Tuesday, May 24, 2011
subhanAllah.
It's been exactly two years since I posted ibn Ata'illah (ra)'s quote on how Allah ta'ala gives us what we want when He wants to -- and exactly a month since He has given me what I thought was good for me then, but now I see is best for me now.
I can not do shukr enough.
alhamdulillah.
It's been exactly two years since I posted ibn Ata'illah (ra)'s quote on how Allah ta'ala gives us what we want when He wants to -- and exactly a month since He has given me what I thought was good for me then, but now I see is best for me now.
I can not do shukr enough.
alhamdulillah.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (ra) in his letter of advice to his son, wrote:
"Know, dear son, that days are but hours, and hours are but breaths, and every soul is a container, hence let not any breath pass without any benefit, such as on the Day of Judgment you find an empty container and feel regret! Be aware of every hour and how it passes, and only spend it in the best possible way; do not neglect yourself, but render it accustomed to the noblest and best of actions, and send to your grave that which will please you when you arrive to it."
This world is transitory and our life therein but a moment borrowed, our breaths numbered, yet our indifference reckless. [Abu Bakr al Siddiq]
Strive for Paradise. A small nook within its bliss is better than the whole world and all the riches within. [al Hadith]
A believer is never tired of hearing about good deeds until he enters Paradise. [al Hadith]
"Know, dear son, that days are but hours, and hours are but breaths, and every soul is a container, hence let not any breath pass without any benefit, such as on the Day of Judgment you find an empty container and feel regret! Be aware of every hour and how it passes, and only spend it in the best possible way; do not neglect yourself, but render it accustomed to the noblest and best of actions, and send to your grave that which will please you when you arrive to it."
This world is transitory and our life therein but a moment borrowed, our breaths numbered, yet our indifference reckless. [Abu Bakr al Siddiq]
Strive for Paradise. A small nook within its bliss is better than the whole world and all the riches within. [al Hadith]
A believer is never tired of hearing about good deeds until he enters Paradise. [al Hadith]
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Ubay ibn Kaab (ra): Have you walked through a thorny path?
Umar ibn Khattab (ra): Yes, indeed.
Ubay ibn Kaab (ra): What did you do?
Umar ibn Khattab (ra): I tucked up (my garment) and did my best (to avoid thorns).
Ubay ibn Kaab (ra): That is taqwa.
Umar ibn Khattab (ra): Yes, indeed.
Ubay ibn Kaab (ra): What did you do?
Umar ibn Khattab (ra): I tucked up (my garment) and did my best (to avoid thorns).
Ubay ibn Kaab (ra): That is taqwa.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Somethings just can't be translated
Ülkendeki kuşlardan ne haber vardır
Mezarlardan bile yükselen bir bahar vardır
Aşk celladından ne çıkar madem ki yar vardır
Yoktan da vardan da ötede bir Var vardır
Hep suç bende değil beni yakıp yıkan bir nazar vardır
O şarkıya özenip söylenecek mısralar vardır
Sakın kader deme kaderin üstünde bir kader vardır
Ne yapsalar boş göklerden gelen bir karar vardır
Gün batsa ne olur geceyi onaran bir mimar vardır
Yanmışsam külümden yapılan bir hisar vardır
Yenilgi yenilgi büyüyen bir zafer vardır
Sırların sırrına ermek için sende anahtar vardır
Göğsünde sürgününü geri çağıran bir damar vardır
Senden ümit kesmem kalbinde merhamet adlı bir çınar vardır
Sevgili...
En sevgili...
Ey sevgili!
-- Sezai Karakoç
... Bırak Sevgili senin gibi yanmasın !
Duana tövbe et. İçim içim kavrulmasın .
Olan şeyi O'ndan bilme Vedud (CC) 'dan bil.
Bak aşk seni nasıl berraklaştırmış, durultmuş.
Derdin senin dermanındır, şükret.
Allah aşkını arttırsın. Selam ve dua ile.
Ülkendeki kuşlardan ne haber vardır
Mezarlardan bile yükselen bir bahar vardır
Aşk celladından ne çıkar madem ki yar vardır
Yoktan da vardan da ötede bir Var vardır
Hep suç bende değil beni yakıp yıkan bir nazar vardır
O şarkıya özenip söylenecek mısralar vardır
Sakın kader deme kaderin üstünde bir kader vardır
Ne yapsalar boş göklerden gelen bir karar vardır
Gün batsa ne olur geceyi onaran bir mimar vardır
Yanmışsam külümden yapılan bir hisar vardır
Yenilgi yenilgi büyüyen bir zafer vardır
Sırların sırrına ermek için sende anahtar vardır
Göğsünde sürgününü geri çağıran bir damar vardır
Senden ümit kesmem kalbinde merhamet adlı bir çınar vardır
Sevgili...
En sevgili...
Ey sevgili!
-- Sezai Karakoç
... Bırak Sevgili senin gibi yanmasın !
Duana tövbe et. İçim içim kavrulmasın .
Olan şeyi O'ndan bilme Vedud (CC) 'dan bil.
Bak aşk seni nasıl berraklaştırmış, durultmuş.
Derdin senin dermanındır, şükret.
Allah aşkını arttırsın. Selam ve dua ile.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Do not despair when in spite of intense supplication, there is a delay in receiving the expected gift... He has guaranteed that He will respond in what He chooses for yourself,
and not what you choose for yourself,
and at the time He chooses
- not the time you desire.
- Ibn Ata'illah (ra)
Worry about Allah and what He wants you to do and He will take care of your worries.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
“Seeking knowledge is in consecutive levels and ranks, it does not befit that they should be bypassed. Whoever bypasses them at once, then he has bypassed the path of the pious predecessors – may Allah have mercy on them. Whoever bypasses them intentionally will go astray and whoever bypasses them with sincere effort with fall into error. The first of knowledge is memorising the Book of Allah `azza wa jall and understanding it…”
- Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Jami’ Bayan al-‘Ilm wa Fadhlihi (2/166)
“As for seeking to memorise the Qur‘aan, then this is to be given preference over many of the things that the people consider to be knowledge, but are - in reality - either totally useless, or having little benefit. It is also to be given precedence in learning especially by those who wish to acquire knowledge of the Deen, its principles and its particulars. Since what is prescribed for such a person at this time is that he should begin by memorising the Qur‘aan, as it is the foundation of the branches of the knowledge of the Deen. This is contrary to what is done by many of the people of innovation from the non-Arabs and other than them, in that one of them will pre-occupy himself with superfluous parts of knowledge; such as kalaam (rhetorical speech) and argumentation; or very rare matters of differences; and blind-following; which there is no need for; or very strange and rare ahaadeeth, which are not established, nor of benefit; and many discussions which do not establish proofs. And he abandons memorising the Qur‘aan which is more important than all of this.”
-Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Fataawaa al-Kubraa (2/54-55)
“I heard my grandfather say: I asked my father for permission to study under Qutaybah so he said: “First learn the Qur‘aan and then I will give you permission.” So I memorised the Qur‘aan by heart. So he said to me: “Remain until you have led the people in prayer with it (i.e for Taraaweeh Prayer).” So I did so, then after the 'Eed he gave me permission, so I left for Marw.”
-Muhammad Ibn al-Fadl, reported by adh-Dhahabi in Tadhkirat ul-Huffaadh (2/722)
“So the first thing he should begin with is memorisation of the mighty Qur‘aan, which is the most important branches of knowledge. And the Salaf did not use to teach Hadeeth or Fiqh, except to one who memorised the Qur‘aan. So when he has memorised it, then let him beware of pre-occupying himself from it with Hadeeth, Fiqh or other things, to the extent that it leads him to forget anything of the Qur‘aan, or makes that likely.”
-al-Imaam an-Nawawi, from the introduction to al-Majmoo’ Sharh ul-Muhadhhab (1/38)
- Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, Jami’ Bayan al-‘Ilm wa Fadhlihi (2/166)
“As for seeking to memorise the Qur‘aan, then this is to be given preference over many of the things that the people consider to be knowledge, but are - in reality - either totally useless, or having little benefit. It is also to be given precedence in learning especially by those who wish to acquire knowledge of the Deen, its principles and its particulars. Since what is prescribed for such a person at this time is that he should begin by memorising the Qur‘aan, as it is the foundation of the branches of the knowledge of the Deen. This is contrary to what is done by many of the people of innovation from the non-Arabs and other than them, in that one of them will pre-occupy himself with superfluous parts of knowledge; such as kalaam (rhetorical speech) and argumentation; or very rare matters of differences; and blind-following; which there is no need for; or very strange and rare ahaadeeth, which are not established, nor of benefit; and many discussions which do not establish proofs. And he abandons memorising the Qur‘aan which is more important than all of this.”
-Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Fataawaa al-Kubraa (2/54-55)
“I heard my grandfather say: I asked my father for permission to study under Qutaybah so he said: “First learn the Qur‘aan and then I will give you permission.” So I memorised the Qur‘aan by heart. So he said to me: “Remain until you have led the people in prayer with it (i.e for Taraaweeh Prayer).” So I did so, then after the 'Eed he gave me permission, so I left for Marw.”
-Muhammad Ibn al-Fadl, reported by adh-Dhahabi in Tadhkirat ul-Huffaadh (2/722)
“So the first thing he should begin with is memorisation of the mighty Qur‘aan, which is the most important branches of knowledge. And the Salaf did not use to teach Hadeeth or Fiqh, except to one who memorised the Qur‘aan. So when he has memorised it, then let him beware of pre-occupying himself from it with Hadeeth, Fiqh or other things, to the extent that it leads him to forget anything of the Qur‘aan, or makes that likely.”
-al-Imaam an-Nawawi, from the introduction to al-Majmoo’ Sharh ul-Muhadhhab (1/38)
Monday, October 20, 2008
"For those whose hopes are in the meeting with Allah (in the Hereafter, let them strive); for the Term (appointed) by Allah is surely coming: and He hears and knows (all things). And if any strive (with might and main) they do so for their own souls: for Allah is free of all needs from creation... and those who believe and work righteous deeds -them we shall admit into the company of the Righteous."
- Surat al-Ankabut, Ayahs 5-6, 9
Friday, October 10, 2008
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Miscellaneous marriage advice
Salams
Some advice given to a dear friend recently. Hopefully we can all benefit from it. Mrs Habib will no doubt be commenting forthwith on my position to be giving advice on happy marriages...
1. Marriage is obviously a very important sunna, but it is equally important to know that you are 'ahl' for marriage - that is, that you can meet the obligations of being a husband. It's essential to walk into something with your eyes open, and to know the ruling of Allah, and guidance of Rasul (s) BEFORE you do something (rather than after when it's too late!) A good start would be a book like Ghazzali's Book of marriage (trans Muhtar Holland), or Hedaya Hartfords 'Islamic Marriage.'
2. Insha-allah, we can speak about the fiqh/adab of marriage at some point. It's a crucial area that unfortunately most people are unaware of. I remember a friend once asked me to 'go through the fiqh of mariage' with him. I told him I would go through the adab of marriage with him, and then he wouldn't need the fiqh! As one of our teachers mentioned, 'if you understand and practice the spirit, you'll never need recourse to the law.'
3. What you're looking for in a partner is 'Deen.' This means three things (in order of importance): beliefs, character and practice. Note that good character is probably more important than practice because:
a) a person of good character is easier to live with, and marraige is about 'taskin,' which means 'making a home' but ALSO 'bringing tranquility.' Note that a home is suposed to be a place of tranquility. Also note that this is MUTUAL - tranquility and making a home does NOT mean wife listens to everything you say, stands to attention and obeys every command! You have to bring tranquility to her as well! This is the psychology bit...
b) a person with good character is naturally attracted to good actions, even if they may not be performing them at the moment. Actions are easy to change in comparison to character traits.
4. Character, unfortunately is
(a) difficult to judge - especially when you don't have the time to get to know someone - and
(b) something unfortunately not particularly high up the priority list for most people, particularly when it comes to finding or rendering oneself suitable for marriage partners. You have to have a feel for these things, or ask the right sort of questions.
5. This is the person who will be closest to you - and have the most insidious influence on you, for better or worse - for the rest of your life. It is the person with whom you will raise your children, a major determinant of their final destination. Choose well, choose carefully. Yes, you can influence a person for the better - of course - but they will also influence you. Better all round to start with the best possible chance. If you want to build a table, buying and assembling the flat-packed one from IKEA is easier than taking an axe to the tree and going from there (even with the Swedish instructions!)
6. Remember that a good wife - or husband - (defined as one who will facilitate rather than hinder your pathway to Allah) is rarer than red sulphur. Someone interested and actively involved in tariqa is usually a safer bet. Note this does not mean, 'has a shaykh' or 'does khatam and mawlid' but someone who is actively involved in the process of self-purification. A person helps you spiritually not merely by waking you up for fajr (though this is handy!) but also by creating domestic conditions conducive to spiritual progress. The primary obstacle on the path is worldly distraction - be this financial, physical or emotional - that leads to heedlessness and pre-occupation. Heedlessness is the root of all spiritual diseases, which is why the sufis recommend nothing more than dhikr (remembrance) as a tool of rectification. Allah says, 'wadhkur Allaha dhikran kathiran,' which might be translated as 'make dhikr absolutely all the time.' We are created weak, and tend not to focus well on long-term matters (ajila) when we have pressing short-term worries (`ajila).
7. Something important: one often finds today that religiously-minded youngsters like ourselves get advice like the above on 'getting a good partner,' smugly content in our superiority over our 'less religious,' 'culturally backward' elders. Of course, we know better. They just married whoever mum chose for them. They didn't care about religion, piety, or any of that stuff. They just wanted someone from their village... And their marriages, in most cases, have lasted 20, 30, or 40 years. Many of our marriages don't last the winter. Why? Because when you choose your 'perfect partner,' you expect perfection. We live in an age of instant satisfaction, where we are constantly being told to expect - no, demand - exactly what we want. Whether you like it or not, those who grow up in less-traditional societies are influenced by the 'gimme' mindset, the idea that happiness and contentment are not found in making the best of what one has, but in constantly searching for a fully-formed utopia.
8. Marriage is hard work. For women, it is often a jihad - a constant struggle, placing others before oneself, sacrificing. You get a diamond in the rough, and you have to polish it carefully and constantly. The joy is in the struggle, the incremental steps towards whatever is reasonably attainable. It's not in making it perfect the first time round. Home-cooked food has more baraka than ready meals from Tescos, even if the salt is slightly less, because it is made with love, the fruit of one's own hands. To use another example, I really enjoyed the work on 'Songs of Innocence' because it was a constant process of revision, of listening and improving, of challenging myself to do better. The best part of it is that when I listen to it now, I know there are still things that I can improve, but when I look back at how it started, the first rough drafts (that I still have!), I delight in the difference between then and now. So be warned, the work really starts after the nikah has occured. My shaykh explained to me that a successful marriage has two ingredients: shukr and sabr. Be thankful for whatever good qualities your partner has, and be patient and forebearing in the face of their not-so-good ones. Our older generations, consciously or not, were aware of this. They were content with marrying a person who was far from perfect. Over years, with difficulty and no doubt many tears, they have grown together, moulding each other in unnoticeable ways, until they are content with one another. You'll notice the word 'content' is mentioned frequently. This is not because I don't have my thesaurus. It is purposeful. Our problem is that we are fundamentally discontented with what we have. This is the major fitna of the modern world. There is more, of course, but this should suffice to make you wish that you had never pressed 'send' on the blasted email in the first place!
Last note: everything that I have just said - apply it to yourself FIRST. make sure you are suitable to be a husband according to what has been mentioned above. Many of us have exacting standards for potential spouses, and make the unwitting and narcissitic assumption that we ourselves are perfect partners. A healthy prescription of introspection / looking in the mirror three times a day is just what the doctor ordered.
NB: The masnun dua when looking in the mirror is: Allahuma anta hassanta khalqi, fa hassin khuluqi (Oh Allah, you have beautified my form, now beautify my inward character). Think about it...Peace and blessings upon the best of creation, the spirit of life and master of existence, Sayyidina Muhammad, his family and companions.
was salam
Miscellaneous marriage advice
Salams
Some advice given to a dear friend recently. Hopefully we can all benefit from it. Mrs Habib will no doubt be commenting forthwith on my position to be giving advice on happy marriages...
1. Marriage is obviously a very important sunna, but it is equally important to know that you are 'ahl' for marriage - that is, that you can meet the obligations of being a husband. It's essential to walk into something with your eyes open, and to know the ruling of Allah, and guidance of Rasul (s) BEFORE you do something (rather than after when it's too late!) A good start would be a book like Ghazzali's Book of marriage (trans Muhtar Holland), or Hedaya Hartfords 'Islamic Marriage.'
2. Insha-allah, we can speak about the fiqh/adab of marriage at some point. It's a crucial area that unfortunately most people are unaware of. I remember a friend once asked me to 'go through the fiqh of mariage' with him. I told him I would go through the adab of marriage with him, and then he wouldn't need the fiqh! As one of our teachers mentioned, 'if you understand and practice the spirit, you'll never need recourse to the law.'
3. What you're looking for in a partner is 'Deen.' This means three things (in order of importance): beliefs, character and practice. Note that good character is probably more important than practice because:
a) a person of good character is easier to live with, and marraige is about 'taskin,' which means 'making a home' but ALSO 'bringing tranquility.' Note that a home is suposed to be a place of tranquility. Also note that this is MUTUAL - tranquility and making a home does NOT mean wife listens to everything you say, stands to attention and obeys every command! You have to bring tranquility to her as well! This is the psychology bit...
b) a person with good character is naturally attracted to good actions, even if they may not be performing them at the moment. Actions are easy to change in comparison to character traits.
4. Character, unfortunately is
(a) difficult to judge - especially when you don't have the time to get to know someone - and
(b) something unfortunately not particularly high up the priority list for most people, particularly when it comes to finding or rendering oneself suitable for marriage partners. You have to have a feel for these things, or ask the right sort of questions.
5. This is the person who will be closest to you - and have the most insidious influence on you, for better or worse - for the rest of your life. It is the person with whom you will raise your children, a major determinant of their final destination. Choose well, choose carefully. Yes, you can influence a person for the better - of course - but they will also influence you. Better all round to start with the best possible chance. If you want to build a table, buying and assembling the flat-packed one from IKEA is easier than taking an axe to the tree and going from there (even with the Swedish instructions!)
6. Remember that a good wife - or husband - (defined as one who will facilitate rather than hinder your pathway to Allah) is rarer than red sulphur. Someone interested and actively involved in tariqa is usually a safer bet. Note this does not mean, 'has a shaykh' or 'does khatam and mawlid' but someone who is actively involved in the process of self-purification. A person helps you spiritually not merely by waking you up for fajr (though this is handy!) but also by creating domestic conditions conducive to spiritual progress. The primary obstacle on the path is worldly distraction - be this financial, physical or emotional - that leads to heedlessness and pre-occupation. Heedlessness is the root of all spiritual diseases, which is why the sufis recommend nothing more than dhikr (remembrance) as a tool of rectification. Allah says, 'wadhkur Allaha dhikran kathiran,' which might be translated as 'make dhikr absolutely all the time.' We are created weak, and tend not to focus well on long-term matters (ajila) when we have pressing short-term worries (`ajila).
7. Something important: one often finds today that religiously-minded youngsters like ourselves get advice like the above on 'getting a good partner,' smugly content in our superiority over our 'less religious,' 'culturally backward' elders. Of course, we know better. They just married whoever mum chose for them. They didn't care about religion, piety, or any of that stuff. They just wanted someone from their village... And their marriages, in most cases, have lasted 20, 30, or 40 years. Many of our marriages don't last the winter. Why? Because when you choose your 'perfect partner,' you expect perfection. We live in an age of instant satisfaction, where we are constantly being told to expect - no, demand - exactly what we want. Whether you like it or not, those who grow up in less-traditional societies are influenced by the 'gimme' mindset, the idea that happiness and contentment are not found in making the best of what one has, but in constantly searching for a fully-formed utopia.
8. Marriage is hard work. For women, it is often a jihad - a constant struggle, placing others before oneself, sacrificing. You get a diamond in the rough, and you have to polish it carefully and constantly. The joy is in the struggle, the incremental steps towards whatever is reasonably attainable. It's not in making it perfect the first time round. Home-cooked food has more baraka than ready meals from Tescos, even if the salt is slightly less, because it is made with love, the fruit of one's own hands. To use another example, I really enjoyed the work on 'Songs of Innocence' because it was a constant process of revision, of listening and improving, of challenging myself to do better. The best part of it is that when I listen to it now, I know there are still things that I can improve, but when I look back at how it started, the first rough drafts (that I still have!), I delight in the difference between then and now. So be warned, the work really starts after the nikah has occured. My shaykh explained to me that a successful marriage has two ingredients: shukr and sabr. Be thankful for whatever good qualities your partner has, and be patient and forebearing in the face of their not-so-good ones. Our older generations, consciously or not, were aware of this. They were content with marrying a person who was far from perfect. Over years, with difficulty and no doubt many tears, they have grown together, moulding each other in unnoticeable ways, until they are content with one another. You'll notice the word 'content' is mentioned frequently. This is not because I don't have my thesaurus. It is purposeful. Our problem is that we are fundamentally discontented with what we have. This is the major fitna of the modern world. There is more, of course, but this should suffice to make you wish that you had never pressed 'send' on the blasted email in the first place!
Last note: everything that I have just said - apply it to yourself FIRST. make sure you are suitable to be a husband according to what has been mentioned above. Many of us have exacting standards for potential spouses, and make the unwitting and narcissitic assumption that we ourselves are perfect partners. A healthy prescription of introspection / looking in the mirror three times a day is just what the doctor ordered.
NB: The masnun dua when looking in the mirror is: Allahuma anta hassanta khalqi, fa hassin khuluqi (Oh Allah, you have beautified my form, now beautify my inward character). Think about it...Peace and blessings upon the best of creation, the spirit of life and master of existence, Sayyidina Muhammad, his family and companions.
was salam
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Practical Advice for Ramadhan
1. Ask Allah for tawfiq to benefit in Ramadan. “Whoever doesn’t ask of Allah, then Allah Ta’ala gets upset with that person”–nobody else is like that.
2. Make a firm resolve to abstain from all sins, especially of the eyes/ears/tongue/heart.
3. Free up time for ibadat. We’re all busy, so we have to MAKE time. This is the month of ibadat.
4. Schedule whatever appointments we have for before or after Ramadan. Don’t have things like that during Ramadan, it’s the month of Allah so devote it to Him.
5. Try to follow the sunnat. We all know Allah Ta’ala loves Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa sallam, we may have people in our lives that we love; for example, our children. If we see another kid that looks like ours, we get happy because of that love we have for our own. When we resemble habibullah, Allah focuses on us as well. Just by mere resemblance. If anyone wants to deny the power of the effect of resemblance then they are denying a story in the Qur’an: Musa, as with the magicians. They came dressed up as Musa as to mock him but because of their resemblance of a Nabi of Allah, Allah granted them great iman at the end. External and internal sunnah should be practiced.
6. Learn the fiqh of Ramadan. Have access to a book/‘ulema to keep it fresh in our minds in case we approach a situation and we don’t know what to do.
7. Dua’, Qur’an, Dhikr—leads you to Allah swt and automatically keeps you uninvolved with others. FOCUS on Allah swt; don’t waste your time with others.
1. Ask Allah for tawfiq to benefit in Ramadan. “Whoever doesn’t ask of Allah, then Allah Ta’ala gets upset with that person”–nobody else is like that.
2. Make a firm resolve to abstain from all sins, especially of the eyes/ears/tongue/heart.
3. Free up time for ibadat. We’re all busy, so we have to MAKE time. This is the month of ibadat.
4. Schedule whatever appointments we have for before or after Ramadan. Don’t have things like that during Ramadan, it’s the month of Allah so devote it to Him.
5. Try to follow the sunnat. We all know Allah Ta’ala loves Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa sallam, we may have people in our lives that we love; for example, our children. If we see another kid that looks like ours, we get happy because of that love we have for our own. When we resemble habibullah, Allah focuses on us as well. Just by mere resemblance. If anyone wants to deny the power of the effect of resemblance then they are denying a story in the Qur’an: Musa, as with the magicians. They came dressed up as Musa as to mock him but because of their resemblance of a Nabi of Allah, Allah granted them great iman at the end. External and internal sunnah should be practiced.
6. Learn the fiqh of Ramadan. Have access to a book/‘ulema to keep it fresh in our minds in case we approach a situation and we don’t know what to do.
7. Dua’, Qur’an, Dhikr—leads you to Allah swt and automatically keeps you uninvolved with others. FOCUS on Allah swt; don’t waste your time with others.
Friday, April 11, 2008
One who takes pride in otherworldliness is like one who takes pride in leaving some trivial thing, something that has less significance with Allah ta'alaa than a gnat's wing. The world is petty & unworthy of mention, much less than something that evokes pride when it is shunned......rather they are concerned with true knowledge of Allah ta'alaa, being humble before Him, (gaining) His love, nearness to Him, longing for His meeting, and obeying Him.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
The signs of love of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
Know that someone who loves a person prefers them and prefers what they like. Otherwise, he is a pretender, insincere in his love.
Someone who has true love of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, will manifest the following signs.
1) The first sign is that he will emulate him, apply his Sunna, follow his words and deeds, obey his commands and avoid his prohibitions and take on his adab in ease and hardship, joy and despair. Allah testifies to that, "Say: if you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you." (3:31)
2) He will prefer what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has laid down as law and encouraged, over his own passions and appetites. Allah said, "Those who were already settled in the abode, and in belief, before they came, love those who have emigrated to them and do not find in their breasts any need for what they have been given and prefer them to themselves even if they themselves are in want." (59:9)
3) His anger against people will only be for the sake of the pleasure of Allah. Anas ibn Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah said to me, 'My son, if you can be without any grudge in your heart against anyone in the morning and evening, be like that.' Then he added, 'My son, that is part of my Sunna. Whoever gives life to my sunna has loved me and whoever loves me is with me in the Garden.'" (at-Tirmidhi)
Anyone who possesses this particular quality has perfect love for Allah and His Messenger. Anyone slightly lacking in it is imperfect in his love, while not entirely devoid of it. The proof of this is in what the Prophet said about the man who was given the punishment for drinking. A man there cursed him and the Prophet said, "Do not curse him. He loves Allah and His Messenger." (al-Bayhaqi)
4) Another of the signs of love for the Prophet is to mention him often. Whoever loves something mentions it a lot.
5) Another is great yearning to meet him. Every lover yearns for their beloved.
When the Ash'arite clan came to Madina, they chanted, "Tomorrow we will meet those we love, Muhammad and his Companions!"
6) One of its signs is that as well as mentioning him often, someone who loves him will exalt and respect him when he mentions him and display humility and abasement when he hears his name. Ishaq at-Tujibi said, "Whenever the Companions of the Prophet heard his name after he died, they were humble, their skins trembled and they wept. It was the same with many of the Followers. Some of them act like that out of love and yearning for him, others out of respect and esteem."
7) Another sign is love for those who love the Prophet and the people of his house and his Companions, both of the Muhajirun and Ansar, for his sake. Such a person will also be hostile to those who hate them and curse them. Whoever loves anyone, loves those he loves.
The Prophet said about al-Hasan and al-Husayn, "O Allah, I love them, so love them." In al-Hasan's variant, "O Allah, I love him, so love the one who loves him." He also said, "Whoever loves them loves me. Whoever loves me loves Allah. Whoever hates them hates me. Whoever hates me hates Allah." (al-Bukhari)
He said, "Allah! Allah! My Companions! Do not make them targets after me! Whoever loves them loves them by loving me. Whoever hates them hates them by hating me. Whoever does something hurtful to them does something hurtful to me. Whoever does something hurtful to me does something hurtful to Allah. Whoever does something hurtful to Allah is about to be seized." (at-Tirmidhi)
He said about Fatima, "She is a part of me. Whoever hates her hates me." (al-Bukhari)
He said to 'A'isha about Usama ibn Zayd, "Love him for I love him." (at-Tirmidhi)
He said, "The sign of true faith is love for the Ansar and the sign of hypocrisy is hatred for them." (al-Bukhari and Muslim)
In a hadith related by Ibn 'Umar we find, "Whoever loves the Arabs, loves them because he loves me. Whoever hates them hates them because he hates me." In reality, whoever loves someone loves everything he loves. This was certainly the case with the Salaf, even regarding permitted things and the appetites of the self.
Anas once saw the Prophet reaching for the pumpkin in the plate. He said, "I have loved pumpkin from that day."
Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas and Ibn Ja'far came to Salma [a servant of the Prophet] and asked her to prepare some food for them which the Messenger of Allah liked. Ibn 'Umar began to wear tanned sandals dyed yellow when he saw the Prophet wearing ones like that.
8) Another sign is hatred for anyone who hates Allah and His Messenger, having enmity towards all who have enmity towards him, avoidance of all those who oppose his Sunna and introduce innovations into his Deen, and finding every matter contrary to his Shari'a burdensome. Allah says, "You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day who having love for anyone who opposes Allah and His Messenger." (58:22)
His Companions killed their loved ones and fought their fathers and sons to gain the pleasure of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'Abdullah ibn 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy said to him, "If you had wanted, I would have brought you his head (his father's)."
9) Another sign of it is love for the Qur'an which the Prophet brought, by which he guided and was guided, and whose character he took on so that 'A'isha said, "His character was the Qur'an." Part of love for the Qur'an is its recitation and acting by it and understanding it, and loving his sunna and keeping within its limits.
Sahl ibn 'Abdullah said, "The sign of the love of Allah is love of the Qur'an. The sign of love of the Qur'an is love of the Prophet. The sign of love of the Prophet is love of the Sunna. The sign of love of the Sunna is love of the Next World. The sign of love of the Next World is hatred for this world. The sign of hatred for this world is that you do not store up any of it except for provision and what you need to arrive safely in the Next World."
Ibn Mas'ud said, "No one needs to ask himself about anything except the Qur'an. If he loves the Qur'an, he loves Allah and His Messenger."
10) One of the signs of love for the Prophet is having compassion for his community, giving them good counsel, striving for their best interests and removing what is harmful from them just as the Prophet was "compassionate, merciful to the believers." (9:128)
11) One of the signs of perfect love is that the one who aspires to it does without in this world and prefers poverty.
The Prophet said to Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, "Poverty for those among you who love me comes quicker than a flood from the top of the mountain to the bottom." (at-Tirmidhi)
In a hadith from 'Abdullah b. Mughaffal, a man said to the Prophet, "O Messenger of Allah, I love you." He said, "Take care what you say!" He said, "By Allah, I love you" three times. He said, "If you love me, then prepare for poverty quickly." There is a similar hadith from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri.
(Taken from Qadhi `Iyadh (ra)'s as-Shifa)
Know that someone who loves a person prefers them and prefers what they like. Otherwise, he is a pretender, insincere in his love.
Someone who has true love of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, will manifest the following signs.
1) The first sign is that he will emulate him, apply his Sunna, follow his words and deeds, obey his commands and avoid his prohibitions and take on his adab in ease and hardship, joy and despair. Allah testifies to that, "Say: if you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you." (3:31)
2) He will prefer what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has laid down as law and encouraged, over his own passions and appetites. Allah said, "Those who were already settled in the abode, and in belief, before they came, love those who have emigrated to them and do not find in their breasts any need for what they have been given and prefer them to themselves even if they themselves are in want." (59:9)
3) His anger against people will only be for the sake of the pleasure of Allah. Anas ibn Malik said, "The Messenger of Allah said to me, 'My son, if you can be without any grudge in your heart against anyone in the morning and evening, be like that.' Then he added, 'My son, that is part of my Sunna. Whoever gives life to my sunna has loved me and whoever loves me is with me in the Garden.'" (at-Tirmidhi)
Anyone who possesses this particular quality has perfect love for Allah and His Messenger. Anyone slightly lacking in it is imperfect in his love, while not entirely devoid of it. The proof of this is in what the Prophet said about the man who was given the punishment for drinking. A man there cursed him and the Prophet said, "Do not curse him. He loves Allah and His Messenger." (al-Bayhaqi)
4) Another of the signs of love for the Prophet is to mention him often. Whoever loves something mentions it a lot.
5) Another is great yearning to meet him. Every lover yearns for their beloved.
When the Ash'arite clan came to Madina, they chanted, "Tomorrow we will meet those we love, Muhammad and his Companions!"
6) One of its signs is that as well as mentioning him often, someone who loves him will exalt and respect him when he mentions him and display humility and abasement when he hears his name. Ishaq at-Tujibi said, "Whenever the Companions of the Prophet heard his name after he died, they were humble, their skins trembled and they wept. It was the same with many of the Followers. Some of them act like that out of love and yearning for him, others out of respect and esteem."
7) Another sign is love for those who love the Prophet and the people of his house and his Companions, both of the Muhajirun and Ansar, for his sake. Such a person will also be hostile to those who hate them and curse them. Whoever loves anyone, loves those he loves.
The Prophet said about al-Hasan and al-Husayn, "O Allah, I love them, so love them." In al-Hasan's variant, "O Allah, I love him, so love the one who loves him." He also said, "Whoever loves them loves me. Whoever loves me loves Allah. Whoever hates them hates me. Whoever hates me hates Allah." (al-Bukhari)
He said, "Allah! Allah! My Companions! Do not make them targets after me! Whoever loves them loves them by loving me. Whoever hates them hates them by hating me. Whoever does something hurtful to them does something hurtful to me. Whoever does something hurtful to me does something hurtful to Allah. Whoever does something hurtful to Allah is about to be seized." (at-Tirmidhi)
He said about Fatima, "She is a part of me. Whoever hates her hates me." (al-Bukhari)
He said to 'A'isha about Usama ibn Zayd, "Love him for I love him." (at-Tirmidhi)
He said, "The sign of true faith is love for the Ansar and the sign of hypocrisy is hatred for them." (al-Bukhari and Muslim)
In a hadith related by Ibn 'Umar we find, "Whoever loves the Arabs, loves them because he loves me. Whoever hates them hates them because he hates me." In reality, whoever loves someone loves everything he loves. This was certainly the case with the Salaf, even regarding permitted things and the appetites of the self.
Anas once saw the Prophet reaching for the pumpkin in the plate. He said, "I have loved pumpkin from that day."
Al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas and Ibn Ja'far came to Salma [a servant of the Prophet] and asked her to prepare some food for them which the Messenger of Allah liked. Ibn 'Umar began to wear tanned sandals dyed yellow when he saw the Prophet wearing ones like that.
8) Another sign is hatred for anyone who hates Allah and His Messenger, having enmity towards all who have enmity towards him, avoidance of all those who oppose his Sunna and introduce innovations into his Deen, and finding every matter contrary to his Shari'a burdensome. Allah says, "You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day who having love for anyone who opposes Allah and His Messenger." (58:22)
His Companions killed their loved ones and fought their fathers and sons to gain the pleasure of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'Abdullah ibn 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy said to him, "If you had wanted, I would have brought you his head (his father's)."
9) Another sign of it is love for the Qur'an which the Prophet brought, by which he guided and was guided, and whose character he took on so that 'A'isha said, "His character was the Qur'an." Part of love for the Qur'an is its recitation and acting by it and understanding it, and loving his sunna and keeping within its limits.
Sahl ibn 'Abdullah said, "The sign of the love of Allah is love of the Qur'an. The sign of love of the Qur'an is love of the Prophet. The sign of love of the Prophet is love of the Sunna. The sign of love of the Sunna is love of the Next World. The sign of love of the Next World is hatred for this world. The sign of hatred for this world is that you do not store up any of it except for provision and what you need to arrive safely in the Next World."
Ibn Mas'ud said, "No one needs to ask himself about anything except the Qur'an. If he loves the Qur'an, he loves Allah and His Messenger."
10) One of the signs of love for the Prophet is having compassion for his community, giving them good counsel, striving for their best interests and removing what is harmful from them just as the Prophet was "compassionate, merciful to the believers." (9:128)
11) One of the signs of perfect love is that the one who aspires to it does without in this world and prefers poverty.
The Prophet said to Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, "Poverty for those among you who love me comes quicker than a flood from the top of the mountain to the bottom." (at-Tirmidhi)
In a hadith from 'Abdullah b. Mughaffal, a man said to the Prophet, "O Messenger of Allah, I love you." He said, "Take care what you say!" He said, "By Allah, I love you" three times. He said, "If you love me, then prepare for poverty quickly." There is a similar hadith from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri.
(Taken from Qadhi `Iyadh (ra)'s as-Shifa)
