ONE DAY.....

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   One day you will wake up not knowing that you will have your last day in this worldly life. For some people that day will come suddenly and for some it will come through a long sickness. For some people it will come when they are infants. For some it will come when they are youthful and for some it will come when the old age had eaten up their youth. That day you will eat your last meal in this world or probably you won’t.

   That day you will utter your last words or probably you won’t. That day you will inhale the last gasp of air from this worldly life. That day you will have your last glance of your family or probably you won’t. That day you will come to know the reality of this transient life. A day that you will come to know that the words of Allah (swa) is the truth. A day that you will meet the Angel s of death with wrath. That day the Angels of death will take your soul like a branch full of thorns being pulled through wet wool. That day you will leave the care of your family. That day the beautiful wives and handsome husbands you adored will leave you. That day the children you raised with so much effort will leave you. That day the wealth you accumulated will not avail what is about to fall on you. That day your whole life will flash in front of your eyes like a second.

   That day you will cry because you didn’t believe in Allah (swa).  That day you will cry because you didn’t believe in the last Messenger Muhammad (saw). That day you will cry because you mistreated your Mother and Father. That day you will cry over the obligatory prayers that you omitted purposely. That day you will cry over the obligatory fasts that you thought were useless and tiring. That day you will cry over the wealth you hoarded without paying alms. That day when you will cry at the countless sins you committed. That day you will cry over the lies you spoke. That day you will cry over the time that you wasted uselessly. That day you will cry over being unfaithful to your husbands and wives. That day you will cry for the fact that you used your status and power to oppress the laws of Allah (swa). That day you will cry over all the unlawful sexual acts you committed.

   That day you will be shrouded in a white cloth. That day all your relatives and friends will cry over your passing by not knowing how much you cry. That day your relatives and friends will pray for you before you have performed a single prayer for your own self. That day they will place you in your coffin or probably won’t. That day they will place you in your grave or probably won’t. That day you will be buried in your grave with darkness upon darkness. That day you will hear the footsteps of your friends and relatives leaving you. That day the Earth will squeeze you till your ribs get crushed. That day the Angels will descend upon you to question about how you spent your life. That day you won’t be able to answer these questions. That day you will face the severe punishment from Allah (swa). That day poisonous snakes and scorpions will sting you so severely that the pain cannot be explained. That day the beautiful body you adored will start to rot and decay.

    Soon you will be forgotten by your friends and relatives. Soon maggots will eat your sinful body. Soon your wives and husbands will merry other men or women. Soon your wealth will be distributed among your family. Soon you will be dust.

   This is the life we hoard transgressing the laws of Allah (swa). This life is only a dream with delusions. So be mindful of this day because it might be setting its direction towards you now. So believe and repent to Allah (swa) before its too late !

PASSIONATE LOVE IN ISLAM

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       Passionate love is a psychological sickness, and when its effects become noticeable on the body, it becomes a sickness that afflicts the mind also. Either by afflicting the mind by the likes of melancholy, or afflicting the body through weakness and emaciation. But the purpose here is to discuss its effect on the heart, for passionate love is the fundamental that makes the soul covet that which would harm it, similar is the one weak of body who covets that which harms it, and if he is not satiated by that then he is grieved, and if he is satiated then his sickness increases. The same applies to the heart afflicted with this love; for it is harmed by its connection to the loved, either by seeing, touching, hearing, even think about it. And if he were to curb the love then the heart is hurt and grieved by this, and if he given is to the desire then the sickness becomes stronger and becomes a means through which the grievance is increased.

In the hadith there occurs, "Indeed Allah shelters His believing servant from the world just as one of you shelter your sick ones from food and drink (that would harm them)." ¹

In the hadith concerning the saving of Musa reported by Wahb², which is recorded by Imam Ahmad in az-Zuhd, "Allah says: 'Indeed I drive away My friends from the delights of this world and its opulence and comfort just as the compassionate shepherd drives away his camel from the dangerous grazing lands. And indeed I make them avoid its tranquility and livelihood, just as the compassionate shepherd makes his camel to avoid the resting-places wherein it would be easy prey. This is not because I consider them to be insignificant, but so that they may complete their portion of My Kindness in safety and abundance, the delights of the world will not attract him and neither would desires overcome him.' "

Therefore the only cure for the sick lies in his removing the sickness by removing this blameworthy love from his heart.

People are divided into two opinions concerning passionate love: One group says that if falls into the category of intentions and wishes, this being the famous opinion. Another group says that it falls into the category of imagination and fantasies and that it is a corruption of the imagination since it causes one to depict the one who is loved in other than his true reality. This group went on to say: "And this is why Allah has not been described with passionate love (ishk) and neither that He passionately loves (ya'shik) because He is far removed from this, and one cannot be praised who has these corrupt thoughts."

As for the first group, then from them are those who said: "He is described with passionate love (ishk) because it is a complete and perfect love and Allah loves (yuhib)." And it is reported in the narration of 'Abdul-Wahid bin Zayd that He said, "The servant will always continue to draw closer to me, loving Me and I loving him (a'shiquhu)." This is the saying of some of the Sufis but the majority does not apply this word to Allah, because passionate love is a love exceeding the proper bounds, as for the Love of Allah then it has no end and cannot exceed the proper bounds. Passionate love is to be considered blameworthy without any exceptions, it is not to be praised when it is directed towards the Creator or created because it is a love that exceeds the proper bounds.

This is also true because the word 'passionate love' is only employed with regards to a man loving a woman or child (or vice versa), it is not employed in things such as the love of one's family, property or status, just as it is not employed with regards to the love of the Prophets and the righteous. Commonly, you will find this word being mentioned alongside a forbidden action, such as loving the woman who is not lawful for him, or loving a child joined with the unlawful glance and touch and other such unlawful actions.

As for the love of a man for his wife or slave-girl which leads him out of the folds of justice such that he does unlawful things for her and leaves what is obligatory – as commonly happens – even to the extent that he may oppress his son born of his old wife due to this love of his new wife, or to the extent that he will do things to keep her happy that would harm his religion and worldly life. For example his singling her out for inheritance that she does not deserve, or that he gives her family authority and property that exceeds the limits set by Allah, or he goes to excesses in spending on her, or he makes unlawful things possible for her which harms his religion and worldly life. This passionate love is forbidden with regards to one who is permissible for him, so how would it be with regards for one who has passionate love for someone who is unlawful or with regards to two men? For this contains a corruption the extent of which none can assess except the Lord of the servants; it is a sickness that corrupts the religion and objectives of the one who possesses it, then it corrupts his intelligence and then his body. Allah, the Most High, says:

"Then do not be soft in speech, lest in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire, but speak in an honorable  manner." [Al-Qur'an 33:32]

There are some whose hearts contain the disease of desire and whose perceptions are only skin deep. When the object of the desire submits, the sickness is satiated, and this satiation strengthens the desire and pursuit of the object and hence strengthens the sickness. This is in contrast to the one whose objective is not met, for this failure results in removing the satiation that would strengthen the sickness and thereby the desire is weakened as is the love. This is because the person definitely intends that there be action accompanying his desire, for otherwise all his desire would be is just whisperings of the soul, unless there is some speech or looking accompanying this.

As for the one who is afflicted with this passionate love but holds back and is patient, then indeed Allah will reward him for his taqwa as occurs in the hadith: "That the one who passionately loves someone yet holds back, conceals this and is patient, then dies you this, will be a martyr." ³ This hadith is known to be the report of Yahya al-Qatat from Mujahid from Ibn 'Abbas from the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam but it is problematic and such a hadith is not to be depended upon.

But it is known from the evidences of the Shari'ah that if one were to hold back from performing that which is unlawful, be it looking, speaking or acting, and he conceals this and does not articulate it so as not to fall into that which is prohibited and he is patient in his obedience to Allah and keeping away from disobedience to Allah, despite the pain that his heart feels due to passionate love, (similar to the case of the one who is patient through a calamity), then indeed this person would gain the same reward as those who have feared Allah and been patient.

"Verily, he who fears Allah and is patient, then surely Allah makes not the reward of the doers of good to be lost." [Al-Qur'an 12:90]

This holds true for the disease of envy and all other sicknesses that afflict the heart. So when the soul pursues that which would anger Allah, and the person prevents himself from this, fearing Allah, then he is included in His saying:

"But as for him who feared the standing before His Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires, and lusts. Verily, Paradise will be his abode." [Al-Qur'an 79:40-41]

When the soul loves something, it will do all that it can to attain it, so the one who does this out of having a blameworthy love or hatred then this action of his would be sinful. For example his hating a person due to envying him and thereby harming whosoever is linked to that person – either by preventing his rights or by showing them enmity, or his doing something that is commanded by Allah but he does it due to his desires and not for the sake of Allah.

These types of sicknesses are commonly found in the heart. The person can hate something and due to this hate, love a great many things due to mere whims and fancies. As one poet affected by this said:

"For the sake of a Sudanese girl he loved Sudan to the point that he loved the black dogs due to his love of her."

So he loved a black girl, and therefore loved all types of black even the blackness of dogs! All of this is a sickness in the heart with regards to its imagination, fantasies and desires. We ask Allah that He eliminate all of the illnesses from our hearts, and we seek refuge with Allah from evil manners, desires and sicknesses.

The heart has only been created for the worship of Allah, and this is the natural disposition (fitrah) upon which Allah created His servants as the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, "Every new-born child is born upon the natural disposition and it is his parents that make him a Jew, Christian or a Magian, as an animal produces a perfect young animal, do you see any part of its body amputated?" Then Abu Hurayrah, radiallahu 'anhu, said, recite if you wish the saying of Allah:

"The fitrah of Allah with which He has created mankind. No change is there in the creation of Allah." [Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The ayat is Al-Qur'an 30:30].

So Allah has made the natural disposition of His servants to love Him and worship Him Alone, so if the natural disposition was to be left as it is without corrupting it, then it would be cognizant of Allah, loving Him Alone; but the natural disposition does become corrupted due to the sickness of the heart – such as the parents making it a Jew or a Christian – even though this be by the Will and Pr-decree of Allah, just like the body is altered by amputation. But even after this it is possible for the heart to return to the natural disposition if Allah makes this easy for the one who does his utmost to return it to the natural disposition.

The Messengers were sent to affirm and re-establish the natural disposition and to perfect it, not to alter it. So when the heart loves Allah Alone, making the religion sincerely for Him, it will not be tried with this passionate love (directed to him) his love of Allah Alone, making the religion sincerely for him, did not allow him to be overcome by this, rather Allah said:

"Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and illegal sexual intercourse. Surely he was one of Our chosen, guided slaves." [Al-Qur'an 12:24]

As for the wife of al-'Aziz, it was because she was and her nation were polytheists that she was afflicted with passionate love. No one and no one are afflicted with passionate love except that this diminishes his singling out Allah Alone for worship and his faith. The heart that repents to Allah, fearing Him, has two routes by which it can remove this passionate love:

1. Repenting to Allah and loving Him, for indeed this is more satisfying and purer than anything else, and nothing will be left to love along side Allah; and
2. Fearing Allah, for indeed fear is the opposite of passionate love and removes it.

So everyone who loves something, with passion or otherwise, then this love can be removed by loving that which is more beloved to compete with it.⁴ This love can also be removed by fearing the occurrence of a harm that is more hateful to one than leaving this love. So when Allah is more beloved to the servant than anything else, and more feared by him than anything else, then he will not fall into passionate love or find any love that would compete with his love of Allah, except in the case of negligence or at a time when this love and fear has become weak by his leaving some of the obligatory duties and by performing some of the prohibited actions. For indeed faith increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience, so each time a servant obeys Allah out of love and fear, and leaves a prohibited action out of love and fear, his love and fear becomes stronger, and any love or fear of anything else besides Allah will disappear from his heart.

The same is true for the sickness of the body; for the health of the body is preserved by the same, and the sickness is repressed by the opposite. The correctness of the faith in the heart is preserved by its like, meaning that which would breed faith in the heart from the beneficial knowledge and righteous action for these are its nourishment as occurs in the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud, reported as his saying and as a hadith of the Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, "Indeed every host loves that people come to his table spread, and indeed the table spread of Allah is the Qur'an."

So the Qur'an is the table spread of Allah.

From those things that nourish the heart are supplication at the end of the night, the times of adhan and iqamah, in his prostration, at the ends of the prayers⁵ – add to this repentance. For indeed the one who repents to Allah and then in turn Allah forgives him, He will then give him enjoyment for an appointed time. That he takes to reciting the reported adhkar for the day and at the time he sleeps. That he bears with patience what he is enticed with that would divert him from all of this, than Allah will immediately aid him with a spirit from Him and write faith in his heart. That he be eager to complete the obligatory duties such as the five prayers inwardly and outwardly for they are the pillars of the religion. That his words of recourse be 'la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahi' ⁶ for by them the heavy burdens can be born, horrors can be overcome, and the servant be gifted up the supplication and seeking help from Allah, for the servant will be answered as long as he is not hasty, saying: "I have supplicated and supplicated but I have not been answered." ⁷ That he should know that help comes with patience, that relief comes after anxiety and distress, that after every period of difficulty there follows a period a period of ease.⁸ That he knows that no prophet or one less than him was rewarded with a good end except as a result of his being patient.

And all praise and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of Creation. To Him belongs praise and grace for guiding us to Islam and the Sunnah, a praise that would suffice His favours to us outwardly and inwardly, as in required for the nobility of His Face and might of His Magnificence. Abundant peace and blessings be upon our master, Muhammad sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and upon his family, Companions, his wives – the mothers of the believers, and all those that follow them in good until the Day of Judgement.

       (s) Diseases of the Hearts & their Cures, compiled by Ibrahim bin 'Abdullah al-Hazim

1. A similar hadith to this reported by al-Bayhaqi and it is a da'if hadith. Refer to Fayd al-Qadir. [back]

2. Wahb ibn Munabbih is a noble tabi'i, but this hadith is reported from him directly to the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam and is not authentic. [back]

3. A da'if hadith. Refer to the discussion concerning its inauthenticity in al-Jawab al-Kafi and Rawdah al-Muhibbin of Ibn al-Qayyim and Silsilah ad-Da'ifah of al-Albani. [back]

4. Refer to Rawdah al-Muhibbin of Ibn al-Qayyim for he has a beautiful discussion concerning this. [back]

5. These are the times in which Allah answers the supplications, there are authentic ahadith concerning these. [back]

6. The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, "Indeed it is a treasure from the treasures of Paradise." Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim from the hadith of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari. [back]

7. Reported by Muslim [back]

8. A hasan hadith reported by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi from the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas. [back]

        

                                This article is taken from www.sunnahonline.com

   

          

  

                   

Desires and Soul

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         We Muslims we are obliged to fulfill two very important aspects of our religion which will help us completes our faith. That is firstly purifying our soul with piety and secondly the outward look of a true believer. It is very easy to dress up like a true believer for someone, but when it comes to following the ethics of our religion and disciplining our soul that is where most of us fail. It is not actually the outward look of a fruit that is important! But its taste! Just like that we Muslims can portray our image as Muslims from outward looks, but if our soul is not beautified with strong faith in Allah (swa) and watered with piety we will fail in achieving the tranquility that we should achieve in believing in Allah (swa).

WHAT IS NAF’S OR SOUL ?

        Nafs (pl. Anfus or Nufus) lexically means soul, the psyche, the ego, self, life, person, heart or mind.

        Although some scholars have classified the Nafs up to 7 stages, there is agreement among Ulama' that in the Qur'an, Allah (swa) has described at least 3 main types of the Nafs. And these are in rank from the worse to better: Nafs al-Ammara Bissu' (the Nafs that urges evil), Nafs al-Lawwama (the Nafs that Blames) and Nafs al-Mutma`inna (the Nafs at Peace). 

TYPES OF NAF'S OR SOUL 

1. Nafs al-Ammara Bissu' (The Soul which Commands):

         This is the Nafs that brings punishment itself. By its very nature it directs its owner towards every wrong action. No one can get rid of its evil without the help from Allah (swa). As Allah (swa) refers to this Nafs in the story of the wife of al-Aziz (Zulaikha) and Prophet Yusuf (s):

"The (human) soul is certainly prone to evil" (12:53).

2. Nafs al-Lawwama (the Soul that Blames):

         Allah (swa) refers to this Nafs,

"And I do call to witness the Nafs that blames" (75:2).

         This Nafs is conscious of its own imperfections.

Hasan al-Basri said, "You always see the believer blaming himself and saying things like 'Did I want this? Why did I do that? Was this better than that?"….

3. Nafs al-Mutma`inna (the Soul at Peace):

         Allah (swa) refers to this Nafs,

"O Self, in complete rest and satisfaction!" (89:27).

        This Nafs is tranquil as it rests on the certitude of Allah (swa).

Ibn Abbas (r) said, "It is the tranquil and believing soul".

Al-Qatadah (r) said, "It is the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah (swa) has promised. Its owner is at rest and content with his knowledge of Allah's (swa) Names and Attributes, and with what He has said about Himself and His Messenger (saw) and with what He has said about what awaits the soul after death: about the departure of the soul, the life in the Barzakh, and the events of the Day of Qiyamah which will follow. So much so that a believer such as this can almost see them with his own eyes. So he submits to the will of Allah ((swa) and surrenders to Him contentedly, never dissatisfied or complaining, and with his faith never wavering. He does not rejoice at his gains, nor do his afflictions make him despair - for he knows that they were decreed long before they happened to him, even before he was created…."….

         We Human beings are created in way that we bend towards our desires which most of the time controls our soul. It is these desires that we Human beings should curb to control our soul.  Allah (swa) had given us guidance through the noble Quran and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (saw) to cure the problems of soul’s desires and dangers of following it.

QURAN

     

In the Quran translation of Mohsin Khan the word desires comes 42 times in 39 verses. If you look at these verses Allah (swa) had warned the Human race repeatedly not to follow your desires.

         "And no person can ever die except by Allah's Leave and at an appointed term. And whoever desires a reward in (this) world, We shall give him of it; and whoever desires a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give him thereof. And We shall reward the grateful".
(Chapter #3, Verse #145)

         " Verily, I will mislead them, and surely, I will arouse in them false desires; and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah." And whoever takes Shaitan (Satan) as a Wali (protector or helper) instead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss".
(Chapter #4, Verse #119)

           "He [Shaitan (Satan)] makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaitan's (Satan) promises are nothing but deceptions".

(Chapter #4, Verse #120)

            "Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein". 

(Chapter #11, Verse #15)

          "Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and rejected (- far away from Allah's Mercy)".(Chapter #17, Verse #18)

              "And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allah's Obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) - then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allah)".
( Chapter #17, Verse #19)

               "And if the truth had been in accordance with their desires, verily, the heavens and the earth, and whosoever is therein would have been corrupted! Nay, We have brought them their reminder, but they turn away from their reminder".
(Chapter #23, Verse #71)

WORDS FROM PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SAW),COMPANIONS AND SALAF

                "A wise person is one who keeps a watch over his bodily desires and passions, and checks himself from that which is harmful and strives for that which will benefit him after death; and a foolish person is one who subordinates himself to his cravings and desires and expects from Allah the fulfillment of his futile desires". (Tirmidhi) 

                 One time, ‘Umar (ra) had some food placed in front of him, and he began to weep. It was asked of him: “Why are you weeping, O Commander of the Believers?” He said: “I am afraid that it would be said to me on the Day of Judgement: {“On the Day when those who disbelieve will be exposed to the Fire, it will be said: ‘You received your good things in the life of the world, and you took your pleasure therein. Now, this Day, you shall be recompensed with a torment of humiliation because you were arrogant in the land without a right, and because you used to rebel and disobey.’”} [al-Ahqaf; 20]

                 "The Mu'min are a people who have been prevented through the Qur'an from indulging in the pleasures of this world; it comes between them and what might destroy them. The Mu'min is like a prisoner in this world, who tries to free himself from its shackles and chains, placing his trust in nothing in it, until the day he meets his Creator. He knows full well that he is accountable for everything that he hears, sees and says, and for everything that he does with his body."

( Ibn Kathir / Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 9 pg. 276, Cairo 1352)

                   Sahl bin Abdullah Tustari [died in 283 Hijri at Basra], may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, says, "The best of all worships is not to follow the desires of the soul." 


               Abu Bakr Tamistani, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, says, "The fortune of not following desires of the soul is the biggest treasure of this world. Because, soul is the greatest of all veils between Allahu ta'ala and His slave". 


CURE


                    There are so many cures for purifying your nafs but I will go through few since I don't want to make this article longer.


1- Remembering Allah (swa)

                     Allah (swa) says in Quran "Lo! In the creation of the Heavens and the earth and in the night and day are tokens (of His sovereignty) for men of understanding, such as remember Allah, in standing, sitting, and reclining".  [Qur'an 3:190-191] 

 

                     In another verse of the Quran Allah (swa) says "Truly Allah leaves to stray whom He will, but He guides to Himself those who turn to Him in penitence -- Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remebrance of Allah, for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.  [Qur'an 13:27-28]
                      These few verses from Quran are enough to show you  the virtues of remembering Allah (swa). Abu Musa related that Prophet (saw) said "The difference between the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not is like the difference between the living and the dead". (Bukhari)  
                        There are several types of remembrance. The remembrance of the Names of Allah, Mighty and Glorious is He, the remembrance of His Attributes, and praising Him and thanking Him. All of these can take the form of saying, for example, 'Glory be to Allah', 'Praise be to Allah', 'There is no god but Allah'. A servant can also remember Allah by referring to His Names and Attributes, such as by saying, for example, "Allah, Mighty and Glorious is He, Hears all that his servants say and do"; or by mentioning what He has commanded and what He has forbidden, such as saying, "Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, commands such and such, or forbids such and such."
                      

 2- Remembering death

                   Remembering death is something that our Prophet  Muhammad (saw), his companions and the salaf practiced to control their worldly desires and soul. All the people on this face of the earth knows that sooner or later they will meet their fate. But we are deluded by worldly desires that we fail to recognize our final abode. It is common sense that for the one who thinks about his death will prepare it the best way. So for anyone who knows the trials of death and the punishment of grave will not indulge in worldly desires and commit sin. 


3- Reciting Quran 


                    Allah (swa) says in Quran "We send down in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for those who believe ". (17:82) All the illnesses of the heart result from desires and doubt, and the Qur'an is a cure for both. It has enough clear signs and proofs to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and thus it cures the diseases of doubt which ruin knowledge, understanding and perception, by enabling a person to see things as they really are.

4- By stopping committing sins     

                   The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "When a Muslim, or a believer, washes his face (in the course of Wudu'), every sin which he committed with his eyes, will be washed away from his face with water, or with the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin which is committed by his hands will be effaced from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin his feet committed will be washed away with the water, or with the last drop of water; until he finally emerges cleansed of all his sins.'' (Muslim). So dear Muslim brothers and sisters perform ablution as much as possible and try to stay in the state of this purity as long as you can. Try to make ablution before going to bed. This will indeed purify you from sins and purify your nafs.


FINAL WORD


                      Abu Hurairah [ra] narrated that the Messenger of Allah [saw] said:  "When Allah created Jannah and Hellfire, He sent Gabriel to Jannah, saying, ‘look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.’ So Gabriel went to it and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants. Then Gabriel returned to Allah and said, ‘By Your glory, no one hears of it without entering it.’ So Allah ordered that it be encompassed by forms of hardship, and He said, ‘Return to it and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants! So, Gabriel returned to it and found that it was surrounded by forms of hardship. Then he returned to Allah and said, ‘By Your glory, I fear that no one will enter it, Allah said, ‘Go to Hellfire and look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.’ Gabriel found that it was in layers, one above the other. Then Gabriel returned to Allah and said, ‘By Your glory, no one who hears of it will enter it.’ So Allah ordered that it be surrounded by lusts. Then He said, ‘Return to it and Gabriel returned to it and said, ‘By Your glory, I am frightened that no one will escape from entering it.’ (at-Tirmidhi, abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i) From this words from our Prophet Muhammad (saw) we know that attaining the blessings of this world is sacrificing all the worldly desires and being obedient to Allah (swa). Even if it means to sacrifice all your worldly pleasures and desires the Paradise is worth it my dear brother and sisters. A place with all your desires full filled and everlasting without any decreasing in its pleasures. So why not we sacrifice all this temporary  pleasures and desires to achieve the glade tiding of Allah (swa). May Allah (swa) purify our souls and give us strength over our disobedient souls.      

Going out in the path of Allah (swa)

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      Going out in the path of Allah (swa) is an issue well debated about! In my article I will mainly focus about going in the path of Allah (swa) for Jihad and saying truth regarding the rights of Allah (swa) and His religion.

      Our religion had travelled duration of fourteen hundred years to reach us. Within this long duration righteous and pious Muslims throughout the world had sacrificed their lives to bring this religion to our era. They sacrificed all what this world had to offer when they had to give victory to Islam. They loved going out in the path of Allah (swa) than spending their first night with their bride. These Muslims when faced with leaders, tyrants and oppressors spoke the truth. They didn’t care about the dark, lonely dungeons and jails. They didn’t care about the whips that lashed on their backs tearing flesh from their back. They knew that the punishment in the Kingdom of Allah (swa) cannot be bared, if they spoke against the laws of Allah (swa). They feared meeting Allah (swa) than meeting tyrants, leaders and oppressors.

NOW

      But the blood and sweat that drooped down from the bodies of our Muslim brothers and sisters to bring this great religion to us had been turn down by our ignorance and love for this world. If we look at the world today what we see for sure will bring tears to our Messenger Muhammad (saw) if he (saw) were alive. Muslims throughout the world are killing each other, selling our beloved religion for money and power and they are siding with disbelievers to achieve these worldly desires. The call that opened the gates of Paradise, a call that permeated the hearts of Human beings which were made from stone, a call that destroyed the falsehood, a call that brought peace to Human race, a call that changed the nations into one, a call that changed the entire history of the world and a call that shook the empires and the kingdoms of the world are being neglected by the Muslims living now. For sure there are Muslims on the right path sacrificing all what they have for Allah (swa) now also. But they are few and the sad thing is regardless of their relentless sacrifice the Muslims throughout the world are blaming them and belittling their efforts. If they don’t have strength to sacrifice this world to give victory to our beloved religion then at least don’t speak against it!

      Apart from that Muslims leaders, senior officials of government and kingdoms, people of knowledge and the Muslim citizen’s had failed to say the truth and what is right when the rights of Allah (swa) are neglected. They are lost in the pleasures of this worldly life and they are selling the words of Allah (swa) for this world. They are so deluded that they don’t realize that power and wealth will not avail them when they had to stand before Allah (swa).

GOING OUT IN THE PATH OF ALLAH(SWA) FOR JIHAD

     Our beloved religion Islam was brought to us by the ink of the Scholars and by the blood of the Mujahedin. Our religion would not have seen the light of  this Century if any one of this two were missing. What we see today in the Islamic world reflects the words I just said. There are so many Scholars all over the Islamic world but very few Scholars have the gut to stand up and fight for the religion of Allah (swa) and say the truth regarding the rights of Allah (swa). The rest are so deluded in the pleasures of the world  that they have sold their knowledge and soul for pleasures of this world. Instead  fearing  Allah (swa) they fear the disbelievers more. Since the countries in the West possess all the power and wealth in this world the, Islamic Leaders, Scholars and Citizens think that if they don't follow or obey these countries they will starve to death or they won't be victorious. Unfortunately what they fail to acknowledge is that power and wealth comes from following Allah (swa) and not from following disbelievers. There had been civilizations which were greater and stronger than us. Due to their haughtiness Allah (swa) wiped them out within minutes. They transgressed the laws and rebelled against the laws of Allah (swa). But we  are siding with the disbelievers to fight against those who follow the guidance of Allah (swa) and those we speak the truth regarding the rights of Allah (swa). Evil is the path they follow and evil will be their abode.

    The true believers of Islam brought fears into the hearts of the disbelievers armies.The true Muslims they loved Martyrdom over this transient world. They knew that Martyrdom in the path of Allah (swa) is worth the sacrifice. Since Allah (swa) had repeatedly given glade tidings in Quran for those who die in the path of Allah (swa ) in many verses. The zeal to achieve these glade tidings drove the Muslims to the battle fields like herds of cattle running towards a water hole to quench their thirst. Due to this strong faith and zeal  they brought down empires which were greater in number and stronger in artillery. The armies of disbelievers fell like hollow trees when faced with Muslim armies.

    But that is history and we Muslims are living a life of shame. The Muslim countries one by one is falling under the power of disbelievers. Our brothers and sisters thrown out of their homeland,killed,raped,tortured and abused in front of the world. But who is there to defend them? Who is there to speak about it ? The Muslim Ummah is crying for Mujahedin who are ready to spill their blood for the Ummah ! But few are those who hear this cry of the Ummah. What could have been the cause of this ?

    The disbelievers knew they cannot defeat an army who loves the Hereafter than this world and who are ready to sacrifice this world for sake for Allah (swa) religion. So the disbelievers started a psychological war that deluded the Muslims in this worldly life. They beautified this world to them by the means of women,money,power,fame and other worldly pleasures Once the Muslims started fighting each other for these worldly pleasures, the disbelievers struck the heart of Muslim nations and brought them down. The leaders of the Muslims countries hoarded wealth and sold the religion of Allah (swa). These leaders also suffered the same fate when they also were finally exposed since their whole country had collapsed and become vulnerable. 

    Time have come again to rise from this pit fall ! There are signs through out the world that the Mujahedin are getting stronger and more. In Afghanistan the Mujahedin there had resisted and defeated the British, Russians and the Americans who are fled ding the attacks of the unbreakable Mujahedin of Afghan. The Muslims in Kashmir, Chechnya, Yemen, Palestine, Nigeria, Somalia and Pakistan regardless of their lack of number and lack of weapons they are achieving progress. So dear Muslim brothers and sisters lets join our hands and nations to become a one nation. An Ummah that  will bring back the bitterness in the throats of disbelievers. After all the glade tidings of Allah (swa) is the final out come if we die as Martyrs.

GLADE TIDINGS FROM ALLAH (SWA)
 
1 – The blood of the Shaheed smells of musk:
“By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, no one is injured in the Path of Allah – and Allah knows best who is truly wounded in His Path – except that he comes (with his wound) on the Day of Resurrection, its colour the colour of blood, and its scent that of musk." [Muslim and Ahmad]
2 – The Most Beloved of the drops to Allah:
“There is nothing more beloved to Allah than two drops or two marks. The teardrop that falls from the fear of Allah, and the drop of blood shed in the Path of Allah. And as for the marks, then a mark in the Path of Allah, and a mark in an obligation from the obligations unto Allah”. (Hasan, reported by at-Tirmidhi)
3 – The Shaheed Wishes to Return to this World:
“Any slave [of Allah] who dies and has been bestowed good from Allah, does not wish to return to the World, even if he is given the World and what it contains; except a Shaheed, due to what he sees from the virtues of Shahaadah [Martyrdom]. So he wishes to return to the World in order to be killed again” – and in another wording – “So that he may be killed ten times due to what he receives from the honour” [al-Bukhari and Muslim]
 4 – Haarithah in the Highest Firdaws:
The Prophet – May the Salaah and Salaam of Allah be upon him – said to Umm Haarithah bint an-Nu’maan – after her son was killed in the battle of Badr – after she asked: “Where is he (i.e. is he in Paradise or the Fire)?” – he replied, “Indeed, he is in the highest Firdaws” [al-Bukhaari]
In another Hadeeth reported by al-Bukhaari:
“Indeed, in Paradise are a hundred levels which Allah has prepared for the Mujahideen in His Path. The distance between each level is that of between the heavens and the earth. So when you ask of Allah, then ask Him for Firdaws, for it is the center of Paradise, and the highest part of Paradise, and above it is the throne of The Most Merciful, from whence, the highest Firdaws, the rivers of Paradise spring forth” 5 – The Souls of the Shuhadaa` in the Hearts of Green Birds:
“Indeed the souls of the martyrs are in the hearts of green birds, and they have lanterns hanging underneath the 'arsh (the throne of Allaah). They roam around in Paradise wherever they wish, then they return to their lanterns. So, their Lord enquires: “Do you desire anything?” They say, “What can we desire for, when we roam around in Paradise wherever we wish?” And He asks them this three times. When they realize that they will not cease to be questioned, they say, “O Lord! We wish that you return our souls to our bodies, in order that we be killed in Your Path again” When it is realized that they have no need, they will be left alone.” [Muslim]
6 – Special Favours for the Shaheed:
“The Shaheed is granted seven special favours from Allah. He is forgiven (his sins) at the first drop of his blood. He sees his place in Paradise. He is dressed in the clothes of Iman. He is married to the Hoor al-‘Ain (beautiful women of Paradise). He is saved from the punishment of the grave. He will be protected from the great fear of the Day of Judgement. A crown of honour will be placed on his head, one jewel of which is better than the whole world and what it contains. He is married to seventy-two of the Hoor al-‘Ain (beautiful women of Paradise), and he will be able to intercede for seventy members of his family.” [Saheeh – Related by Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibbaan]
7 – The Shuhadaa` of Uhud:
“When your brothers were killed at Uhud, Allah placed their souls in the hearts of green birds. They frequent the rivers of Paradise, and eat from its fruits, then return to the lanterns under the Throne. When they enjoy the good in their food and drink, and their excellent speech, they say, “We wish that our brothers knew what Allah has prepared for us, so that they will never abstain from Jihad, nor will they refrain from war” So Allah said, “I will inform them of you” So Allah revealed these verses to His Messenger:
“Think not of those killed in the Path of Allah is dead...” (3:169) [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Hakim classified it Saheeh and adh-Dhahabi agreed]
8 – The Shuhadaa` beside the Baariq river:
“The Shuhadaa` are in a green dome beside the river of Baariq, near the gate of Paradise, from which provision comes to them morning and evening” [Saheeh al-Jami 3/235 # 3636]
9 – ash-Shahaadah is better than cities and villages:
“To be killed in the Path of Allah is more beloved to me than that people of cities and villages belong to me” [Ahmad – narrators are trustworthy, and the chain is strong]
10 – The Shaheed does not feel the pain of death:
“The Shaheed does not feel [any pain] from killing, except as one of you feels the prick of a needle” [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasaa`I and the Sanad is Hasan]

FINAL WORDS

  We don't need numbers and weapons to be victorious. We need to have a firm faith in Allah (swa). We need to believe firmly in the Hereafter. That is all that we need ! May Allah (swa) give victory to the Mujahedin sacrificing their life for this religion ! May Allah (swa) unite us ! May Allah (swa) give the highest ranks to the Martyrs in the Paradise ! May Allah (swa) free Masjidul Aqsa from the jews ! May Allah (swa) free all Muslim lands from disbelievers and give us victory over them !  May Allah (swa) strike fear into hearts of disbelievers ! 

Some text are taken from the Sheik Azzam's ( May Allah (swa) bless his soul ) article " Fighting in the path of Allah (swa) " from Islamic awakening site. 

 

                                                                 

Trials

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        Allah (swa) blessed the Human beings above all His other creation and Allah’s (swa) love for Human beings are greater than the love of a Mother to her child. So if this is the case most of us will wonder or say that if Allah (swa) love is so great why do bad things happen to good people? Why do we lose our loved ones to accidents? Why are small children born abnormally? Why do innocent children and women die out of hunger? Why Allah (swa) created sadness and grief? Why there are so many suicides? There are so many questions like this in our mind when we go through trials tribulations in this worldly life.

         Why do we face trials or why are we tested? 

              To distinguish between those who sincerely believe in Allah (swa) and those who do not.

         Allah (swa) says in Quran “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “we believe, and will not be tested”.

         In our worldly life also we sometimes test our friends to see if their loyal to us. Just like this Allah (swa) test His servants by taking away some of the blessings Allah (swa) gave him. If that person is grateful and patient to Allah (swa) in prosperity and in times of hardship Allah (swa) will make all his affairs right. 

              To encourage mankind to do good deeds.

         Allah (swa) says in Quran “Who had created death and life so that He may test who is in best of deeds”.

         Allah’s (swa) mercy and kindness is so vast that Allah (swa) will sometimes use trials as a mean of showing the right path to his servants. Sometimes people are lost in this materialistic world and they forget to remember Allah (swa). So it is the decree of Allah (swa) that Allah (swa) will warn or guide this person by the means of trials. So that he once again remember his creator and start worshipping Allah (swa).

              To purify souls and expiate sins.  

         Our Messenger Muhammad (saw) had said “Whatever trouble, illness, anxiety, grief, pain and sorrow afflicts a Muslim, even if it is a pricking of a thorn- Allah (swa) removes some of his sins because of it”.

         Some people often complain and whine about his afflictions. But he doesn’t know that Allah (swa) is expiating or is forgiving his sins when he goes through trials. In this world we cannot even bare the heat of the sun or the cold of the winter so how can we bare the heat and cold of Hell? How can we bare the punishment of the Hell? So be thankful that you sins are been forgiven and that you won’t have to suffer the punishment on the day of resurrection. Cause we rather go through the trials in this world rather than going through wrath and anger of Allah (swa) on the day of Judgement.

               To distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter and those who do not.

         Allah (swa) says in Quran “We might test him who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and the Lord watches over all things (All knower of everything thing i.e. He keeps records of each and every person as regards deeds and then He will reward them accordingly).

          If you really believe in the Hereafter and all its blessings we won’t really bother about losing anything in this life. One of the most prominent companion of Prophet Muhammad (saw) Musab bin Umair (ra) was one of the most handsome, richest and well-dressed Meccan youth at that time. When Musab bin Umair became a Muslim his mother took everything away from him. He was left only with a piece of cloth to cover his lower body. But his zeal to walk the path of Prophet Muhammad (saw) was overwhelming. He fought all his worldly desires and achieved martyrdom in the path of Allah (swa). He gave away women, wealth, power and all what the world had to offer to seek the love of Allah (swa). What more do we need my Muslim brothers and sisters. If we have love of Allah (swa) we have everything. So if you walk the path of our Messenger (saw) be prepared be tested. Because that is how Allah (swa) test you if you really believe in the Hereafter.

A DOSE FROM NATURE   

  

          A man once found a butterfly cocoon. He kept it in jar till one day the butterfly was about to emerge from the cocoon. He took the cocoon out of the jar and kept it on a table to see this magnificent natural phenomenon by Allah (swa). Half of the butterfly got out of the cocoon but its struggle to free its self from the cocoon was halted by a small obstruction in the cocoon. So the man used small pair of scissor and cut of this obstruction in the cocoon. Soon the butterfly was out but its shriveled wings never opened fully. The man waited for hours but the wings never opened. Allah (swa) created the butterfly in a unique way that’s its struggle to free itself from the cocoon will pump blood into the wings of the butterfly. But since the man lightened its struggle, its ability to open its wings was gone. The butterfly will never fly and soon it will face its death. We Human beings go through trials so that our souls are purified, strengthened and as a call to the right path. Just as the struggling was essential to the Butterfly we Human beings needs trials to become more mature and stronger in all the aspects of life. 

WHY ARE WE FAILING TO ACHIEVE THE BENEFITS OF TRIALS!

          Every year the numbers of suicides in the west are increasing and the number of people falling into anxiety and depression are on rise. What could be the cause?  Materialism and weakness in faith are the main causes of these two problems. If someone goes through a trial the key to overcome this particular trial is to actually believe that this worldly life is just a passing and all the good is in the Hereafter. But for someone who does not believe in the Hereafter when he had lost something in this life he will get emotionally weak and fall into depression since he doesn’t believe that there is a Hereafter with more blessings and good and that this life is just a delusion. For someone who is weak in faith will have difficulty in getting your emotion together and believing that it is the decree of Allah (swa). Most of the time when something bad happen to someone the first reaction is to separate himself or herself from others. This is a trap by Satan to devour us in our emotional weakness. The best thing is to remember Allah (swa) as often as possible. Allah (swa) had constantly advised us to remember Allah (swa) and then Allah (swa) will remember us.

         What we really fail to achieve in this worldly life is trusting Allah (swa). We being Muslims and believing that all that exist in this worldly life and all our affairs are in the Hands of Allah (swa). We know that not a single weight of an atom will increase or decrease except with the decree of Allah (swa). So why shall we not love and remember Allah (swa) Who had given the glade tidings of both of the worlds. We Human beings are so selfish that knowing all this we transgress the laws of Allah (swa) to achieve our own desires and lusts. But remember that you might get what you want or what you desire in this life after transgressing the laws of Allah (swa) but you will soon face the consequences in this world and the Hereafter.  So trusting Allah (swa) and obeying the laws of Allah (swa) are crucial in achieving the happiness in both worlds.

   

LAST ADVICE

         The picture you see in this article tells us a true story of a couple. Allah (swa) gave them the happiness of getting married, gave them the happiness of pregnancy and gave them the happiness of giving birth to three children. But Allah (swa) took the lives of these three infants during the birth. Allah (swa) tests people in various degrees but know that when you are going through a trial that there people who are going through trials which are more severe and harsh.

         I have a friend who is more than thirty years and he is a person who needs special care. He cannot speak properly, his legs are crippled, he got some abnormalities in his hands, he cannot speak. He had been subjected to child abuse during childhood, he had been robbed by a very close friend of his who took all the money he saved to get medical treatment, his mother and father had passed away and rest of his family doesn’t really bother about him and he had tried to kill himself several times when he got no one to comfort what he was going through. But each time Allah (swa) intervened and saved his life. Masha Allah my friend with the grace of Allah (swa) had changed his whole life after all his trials. He performs his prayers regularly and he is now studying Quran with the help of a friend of mine. He cannot even be compared to a person with all the senses in place. But he Alhamdullilahi knows that this worldly life is short and if he does obey Allah (swa) and if he dies as a pious person he will be resurrected as a perfect Human being and he will be given Jannah.

         My friend with all his abnormalities walks to the mosques and he puts so much effort to study Quran even if he cannot speak. But we having all the senses and having a normal body we pray little and we put so little effort to study Quran. So how come we will have the strength to with stand the trials of this worldly life. Regardless of this think about the countless blessings pouring on us by Allah (swa). But when a small blessing given to us by Allah (swa) are taken or when we fail to achieve something we want in this life,we transgress the laws of Allah (swa) to achieve it or we whine and cry. So how can we achieve happiness in this life and the Hereafter. Dear Muslim brothers and sisters! This life is just a mirage. Once you come to know the reality of this life your soul will have already left your body to meet your creator. That day you cannot offer any ransom to send you back to do good deeds again in this worldly life. So be thankful that you have you senses and your body to worship Allah (swa). Because there is no greater blessing in this life than being a Muslim and performing your religious obligations to Allah (swa). So don't waste your time in grief, because Allah (swa) door is open 24 hour for His servants to attain the eternal blessings of Allah (swa).  May Allah (swa) guide my friend, give him Jannah and May Allah (swa) gives him the best of the appearance of the people of Jannah.