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Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu my friends
Towards the end of yesterday's mail (Our Pious Predecessors in Ramadan) under "One Creator- One Message: God made night and day", there was an error pointed out by 3 of my recipients. The Quranic translation for verse 57:6 was wrongly given, and was actually a repetition of Genesis 1:5 from the Bible.
The correct translation for the verse from the Quran should be as follows:
[057:006] He merges night into day (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the night is added into the hours of the day), and merges day into night (i.e. the decrease in the hours of the day is added into the hours of the night), and He has full knowledge of whatsoever is in the breasts.
The error is regretted.
Wassalam. Adam.
Narrated Abdullah (Radi Allahu anhu):
A (Jewish) rabbi came to Allah's Messenger (SalAllahu alaihi wasallam) and he said, "O Muhammad! We learn that Allah will put all the heavens on one finger, and the earth on one finger, and the trees on one finger and water and the dust on one finger, and all the other crated beings on one finger. Then He will say, 'I am the King.'" Thereupon the Prophet (SalAllahu alaihi wasallam) smiled so that his premolar teeth became visible, and that was the confirmation of the rabbi. Then Allah's Messenger (SalAllahu alaihi wasallam) recited:-
They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him.
And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand.
Glorified be He, and High be He above all that they associate as partners with Him!
(Holy Qur'an Az-Zumar * Verse 39:67)
Sahih Al-Bukhari 6:335
| Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent."[Muslim]. | | 254/1511 - Riyad Us-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous) |
Oh Beloved, Take away what I want. Take away what I do. Take away what I need. Take away everything, That takes me from You.
Mevlana Rumi (rahimullah) Shirk !!!! whats yours….
In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism…Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of "God" or spiritual-type thing…is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.
If you worship money and things-if they are where you tap real meaning in life-then you will never have enough. Never feel you have enough.
It's the truth."
David Foster Wallace
Sometimes inspiration comes from unexpected places. All my life a part of me felt safe from the wrath of Allah, Almighty. I felt like although I have made many mistakes and committed several sins, at least I wasn't committing Shirk (associating partners with Allah). I felt assurance that in the core of my being, I recognized and worshipped the One and Only true God. Surely, all my other transgressions would be forgiven and wiped away as long as I recognized and repeatedly turned back to this reality. I felt an almost smug confidence in myself whenever I read the verse:
"Surely, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that…….whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin."
[An-Nisa 4:48]
One day I was flipping through the pages of a Magazine while waiting at the dentist's office and the above quote from the late poet David Foster Wallace somehow caught my eye. I suddenly realized that worship does not simply constitute bowing down to something or supplicating to it.
Worship is a state of mind.
It is embedded deep in your heart. And your actions are a much clearer indication of whom or what you worship than your feelings or beliefs. The deeper I reflected on this, the more conscious I became that perhaps I am not as immune from the potential of committing shirk as I previously believed.
"Men whose hearts are changed by money are not learned."(Imaam Ghazali)
Many people worship money.
They love it.
Their thoughts, hopes and self-worth are tied to what they consume, what assets they own, and the power to accumulate more and more and more... There is nothing wrong with wanting or having money. The intention, however, is tremendously important.
As Shayk Ninowy in his talk said "put money in your pocket and not in your heart"
Are you chasing money to lead an extravagant life style or do you want to serve the cause of Islam?
Or is the endgame of all your hard work that coveted penthouse condo, that dazzling Mercedes or BMW, that Louis Vuitton item or the Raymond weil watch?
The slippery slope is when your money and your possessions start defining who you are; when you start pursuing luxuries to add meaning to your life. As Allah, Almighty reminds us:
"Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and sons; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world's life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (To return to)." [Ali'-Imran 3:14]
Does a car define you…
Unfortunately, many Muslims have fallen into this trap. Indeed it's a hard one to resist in the materialistic/consumerist culture of modern societies. However, resist it we must, for as the true believer knows, having "things" adds nothing to our lives.
Nor does our wealth benefit us when we die.
Excess materialism, of course, is the most obvious form of what we're discussing. Perhaps many more of us unknowingly commit shirk when we worship our whims and fancies.
"Have you seen such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, left him astray upon knowledge and sealed his hearing and his heart, and set a covering upon his sight. Who, then, will guide him after Allah? Will you not then receive admonition?" [Al-Jathiya 45:23]
I think many shades of shirk can be found in the broad category of worshipping our "vain desires." For many people this means an unbridled occupation with doing whatever feels good and getting what we want; a sense of entitlement or freedom to act immorally or selfishly in order to pursue personal pleasure and gains. It all seems harmless enough, at first, but we can see the ugly manifestations of this line of thinking in the form of societal addictions: drug abuse, alcoholism, extra-marital vices, gambling (lotto, horse racing, casinos),and even over-eating.
It reminds me of the lyrics of an old Sheryl Crow song:
"If it makes you happy/it can't be that bad."
Yes, it can be. It can be devastating actually. True happiness comes from mastering our desires, not allowing ourselves to be overtaken and enslaved by them.
An offshoot of this phenomenon is the worship of one's own intellect. We have all met academics and even so-called religious people who seem completely and utterly smitten by their powers of reasoning or eloquence. Those in top notch jobs like CEOs, MDs or directors that think so highly of themselves that virtually worship their positions and success. Similarly, some people are so talented in a particular field that they start worshipping their own proficiencies and accomplishments.
They forget that these gifts are from Allah, Almighty are meant to be used as a means, not an end.
Others are absolutely obsessed with looking good. Beauty is their "god" They will spend ridiculous amounts of money and time at the gym, at the spa, at the hair salon, and now increasingly, undergoing plastic surgery, all in the pursuit of looking beautiful. We must not exclude the chase for "whiteness" as the belief that being fairer is better.
What do we gain with these obsessions except vanity?
For the record, I am not discounting these avenues completely. There is a such thing as seeking knowledge for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He, or pursuing this or that treatment or exercise regimen as a means to good health.
But there is a limit, and many of us have unfortunately crossed it, we have exceeded the threshold.
Women have been particularly susceptible to worshipping the false deities of youth and beauty. We can't seem to find time to recite Qur'an, we don't seem to have enough money to donate to the masjid or sponsor an orphan or for that matter feed the poor, but we can spend hours a week applying makeup or styling our hair, hundreds of rands/dollars on the latest spa treatment or weight-loss gimmick.
What do you love?
What this indicates is a misalignment of priorities. And our priorities are a strong indicator of what we worship. As Muslim women, we need to be particularly wary of Shaytan's constant campaign to make us believe that our worth is proportional to our attractiveness. It is not. We are much more precious than that. Whenever you find yourself falling into this trap, recall the wise words of Teilhard de Chardin:
"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience."
Still others worship their relationships and this is perhaps the easiest, and therefore most dangerous, form of shirk. Is your purpose and self-worth defined by your friends (facebook,twitter,whatsapp,etc) and popularity among them?
Do you follow a revered teacher or role-model with unflinching dedication?
Do your feelings, identity, loyalty and worldview revolve completely around your family?
Do all your hopes, fears and very pride reside in your children?
Do you love your spouse so passionately that your life would be over without him or her?
Most of us can certainly identify with the sentiment behind these questions. Our relationships are supremely important. They are a monumental blessing from Allah, Almighty and sometimes, a considerable test. Our most beautiful moments, as well as our most profound heartaches, are often born out of the love we feel for certain special people in our lives.
But what if your reliance on people is greater than your reliance upon Allah, Almighty? What if the greatest comfort in your life is a special someone and not Allah, Almighty.
At least seventeen times a day, we face Allah, Exalted is He, and proclaim,
"You alone we worship and You alone we turn to for help."
[Fatihah 1:5].
But do we affirm this in our choices? Do our hearts truly reflect this attitude? Remember, Allah is in no need of our lip-service. True believers recognize that one's love for the created should pale in comparison to one's love for the Creator.
Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is the due) of Allah (only) - those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah….
(Al-Baqarah 2:165)
To quote Mevlana Rumi, rahimahu llah
"Last night I learned how to be a lover of God, To live in this world and call nothing my own"
At the end of the day, even our most significant relationships are secondary to our relationship with Allah, Almighty. As hard is it may be to recognize, to think otherwise (whether in belief or actions), constitutes a form of shirk.
We must be deliberate in the internal struggle to detach ourselves from these forms of worship. And we must constantly seek the assistance and protection of Allah, Exalted is He, in this endeavour, for without His guidance, we would truly be astray.
As the beloved Prophet, upon Him peace and blessings, said:
"Live in this world as a traveller." (Bukhari).
Let us always bear in mind the illusory reality of this world. Let's not be distracted by its false promises or dazzled by its glitter.
Let's remember:
"Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception." (Ali'-Imran 3:185).
May Allah, Almighty Guide and Protect us
Ameen
The Dynamic Nature of Ramadaan
By Abu Muhammed
Have you ever noticed that in Ramadaan how it is that everyone's days (and nights) seem to rotate around their salaah(prayer) times and how easy it is to fast for long periods, perform Salaah, recite the Quraan, spend more time in the Masjid and to do good ? Business appointments are deliberately avoided close to salaah times and trips to shopping malls are strictly to get what's required, recreation curtailed and 'entertainment', almost nonexistent. Journeys, if necessary, are planned in such a manner that destinations are reached before the time of futoor (opening of the fast). In summation we can safely say that life is taken very seriously and time scrupulously spent.
A famous contemporary scholar was often heard saying,
'If our lives are spent as we spend Ramadaan then death (our meeting with Allah Jalla Wa A'ala) will be enjoyable to us as the joy we feel at the sighting of the crescent of Eidul Fitr'
One of the most salient aspects of the Shariah (The Body of Islamic Law) is that almost all the formal acts of Ibaadah (Worship) have been fixed. It can be safely said that the temperament of Ibaadah in Islam is very 'time and place' specific.
· Haj in the month of Zhul Hijjah (8th to the 12th) in the city of Makkah and its surrounds of Mina, Arafah and Muzdalifa
· Zakaat once a year (Lunar) fixed
· Salaah fixed five times a day at specific times, and
· Fasting in Ramadaan
The maximum benefit of these acts of Ibaadah will be reaped when they are done at their specific times and places. An example to emphasise the point is that most Muslims are aware of the great virtue of the day of Arafah (9th Zil Hijjah) during Hajj (pilgrimage). It is a day wherein Allah frees the most souls from Jahannum (Hell) and displays His Mercy and Forgiveness in waves and torrents like no other time. Arafah is essentially a desert plain with little or no vegetation. If a person were to be on the plains of Arafah on every other day of the year other than the 9th of Zhul Hijjah he will not benefit from the great rewards of Arafah. An example pertaining to Ramadaan is that if a person, with a valid reason, misses the fast of Ramadaan he cannot acquire the spiritual benefit of that one fast were he to fast for the entire year out of Ramadaan. The Qadha fast (late fulfillment) will fulfill his obligation but detract from the benefit of that fast in its original place and time.
While there will be those who argue that the Shariah is not so stringent and allows for leeway there is great wisdom in fixing the formal acts of Ibaadah (Worship). Breaking away from a high profile meeting or stopping in the middle of an important task at work and heading off for Salaah to the local Masjid for the congregational prayer may not seem very different to fulfilling the obligation of Salaah after the meeting or completing one's task but upon closer scrutiny under a 'spiritual' microscope one will find an important difference. In the first instance a person has put the command of the Creator – Allah Jalla Wa A'ala – before everything else while in the second instance, while not making a verbal statement, a person has given priority to his meeting or task over the fulfilling of the command of Allah Jalla Wa A'ala. The former is precisely the aim and objective of Shariah. After all we are the 'Ibaad – Slaves' of Allah Jalla Wa A'ala and as Hasan Basri (May Allah have mercy on him) says 'a slave can have no other wish than to fulfill the wish (command) of his/her Master'. Fulfilling the command of Allah Jalla Wa A'ala is another name for 'Worship' which is the objective of the short and transitory life of a Human Being (Qur'an Surah 51, Verse 56) on this earth and determines the extent of his/her success or failure in the Akhira (the Hereafter)
From this perspective then, Ramadaan is a practical exercise and lesson in learning Uboodiya (Slavery) to one's Creator where one's 24 hour day becomes consciously focused at fulfilling the Command of one's Creator over and above all the 'commands' of a personal or vocational nature. Ramadaan is also proof to us that we do have the ability and capacity to dedicate ourselves towards a life of conscious worship of Allah Jalla Wa A'ala and not just one month of the year. One drawback is that we limit our niyyah (intention) only for Ramadaan.
As mentioned at the beginning, we find that in Ramadaan it becomes easy to good deeds. This is the coming in to play of the powerful force that is collectivity in thought and action as well as the effect of an environment. Islam recognises the powerful force of social pressure towards conformance and adherence.
This is borne out by the famous saying of the Noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) narrated by Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) about a man from the previous nations who killed ninety nine people and then desired forgiveness. It is a lengthy narration but the crux of the matter was that he was forgiven, because the advice given to him by a scholar to maintain his state of Taubah (repentance) was, 'Go to such and such land; there (you will find) people devoted to prayer and worship of Allah, join them in worship, and do not come back to your land because it is an evil place' (Hadith-Bukhari & Muslim)
This movement towards the environment of righteousness was the deciding factor that secured his forgiveness. This highlights the great effect that company and/or environment can have on influencing the actions of individuals and in turn communities and societies. This is also corroborated by another saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) narrated by Abu Musa Al Ash'ari (May Allah be pleased with him) wherein the similitude of good and bad company (environments) is likened to a person spending time in the company of a perfume seller and a blacksmith. The least one will benefit from the former is a pleasant scent (without buying) while the latter will cause one to obtain an unpleasant and foul smell and may even burn one's clothing. (Hadith-Bukhari & Muslim)
The concept of 'every man for himself and God for all' is alien to Islam. Islam promotes the idea that 'the strength of the community lies in the strength of the individual and in turn the strength of the individual lies in the strength of the community'. That is why the encouragement towards good and the forbidding of evil has been made an individual and collective obligation.
Upon closer perusal we will find that the formal acts of worship in Islam while, being 'time and place' specific, are also very social and communal with an emphasis on collectivity and public benefit. This can be seen in the institution of Salaah, Haj, Zakaat as well as in Ramadaan.
Therefore in Ramadaan we find it easy to do more good because everyone is in the same frame of mind, understanding the magnitude that is the month of Ramadaan, as well as consciously making an effort practically to maximise this great opportunity to earn good. This in turn creates an environment that generates energy and buzz that is an impetus for all acts of Ibaadah (Worship) even for those of us who normally feel lazy and disinclined.
Ramadaan presents an excellent opportunity for positive individual and collective change. The first step towards achieving this would be, not to limit our niyyah only to Ramadaan but to make the niyyah that Ramadaan be the beginning of change for us. Once we do so the next step would be to attach ourselves after Ramadaan to such people and environments where such A'amaal (practices) are in vogue that would enhance and maintain all that we had reaped in Ramadaan. If we spend one Ramadaan to the next Ramadaan for the balance of our lives in this manner then have no doubt that the time of meeting with Allah Jalla Wa A'ala (death) will be enjoyable to us as the joy we feel at the sighting of the crescent of Eidul Fitr...if not more!!!
And the one who achieves this has fulfilled the purpose of creation and passed the test that is called 'LIFE' and is entitled to an eternal and everlasting life of bliss and happiness.
How can she make use of her time when she is cooking in Ramadaan?
Question:
I would like to know what actions are recommended during this blessed month in order to increase one's reward, such as dhikrs, acts of worship, and mustahabb actions. I know about Taraweeh prayer, reciting Qur'aan a great deal, seeking forgiveness a great deal and praying at night. But I want to know some words I can repeat during my daily duties such as when I am cooking or doing housework, because I do not want to miss out on the reward.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. May Allaah reward you with good for this concern and eagerness to do good and righteous deeds during this blessed month.
To the good deeds that you have mentioned may be added charity, feeding the poor, going for 'Umrah and observing i'tikaaf for those who are able to do so.
As for the words that you can repeat whilst you are working, these include tasbeeh (saying Subhaan Allaah (Glory be to Allaah)), tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (There is no god but Allaah)), takbeer (saying Allaahu akbar (Allaah is most Great)), praying for forgiveness, making du'aa' and responding to the muezzin. Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allaah and seek a great reward with a few words which you can utter. For every tasbeehah you will have (the reward of) one charity, for every tahmeedah (saying Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allaah)) you will have (the reward of) one charity, for every takbeerah you will have (the reward of) one charity, and for every tahleelah you will have (the reward of) one charity.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Every person's every joint must perform a charity every day the sun comes up, every tasbeehah is a charity, every tahmeedah is a charity, every tahleelah is a charity, every takbeerah is a charity, enjoining what is good is a charity, forbidding what is evil is a charity, and if you do two rak'ahs at duha time (the forenoon), that may be sufficient." Narrated by Muslim, 720.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Two words which are light on the tongue and heavy in the Balance, and beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhaana Allaah wa bihamdih, subhaan Allaah il-'Azeem (Glory and praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah the Almighty)." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6682; Muslim, 2694.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever says 'Subhaan Allaah il-'Azeem wa bi hamdih (Glory and praise be to Allaah the Almighty),' a palm tree will be planted for him in Paradise." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3465; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever says 'Astaghfir Allaah ul-'azeem alladhi laa ilaaha illa huwa al-hayy ul-qayyoom wa atoobu ilayh (I seek the forgiveness of Allaah the Almighty, beside Whom there is no other god, and I repent to Him),' will be forgiven even if he fled from the battlefield." Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1517; al-Tirmidhi, 3277' classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There is no Muslim on earth who prays to Allaah for something but Allaah will grant him it, or divert an equivalent evil from him, so long as he does not pray for sin or the severing of family ties." A man among the people said: "Then we will pray a great deal." He said: "Allaah is most generous." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3573; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When you hear the muezzin, say what he says, then send blessings upon me, for whoever send one blessing upon me, Allaah will send ten blessings upon him. Then ask Allaah to grant me al-waseelah, which is a position in Paradise which will be attained by only one of the slaves of Allaah, and I hope that I will be the one. Whoever asks for al-waseelah for me, intercession will be granted for him." Narrated by Muslim, 384.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever says when he hears the call to prayer, 'Allaahumma rabba hadhhi'l-da'wat il-taammah wa'l-salaat il-qaa'imah, aati Muhammadan al-waseelah wa'l-fadeelah wab'athhu maqaaman mahmoodan alladhi wa'adtahu (O Allaah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer which is about to begin, grant Muhammad al-waseelah (a station in Paradise) and al-fadeelah (a rank above the rest of creation), and raise him to the praised position that You have promised)),' my intercession will be granted for him on the Day of Resurrection." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 614.
May Allaah increase us and you in beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds.
And Allaah knows best.
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