Hazards of minor polytheism

A thing is distinguished by knowing its reality and being aware of it’s opposite. If one falls a victim to major and minor polytheism it opposes the foundations of Tawheed, and if it is Major shirk then it expels him from the fold of Islam. Allah, The Most High says, “And verily, if you ask them, who created the heavens and the earth?” Surely they will say,”Allah (has created them).” Say, “Tell me then, the things that you invoke besides Allah – if Allah intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm? Or if He (Allah) intended some mercy for me, could they withhold His Mercy?” Say, “Sufficient for me is Allah; in Him those who trust (i.e. believers) must put their trust.” (Qur’an, 39:38)
 

Allah, The Majestic clarifies that the powerless engraved and carved images, worshiped by polytheists cannot remove any harm which might befall a person by Allah’s Decree, nor prevent any sustenance or blessings which might come to a person from Him. Then how is that some of the Muslims rely on rings, strings, pearls, a piece of iron or anything similar that is worn thinking that it can bring benefit or prevent harm. Similarly, even objects which people hang in homes, offices, cars or on small children with a strong belief that it will remove affliction. This is a minor type of polytheism because the hearts become attached to these worthless items in a partial manner. If one thinks that these worthless item actually have powers then this is committing major polytheism with Allah, The Supreme One.
 

Allah, The All powerful negates that the helpless and powerless gods have any ability to harm or benefit. The verse implies that if the attachment to the greater deities is futile then attachment with the worthless items is completely futile. The Hadith below conveys the meaning of severe rejection of the worthless items. It is reported on the authority of Umran Ibn Husain (may Allah be pleased with him), that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saw a man with a brass ring in his hand, and he asked him, “What is this?” He replied, “It is for protection from Al-Wahinah.” (Wahinah is a type of illness that weakens the body.) “The Prophet  answered, “Remove it at once, for verily it will not increase you except in weakness, and were you to die whilst wearing it, you would never be successful.” (Ahmad) 

For more read here.

It’s time for Muslims to move toward a new beginning By Tahseen Abu Djihad

Times of difficulty are always a good time to reflect about one’s position in life. This is not only true for individuals, but also for nations. The past year has been troublesome for most Arab nations. The dissatisfaction of the people with their living conditions reached a point that they took to the streets to demand better leadership for their countries. Today, they are still in the process of finding a new order for their lives and their societies.

As long as the stream of life runs calm and everything seems to be in order, a lot of problems remain hidden under the surface and people enjoy a superficial sense of relief and satisfaction. Nevertheless, even a seemingly calm running river, with a shiny surface, hides a lot of trash underground! It is in times of disturbances that much of this filth comes to the surface and people start to wonder where all these impurities are coming from. It is a mercy of Allah that once in a while he forces us to face reality to recognize all the trash that has built up in the so-called Muslim countries.

Allah said, “Evil, (sins and disobedience to Allah) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He (Allah) may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah, and begging His pardon.)” (Qur’an, 30:41) This is precisely the moment when people have to look deeper into the realities of life to find the root of all this mischief that happened, which led their countries into this state of backwardness.

It is about time that Muslims look for a new path and move in the right direction by leaving behind the path of falsehood, which has given nothing but misery.For more read here.

Let us ‘renew’ ourselves and become strong By Lubna Ali

The important part of a building is the foundation, if the foundation is strong, the building will be strong too. In Islam it is exactly the same: if your pillars (Shahadah, Salah, Zakah, Sawm and Haj) are strong then your other fundamentals will also be sound.

The two angels who are charged with questioning the dead come to him and ask him what he used to believe in his earthly life, who was his Lord, what was his religion and who was his Prophet. If he gives a good answer, that is good, but if he does not answer them they inflict a severe and painful beating on him. (Tirmidhi) These are the three basic principles which every Muslim should know: knowledge about his creator (Allah), knowledge about his religion (Islam), knowledge about his Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These are the answers to the questions which will be asked by everyone in the grave.

Allah, the Merciful has made the final test easy for us by telling us the questions. We just have to work hard toward it so that we can remember and answer them because our final test can be any time. We have to seek knowledge about these questions without associating any partners with Allah. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Allah has promised that anyone who says this three times every morning or evening will be happy on the Day of Resurrection.” “I am pleased with Allah as my Lord,with Islam as my religion and with Muhammad (peace be upon him) as my Prophet.” For more read here.

Significance of Ka’aba and virtues of Makkah By Ahmad Wahaj Siddiqui

Verily, the first House of Worship appointed for mankind was at Bakkah (Makkah) full of blessing and a guidance for mankind and Jinn. (Qur’an, 3:96)

Makkah is the holy city for all Muslims on earth, and it is greatly loved by Allah. It is where Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismael laid the foundation of the Ka’ba.

Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah, and he called people to Islam. It was from there that Islam gradually spread all over the world. The Ka’aba and the Haram in Makkah have gripped the hearts of Muslims with extreme love. Millions of Muslims visit Makkah for Umrah and Hajj every year.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conquered Makkah, faced the Ka’aba and said: “You are holy and sacrosanct and how great is your sanctity and yours is the finest smell and the reverence of a faithful is greatest.” (Dur-Al-Manthur)

For more read here.

The importance of seeking knowledge By Nawal Aqil

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever seeks a way to acquire knowledge, Allah will make his way easy to Paradise.” (Sahih Muslim)

The above Hadith is a part of a long Hadith which talks about the importance and virtues of seeking knowledge.

This Hadith mentions that if one chooses to seek the path of knowledge then he has a lot to gain from it. If we try to analyze, we will understand that the type of knowledge our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is mentioning hear is the knowledge of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. This kind of knowledge will lead one to paradise. Othman Bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The most superior among you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.” (Bukhari)

The road to paradise becomes easy when a Muslim seeks knowledge for the sake of Allah Alone, for only His pleasure and to seek His reward. Since Islam teaches every aspect of life one can easily identify a change in behavior, outlook and perspective of the seeker.

To gain proper kind of knowledge a Muslim should do actions that are ordained by Allah and avoid things forbidden by Him. He should become punctual in offering his Salah, Sawm and other obligations. He should not only improve his relationship with his Lord but also improve his relationship with his kith and kin and all human beings in general. Please read more here.

Science proves the day of reckoning and judgment By Ahmad Wahaj Al-Siddiqui

And We have fastened every man’s deeds to his neck, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open. (Qur’an, 17:13)

The above verse from the Qur’an describes that after the Day of Resurrection and before the judgment ‘the book of deeds’ of every person will be fastened to his neck. Ibn Abbas said, He will find therein all his actions. He will find therein all his actions containing all his good and bad deeds.

Allah said, And the book will be placed and you will see the sinners fearful of that which is therein. They will say: Woe to us, what sort of book is this. It leaves nothing small or big, but has recorded it. And they will find all that they did and your Lord treats no one with injustice. (Qur’an, 18:49)

The disbelievers denied the contentions of the Qur’an saying that the presentation of the book of deeds on the Day of Judgment to every person is impossible, neither he will read the book nor he will see his past actions. For more please read here.

Being dutiful to parents By Nawal Aqil

Islam is a complete way of life. It helps and guides us in our daily life. It teaches the Ummah everything that has goodness and blessings for them in it. It tells us about every act which can provide us with success and victory. It stops us from acts that are harmful to oneself and others.

Allah Almighty has ordered His slaves to do good and behave well with our relatives, neighbours and everyone around us irrespective of caste, color or creed. Among the very important lessons that Islam teaches us is Husn Akhlaq, i.e. good behavior toward parents.

The Qur’ an clearly states, “Worship Allâh and join none with Him (in worship); and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masâkîn (the poor), the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allâh does not like such as are proud and boastful. (Qur’an, 4:36)

Read more here

Leading a meaningful life?

The new year has commenced according to the Hijra calendar and it is a good time to reflect on one’s life. It is the time of the year when a lot of people think about their past, their future, their goals, their priorities in life; in short they try to look deep into their lives and find a meaning to it.

Numerous books have been written on how to be happy, how to live a meaningful life and how to be successful. As a Muslim I find the answers to this in the glorious Qur’an. Allah himself explains in His book why we are here, why we will die one day and what we are supposed to do in the time in-between, the so- called life.

The obligation prescribed by Allah isquite easy: And I have created Jinn and men only to worship Me. I want no sustenance from them, nor do I want them to feed Me. Surely, it is Allah who is the Provider, the Powerful. (Qur’an 51:56-58)

This is what Allah has ordained on all mankind though we are free to choose. Allah leaves it up to us to give our life meaning and purpose or to waste our time in worldly affairs.

And we send not the Messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warnings. So whoever beliefs and reforms; there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. (Qur’an 6:48)

I believe that Allah created the universe, the earth and mankind. He has provided us with a temporary home on earth and will call us back whenever our time is finished. To read more please go here.

The best thing to do at different times

One problem many of us face is that we want to do so much at once, and thus become overwhelmed in our thoughts trying to establish exactly what we should be doing and what our obligations are at a given point in time.

This leads us to focus on what we can’t accomplish more so than what we can accomplish. This can be well and good, and as Ibn Al-Jawzi said, a person can be rewarded for his intentions more than for his actions.

However, the point of intending is to be productive and extract something physical from that intention.

Part of being productive is to have a methodical approach as to when to focus on what. For example, if your worship and intentions for specific efforts are organized and you properly place your focus where and when it should be, you’ll find yourself accomplishing much more as a Muslim, no matter if you’re a teacher who teaches, a caller to Allah who motivates, or an ordinary worshipper who simply wants to get closer to your Lord.

Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote: “They say that the best worship is to do what will please the Lord at every time in accordance with what that particular time calls for.

“So, the best act of worship during the time of Jihad is Jihad, even if this leads to abandoning certain rituals such as night prayer, fasting, etc. In fact, this applies even if you are to not pray a complete obligatory prayer as you would in times of safety and calm.

“And the best thing to do when you have a guest, for example, is to see to his rights as a guest and to preoccupy yourself with that instead of the recommended rituals you would usually engage in at the time. Such is also the case in fulfilling the rights of your wife and family.

“The best thing to do during the early morning hours is to be preoccupied with prayer, Qur’an, du’a, remembrance of Allah, and asking His Forgiveness.

“The best thing to do when teaching a student or ignorant person is to completely turn your attention towards teaching him.

“The best thing to do during the call to prayer is to leave whatever rituals you are engaged in and to occupy yourself with repeating after the mu’addhin (one making the call).

For more please read here.

Mirror, mirror on the wall: By Sadaf Farooqi

At times, we get so used to reciting Masnoon Du’as and Adhkaar (supplications and words of remembrance) in our day-to-day lives that we lose sight of their deep meanings and how relevant they are to our everyday thought processes and attitudes. For example, in our contemporary world of increasing mental diseases, personality disorders and psychological problems, psychiatrists, self-help gurus and life coaches help clients or patients to “think positively” and “develop a positive self-image”. Yet, this positive thinking was deeply-entrenched in the life, teachings and habits of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) – if only we paused for a moment to reflect.

Take just one Du’a. For example, the Du’a he would recite aloud when he looked at his reflection in the mirror. The translation is:

“O Allah! The way you have beautified my physical form/body (‘khalqee’), thus beautify (also) my character (‘khuluqee’).” Another Hadith added in the end: “...and make my face forbidden for the Hell-Fire”.

The starting words of this short and simple, yet profound, Du’a reflect positivism. When a person looks in the mirror, he or she sometimes does so with a critical eye (women in particular). What needs to be spruced up or fixed is analyzed in detail. The “defects” are loathed over and people turn into being ungrateful.

“O Allah, the way you beautified my physical creation...”

The believer follows the Sunnah. He or she calls out to Allah when looking into the mirror and acknowledges that Allah created the physical form in a beautiful manner. This is the first step towards positive thinking – a step that gives negative thoughts a kick in the teeth.

Nowadays the more people look into the mirror, the more they complain about their looks – they criticize their height, anatomical proportions, their graying or balding hair, and complexion. However, this Du’a that the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited is guidance for all believers to be grateful to Allah for their physical form. For more please read here.

Overlooking major sins

The Prophet (peace be upon him) often highlighted to his companions, and to all Muslims in all ages, the importance of actions that may either lead them to earning God’s reward or make them incur His anger and punishment. He was keen to do so when such actions are not given the necessary attention. A case in mind is that outlined by the following Hadith reported by Abdullah ibn Abbas: “The Prophet passed by the wall of a cemetery in Madinah, or perhaps Makkah, when he heard the sound of two people enduring torment in their graves. He said: ‘They are enduring torment, yet for no major sin.’ Then he added: ‘It is major indeed. One of them did not guard himself against his own urine, while the other used to go about with slandering tales.’ He then called for a green branch of the palm tree, split it into two and placed one half on each of the two graves. To the question why he did that he answered: ‘I hoped that their plight would be lightened as long as these branches have not dried.’” (Related by Al-Bukhari). For more read here.

Prophet Muhammad as a husband

PROPHET Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the epitome of human character. He came to guide us and lead us by example. Allah Almighty in His Book praised him and directed us to take him (peace be upon him) as our role model:

“You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful example (of conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.” (Qur’an, 33:21)

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had a multifaceted personality with different roles to play and various responsibilities to attend to. One such was his role as a husband and his relationship with his wives. He lived and demonstrated how a perfect husband should be. He understood the nature of women. He knew that though women are created beautiful and attractive, they also are volatile and emotional, which husbands will just have to learn to accept in their lives. He knew that patience, wise usage of words, and a control over temper are mandatory qualities a husband must possess while dealing with women. The following narration displays how the Prophet (peace be upon him) beautifully handled his wives’ outbursts:

Narrated Anas Bin Malik: “While the Prophet was in the house of one of his wives, one from among the believers sent a meal in a dish. The wife at whose house the Prophet (peace be upon him) was, struck the hand of the servant, causing the dish to fall and break. The Prophet gathered the broken pieces of the dish and then started collecting on them the food which had been in the dish and said, “Your mother felt jealous.” Then he detained the servant till a (sound) dish was brought from the wife at whose house he was. He gave the good dish to the wife whose dish had been broken, and kept the broken one at the house where it had been broken.” (Al-Bukhari, 7/62, no. 152)

(Notice how the narrator has abstained from mentioning the names of the Mothers of Believers in order to cover their shortcomings.)

Picture this scenario happening in an average house: a woman breaking another’s crockery piece (and we all know how passionately women feel about their crockery), laden with food the latter had freshly cooked. How would you expect an average husband witnessing such an action to react? He may lose his temper and shout angrily, “What have you done? Are you out of your mind?!”

For more go here.

Ways To Fill Your Heart With Life - Sheikh Ibrahim Bin Abdullah Al-Hazimi

The keys to the life of the heart lie in reflecting upon the Qur’an, being humble before Allah in secret, and leaving sins. – Ibn Al-Qayyim (Hadi Al-Arwah Ila Bilad Al-Afrah, pg.45)

Allah said: “A Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may take heed.” (Qur’an, 38:29)

SO Allah informed us that He sent down this Great Qur’an, blessed in its wording, meaning, commands, prohibitions and regulations. Among its blessings is that whoever recites even one word of it has a reward, and this reward is increased tenfold, as mentioned in the Hadith reported by Al-Tirmidhi. Also, the one who reads it and acts upon it will not be misguided in this world, nor will fall into distress or misery in the Hereafter, as Ibn Abbas said so in the commentary to the following verse:“Whoever follows My guidance shall neither go astray nor fall into distress and misery.” (Qur’an, 20:123)

For more go here.

Manners: A Path between teo Extremes

Manners have boundaries ; these boundaries can be imagined as the upper and lower limits of what we know to be acceptable behavior . If the upper limit has been exceeded , then hostility will result . Likewise , if the lower limit is not attained , then weakness and contempt result . Manners and character are intimately related , they are multifaceted , and each aspect has its upper and lower limits .

Limits for Anger : The middle road is acclaimed courage . That is , having the strength to stand up and denounce evil and weakness . Exceeding the upper limit results in aggression and injustice to others and falling below the lower limit results in cowardice and fear of others .

Limits for Caution : The desired path is to achieve satisfaction in life . Falling below the lower limit results in contempt , humiliation , and loss of respect for oneself and one's family . Exceeding the upper limit results in greed and the desire for forbidden things .

Limits for Envy : The proper balance is to seek contentment with oneself and appreciating the blessings Allah has given your life . Exceeding the upper limit leads to transgression and injustice , desiring to remove the blessings from the envied person , even to the extent of causing injury ; where failing to reach the lower limit means one is weak willed with a lack of self respect .

Limits for Desire : Ideally , this is resting the heart and mind from the efforts of worship and utilizing permissible desires to direct one towards obedience to Allah . Exceeding the upper limit results in lewdness and gluttony , making the person in likeness to an animal – having little or no control of its desires ; whereas falling below the lower limit causes weakness , impotence and self-contempt .

Limits for Rest : The model for our rest should be that of moderation and preparation for worship and conducting our daily lives . Exceeding the upper limit results in negligence , laziness and wastefulness and causes opportunities to be lost ; not reaching the lower limit causes stress , harmful to the health and it causes a strain on the family .

Limits for Generosity : Again , the ideal is always moderation . Passing the upper limit results in squandering and wastefulness ; whereas failing to reach the lower limit results in miserliness and covetousness .

Limits for Jealousy : Going beyond the upper limit leads to doubt , bad thoughts and false accusation of the innocent ; whereas failing to reach the lower limit indicates a lack of self-esteem .

Limits for Humility : Surpassing the upper limit causes contempt and disgrace ; whereas falling below the lower limit results in arrogance and ostentation .

Limits of Honor : Exceeding the upper limit leads to arrogance and contemptible manners and falling below the lower limit results in disgrace and contempt .

Limits of Courage : Going beyond upper limit causes recklessness , while not reaching the lower limit signifies cowardice and weakness .

The governing factor is justice , moderation , or the middle way . When a person's character deviates from this path in either direction it causes their character and strength to decrease by the same degree as the deviation . It is the same for all their actions and activities such as : sleeping , waking , eating , drinking , exercising , seeking solitude , socializing , and so on . Those who take the middle of the extremes will therefore be just , and if they should incline to either direction , their judgment would be diminished , and the fruit they bear would be decreased .

Among the best and most beneficent areas of knowledge is knowledge of the limits of our character , especially those rules governing the acts of exhorting people to do good deeds and advising against doing wrong and the rules governing good character in general . The most knowledgeable people are those who understand the limits as such ; and the most just are those who live within the boundaries of character , action and religious obedience – both in faith and in action .

Taken From: Al-Jumuah Magazine

Extract the Honey, but do not break the Hive

Everything that has gentleness within it is beautified , and whatever lacks it is spoiled . When you meet someone , giving them a bright smile and a kind word , you are displaying a characteristic of the truly successful person , a characteristic even a bee exhibits . When a bee lands on a flower (doing so for a practical purpose ) it does not destroy it , because Allah rewards gentleness with that which He does give for harshness. There are certain people whose personalities are like magnets , attracting everyone who is nearby , simply because they are loved for their gentle talk , their good manners , and their noble deeds .

Winning the friendship of others is an art that is mastered by those that are noble and pious ; a circle of people constantly surrounds them . Their mere presence in a gathering is a blessing , and when they are absent they are missed and asked about .

These blessed people have a code of conduct entitled : '' Repel (the evil ) with that which is better ( i.e. , Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger , and to excuse those who treat them badly ) , then verily ! He , between whom and you there was enmity (will become ) as though he was a close friend '' . [ Qur'an 41:34 ] .

They suck out malice from others with sincerity , forgiveness , and gentleness . They forget evil that was enacted upon them and preserve the memory of kindness received . Biting , harsh words may be aimed at them , but such words pass by their ears without entering and continue on their path without ever returning . They are in a state of calmness . People in general , and Muslims in particular , are safe from suffering any harm at their hands .

The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alyhe wa sallam said : '' The Muslim is the person whose tongue and hand do not harm others . And a Believer is he , whom others trust , about their blood and wealth.''

He further said : '' Verily Allah ordered me to keep relation with those that cut me off , to forgive the one who does injustice with me , and to give to those who withhold from me.''

The noble Qur'an put it : '' Those who repress anger , and who pardon men ; verily , Allah loves the good-doers.'' [ Qur'an 3:134 ] .

Give to such people glad tidings of a reward close at hand in terms of peace and tranquility . Also , give glad tidings to them a reward in the Hereafter , of gardens and rivers , wherein they will be in close proximity to their forgiving Creator .

'' In a seat of truth ( Paradise ) , near the Omnipotent King ( Allah ) .'' [ Qur'an 55:55 ] .

Taken from: Al-Jumuah Magazine.

Fearing Allah

In Islam this fear is called Taqwa . It is more than just fear , however , it is also reverence and awe . It is a fear that motivates , not one that cripples , because true fear motivates the servant to obey the injunctions of his Lord . When we fear something in the creation we run away from it . On the other hand , when we fear Allah we run to Him and seek refuge in Him . For Abu Quasi said , '' Whoever fears something run's away from it , and whoever fears Allah run's to Him .'' ( Ihya Uloom Addeen ) . Also , Abu Hafs said , '' Khauf ( fear ) is the whip of Allah that disciplines those who desert Him . Khauf is lamp in the heart ; a person can see by it's light what is good and what is evil . Everybody who fears creation runs away from it . Those who fear Allah run to Him .'' ( Madarij Salikeen ) .

Allah , subhanahu wa ta'ala , orders us , '' O you who believe ! Fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die unless you are in the state of submission.'' [ 3:102 ] . Yet despite this , most of us have fallen into the trap of the Satan . He makes us promises that wipe out this fear that is so essential to our success . He robs it from our hearts with each act of disobedience , leaving us weak and propped up with false hopes . Hopes of a long life and of time to change our ways – later .

When we sin , we brush it away like a knat saying Allah is the Most Merciful and the Most Beneficent . We have forgotten that He is also the Most Severe in Punishment . We go through our days with very little , if any fear of Him and His punishment in our hearts . We do not fear death , what awaits us in the graves or standing before Him naked and uncircumcised . But we should , because by fearing Allah we attain for ourselves the best provision for this life and the hereafter . For Allah says , '' And make provisions , for the best provision is Taqwa . Fear Allah O people of intelligence .'' [ 2:197 ] .

So if we were truly smart people , we would fear Allah , and through fearing Allah , attain the good that comes from doing so . What good comes from fearing Allah , you ask ? Well for starters , Paradise . Allah promises , '' And as for he who fears the rank of his Lord and prevents his self from desires , Paradise is certainly his abode .'' [ 79:40 ] . Commenting on this verse , Ibn Kathir said that this is a person who fears standing in front of Allah . He fears His command and it forces him back into obeying Allah . ( Tafseer Ibn Kathir ) .

Another benefit of fearing Allah in this worldly life is freedom from fear in the next . Allah says that those who fear say , '' We only fear a day of frowning and distress from the side of our Lord .'' [ 76:10 ] . About this verse Ibn Kathir said that this is in the hope that Allah will protect them on that day and show them His Grace . ( Tafseer Ibn Kathir ) .

This fear was something that the companions of Prophet , sallallahu alyhe wa sallam , had in abundance . It distinguished and honored them in this life and purchased for them the Grace of their Lord . About them Ali said , '' By Allah I have seen the Companions of the Prophet , sallallahu alyhe wa sallam , such that I have not seen anybody like them today . They used to wake up as if they had ridden goats all night with their clothes and hair disheveled . They spent the night performing bowing and prostration for Allah , reciting the Book and altering between their feet and foreheads . And when they awoke in the morning , they remembered Allah an dremained like a tree ( whose branches ) swaying in the wind with their eyes pouring tears so much that they wet their clothes . Now , it seems as if people are going to sleep completely oblivious and unaware .'' ( Ihya Uloom Addeen ) .

But we are not like this . Our desires have overtaken us and false hopes have hardened our hearts . The only thing that can remedy this situation is for us to re-acquire the fear of Allah , subhanahu wa ta'ala . For Imam Ghazali stated , '' Fear rips away desires and muddies luxuries so that cherished sins become reprehensible , just as a honey lover is repelled by it when he learns that it has poison in it . This is how fear burns desires ; disciplines the organs ; subordinates the heart and gives it tranquility .'' ( Ihya Uloom Addeen ) .

The fear of the believers in Allah , should draw them closer to Him . We should not be without fear , because this leads to disobedience , which leads to Hellfire . We should also not be so fearful that it leads to despondency and hopelessness . We should walk in between these two , and know that by doing so Allah will reward us . As Imam Shafi'i said , '' Fear Allah and hope for every good thing from Him . Do not follow your adamant self , lest you regret it . Remain between hope and fear and you will rejoice with the pardon of Allah if you submit .'' ( Muajjamul Udaba ) .

Taken From: Al-Jumuah Magazine

A Heart Unmoved, A Spirit Uninspired

I got this article from Al-Jumuah Magazine, may be you know it or you must have read it before. But I wanted to post it here cause it's relevent to todays times and also there are many who cannot afford to buy the Magazine itself.

*********************************************

We grew up in a world of video games , music , songs , commercials and movies . All these were aimed at one thing : to capture our attention and entertain . Those who make such things spend there lives studying how to take hold of the hearts of even those uninterested viewers . This constant bombardment with stimulation of every kind has , in a sense , made our hearts lazy . In order to be moved , there must be flashing lights , charismatic speech , or something otherwise dramatic . The result : our younger brothers and sisters suffer from attention deficit disorder ( ADD ) , we , the Muslim youth raised in America , suffer from what the Qur'an calls: qaswatl qalb or hardness of heart .

This hardness of heart has , unfortunately , left us with a huge empty space in our chest . And this emptiness , we seek to fill with what first seizes our hard-to-hold attention . Often times this may not be what is most deserving of attention but rather , simply what is most readily available and most openly attractive and alluring . Some of us may turn to music or painful obsession , disguised as love . Even those youth who search for an Islamic solution to their emptiness have tended to prefer such Islamic speakers whose speech is more entertaining and captivating to those whose actual message may hold more substance .

This tendency to seek what is on display is discussed in the Surah of Al-Araf [ 7:169] . Allah describes those who came after the Prophets , alayhemus-salam , and die by saying that they chose arada hatha al-adna . Arada literally means , '' that which is on display .'' Here Hatha means '' of this '' and al-adna means , '' that which is lower or closer.'' Thus one of the causes of their ruin was that they chose what was on display even if it was lower . They preferred that which was closer and easier , rather than searching for that which was truer , purer , and more lasting .

The Qur'an does not come with the same flashing lights as does the entertainment and advertisements that surround us today . The Qur'an captures only the hearts of those open to its message , and those willing to strive for the Truth expounded in it . Allah says , '' This is the Book about which there is no doubt , a guidance for those who have Taqwa.'' [2:2] . We know that it requires a great deal of hard work and struggle to embark on the only straight path . And so we often search for easy answers , quick fixes for our painful ailments . We look to other than Allah to fill our emptiness .

Allah knows us far better than we know ourselves . He knows the diseases that overtake our hearts . He knows the emptiness that fills our lives . Allah says , '' And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him , and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein '' [ 50:16 ]. And so Allah , in His ultimate mercy and kindness , has also given us the cure . Allah says , '' Oh mankind , there has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.'' "Say , 'in the bounty of Allah and in His mercy-in that they accumulate .' '' [ 10:57-58 ] . The true pleasure of the heart , which comes only through the remembrance of Allah , is greater than all else that we can accumulate . It is Allah who calls man to the home of peace . It is crucial to mention here that this is the only home of peace , i.e. , the one in the Hereafter with our Creator . The only source of peace is Allah , subhanahu wa ta'ala . It is vital to understand that there can be no other source of true happiness and fulfillment , in this life or the next . Imam Ibn Taymiyyah explains that the one who does not partake in the Paradise of this life will not partake in the Paradise of the Hereafter .

It is clear to most of us what the Paradise of the Hereafter is . Yet the question remains as to what the Paradise of this life is . How does one achieve true happiness in this life ? The truth is , in this life ; unless one's heart is full with the remembrance of Allah , nothing else can fill them or provide them with true pleasure .

It must become clear to us that a life lived in any other way , for any other cause , with any other goal , is not life , but is death . Allah , subhanahu wa ta'ala , tells mankind , " Oh you who believe answer Allah and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life ; and know that Allah comes in between a man and his heart , and that it is He to which you shall ( all ) be gathered .'' [ 8:24 ] . We must , therefore , understand that all of us are dead except those who believe and truly understand the Reality . Those who are heedless to the truth will face this Reality , and then what they call death will actually be an awakening to the truth that they did not see in their death here on earth .

Thus our hearts will continue to be dead , our lives will continue to be empty so long as we do not understand this truth and continue to search for easy answers in places other than those mentioned by Allah , subhanahu wa ta'ala , and His messenger , sallallahu alyhe wa sallam .