Sunday, December 21, 2008

Accommodative ..!!

Ibn Hisham tells of a group of women from the tribe of Banu Ghifar, who came to the Prophet (peace be upon him), as he was about to depart to Khaybar. They asked to accompany him so as to attend the wounded, and help the Muslims in any way they could. The Prophet told them to do so, with God's blessing.

One of these women was quite young, and the Prophet took her on the back of his saddle. When they stopped next morning to pray, there was menstrual blood in the saddle where the young girl had been sitting. She clinched to the camel's back trying to hide it. The Prophet saw her and understood the cause of her embarrassment. He said, 'put some salt in the water and wash it, and continue your ride with me.'

Such was the character of the Prophet (peace be upon him) easy, natural and quite accommodative to other people. No wonder, he was so dearly loved by the Muslims, and by anybody who happened to meet him. His way with women and young people was most impressive: he needed no time to win over their hearts.

Compiled From:
"War and Peace In The Life of the Prophet Muhammad" - Zakaria Bashier, 214, 215

Wealth & Property

"Say: My Lord gives in abundance, or gives in scant measure, to whomever He wills; but most people do not understand."

The question of wealth and property, and how much someone has of the means of luxury and pleasure, is one that many people wonder. They are troubled when they see that the wicked, the corrupt and the perpetrators of evil have whatever they wish for of wealth and power, while those who are virtuous, good and honest are deprived of it all.

Some tend to think that God only gives in abundance to someone who enjoys a privileged position with Him. Others may even doubt whether goodness, honesty and virtue have any real value, since they often go hand in hand with poverty and deprivation. Therefore, the Quran separates the riches and luxuries of this world from the values which God approves of. It states that God grants sustenance in abundance or scant measure to whomever He wills, and this has nothing to do with Him being pleased or displeased with anyone.

A person's wealth, position or offspring in this life bear no indication of that person's standing with God. Such standing is determined on the basis of how people behave.

Compiled From:
"In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 14, p. 169-171

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Forgiveness (Hadiths)

1. Punishment expiates sins

The Prophet added: "Whoever among you fulfills his pledge will be rewarded by Allah. And whoever indulges in any one of them (except the ascription of partners to Allah) and gets the punishment in this world, that punishment will be an expiation for that sin. And if one indulges in any of them, and Allah conceals his sin, it is up to Him to forgive or punish him (in the Hereafter)." - Volume 1, Book 2, Number 17: Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit:

2. Sincere prayers result in forgiveness of sins

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever establishes the prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not to show off) then all his past sins will be forgiven." , Volume 1, Book 2, Number 34, Narrated Abu Huraira

Allah's Apostle said: "Whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven." - , Volume 1, Book 2, Number 36, Narrated Abu Huraira

3. Fasting and sincere prayer result in forgiveness

Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." - Volume 1, Book 2, Number 37, Narrated Abu Huraira.

Sabr - Patience

Allah surely loves those who are the Sabireen (patient).” (3:146)

Hardships and ease are a trial for you. Everything Allah chooses for you; from good or evil, is for your benefit. Whatever occurred to you could not have missed you and what missed you could never have reached you. Rewards are only for those who are patient with the Decree of Allah.

Panic and impatience cannot prevent Allah’s Decree. Shakwah (complaining) is contradictory to Sabr (patience). Allah alone can protect you from harm and ease your difficulties. Sabr is obligatory!
If the affliction results from acts of obedience to Allah, such as injury on the battlefield, losing money during Hijrah(migrating for the sake of Allah), losing a job because of accepting Islam or because one attempts to follow the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (Salal-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) like growing the beard, wearing the lower garment above the ankles, etc, then the affliction is a trial. Whoever bears it with patience will be rewarded and whoever exhibits annoyance may invoke the wrath of Allah upon himself.

If the affliction befalls due to sinful actions, such as illnesses caused by drinking alcohol and using drugs etc, then the affliction is a punishment from Allah. Hasten to avoid all sinful acts and turn towards Allah in repentance and ask his forgiveness. Otherwise, know that the punishments of the Hereafter are far more severe and unbearable.
If the affliction is neither connected to neither a good deed nor a sin, such as other kinds of disease and sickness, losing a child, or failing in business, then you should evaluate your actions. If you are involved in some kind of disobedience to Allah then the affliction is a punishment for you and a reminder to leave your evil deeds. Otherwise, Allah has caused this affliction to test your patience.

The Messenger of Allah (Salal-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “One amongst the inhabitants of Hell, who had lived a life of ease and pleasure in the world, would be made to dip in the Hell Fire only once on the Day of Resurrection. Then he would be asked: ‘O son of Adam, Did you find any comfort. Did you get any blessing?’ He would say: ‘By Allah, no, my Lord!’ Then a person, from the inhabitants of Paradise, who had led the most miserable life (in the world), would be made to dip once in Paradise and it would be said to him: ‘O son of Adam, did you face any hardship or experience any distress?’ he would say: ‘By Allah! No never have I experienced any hardship or distress’.” (Saheeh Muslim, No. 6738)

Saturday, December 13, 2008

The Lessons from Death...!!

Life slips away second by second. Are you aware that every day brings
you closer to death or that death is as close to you as it is to
other people?

As we are told in the verse "Every soul shall taste death in the end;
to Us shall you be brought back." (Surat al-'Ankabut: 57) everyone
who has ever appeared on this earth was destined to die. Without
exception they all died, every one. Today, we hardly come across the
traces of many of these people who passed away. Those currently
living and those who will ever live will also face death on a
predestined day. Despite this fact, people tend to see death as an
unlikely incident.

Think of a baby who has just opened its eyes to the world and a man
who is about to breathe his last. Both had no influence on their
individual birth or death whatsoever. Only God possesses the power to
inspire the breath of life or to take it away.

All human beings will live until a certain day and then die; God in
the Qur'an gives an account of the attitude commonly shown towards
death in the following verse:

Say: "The death from which you flee will truly overtake you: then you
will be sent back to the Knower of things secret and open: and He
will tell you (the truth of) the things that you did!" (Surat al-
Jumu'ah: 8)

The majority of people avoid thinking about death. In the rapid flow
of daily events, a person usually occupies himself with totally
different subjects: what college to enroll in, which company to work
for, what color of clothing to wear next morning, what to cook for
supper; these are the kinds of major issues that we usually consider.
Life is perceived as a routine process of such minor matters.
Attempts to talk about death are always interrupted by those who do
not feel comfortable hearing about it. Assuming death will come only
when one grows older, one does not want to concern himself with such
an unpleasant subject. Yet it should be kept in mind that living for
even one further hour is never guaranteed. Everyday, man witnesses
the deaths of people around him but thinks little about the day when
others will witness his own death. He never supposes that such an end
is awaiting him!

Nevertheless, when death comes to man, all the "realities" of life
suddenly vanish. No reminder of the "good old days" endures in this
world. Think of everything that you are able to do right now: you can
blink your eyes, move your body, speak, laugh; all these are
functions of your body. Now think about the state and shape your body
will assume after your death.

While all this is taking place in the world, the corpse under the
soil will go through a rapid process of decay. Skin and soft tissues
will completely disintegrate. The brain will decay and start looking
like clay. This process will go on until the whole body is reduced to
a skeleton.

However, our beloved prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), was reported to have
said that the dead body of prophets, pious people and martyrs would
not decay in the grave and that there is enjoyment in the grave just
as there is punishment in it.

There is no chance of going back to the old life again. Gathering
around the supper table with family members, socializing or to having
an honorable job will never again be possible.

In short, the "heap of flesh and bones" to which we assign an
identity faces a quite nasty end. On the other hand, you - or rather,
your soul - will leave this body as soon as you breathe your last.
The remainder of you - your body - will become part of the soil.

Yes, but what is the reason for all these things happening?

If God willed, the body would never have decayed in such a way. That
it does so actually carries a very important inner message in itself.

The tremendous end awaiting man should make him acknowledge that he
is not a body himself, but a soul "encased" within a body. In other
words, man has to acknowledge that he has an existence beyond his
body. Furthermore, man should understand the death of his body, which
he tries to possess as if he is to remain eternally in this temporal
world. However this body, which he deems so important, will decay and
become worm-eaten one day and finally be reduced to a skeleton. That
day might be very soon.

Despite all these facts, man's mental process is inclined to
disregard what he does not like or want. He is even inclined to deny
the existence of things he avoids confronting. This tendency seems to
be most apparent when death is the issue. Only a funeral or the
sudden death of an immediate family member brings this reality to
mind. Almost everybody sees death far from himself. The assumption is
that those who die while sleeping or in an accident are different
people and what they face will never befall us! Everybody thinks it
is too early to die and that there are always years ahead to live.

Yet most probably, people who die on the way to school or hurrying to
attend a business meeting shared the same thought. They probably
never thought that the next day's newspapers would publish news of
their deaths. It is entirely possible that, as you read these lines,
you still do not expect to die soon after you have finished them or
even entertain the possibility that it might happen. Probably you
feel that it is too early to die because there are many things to
accomplish. However, this is just an avoidance of death and these are
only vain endeavors to escape it:

Say: "Running away will not profit you if you are running away from
death or slaughter; and even if (you do escape), no more than a brief
(respite) will you be allowed to enjoy!"(Surat al-Ahzab: 16)

Man who is created alone should be aware that he would also die
alone. Yet during his life, he lives almost addicted to possessions.
His sole purpose in life becomes to possess more. Yet, no one can
take his goods with him to the grave. The body is buried wrapped in a
shroud made from the cheapest of fabrics. The body comes into this
world alone and departs from it in the same way.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Dreams and Wishes..!~

Islam is the religion of rational and critical minds. This is why one of its fundamental goals is to make man aware of the paramount significance of gradation, fortitude, and maturity. Haste is an inherent characteristic of man in general and of the young in particular. Indeed, haste is an outstanding characteristic of our own age. It has made our youth eager to sow the seeds today and to harvest the next day. But Allah's will in His own creation does not allow that: a tree goes through stages of growth, short or long, before it bears fruit. The very creation of a human being illustrates this very clearly. A child is born, breast­fed and weaned, then he/she gradually grows from childhood to maturity. Similarly, life gradually moves from one stage to another until Allah's sunan (patterns) are realized.

Islam began as a simple religion, then gradually the obligatory duties were introduced, the prohibitions prescribed, and legislative matters detailed. Gradually, the structure took full shape, and Allah's favours and blessings were diffused everywhere. Such development and stages are plain enough, but they are rarely, at all, observed or acknowledged.

The enthusiastic young people are outraged by the corruption that surrounds them as they witness, and live, the rapidly worsening condition of the Islamic Ummah. The common concern initiates group meetings they undertake to put things right, to salvage what is worth keeping. But in their haste and enthusiasm, they lose clarity of vision, they begin to daydream and build castles in the air, believing that they can blot out all forms of corruption and falsehood in addition to establishing the ideal Islamic state overnight.

They underestimate or disregard the incalculable obstacles and pitfalls that exceed their means and potential. Their dilemma is like that of the man who asked Ibn Sirin to interpret a dream for him: he dreamed that he was swimming on dry land, flying without wings. Ibn Sirin told him that he too was a man of too many dreams and wishes. Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) warned his son: " . .and beware of relying on wishes, for they are the goods of fools."

Compiled From:
"Islamic Awakening Between Rejection and Extremism" - Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

Obligations of Employers and Employees..!!

As an employer, you have an obligation to care for your staff; provide the most suitable working environment; and ensure that they are fully compensated punctually, for all their services rendered: 'Give the labourer his wages before his sweat dries'. (Ibn Majah.) The Prophet also said that one of the persons he shall be against on the Day of judgment is the man who does not pay the right wages to his employees after their labours.

As an employee, you must perform your job with diligence and proficiency. `Verily, Allah loves that when anyone of you does a job he should perfect it' (al-Bayhaqi). Know that the best food is that which comes from your own efforts: `No one eats better food than what he earns by the labour of his own hands'. (Bukhari.)

Compiled From:
"In The Early Hours" - Khurram Murad

LESSONS ON LIFE

There was a man who had four sons.
He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly.
So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral: Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Day of Arafah

Jabir reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, There is no day better in the sight of Allah than the Day of Arafah. On this day Allah, the Almighty and the Exalted One, descends to the nearest heaven, and He is proud of His slaves on the earth and says to those in heaven, ‘Look at My servants. They have come from far and near, with hair dishevelled and faces covered with dust, to seek My mercy, even though they have not seen My chastisement.' Far more people are freed from the Hellfire on the Day of Arafah than on any other day. [Ibn Hibban]

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) spent the day at Arafah until almost sunset. Then he said, “O Bilal, ask the people to be quiet and listen to me.” Bilal stood up and asked the people to be quiet and listen to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When the people were quiet, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “O people, a little while ago Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to me. Gave me salutations from Allah and informed me that Allah has forgiven those who spend the Day at Arafah and those who stop at Al-Mashar Al-Haram, and that He has guaranteed their debts.”

At this Umar ibn Al-Khattab stood up and asked, “O Allah’s Messenger, is this for us only?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, This is for you and for all those who will come after you until the Day of Judgment. Umar exclaimed, “How plentiful and blissful Allah’s bounties are!” [Ibn Al-Mubarak]

Abu Ad-Darda reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, On no other day does the Satan feel so belittled, humiliated, and angry as he does on the Day of Arafah. The reason for this is the mercy of Allah that descends (this day) and the forgiveness that He grants to people for major sins, except the day of the Battle of Badr, which witnessed a far greater mercy of Allah descending upon people, which caused great sadness to Satan."

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, “O Prophet of Allah, what did Satan see on the day of the Battle of Badr?” He saw Gabriel leading the troops of angels,” he replied (Reported by Malik and Al-Hakim).

Compiled From:
"Fiqh-us-Sunnah" - Sayyid Sabiq

Lip Service

Commitment is a promise made with no expectation of return. It is the willingness to make a promise independent of either approval or reciprocity from other people. This takes barter out of the conversation. Our promise is not contingent on the actions of others. As long as our promise is dependent on the actions of others, it is not a commitment; it is a deal, a contract.

Saying no is a stance as useful as a promise. Both offer clarity and the authentic basis to move forward, even if there is no place to go at the moment. Lip service is another story. Nothing kills transformation faster than lip service. The future does not die from opposition; it disappears in the face of lip service.

Lip service sabotages commitment. It offers an empty step forward. It comes in the form of "I'll try." It is an agreement made standing next to the exit door. Whenever someone says they will try hard, agree to think about it, or do the best they can, it is smart to consider that a no. It may not be a final refusal, but at that moment there is no commitment. We can move forward with refusal; we cannot move forward with maybe. Whether it is a response to feeling coerced, a sense of internal obligation, or just a desire to look good, it is really a way to escape the moment and hijacks commitment.

Compiled From:
"Community: The Structure of Belonging" - Peter Block, p. 136, 137

Abomination

"he who slays a soul unless it be (in punishment) for murder or for spreading mischief on earth shall be as if he had slain all mankind; and he who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind."

The Guidance:

No human being has any right by himself to take human life in retaliation or for causing mischief on this earth. Therefore it is incumbent on every human being that under no circumstances should he be guilty of taking a human life. If anyone has murdered a human being, it is as if he has slain the entire human race.

The Prophet, may God's blessings be on him, has declared murder as the greatest sin only next to polytheism. The Tradition of the Prophet reads: "The greatest sins are to associate something with God and to kill human beings."

In the Quran and the Traditions of the Prophet the word 'soul' (nafs) has been used in general terms without any distinction or particularization. Therefore the injunction to not kill does not refer only to the persons belonging to one's nation, the citizens of one's country, the people of a particular race or religion. The injunction applies to all human beings and the destruction of human life in itself has been prohibited.

The Reason:

The survival of human life depends on everyone respecting other human beings and in contributing actively to the survival and protection of others. Whosoever kills unjustly is thus not merely guilty of doing wrong to one single person, but proves by his act that his heart is devoid of respect for human life and of sympathy for the human species as such. Such a person, therefore, is an enemy of all mankind. This is so because he happens to be possessed of a quality which, were it to become common to all men, would lead to the destruction of the entire human race. The person who helps to preserve the life of even one person, on the other hand, is the protector of the whole of humanity, for he possesses a quality which is indispensable to the survival of mankind.

The Abomination:

The terrorist attacks that have taken place recently are an abomination. We feel great pain and sorrow for the innocent victims of these attacks. We also feel great sorrow for the sake of our religion. Islam has been treated unjustly by these attacks. Islam's global reputation has been severely wounded. We need to fear Allah and not disgrace our religion. The Prophet Muhammad – whom Allah sent as a mercy to all humanity – refrained from causing any harm even to the hypocrites who were plotting against the Muslims while living right in their midst and under his authority. He could have dealt with them easily in any manner he chose – and he chose to show them peace and mercy. He explained: "It will never be said that Muhammad killed his companions."

When will we wake up and see reason? When will we face up to our responsibility towards our religion? When will we start acting like we realize there are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world who share with us this religious identity? Does it make any sense to wipe their faces with mud or disgrace them?

Compiled From:
"Human Rights in Islam" - Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi
"Towards Understanding the Quran" - Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi, Vol.2, 155-156
"Mumbai - Islam's Reputation is at Stake" - Salman al-Oadah

Monday, December 1, 2008

:::::::::7 Common mistakes usually we make in prayers:::::‏

Listed below are the 7 Common mistakes usually we make in prayers.

Mistake 1: Reciting Surat al-Fatiha fast without pausing after each
verse.

The Prophet (SAW) used to pause after each verse of this surah. (Abu
Dawood)
Mistake 2: Sticking the arms to the sides of the body, in
rukoo' or sujood, and sticking the belly to the thighs in sujood.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'Let not one of you support
himself on his forearms (in sujood) like the dog. Let him rest on
his palms and keep his elbows away from his body.' (Sahih Muslim) .
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to keep his arms away from his
body during rukoo' and sujood that the whiteness of his armpits
could be seen (Sahih Muslim).
Mistake 3: Gazing upward during prayer.
This may cause loss of concentration. We are commanded to lower our
gaze, and look at the point at which the head rests during sujood.
The Prophet (SAW) warned: 'Let those who raise their gaze up during
prayer stop doing so, or else their sights would not return to them.
i.e. lose their eyesight].' (Muslim)
Mistake 4 : Resting only the tip of the head on the floor during
sujood.

The Prophet (SAW) said: 'I am commanded to prostrate on seven bones
the forehead and the nose, the two hands [palms], the two knees, and
the two feet.' (Sahih Muslim) Applying the above command
necessitates resting the forehead and the nose on the ground during
sujood.
Mistake 5 : Hasty performance of prayer which does not allow
repose and calmness in rukoo' or sujood.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) saw a man who did not complete his
rukoo' [bowing], and made a very short sujood [prostration] ; he
(SAW) said: 'If this man dies while praying in this manner, he would
die upholding a religion other than the religion of Muhammad.' Abu
Hurairah (RA) said: 'My beloved friend, Muhammad (SAW) forbade me to
perform postures of prayer copying the picking of a rooster;
(signifying fast performance of prayer), moving eyes around like a
fox and the sitting like monkeys ( i.e. to sit on thighs).' (Imam
Ahmad & at-Tayalisi) The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ' The worst
thief is the one who steals from his own prayer.' People
asked, 'Messenger of Allah! How could one steal from his own
prayer?' He (SAW) said: 'By not completing its rukoo' and sujood.'
(At Tabarani & al-Hakim).To complete rukoo' is to stay in that
posture long enough to recite 'Subhana rabbiyal Adtheem' three
times, SLOWLY, and 'Subhana rabbiyal-a'ala' three times, SLOWLY, in
sujood. He (SAW) also announced: 'He who does not complete his
rukoo' and sujood, his prayer is void.' (Abu Dawood & others)
Mistake 6 : Counting tasbeeh with the left handThe Prophet (SAW)
used to count tasbeeh on the fingers of his right hand after salah.
Ibn Qudamah (RA) said: ' The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used his right
hand for tasbeeh.' (Abu Dawood). The above hadeeth indicates clearly
that the Prophet (SAW) used only one hand for counting tasbeeh. No
Muslim with sound mind would imagine that the Prophet (SAW) used his
left hand for counting tasbeeh. Aa'ishah (RA) said that the Prophet
(SAW) used his left hand only for Istinjaa', or cleaning himself
after responding to the call of nature. He never used it for
tasbeeh. Yasirah (RA) reported: The Prophet (SAW) commanded women to
count tasbeeh on their fingers. The Messenger of Allah (SAW)
said: 'They (the fingers) will be made to speak, and will be
questioned (on the Day of Resurrection. )' (At-Tirmidhi) .. The
above Hadeeth indicates that it is preferable to count tasbeeh on
the fingers of the right hand than to do so on masbahah (rosary).
Mistake 7 : Crossing in front of a praying person.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) warned: 'Were the one who crosses in
front of a praying person to know the consequences of doing so, he
would have waited for *forty better than to cross in front of him.'
(Sahih Bukhari and Muslim). *The forty in the tradition may be days
months or even years. Allah knows best. Common Errors in Prayer That
MUST Be Avoided.