah at large.

You have guided me to a path that you know not yourselves

Very Beneficial and Inspiring Read

Stories of Repentance

Compiled by Muhammad Abdu-Mughawiri

The following story is narrated by Abdul-Wahid bin Zaid:

"We were on a sea vessel once, when the wind suddenly became tempestuous, and we were forced to leave the high seas and seek refuge on an island. We were surprised to see that we were not alone on the island; there standing before us was a man who was busy worshipping an idol. We introduced ourselves and then said, 'We do not have anyone on our ship that does as you are doing.'

The man asked, 'Then who is it that you worship?'

We said, 'We worship Allah.'

He asked, 'And who is Allah?'

We said, 'He Whose Throne is in the Heavens and Whose dominion is in the heavens, the earth, and all that exists.'

'And how did you come to know that?' asked the man.

'He sent a messenger to us with clear proofs and miracles, and it was that messenger who informed us about Him.

''And what has happened to your messenger?

''When he finished conveying the message, Allah caused him to die,' we answered.

'Has he left you no sign?' the man asked.

'He has left among us Allah's Book,' we said.

'Show it to me,' requested the man.

When we showed him a copy of the Quran,

he said, 'I cannot read it,' and so we read a part of it for him. He then cried and said, 'The One Whose speech this is must not be disobeyed.' Not only did the man then accept Islam, he also assiduously learned its teachings and then put what he learned into practice.When the weather calmed down and we were ready to leave the island, he asked us if he could be a passenger on our ship. We of course agreed to have him join us, and it was a good thing that he came with us, for it gave us the opportunity to teach him a number of chapters of the Quran. At the end of the first evening of travel, all of us crewmen got ready to go to sleep.

Our new passenger said, 'O people, the Lord that you guided me to, does He sleep?'

We said, 'He is the Ever Living, the One who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtake Him.

'He looked at us and said, 'It is indeed bad manners for a slave to sleep in the presence of his master.' With a great deal of energy and vigor, he then jumped up and began to pray; and his crying voice could be heard until the morning.When we reached a place caled 'Abaadaan [a place situated in present-day Iran], I said to my companions, 'This man is a stranger here, moreover, he is a new Muslim. We would do well to gather some money for him in order to help him out.' We gathered what we could, but when we tried to give him the money,

he exclaimed, 'What is this!

'We said, 'Money that you can spend on yourself.

'He said, 'How perfect Allah is! You have guided me to a way that you do not know yourselves. When I was living on a barren desert in the middle of the ocean, I worshipped other than Him, yet He did not allow me to go without; then how is it possible that He will make me be needy, when it is Him alone that I now worship? Indeed He is the Creator and the Provider.'

He then left us and went on his way.A number of days passed before we heard any news of his whereabouts. We were told he was in such and such place and that he was extremely sick. When we reached him, we saw that he was on the verge of dying. After extending greetings of peace to him, I said, 'Do you need anything?'

He said, 'The One Who brought you to the island when I did not know Him has provided me with all that I need,' he said.I sat down beside him, thinking that I could stay for a while and comfort him. I soon fell asleep, howver, and saw a dream. In the graveyard of Abaadaan I saw the most beautiful girl that I have ever seen. She was saying, 'Hasten his burial, for it is a long time now that I have been yearning for him.' I woke up with a start and found that he had just died. I washed his body and enshrouded him. That night, after the burial had taken place, I saw another dream. In it, he was looking very handsome, and the same girl was sitting on the bed. Sitting beside her, he continued to repeat the verse:

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

Peace be upon you for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home! "[Al-Ra'ad : 24]

[Al-Mawaa'idh wal-Majaalis: 40-42]

Call on Allah in the GOOD times

From the Qur'an:

"When some trouble touches man, he cries to his Lord,turning to Him in repentance: but when He bestows a favour upon him as from Himself, (man) forgets what he cried and prayed for before, and sets up partners to Allah, thus misleading others from Allah's Path. Say, "Enjoy your blasphemy for a little while: verily you are (one) of the Companions of the Fire!"

[Dan apabila manusia disentuh oleh sesuatu bahaya, dia segera berdoa kepada Tuhannya dengan keadaan rujuk kembali bertaubat kepadaNya; kemudian apabila Allah memberikannya sesuatu nikmat (sebagai kurnia) daripadaNya, lupalah dia akan segala bahaya yang menyebabkannya merayu kepada Allah sebelum itu dan dia pula menjadikan sekutu-sekutu bagi Allah, untuk menyesatkan dirinya (dan orang lain) dari jalan Allah. Katakanlah (kepadanya): Bersenang-senanglah engkau dengan kekufuranmu itu bagi sementara, sesungguhnya engkau dari penduduk Neraka]

{Az-Zumar, 39:8}
[Lessons from this verse]

We normally reserve turning inrepentance to when troubled times come upon us. No, we are equally commanded to turn in repentance when the mercy of Allah is showered upon us, because that is the time so many people attribute that mercy to other then Allah.

Sejenak mengenali ashabul hadith

Wahai orang-orang Yang beriman! jika datang kepada kamu seorang fasik membawa sesuatu berita, maka selidikilah (untuk menentukan) kebenarannya, supaya kamu tidak menimpakan sesuatu kaum Dengan perkara Yang tidak diingini - Dengan sebab kejahilan kamu (mengenainya) - sehingga menjadikan kamu menyesali apa Yang kamu telah lakukan.

[Al-Hujjurat:6]

Ashabul Hadith =Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah = Salaful Soleh=ahlul athar=firqah najiah (gol.selamat)=at-taiefah al-mansurah=ahlul at-ittiba’=salafiyyah

Sabda baginda salallahualaihiwasalam:" Aku tinggalkan kepada kamu dua perkara yang jika kamu berpegang padanya tidaklah kamu sesat iaitu kitab Allah (Al-Quran) dan sunnah rasulnya." (Hadith Hasan, riwayat Malik dalam Muwatho (no 898), Hakim dalam Mustadrak no.63).
dan..
Sabda baginda salallahualaihiwasalam melalui riwayat Aisyah ra :“ Sebaik-baik kurun manusia ialah kurun aku berada di dalamnya dan kemudian kurun kedua (Sahabat) dan kurun ketiga (Tabi’ien). “ (hadith Sahih riwayat Muslim no 1965 Jilid 2, Abu Daud no. 44 Jilid 5).

Mengenai ashabul hadith pula...
Sufyan At Tsauri berkata : “Malaikat adalah penjaga-penjaga langit dan Ashabul Hadith adalah penjaga-penjaga dunia”
Ibnu Zura’I juga mengatakan : “Setiap Dien memiliki pasukan berkuda , dan pasukan berkuda dalam Dien ini (Islam) adalah Ashabul Asanid (Ashabul Hadith)”

Begitulah pentingnya ashabul hadith ini kepada setiap peringkat generasi umat islam dalam memelihara kesucian agama islam yang diwarisi dari tiga kurun manusia terbaik...

Antara mereka yang terawal yang digelar ashabul hadith ialah:
Urwah bin Zubair (wafat 94H)
Muhammad bin Sirrin @ Ibnu Sirrin (wafat 110H)
Umar bin Abdul Aziz (wafat 101 H)
Muhammad bin Syibab Az-Zuhri (wafat 125 H) dan lain-lain….

Kemudian pengikut tabi’ut tabi’in tokoh-tokoh mereka adalah
Imam Malik (wafat 179H)
Al-Auza’I (wafat 198H)
Sufyan Ats Tsauri (wafat 161H)
Abu Hanifah An Nu’man (wafat 150H) dan lain-lain….

Setelah itu pengikut mereka adalah
Abdullah ibnu Mubarak (wafat 181H)
Imam Muhammad bin Idris Asy Syafi’I @ Imam Syafi’I (wafat 204H)
Yahya bin Said Al-Qattan (wafat 198H)
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (wafat 241H)…dan lain-lain…

Kemudian murid-murid mereka adalah
Al-Bukhari (wafat 256H)
Muslim (wafat 261H)
Abu Dawud (wafat 275H)
At-Tirmidzi(wafat 279H)
An-Nasa’I (wafat 303H)..dan lain-lain

Dan generasi berikutnya yang mengikut manhaj (prinsip-prinsip/jalan hidup) mereka ialah:
Ibnu Jarir At Thabari (wafat 310H)
Ibnu Khuzaimah (wafat 311H)
Imam ar-Ramahurmuzi (wafat 360H)
Ad Daruquthni (wafat 385H)
Imam al-Hakim (wafat 405H)
Ibnul Abdil Barr (wafat 463H)
Ibn Solah (wafat 643H)
Imam an-Nawawi (wafat 676H)
Ibnu Taimiyyah (wafat 728H)
Al Mizzi (wafat 743H)
Adz Dzahabi (wafat 748H)
Ibnu Katsir (wafat 774H)
Imam al-Iraqi (wafat 805H)
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (wafat 852H)

Dan antara yang paling hampir dengan generasi kini (abad ke-14) adalah…
Syeikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab (wafat 1206H)
Nashiruddin al-Albani (wafat 1420 H)
Syeikh Abdul Aziz bin Baaz (wafat 1420 H)

Semoga Allah subhanahuwata'ala merahmati para ashabul hadith ini di akhirat kelak...Amin

sumber : Buku- Mari Mengenal Ilmu Hadith karangan Ahmad Fauzan Abu Muadz alfauzani bin Yahya (RM7.90)

“ Katakanlah (hai Muhammad): "Inilah jalanku, aku dan orang-orang yang mengikutiku berdakwah ke jalan Allah dengan bashirah (petunjuk dan ilmu), maha suci Allah dan aku tidak termasuk orang-orang yang musyrik."

[Yusuf: 108].

TRUST in the promise of Allah

From the Qur'an
{So she watched out for him from a distance while they did not notice. We kept him from nursing at first, and so (his sister) said: "Shall I lead you to a family who will look after him for you? They will take good care of him."

Thus We returned him to his mother so that he might comfort her and she would not feel sad, and so that she would know that Allah's promise is true, even though most of them do not realize it.}

[Dan Kami jadikan dia dari mulanya enggan menyusu kepada perempuan-perempuan yang hendak menyusukannya; (melihatkan halnya itu), kakaknya berkata: Mahukah, aku tunjukkan kamu kepada penduduk sebuah rumah yang dapat memeliharanya untuk kamu, serta mereka tulus ikhlas kepadanya?

Maka (dengan jalan itu) Kami kembalikan dia kepada ibunya supaya tenang tenteram hatinya dan tidak berdukacita (disebabkan bercerai dengannya) dan supaya ia mengetahui bahawa janji Allah (untuk menyelamatkannya) adalah benar; akan tetapi kebanyakan mereka tidak mengetahui (yang demikian itu).]
~ Surat AlQasas 28/12-13

[Lessons from these verses]

Allah promised to protect and return baby Musa, alayhis salam, ... and He fulfilled His promise.When Allah promises us something, it will happen. What has Allah promised you, and is there any doubt in your Creator fulfilling it?

You don't know PAIN

From the Qur'an
{It may be that you detest something which is good for you; and it may be you love something even though it is bad for you.Allah knows, and you do not know.}~ Surat AlBaqarah 2/216
[Lessons from this verse]
Pain doesn't feel good when it happens, but Allah knows that it may be the best thing for us at that moment. And sometimes we may be praying so hard for stuff,and Allah knows how bad it is for us. Allah knows and we do not.Trust in Allah.

Actions are judged by intentions

It is narrated on the authority of Amirul Mu'minin, Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say: "Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated." [1:51-S.A.][Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Niyyah (intention) has two meanings:
i.The intention before an ibadah (e.g. prayer)
ii.The willingness

**The second meaning (ii.) is what is meant in this hadith.

LESSONS

The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, starts the hadith with the principle ("Actions are judged by intentions") and then gives three examples. This is the methodology of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam. The examples help illustrate the principle so that it is easier for people to understand and they can apply the principle to other similar situations.

The three examples consist of one of good intention (migration for the sake of Allah and His Messenger) and two of bad intentions (migration for the sake of worldly gains or for marriage).
This hadith emphasises ikhlas (sincerity - to be truthful and honest to Allah alone, performing an act solely for Allah's sake whereby no other witness except Allah is sought). Ikhlas is one of the conditions of accepting good deeds. Imam al-Harawi states that there are 7 types of self-desires:-

• To make oneself appear good in the hearts of others


• To seek the praises of others


• To avoid being blamed by others


• To seek the glorification of others


• To seek the wealth/money of others


• To seek the services or love of others


• To seek the help of others for oneself

Ways to obtain ikhlas
>>Do righteous deeds - the more good deeds we do and hence get closer to Allah, the more sincere we will be.
>>Before we do any deed we should firstly seek knowledge (ilm) - our actions/deeds should be guided by knowledge so that we do them in accordance to the Shariah.
>>Do not give false impressions - do not make others believe that an action we did was good when it was not.

Al-Imam Ahmad said: Before you do anything, check your intention (niyyah) - ask yourself before performing an action: "Is it for the sake of Allah?"
Ibnu al-Qayyim says: Any action we do is subject to three defects:
++Being conscious that others are observing our actions
++Seeking a return (benefit/reward) for the action
++Being satisfied with the action
Things that contradict ikhlas
--Ma'siat - committing sins - this will weaken our ikhlas
--Shirk - associating others with Allah
--Riya' - performing an ibadah with the intention of showing off to others
--Nifaq - hypocrisy

CONCLUSION
Our actions are undermined by our intentions - whether they are good intentions or bad intentions. Therefore we should always check our intentions before we do or say anything. We must make sure that the action is for the sake of Allah so that it is accepted by Allah and that we will be rewarded for it, insha Allah.

Focus on what is in YOUR control

From the Qur'an
{That is a nation which has already passed away: there awaits it whatever it has earned, while you will have what you have earned. You will not be questioned about what they have been doing.}
[Itu adalah umat yang telah lalu; baginya apa yang diusahakannya dan bagimu apa yang kamu usahakan; dan kamu tidak akan diminta pertanggungan jawab tentang apa yang telah mereka kerjakan.]

Surat Al-Baqarah 2/141

[Lessons from this verse]
We spend and waste oh-so-much time on the faults of others, yet on the enormous day we will not be asked about them. We will be asked about how we spent OURlives. Focus on what is in YOUR control today.

The way out

From the Qur'an

"Allah will grant a way out for anyone who heeds Him, and provide for him in a manner he could have never anticipated.Allah is enough for anyone who relies on Him; Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has granted everything in due proportion."

[Dan barangsiapa yang bertawakkal kepada Allah niscaya Allah akan mencukupkan (keperluan)nya. Sesungguhnya Allah melaksanakan urusan yang (dikehendaki)Nya. Sesungguhnya Allah telah mengadakan ketentuan bagi tiap-tiap sesuatu.]

}~ Surat Talaq 65/2-3

[Lessons from these verses] Do the right thing, do what you know is pleasing to Allah, and success will be yours.

the bountiful doors of asking FORGIVENESS

Qur'an, from the story of Nuh with his people:

"Next I appealed to them publicly; then I broadcast it to them and confided with them privately, proclaiming: 'Seek forgiveness from your Lord; He is so Forgiving. He causes the sky to send torrents down upon you and He supplies you with wealth and children, and grants you gardens and even grants you rivers."

or:

["Kemudian sesungguhnya aku menyeru mereka dengan terang-terangan dan dengan diam-diam, maka aku katakan kepada mereka: 'Mohonlah ampun kepada Tuhanmu, -sesungguhnya Dia adalah Maha Pengampun. Nescaya Dia akan mengirimkan hujan kepadamu dengan lebat, dan membanyakkan harta dan anak-anakmu, dan mengadakan untukmu kebun-kebun dan mengadakan (pula di dalamnya) untukmu sungai-sungai."]

- [Surah Nuh 71/9-12]
[Lessons from these verses]

Whatever you are seeking in life,knock on the doors of forgiveness and they will both open.

Beruntungnya Memohon Keampunan Allah

Diriwayatkan dari Abu Hurairah r.a.: Aku pernah mendengar Nabi s.a.w bersabda,

"Seandainya seseorang melakukan perbuatan dosa kemudian berkata,

"Wahai Tuhanku! Aku telah berdosa, maafkanlah aku!
Maka Tuhannya berkata, "Hamba-Ku mengetahui bahawa ia memiliki Tuhan yang akan mengampuni dosanya dan menghukumnya. Oleh kerana itu aku akan mengampuni (dosa) hamba-Ku".

Kemudian ia berhenti tidak melakukan perbuatan dosa untuk sementara waktu dan kemudian melakukannya lagi dan berkata,

"Wahai Tuhanku! Aku melakukan perbuatan dosa lagi, ampunilah aku!"

Maka Allah berkata, "Hamba-Ku tahu bahawa ia memiliki Tuhan yang akan memberinya ampunan dan hukuman. Oleh kerana itu Aku akan mengampuni (dosa) hamba-Ku!"

Untuk beberapa lama ia tidak melakukan perbuatan dosa dan setelah beberapa waktu kembali ia melakukan perbuatan dosa dan berkata,

"Wahai Tuhanku! Aku melakukan perbuatan dosa yang lain. Ampunilah dosaku!' Maka Allah berkata, "Hamba-Ku tahu bahawa ia memiliki Tuhan yang akan memberinya ampunan atau hukuman. Oleh kerana itu Aku akan memberi hamba-Ku ampunan dan ia dapat melakukan apa pun yang ingin ia lakukan."
-Sahih Bukhari 2225 (9:598-S.A)

Placing your TRUST in Allah

One day Allah's Messenger, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the Bedouin, "Why don't you tie down your camel?"The Bedouin answered, "I placed my trust in Allah." At that, the Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "Tie your camel and place your trust in Allah"

- Tirmidhi
[Lessons from this hadith] Placing trust in Allah means doing everything that is necessary for success! <--that's a big one!

ALLAH's Will...

“Tiada suatu bencana pun yang menimpa di bumi dan (tidak pula) pada dirimu sendiri melainkan telah tertulis dalam kitab (Lauhul Mahfuzh) sebelum Kami menciptakannya.Sesungguhnya yang demikian itu adalah mudah bagi Allah. (Kami jelaskan yang demikian itu) supaya kamu jangan berduka cita terhadap apa yang luput dari kamu, dan supaya kamu jangan terlalu gembira terhadap apa yang diberikan-Nya kepadamu. Dan Allah tidak menyukai setiap orang yang sombong lagi membanggakan diri.”
(QS:Al-Hadid [57]:22-23)

Be Outstanding

The Messenger of Allah, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said,
"Allah has commanded that everything (one does) they should do it with excellence (ihsan). When you sacrifice, sacrifice well.Sharpen your knife and make it easy for the animal to be slaughtered." - Muslim

("Sesungguhnya Allah telah mewajibkan bersikap baik terhadap segala sesuatu, jika engkau hendak membunuh hendaklah mebunuh(korban) membunuhlah dgn cara yg baik dan jika engkau menyembelih maka sembelihlah dengan cara yang baik")- Hadis Riwayat Muslim

[Lessons from this hadith] Don't just aim to be 'good', be outstanding! This is what is required of a Muslim, in everything they do!

Larangan mengumpat

"Hai orang-orang yang beriman, janganlah suatu kaum mencemuhkan kaum yang lain kerana boleh jadi yang dicemuhkan itu lebih baik dari mereka yang mencemuhkan. Dan jangan pula wanita-wanita mencemuhkan wanita-wanita lain kerana, boleh jadi wanita-wanita yang dicemuhkan itu lebih baik. Dan janganlah pula kamu mencela dirimu sendiri dan jangan lah kamu memanggil dengan gelaran yang buruk. Seburuk-buruk panggilan adalah (panggilan) yang buruk sesudah iman dan sesiapa yang tidak bertaubat, maka mereka itulah orang-orang yang zalim."

(QS: Al-Hujuurat [49]:11)

“Hai orang-orang yang beriman, jauhilah kebanyakan prasangka (kecurigaan), sesungguhnya sebahagian dari prasangka itu adalah dosa. Dan janganlah kamu mencari-cari kesalahan orang lain dan janganlah sebahagian kamu mengumpat sebahagian yang lain. Sukakah salah seorang di antara kamu memakan daging saudaranya yang sudah mati? Maka tentulah kamu merasa jijik kepadanya. Dan bertakwalah kepada Allah. Sesungguhnya Allah Maha Penerima Taubat lagi Maha Penyayang”
(QS: Al-Hujuurat [49]:12)

Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveler/wayfarer

On the authority of Ibn 'Umar, radiyallahu 'anhuma, who said: The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, took me by the shoulder and said:

"Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveler/wayfarer."

Ibn 'Umar used to say: "When evening comes, do not expect (to live till) morning, and when morning comes, do not expect (to live till) evening. Take from your health (a preparation) for your illness, and from your life for your death."

The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, tells the believers how to deal with this life, and as usual he offers his audience with more than one choice. In this hadith, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, is giving two choices or levels with regards to living in this world:

1) TO BE AS A STRANGER

This is usually the easier choice. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, used the analogy 'to be as a stranger' because:
Ibn Rajab points out, the stranger is usually prepared to eventually go back to his original place or home town. His heart will always long for his home. His main concern will be to be in preparation to do whatever possible and beneficial for returning. A stranger does not look like the other people in his current environment - he is different. Similarly, the believer should be different from those who only care about this life and worldly matters. He should rid himself of the yearning for this materialistic world, a world where some people do not care about the spiritual aspects and the Hereafter. As believers, we should be different from the 'people of this world'.
Ibn Al-Qayyim, a famous Muslim scholar, says that a Muslim is a stranger amongst the disbelievers and the Mu'min is a stranger amongst the Muslims, and the Muhsin is a stranger amongst the Mu'mins. This means that there are different levels of being a stranger: the lowest level is Islam, the second level is Iman and the third level is Ihsan.

2) TO BE A TRAVELER OR WAYFARER, TRAVELING ALONG A PATH
This is a higher level than the stranger. The traveler is always traveling day and night without stopping, he is heeding towards his final destination. Even if he stops for a while, this is to provide himself with the needed power to continue his journey and to go farther until he achieves his main objective. A stranger might obtain and keep more things than he actually needs but the traveler takes as little as possible in terms of luggage or other things. Similarly, the believer who is in such a situation has a main objective or concern - and that is not to take more than what he needs (i.e. he should not be weighed down with materialistic things ;wealth). Another thing is the traveler needs to know that he is traveling on the right path, the straight path. For this, he needs to obtain the right knowledge (ilm). He also needs good, helpful companions to help him on his way.Some scholars ask how would a person be contented with this life where the day distorts the month and the month distorts the year and the year will distort the age? That is how this person will be satisfied with this life if his age will lead him to his final destination and his life will lead him to death. One scholar said when a person looks back at his life since his awareness of this life until this moment; it will seem like a blink of an eye. What remains for the rest of his life is also like that 'blink of an eye'. If that is the case, the person should be careful and wise up.

The Impact of This Hadith on the Life Of Muslims

1.To increase the sense of responsibility in terms of our duties towards Allah, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, relatives, and the community members.
2.To motivate the Muslims to enjoin what is good and to forbid what is evil.
3.To be closer to Allah at all times.
4.To minimise weaknesses, shortcomings and sinful acts.
5.To maximise self-accountability and self-reckoning.
7.To be safeguarded from being misled or enslaved by self-interests, desires and worldly temptations.

Challenges That Threaten the Above Mentioned Concept of Dealing with This Life in a Good Way

1. The promotion of the materialistic aspects of life, especially by the media.
2. The complexity of contemporary life where there are more problems, and the engagement in life activities without proper balance.
3. The challenges of modernity and the challenges of globalisation and promotion of imposed corrupted western values.
4. Rapid life changes due to technology advancement and progress which in turn creates other problems, such as:

• Adjustment between the old lifestyle and the new lifestyle.
• The emergence of new values which lead to conflicts between sets of values.
• The increase of social ills.
• The weak religious awareness and education or spiritual training in the Islamic world (i.e. tazkiyyah).
• Technology misuse.

We All Need Love

Allah's Messenger, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said:

"If Allah loves someone He calls (angel) Jibreel and says: I love so-and-so, so you love him. Jibreel loves him, and calls the other angels in Heaven to love that person. They love him,then his love will be made upon earth, and he becomes loved."And if Allah hates someone He calls Jibreel and says: I hate so-and-so and you hate him. Jibreel hates him and calls the angels in Heaven and says: Allah hates so-and-so, so you all hate him. They all hate him, and his hatred is made upon earth and he becomes hated."

- Muslim[Lessons from this hadith] People do things for the sake of seeking out love from other humans. All the love you need is found in obeying Allah. Do actions sincerely to win Allah's love, and love will be yours!

Seek Out Benefit

On the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah, salAllahu alayhi wa salla, said:

"Seek out that which benefits you,seek help only from Allah and never say you can't do it."If any adversity comes to you, do not say: 'If I had only acted in such-and-such a way, it would have been such-and-such;' but instead, say: 'Allah has decreed (it)and what He willed, He has done,' for verily, (the word) "(if)" opens the way for the work of Satan."

["Bersungguh-sungguhlah kamu mendapatkan apa yang mendatangkan manfaat bagi kamu dan pohonlah pertolongan kepada Allah dan janganlah kamu lemah, dan sekiranya suatu musibah menimpa kamu janganlah kamu mengatakan : ' Kalau saya melakukan itu dulu sudah tentu saya akan begini dan begitu, tetapi katakanlah, Ini adalah takdir Allah, Dia berkuasa melakukan apa yang dia kehendaki. Sesungguhnya "kalau" pembuka amalan syaitan"]

- Saheeh Muslim[Lessons from this hadith] If there is something that willbenefit you, make every effort and go after it! Seek it out.There is no failure, only lessons.

The most blessed night, Laylatul Qadr

When the Night Equals a Thousand
By Muhammad Alshareef

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 ta’ala) for more than forty years of his life. “Let him separate himself from the congregation,” Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) told Musa (Alahi salaam). “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 ta’ala), “O Allah, you blessed us with rain even though the sinner did not come forward.” And Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) 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 ta’ala) replied, “O Musa, I hid his sins for forty years, do you think that after his repentance I shall expose him?”
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) revealed the Qur’an in the most blessed month; the month of Ramadan, the month in which the Qur’an was sent down.
On the most blessed night, the Grand night: Laylatul Qadr; “Verily, we revealed the Qur’an on the night of Qadr.”
Ibn Jareer narrates, on the authority of Mujaahid that there was a man from Bani Israel who used to spend the night in prayer. Then in the morning he would fight the enemy in the Way of Allah during the day, until the evening and he did this for a thousand months.
And so Allah revealed the Surah: “Verily, We sent it down in the night of Al-Qadr” until the verse “The night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months” That is, standing in prayer on that night is better than the actions of that man.
Sufyaan ath-Thawree reports, on the authority of Mujaahid (also), that the night of Al-Qadr being better than a thousand months means that the good deeds performed on it, fasting on it, and standing in prayer on it are better than a thousand months’ good deeds, prayers and fasting. (Narrated by Ibn Jareer)
It is reported from Abu Hurairah that he said: “When the month of Ramadan came, the Messenger of Allah said: ‘The month of Ramadan has come, a blessed month in which Allah has made it obligatory for you to fast; in it the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained. In it is a night better than a thousand months, whoever loses the benefit of it has lost something irreplaceable.’” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad and An-Nasaa'i).
It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever stood in prayer on the night of Al-Qadr, in faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, he will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
This one night surpasses the value of 30,000 nights. The sincere believer who worries day and night about his sins and phases of neglect in his life patiently awaits the onset of Ramadan. During it he hopes to be forgiven by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) for past sins, knowing that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) promised that all who bear down during the last ten days shall have all their sins forgiven. To achieve this, the believer remembers the Prophet’s (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) advice in different sayings wherein he used words like “seek”, “pursue”, “search” and “look hard” for Laylatul Qadr.
Laylatul Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. The Mu’min should search for it in the last ten nights of Ramadan, passing the nights in worship and obedience.
For those who catch the opportunity, their gift is that of past sins wiped away.
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) illustrated for us some of the things we should be doing on this Grand Night. From his blessed Sunnah we find the following:
Praying Qiyaam (night prayer):
It is recommended to make a long qiyaam prayer during the nights on which Laylatul Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many ahadeeth, such as “Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in Laylatul Qadr [and it is facilitated for him] out of faith and expectation (of Allah’s reward), will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the addition “and it is facilitated for him” is recorded by Ahmad from the report of ‘Ubaadah Bin as-Samit; it means that he is permitted to be among the sincere worshippers during that blessed night.]
Making Supplications:
It is also recommended to make extensive supplication on this night. ‘A'ishah reported that she asked Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) “O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylatul Qadr, what should I say during it?” And he instructed her to say: “Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee - O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love forgiveness. So forgive me.” [An authentic Hadith recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah and at-Tirmidhi.]
Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship:
It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the nights on which Laylatul Qadr is likely to fall. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for worshipping Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala).
‘A'ishah reported: “When the (last) ten started, the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) would tighten his izaar (i.e. he stayed away from his wives in order to have more time for worship), spend the whole night awake (in prayer) and wake up his family.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
And she said: “Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used to exert more (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights.” [Muslim]
Have we estimated Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) correctly?
The opportunity of Laylatul Qadr is coming in the next few days. Life is about people that take advantage of their opportunities to win the love of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), and this is indeed one of those chances. Abu Dah Daah was one of those who found an opportunity and won that which is greater than the heavens and the earth. An adult companion of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) cultivated his garden next to the property of an orphan. The orphan claimed that a specific palm tree was on his property and thus belonged to him. The companion rejected the claim and off to the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) went the orphan boy to complain. With his justness, the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) measured the two gardens and found that the palm tree did indeed belong to the companion. The orphan erupted crying. Seeing this, the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) offered the companion, “would you give him the palm tree and to you is a palm tree in Jannah?” However, the companion in his disbelief that an orphan would complain to the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) missed the opportunity and went away angry.
But someone else saw the opportunity, Abu Dah Daah - radi Allahu ‘anhu. He went to the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and asked, “Ya Rasul Allah, if I buy the tree from him and give it to the orphan shall I have that tree in Jannah?” The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) replied, “Yes.”
Abu Dah Daah chased after the companion and asked, “Would you sell that tree to me for my entire garden?” The companion answered, “Take it for there is no good in a tree that I was complained to the Prophet about.”
Immediately, Abu Dah Daah went home and found his wife and children playing in the garden. “Leave the garden!” shouted Abu Dah Daah, “we’ve sold it to Allah! We’ve sold it to Allah!” Some of his children had dates in their hand and he snached the dates from them and threw them back into the garden. “We’ve sold it to Allah!”
When Abu Dah Daah was later martyred in the battle of Uhud, Rasul Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) stood over his slain body and remarked, “How many shady palm trees does Abu Dah Daah now have in paradise?”
What did Abu Dah Daah lose? Dates? Bushes? Dirt? What did he gain? He gained a Jannah whose expanse is the heavens and the earth.
Abu Dah Daah did not miss his opportunity, and I pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) that we do not miss our opportunity of standing to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) on Laylatul Qadr.
Dear brothers and sisters, we do not obey, worship and revere Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) in a way befitting of His Majesty.
Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) revealed: “No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as is due to Him. On the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be but His handful, and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand: Glory to Him! High is He above the partners they attribute to Him” (Surat al-An’aam, Ayat 91).
Everything that we have belongs to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). When someone dies we say, Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon, Indeed to Allah we belong and indeed to Him we shall return. This is not a supplication just for when a soul is lost. It is a supplication for every calamity that befalls a believer, even if his sandal were to tear. Why? Because everything belongs to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) and everything shall come back to him. Sit and try to count the blessings Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) has bestowed upon you. Have you ever tried to count stars?
“And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favors of Allah, never will ye be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude” (Surat Ibrahim, Ayat 34).
We have not understood the weight of this Qur’an that we rest on our high shelves, this Noble book that was sent to give life to the dead. For even if our hearts were as solid as rock they would have crumbled to the ground in fear and hope of Allah’s (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) punishment and Mercy. Could it be that our hearts are harder than that mountain?
“Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, verily, thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and split asunder in fear of Allah (Surat al-Hashr, Ayat 21).
Dear brothers and sisters, as you fill the Masajid for Qiyamul Layl in the last ten nights of Ramadan, remember what Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) wants you to know:
“Know ye that Allah is strict in punishment and that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.”
There shall be a night, some night in your life that you shall awaken in Jannah or Hell fire. Anas ibn Malik, on his deathbed, prayed to Allah, (Subhanahu wa ta’ala), “O Allah, protect from a night whose morning brings a journey to hell fire.” Think about that morning.
Peace shall descend on Laylatul Qadr until the dawn. It may be that you shall leave the Masjid after Fajr one day soon forgiven by Allah, Glorious and Most High.

.:REGRET:.

My partner and I had parked on the shoulder of the highway and began to chat. In a random second, the scene shattered to the hideous sound of metal bodies becoming one. We threw our heads back to see what had happened. It was a head-on collision, the result of a vehicle slipping into the lane of the oncoming traffic. We couldn’t describe the carnage. Two young men sprawled in the first car, both in critical condition. We carried them gently away from the car and rested them on the ground. Quickly we returned to assist the owner of the second car. He was dead. Back we went to the two young men lying side by side on the pavement. My partner began dictating the Shahaadah to them. "Say la ilaaha illAllah (There is no god but Allah), la ilaaha illAllah…"
Their tongues wouldn’t acknowledge it. They started humming the hypnotic lyrics of some song. I was terrified. My partner had experience however, and he kept repeating his instruction.
I stood up watching, no movement, eyes locked. Never in my life had I seen anything similar to what was going on before me. In fact, I’ve never actually seen someone die, and never, in such a satanic way. My partner continued to instruct them to say the Shahaadah but there was no use. The hum of their song came to a slow silence, slowly. The first one stopped and then the other. Not a stir. Dead.....CONTINUE READhttp://www.kalamullah.com/regret.html

Before the Sand Slips Away

Imagine that you are on the beach. You are four years old. The camp leader has told you that you have five minutes to build a great castle.

“ Quickly,” your three year old Ameer tells you, “ the sand here is too soft. Run closer to the water and get better sand!” Off you run and grab, with your tiny hands, as much sand as you can hold. But, as you run back, plop, plop, plop, you feel the sand slipping through your fingers. You can do nothing about it. In your haste, all the sand has slipped away. Bang. The competition is over. This is the analogy of our lives. This is the analogy of our time in Ramadan.

For many living in Western countries, Ramadan is passed daily with 9 to 5 jobs or school - nights where we may or may not go for Taraweeh. A peak at the TV (may Allah protect us) and the night is over. Back to work where all around us people are eating and drinking from crystal water fountains. Blink. Ramadan is over.

The question of the hour is: how do we take full advantage of this gift of Allah? This is our topic, before the sands of Ramadan slip away.

How many years have we been fasting Ramadan? 10 or 15 or 40 years? Are we 10 or 15 or 40 times better? Or, does it seem like we have arrived back at the drawing board every time Ramadan comes around? All acts of worship are for our own benefit! Don’t do it and harm befalls you, which is the way life was programmed.

Ramadan is no small matter. It is one of the pillars of this Deen of Islam – without it one’s Islam would not be complete. In this month, Rasul Allah – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – would intensify his worship of Allah ta’ala. In doing so, he laid the foundation for his Ummah after him to emulate.

Ibn AlQayyim – rahimahullaah – wrote:
“From his blessed guidance – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – in Ramadan is that he used to intensify and diversify his actions of worship. So, for example, Jibreel used to rehearse the Qur’an with him during the nights of Ramadan. When Jibreel would visit him, he would intensify the amount of Sadaqah that he would give. He was the most generous out of all people – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – and Ramadan was the time when he was most generous. In Ramadan, he would fill his time with Sadaqah, treating people kindly, reciting Qur’an, performing Salah, remembering Allah, and performing I’tikaaf.” – from the book 'Zaad AlMa’aad'

Observers described the way Allah’s Messenger– sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – gave like Ar-Reeh AlMursalah, like the blessed wind. Why? The blessed wind, as they knew it, was a wind that brought coolness to everyone – no one was denied its blessing. The blessed wind, additionally, was not lazy in bringing its goodness to the people. It would come swiftly to all. This is how Rasul Allah – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – was described, and this is how our service to humanity should be: swift and encompassing. Bi idhnillah.

Below are ten ideas to and help make the most of Ramadan – before it slips through our hands.

Idea one: Compound Your Siyaam!
If you told your financial broker that you just want to keep money in the bank and save it, he would say, “You are wrong.” “Invest it in the stock market. That way your money will be compounded – you will earn multiple times what you put in.” So now I ask the question: Wouldn’t you love to get two times the reward of fasting Ramadan? How?

Zayd ibn Khaalid AlJuhanee narrates that the Prophet – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – said,
“Whoever gives a fasting person (food) to break his or her fast, he (the one feeding) will get the reward equivalent to the (fasting persons) reward – without diminishing anything from the reward of the (fasting person).”

How do we do this? Ask any Muslim relief agency if they have a feed a fasting person program. Subhan Allah, you may find that it only costs $1 to feed a person! So, for $30 you could come out of Ramadan having doubled your reward. And, we should not forget the needy in our city. We think that in a ‘modern’ western country or city there are no needy people. That is not true. There are many needy families that are waiting to be discovered. Ask around and you will find a gold mine of people to help, in your own backyard.

I speak about Washington, DC. If one was to have a food drive, all the food could go to needy Muslim families in DC and still not be enough! I’ve seen this with my own eyes. How blessed it would be to get the youth that just hang out in the back of the Masjid during Taraweeh to take on this task. Organize the collection of the food and distribute it. It can happen! It just takes a leader with vision to set this up for the youth and all the good people who want to make a difference.

Idea two: Operation Guide the Youth
Often in Ramadan, there are khaatirahs, words of wisdom, halaqahs and reminders, all geared to the adults praying Taraweeh. The youth, it seems, are being disrespectful by talking in the back of the masjid.
“Shhhhhsh!” someone shouts at them. “Listen or go outside (and we prefer if you just go outside)!”So, quietly they sneak out of the Masjid and chat and chill all Ramadan. How Eman boosting is that? Remember, Allah commands that you protect your wife and children also.
Try this: Just like there are things for the adults, we could have Ramadan activities and reminders geared specifically for the youth. And, it need not be ‘in’ the Masjid. Let’s say the youth like to chat and chill outside in the parking lot. Why not organize the activity there? Yes, on the basketball court or in the parking lot. Have a 5-minute Khatirah, play games with them, and give them some noble projects to complete in Ramadan.
Again, making a difference like this needs a leader with vision, one who recognizes that the youth are his or her responsibility. I pray that person is you!

Idea Three: Turn off TV Month
Every parent knows that when they want their child to do well in their studies they tell them, “no TV.” If this is for Dunya, then how about someone who wants to excel in Ramadan?

“Fasting and the Qur’an will come and testify on behalf of the ‘Abd on the Day of Resurrection. The Fasting will say: O my lord, I denied him food and desires, so allow me to be a means for him to enter paradise. And the Qu’ran will say: O my Lord, I denied him sleep at night so allow me to be a means for him to enter Paradise. And (he will be entered into paradise) because of those two.” – Musnad Ahmad
Try this: Announce in your household that Ramadan is the official turnoff TV month. Be an example for others and do fun and rewarding things instead. Visit people, take on a Ramadan feeding project, increase yourself in knowledge, etc. Turn off the TV and turn on life.

Idea Four: Dua’ Time
Ramadan is the month of making dua’ to Allah, an essential compliment to fasting. Rasul Allah – sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam – said, “There are three persons dua’ that will be accepted (by Allah). The fasting person, the oppressed one, and the traveler.”
Try this: Make a list of all your goals in life. Make a section for your a) personal goals; b) spiritual goals; c) economic goals; and d) contribution goals. Every day during Ramadan, take out your list and make dua’ to Allah to grant you the tawfeeq to accomplish your goals. Insha Allah, you will attain your goals with hard work, both during and after Ramadan.

Idea Five: Parent Appreciation Month
We all know that the one who wakes us up for Suhoor is our mom. I know it was for me. If not for her alarm clock, her early morning cooking, her motherly love to go and wake everyone up … well, let’s just say our iftars would have become our suhoors. If you are living away from your parents, you know what I’m talking about. Remember the hadith of the person who doesn’t reach Ramadan with forgiveness? The end part of the Hadith says they found their parents in old age and they were not a means for him to enter Jannah!
So, why not announce it loud and clear this month, “Thank you Mom! Thank you Dad!” Let’s take care of them this month with extra calls, extra hugs, and extra love.

Idea Six: Masjid Power Hour
During Ramadan, why not spend a few more moments in the Masjid before taking off. This could be done after Fajr or after Asr. Sit back, grab a Qur’an and remember Allah. As your time in the Masjid increases, bi idhnillaah, your love and heart attachment will increase. Make this your personal Masjid power hour.

Idea Seven: Bad Habit Buster
Many people already do this. They may have a smoking problem or a TV addiction. When Ramadan comes around they say, “I’m going to train myself to stop smoking or to stop watching excessive TV by abandoning it throughout Ramadan.”
So, you don’t have a smoking problem huh? Everyone has a bad habit and everyone has a recurring sin they pray they could desist from. Make Ramadan the training month by telling yourself to go without this sin for the entire month. Then, if Allah grants one Tawfeeq to complete the month, one should continue to pray to Allah to keep them away from the sin after Ramadan.

Idea Eight: The Gift Groove
Have you ever noticed how beloved a bottle of perfume is when it is handed out by a little four year old Muslim? Everyone loves a gift.
Why not take this a step forward? Go to your local Islamic bookstore and request a bulk purchase of some beneficial Islamic materials, something in the $1 range. Then, hand it out to everyone that comes to your masjid. Bi idhnillaah, you will find for the little effort one may put, people all throughout Ramadan will be learning from the gift.

Idea Nine: Ramadan Muslims, Convert!
It is true that on the first day of Ramadan, the number of Muslims in the local Masjid multiplies considerably. And, it is a sad moment on the first day after Ramadan that the Masjid attendance drops significantly. This idea is Operation No More Ramadan Muslims. We want people all year long!
Ibn Abbas I’tikaaf: A man came to Ibn Abbas while he was doing I’tikaaf in the masjid and asked him for his assistance. So, Ibn Abbas stood to leave and people around him warned him, ‘but you are in I’tikaaf’. He replied, “To assist my brother in fulfilling his need is more beloved to me than to perform I’tikaaf for 2 months in the Masjid of Rasul Allah – sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.” Try this: Make a ‘compassion crew’ that reaches out specifically to Ramadan Muslims. Extra special attention is showered on them and roles of responsibility are delegated to them so that they can participate more in the Masjid. Invite them to special Iftars where they are the center of attention.
With this extra attention and responsibility, bi idhnillaah, every month will be Ramadan for them and the masjids will be full all year.

Idea Ten: Home Halaqah
Muslim families often keep their worship for the Masjid, but why not make Muslim family time at home. It could work like this: After Taraweeh or Asr, the family gathers together for 15 minutes. There are many things you could do in your Halaqah, the main thing is that you set time aside for it. For example, each family member may recite a few verses of Qur’an. Or, one of the kids can read a story of the Sahaabah so that all family members can be reminded. Or, each family member can speak about the blessings of Allah upon them and what they have in their lives for which they are thankful. Just 15 minutes for the home Halaqah. For the entire family, bi idhnillah, it will be a spring of Eman.

The past saw Muslims that spent their nights of Ramadan awake praying to Allah. It saw days where people, for the sake of Allah, went thirsty. They knew that this season may never return on them and they heard Allah’s words “Ayyaman Ma’doodaat”– a limited number of days.

Don’t let the sand of Ramadan slip away.

by : Brother Muhammad al-Sharîf

The Recommended times for Du'a

Adapted from the book of 'Du'a The Weapon of the Beliver’ by Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi

There are certain times that Du'a could be answered quickly and therefore we should utilise these times as well as possible...

It is stated as follows:

1. Du'a in the last third of the night
"The closest any worshipper can be to his lord is during the last part of the night, so if you can be amongst those who remember Allah at that time, then do so”.-Prophet S.A.W
2. An Hour of the Night
“There is at night an hour, no Muslim happens to be asking Allah any matter of this world or the Hereafter, except that he will be given it, an this occurs every night”. -Prophet S.A.W
3. Du’a when the Adhan is called
“When the prayer is called, the doors of the skies are opened, and the du’a is answered”.-hadith of the Prophet S.A.W
4. Du’a between the Adhan and Iqamah
“The du’a between the ahan and the iqamah is not refused; therefore offer your du’a at this time”. -Prophet S.A.W
5. Du’a during the Salat (after the initial takbir, after ruku’ or during the ruku’, during the sujud, while sitting btw the two sajdahs &after the final tashahhud)
6. Du’a while prostrating (sujud)
“The closest any worshipper can be to his Lord is while he is in prostration, so increase your du’a in it”. -Prophet S.A.W
7. While reciting al-Fatihah
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet S.A.W said :

-Allah has said: I have divided the salat between My servant and Me in two halves, and My servant will have what he asks for. So when the servant says,’ Alhamdu lillahi rabbil’Alamin’, Allah responds,’ My servant has praised Me!’ and when he says, ‘Al-Rahman al-Rahim’ , Allah responds,’ My servant has glorified Me’. And when he says,’ Malik yawn al-Din’, Allah responds, ‘My servant has exalted Me’. And when he says, ‘Iyyaka na’ budu wa iyyaka nasta’in’, Allah says, ‘ This is between My servant and I, and my servant shall have what he desires’. And when he says,’ Ihdina al-Sirat al-Mustaqim…’ Allah says,’ This is for My servant, and he will get what he desires’.

8. After al-Fatihah
“When the Imam says ‘Amin then recite it behind him (as well), because whoever’s Amin coincides with the Amin of the angels will have all of his sins forgiven.” -Prophet S.A.W
9. Du’a before the End of Salat
10. Du’a after the Salat
11.Du’a when the armies meet
“Two du’as are never rejected, or rarely rejected : the du’a during the call for prayer, and the du’a during the calamity, when two armies attact each other”. -Prophet S.A.W
12. An hour on Friday
“On Friday, there is an hour during which, if any muslim is standing in front of Allah in salat, and asking Allah for something good, he will be granted his request.” -Prophet S.A.W
13. When waking up at Night
14. After performing wudu’
“There is no one amongst you that makes wudu, and does so perfectly, and then says,’ I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. He is alone, having no partners. And I bear witness and testify that Muhammad is his slave and messenger’, except that all eight doors of Paradise are opened for him, and he can enter into it through whichever one he pleases.” -Prophet S.A.W
15. Before drinking Zam Zam
16. Du’a during Ramadhan
“When Ramadhan comes, the Doors of Mercy (Paradise) are opened, and the Doors of Hell are closed, and the Shayatin (Shaytan) are chained up.”-Therefore the Du’a of ramadhan is a blessed Du’a. -Prophet S.A.W
17. Du’a on the Night of Decree’ (Laylat al-Qadr)-
-One of the odd nights of the last ten nights of ramadhan.
18. Du’a Inside the Ka’bah
19. Du’a at Safa and Marwa
20. Du’a after stoning the Jamarat
21. Du’a on the Day of Arafah
“The best of all Du’a is the one given on the Day of Arafah, and the best statement that I or any of the prophets before me have said, is, “There is no deity worthy of worship, he is one, and He has no partners.’To him belongs the Dominion, to Him is given all Praise, and He is aware of all things”. -Prophet S.A.W
22. The First Ten Day of Dhul-Hijjah
“There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than during these ten days. -Prophet S.A.W
23. While visiting the sick
“When you visit the sick, or the dead (body before its burial) then say good, because the angels say, Amin to whatever you say.” -Prophet S.A.W
24. When the soul of a person is taken
“Do not ask for yourselves anything but good (also for the dying person and his family), for the angels will say Amin to all that you ask for.” -Prophet S.A.W
25. When rain falls
“Seek the response to your Du’a when the armies meet, and the prayer is called, and when rain falls”. -Prophet S.A.W
26. Before Zuhr (after the sun had reached its zenith)
“This an hour during which the gates of the skies are opened, and I like that some of my good acts are raised up at this time (before zuhr)”. -Prophet S.A.W
27. At the crowing of a rooster (waktu ayam berkokok)
“When you hear the rooster crowing, then ask Allah for His Bounties, for it has seen an angel, and when you hear a donkey braying, then seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, for it has seen a shaytan”. -Prophet S.A.W

And your Lord has stated:” Make Du’a to Me, I will (of a surety) respond to you. Verily, those who are too arrogant to Worship Me will enter the Fire of Hell, humiliated!”. Surah Ghafir, 60

Khasiat Tumbuhan Herba

Menyembuh dan Mencantikkan

Lidah Buaya ( Aloe Vera (L) Burm.f )

Ianya dikenali sebagai “tumbuhan ajaib” yang mempunyai ciri-ciri penyembuhan ulung. Herba ini mengandungi gabungan lebih daripada 200 komponen yang aktif, mineral, vitamin dan enzim yang menambahkan kecergasan, membantu melegakan kesakitan, menyembuhkan luka-luka kecil dan menguatkan badan.

Pegaga ( Centella asiatka (L) Urban )

Ianya sering digunakan di dalam sistem perubatan di China, Madagascar dan “ayurvedik” India. Di Malaysia pegaga dimakan sebagai ulam dan dipercayai baik untuk mengekalkan keremajaan.

Kunyit ( Curcuma domestica Loir )

Merupakan sejenis rempah yang sering digunakan di dalam masakan Asia dan perubatan tradisional sejak dahulu kala. Ia juga bertindak sebagai antibiotik dan membantu proses penghadaman. Di Malaysia kunyit sering digunakan sebagai kosmetik.

Melegakan dan Menenangkan

Serai Wangi ( Cymbopogon nardus (L) Rendle )

Minyak Serai Wangi digunakan dalam losen, sabun, minyak wangi dan ubat cegah serangga. Di Malaysia minyak tumbuhan ini diberi dalam dos kecil untuk melegakan sengal-sengal perut dan membantu proses penghadaman.

Pandan Wangi ( Pandanus odorus Ridl. )

Kegunaan Pandan Wangi lebih kepada bahagian daunnya yang wangi dan akarnya. Daun pandan wangi digunakan sebagai bahan pewarna hijau dalam pembuatan kuih-muih tradisional dan juga sebagai bahan campuran dalam pembuatan bedak sejuk. Abu daripada daun pandan wangi ini turut digunakan untuk membuat cuka dan losyen bagi merawat penyakit campak.

Halia ( Zingiber officinale Roscoe )

Halia adalah merupakan salah sejenis herba Asia yang paling lama digunakan dalam penyediaan ubat penawar herba. Secara tradisi, rizom ini digunakan untuk membersihkan badan, menghilangkan rasa loya serta membuka selera makan. Ia juga digunakan untuk mengubati asma, reumatisme dan kerangsangan di dalam sistem perubatan “ayurdevik”.

Mewangikan dan Mengharumkan

Kayu Manis ( Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume )

Kayu Manis adalah salah satu jenis rempah yang paling lama digunakan. Di seluruh dunia, kulitnya digunakan dalam masakan. Minyak kayu manis popular digunakan sebagai perisa makanan, dicampurkan dalam minyak wangi serta barangan pergigian dan farmasi. Kayu manis mempunyai ciri-ciri antikulat dan antikuman. Minyaknya digunakan untuk merawat kembung (flatulence), cirit-birit (diarrhoea, disenteri (dysentery) dan pelbagai penyakit lain.

Serai ( Cymbopogon citrates (D.C) Stapf. )

Serai adalah rumput wangi tropika yang paling hampir dengan serai wangi. Disebabkan bau lemonnya yang kuat, minyaknya digunakan secara meluas dalam wangian sabun, pembersih detergen dan barang-barang lain. Minyak Serai digunakan untuk mengubati kembung (flatulence), pergerakan usus yang tidak tetap dan rangsangan gastric, serta baik untuk merawat reumatisme dan salah urat.

Sumber : TAMAN HERBA NEGERI PERLIS

I Look I See

I look, I look, I look, I see
I see a world of beauty
I touch, I touch, I touch, I feel
I feel a world around so real
And everything I do
I dedicate to You..
Cause You made me
I am for You
I listen, listen, listen, I hear
I hear the words of God so clear
I read, I read, I read, I know
It helps my knowledge grow
And everything we do
We dedicate to You
Cause You made us
We are for You
I listen, listen, listen, I hear
He sent the Prophet to show us the way
He made Religion perfect that Day
Peace be upon him, upon him we pray
Salatullah, wa salamu'alyhi
I sleep I sleep, I sleep, I dream
I dream I'm in a garden green
I wish, I wish, I wish I pray
I pray to be here everyday
And everything I do
I dedicate to You
Cause You made me
I am for You
I work, I work, I work, I strive
To make something of my life
I seek, I seek, I seek, I find
I find another hill to climb
And everything we do
We dedicate to You
Cause You made us
We are for You
I look, I look, I look, I see
He sent the Prophet to show us the way
He made Religion perfect that Day
Peace be upon him, upon him we pray
Salatullah, wa salamu'alyhi (x2)

10 ways of developing love for Allah

Adapted from Shaykh Ibn Qayyim's (rah)Madarij-us-Saalikee n Shaykh Ibn al-Qayyim (rah) says:
The reason whichcause mahabbah (love) of Allaah s.w.t to develop, are ten:

First: Reciting the Quraan, reflecting and understanding its meaning and its intent.

Second: Drawing closer to Allaah s.w.t the Most High through optional deeds, after fulfilling the obligatory duties.

Third: Being continuous in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah s.w.t, with the tongue, the heart and the limbs under all circumstances. The more continuant thedhikr, the more muhabbah develops and intensifies.

Fourth: Giving precedence to what Allaah s.w.t loves over personal loves, when being overcome by desires.

Fifth: Contemplating and deliberating over the Names and Attributes of Allaah s.w.t.

Sixth: Recognizing and remembering the favors and bounties of Allaah s.w.t both manifest and hidden.

Seventh: To be humble and submissive before Allaah s.w.t and this is the greatest matter.

Eighth: To be in seclusion reciting the Quraan,during that time in which Allaah s.w.t descends to the lowest heaven (which is the last third of everynight), finishing this recitation with seeking Allaah’s forgiveness and repenting to Him.

Ninth: To sit in the gatherings of the true and sincere lovers of Allaah s.w.t, reaping the fruits of their speech, and not to speak except if there is benefit in it and that you know that such talk will increase you in goodness and that it will benefit others as well.

Tenth: To stay clear of all those causes which distances the heart from Allaah s.w.t the Mighty and Majestic.

So these are the ten reasons which cause the person to develop true love for Allaah and to reach the rank of al-muhabbah, by which he reaches his Beloved.