Abu `Amr (also called Abu `Abdullah and also Abu Laila) from `Uthman bin `Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: After the burial of a dead man, the Prophet (PBUH) would stand by the grave and say, "Ask Allah to forgive your brother and supplicate for him for steadfastness because he is being questioned (about his deeds) now."[Abu Dawud].
Commentary:
We are told in this Hadith that two angels question man in the grave. Allah helps a true believer in answering correctly. He says to the angels, "Allah is my Rubb. Islam is my religion. And the man sent by Allah as His Prophet is Muhammad." A condemned person will say, "Aa, Aa, I do not know." We are, therefore, particularly instructed that after the burial of a fellow-Muslim, we should supplicate beside his grave for his being firm-footed against the ordeal to which he will be subjected. |
| 161/946 - Riyad Us-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous) |
`Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were accompanying a funeral procession in Baqi` Al-Gharqad (graveyard in Al-Madinah) when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) proceeded towards us and sat down. We sat around him. He had a small stick in his hand. He was bending down his head and scraping the ground with the stick. He said, "There is none among you but has a place assigned for him either in the Jannah or in the Hell." The Companions said: "O Messenger of Allah, should we not depend upon what has been written for us (and give up doing good deeds)?" The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Carry on doing good deeds. Every one will find it easy to do such deeds (as will lead him to his destined place) for which he has been created."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:
The subject of this chapter is exactly related to the Hadith accounting for reasons of giving a sermon speech beside the grave. As the dimension of the world's impermanent nature and a heart-moving scene directly confront a man's eyes on this occasion, any moral exhortation is most likely to touch the heart. Secondly, the good or bad deeds of man during his fixed life span in this world prefigure in Allah's Knowledge, and He has ordained the good or bad end of everybody. But this does not mean that man is simply helpless in doing what Allah has predetermined. Indeed, Allah already knows that such and such a person will adopt the righteous conduct and meet a good end; and such and such a person will take to the mischievous way and consequently meet a bad end. Unless man has access to Allah's Knowledge and the Preserved Tablet (which is impossible), he is not supposed to give up the right conduct by banking upon His Knowledge. When he is totally ignorant of the Sacred Writ on his ultimate end, he has no other choice but to continue endeavouring in good pursuits. Allah has given him the freedom of choice and will subject him to accountability on this count alone. Moreover, it is the Divine principle that He helps everybody do only that type of work - facilitating it to him as well - which is germane to his bent of mind. Then, there is no reason that man should lag behind in embarking upon the virtuous path and not try to seek the Grace of Allah.
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| 160/945 - Riyad Us-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous) |
If rest other Months were Stains, Let
Ramadan be the Cleaner !!
Have you ever wondered why it is difficult to concentrate in your prayer? Or why your faith throughout the year is not on a high like it is during Ramadan or through Hajj? Maybe it is because we usually jump straight from a phone conversation into Takbir or because we just go with the flow in Ramadan and are influenced by the environment around us and not our own 'real' feelings.
A lot of us usually live life and have our faith dependent on an upcoming major event i.e. "I'm going to start reading a page of Quran a day as soon as Ramadan starts; I'm going to start praying Qiyam every night when I come back from hajj; or, I'm going to stop smoking when my child is born." And because of this way of thinking we usually end up with an anticlimax; we don't end up giving up smoking, we don't end up praying Qiyam and we start reading Quran but then get back to our normal old self after a few days or weeks.
This is because these 'statements' or 'feelings' are based on impulse and not a real thought out plan. We usually don't prepare for Ramadan or hajj or have a plan for our faith to stay at the increase; we just go with the flow and expect it all to happen. Well, it doesn't!
Wouldn't you love to enter the month of Ramadan on a real high and have the effects of this beautiful month be a permanent impact on your life thereafter? How can this be done? Below are the 8 steps for a Legacy of a Ramadan.
Step 1 – Create a Ramadan Count Down
Counting down for Ramadan (whether it is done mentally or by keeping physical signs around the home or office) will help create hype and buzz in your mind and amongst the people around you. When you and others are counting down to the same event, it becomes part of regular conversation and excitement spreads.
Step 2 – Seek knowledge about Ramadan
This will help you ensure you will do things correctly and perfectly for Ramadan, it will create a hype as there are many motivational aspects and events in the month to look forward to and finally it is a reward reaper. The more you know about Ramadan the more you can apply, hence multiplying your rewards.
Step 3 – Make a Ramadan plan
Be it reading the entire Quran, ensuring you pray taraweeh every night or inviting families over for iftaar; make a list of things you would like to achieve in the month and then how you plan on achieving these goals. It is important that goals are realistic and it is better that your life doesn't need to entirely take a different road in this month (i.e. take the month off work or change work hours etc.) so that you may continue to do these deeds after Ramadan. Knowing what you want to achieve in the month will help you stay focused. Ensure you plan your day every night before you sleep when Ramadan starts (try to continue this even after Ramadan).
Step 4 - Know your life
Be aware if Ramadan affects anything that is happening in the month or shortly after. Do you have exams during Ramadan? Or is there a major family wedding after Ramadan by a short time? Moving house? If so, plan for these events from now. Study now so that you are prepared for the exams before the month starts. Be packed and ready to go before Ramadan or plan that you do it after so that it doesn't take time away from your worship. The last thing you want to do is spend Ramadan at the shopping centres. Buy any Eid presents and prepare for any wedding before the month starts.
Step 5 – Prepare spiritually
We all know that Ramadan is about Fasting, Praying, Reading Quran and giving in charity. Start these worships early; don't expect to just click into it as soon as the first day of Ramadan starts. Start doing extra prayers from now, start revising and regularly reading Quran now, get used to being generous and follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) and fast during Sha'baan.
Step 6 – Prepare your mind
Fasting is to refrain from more than just what we consume in our mouth. Start working on your patience; be extra vigilant with your conversations: ensure you are not backbiting, slandering or talking about useless things.
Step 7 – Say 'good riddance' to bad habits
Know what bad habits you have and stop them from now, don't wait until Ramadan begins. If you sleep late, start sleeping early, if you are a Facebook junky start cutting down, have a coffee craze, slow it down etc. It might sound much easier said then done, but once you've committed yourself, purified your intentions – make sincere dua for guidance. Insh'Allah, these bad habits will be easier done with than you ever expected.
Step 8 – Plan your life around your worship
For instance; instead of working through your prayer or setting up meeting etc., at prayer times, plan that you have a break at prayer time. Don't take your phone with you to the place you pray and forget the world as you stand between the hands of the almighty Allah (glorified and exalted be He).
Source: http://productivemuslim.com/
ALLAH'S Beautiful Name: AL-BATIN - The Inward; The Hidden
He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward . He has knowledge of all things.
( Surat al-Hadid, 57:3)
Look around your room. Everything you see has been designed and made by someone: the door, the CD-player, a picture hanging on the wall, the window, and so on. Now look through the window at the trees, the Sun, the sky, flying birds, and other people. If it is nighttime, you can watch the stars and the Moon. Knowing that everything in your room has been made, is it not clear that everything around you also has been designed?
The truth of this assertion is apparent. If you cannot claim that a picture hanging on the wall was made by coincidence, then you also cannot claim that the Sun, stars, and the Moon are the result of coincidence. Everything you see on Earth and in the sky has a designer, producer, and creator. Our Lord, Who created everything with great artistry, introduces Himself to us through His creation.
When you look through the window you cannot see Him. However, Allah's existence, power, and artistry is clearly seen in His creation. This is the meaning that al-Batin conveys to us. His existence and control is clear in every corner of the universe, yet no one can see Him unless He wills otherwise:
Eyesight cannot perceive Him, but He perceives eyesight. He is the All-Penetrating, the All-Aware. ( Surat al-An'am, 6:103)
If Allah test a person does it means He loves him?
Explained by Shaykh Sulayman Ruhaylee
Question: The questioner says: If Allah loves a person He tries him with adversity, therefore if a person is befallen with misfortune is this proof that Allah loves this Muslim?
Shaykh Sulayman Ruhaylee: Pay attention brothers. Trials and tribulations, as it relates to them in general, have reasons. The first reason is due to the deficiency of the person because of his sins. So he will be afflicted with calamities due to his sins.
And the second reason is the shortcomings of the Muslim. Meaning: Allah desires for the slave a position in paradise but he is not able to reach it by his actions. Thus Allah says to the Angels; pour down upon him calamities in abundance. This is in order to raise his status; and these are two affairs.
And if a calamity befalls a person then he should have a good thought about his Lord and a bad thought about himself. So when he looks from his own perspective he says: "This is from my sins." And we all make mistakes. (And looking at it in this way) will allow him to leave off the sin. And when he looks at the situation as it relates to Allah the Glorified and Exalted he says: "Perhaps Allah wants good for me, perhaps Allah wants a high position (in paradise) for me."
Some of the scholars; we have heard them say; the individual as it relates to himself he views it due to his sins, and as it relates to others he views it due to them being elevated in status. Meaning, if a trial befalls you then you view that you have been afflicted based upon your sins. And if a trial befalls your brother then you view it as Allah desires to elevate his status, this is from the angle of having a good thought about your brother. And this is a good affair.
Some of the people, when a calamity befalls his brother they add to the calamity. Rather than giving them condolences and improving the situation, they inflict more punishment. If the person's child dies, if the person is in an accident, he comes and says: "Brother this is from your sins!"
And this is incorrect, even if the statement could be true. Rather he should improve the situation and give him condolences and approach him with good manners and say: "O my brother, there are some trials that contain a reward which was not sought after, so it they occur they are better for the person." For example the death of a child; the death of a child contains a great reward but this reward is not sought after. "The person does not want for his child to die, but if he dies there is a great reward. A house will be built for him in paradise. And I hope that this will be the case for you as it relates to your trial." "And we are deficient, and we are sinners, perhaps we have committed some sins and Allah desires to pardon us for our sins; and all praises belong to Allah." (He should say) something along these lines.
Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee
Does Reciting Surah al-Anbiyaa' protect us from Evil Eye?
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