Posted on August 2nd, 2012 · Filed under MYF News
Concerning His remembrance, Allah, the All-Glorious, says:
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Qur’an 13: 28)
Therefore remember me [by praying, glorifying etc.] and I will remember you…
(Qur’an 2: 152)
And the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues, Allah has prepared for them. Forgiveness and a Great reward [i.e. Paradise]. (Qur’an 33: 35)
You who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early morning (fajr) and ASR prayers. (Qur ‘an 33: 41-42)
You who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. (Qur ‘an 63: 9)
Aild remember your Lord when you fbrget… (Qur’an 18: 24)
And glory’s’ the Praises of your Lord when you get up from sleep. And in the night-time also, glorify His Praises, -and at the setting of the stars. (Qur ‘an 52: 48-49)
You who believe! When you meet [an enemy] force, take a firm stand against them and remember the Name of Allah much [both with tongue and mind], so that you may be successful. (Qur’an 8: 45)
In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“The example of one who remembers his Lord in relation to one who does not remember his Lord is that of the living and the dead.”
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) also said:
“The mufarridoon outstrip others.” His Companions asked. “Who are the mufarridoon, O’ Messenger of Allah.” He said, “The men who remember Allah often and the women who remember Allah often.”
And in another authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“Shall I not inform you of the best of deeds, and the purest of them with your Lord? The deed which is better for you than spending gold and silver (for a good cause). And which is better for you than to meet your enemy. And you cut their throats and they cut yours?” They said, “Yes_ O’ Messenger of Allah.” He said, “The remembrance of Allah.”
The following is an authentic hadith:
“A man came to the Prophet and said, Messenger of Allah, the commandments of Islam have become too much for me, and I am old in age; so inform of something that I can adhere to.’ He said, `That your tongue (continually) remains moist with the remembrance of Allah.”‘
Posted on July 19th, 2012 · Filed under International News, MYF News
Laughing moderately can act as a cure or as therapy for depression and sadness. It has a strong influence on keeping the soul light and the heart clear. Abu Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I make it a practice to laugh in order to give rest and comfort to my heart. And the noblest of people, Muhammad (bpuh), would laugh, sometimes until his molars became visible.”
Laughing is an efficacious way to achieve comfort and light-heartedness, but keep in mind that, as in other things, you should not be immoderate. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:
“Do not laugh excessively, for verily, excessive laughter kills the heart.”
What is called for is moderation.
“And if you smile in the face of your brother, then that is a form of charity.”
So he, Sulayman, smiled, amused by her speech. (Qur ‘an 27: 19)
Also, when you laugh, you should not do so in a mocking or jeering fashion:
But when he came to them with Our Aayaat [proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.] behold! They laughed at them. (Qur’an 43: 47)
Among the pleasures of Paradise will be laughter:
But this Day [the DAV of Resurrection] those who believe will laugh at the disbelievers. (Qur’an 83: 34)
The Arabs would hold in high esteem a person who was known for his smile and laughter. They believed this to be a sign of a generous personality and of a person who has a noble disposition and a clear mind.
The truth is that the principles of Islam are based on moderation and on good measure, whether it is in matters of belief, worship, manners, or conduct. Islam does not condone a rigid, frowning expression, nor does it condone a constant playful giddiness; rather what it does promote is seriousness when it is called for and a reasonable level of light-heartedness when it is called for.
Bearing a gloomy mien and a frowning countenance are marks of a lowly character, a troubled nature, and hot-headedness. Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way… (Qur ‘an 74: 22)
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:
“Do not disparage (underestimate) any good deed (no matter how small it is), even if that deed was to meet your brother with a friendly countenance.”
Ahmed Ameen said in his book Fayd al-Khaatir:
“People who are always smiling not only make their own lives more joyful, but what is more, they are more productive people in their work and have a greater ability to live up to their responsibilities. They are more prepared to face difficulties and to find expedient solutions for them. They are prolific workers who benefit themselves and others.”
If I were given a choice between having status in society and plentiful money, and between having a happy, radiant, smiling self, I would choose the latter. For what is great wealth if it begets misery? And what is high position if what comes with it is constant gloominess? And what good is the most beautiful wife if she transforms her house into a living hell? Much better than her — a thousand times at least is a wife who has not reached such a pinnacle of beauty, but nonetheless has made her house a kind of paradise.
Consider this imagery: In a sense, the rose is smiling and so is the forest. The oceans, rivers, the sky, the stars and birds are all smiling. Similarly, the human being by his very nature is a smiling entity, were it not for those things that counteract this natural disposition, such as greed and selfishness, evils that contribute to his frowning. As such he is an anomaly and at odds with the natural harmony of all that surrounds him. Therefore the person whose heart is sullied cannot see things as they truly are. Every person sees the world through himself- through his actions, thoughts, and motives. So if our actions are noble, if our thoughts are pure, and if our motives are honorable, then the spectacles through which we see the world will be clean, and the world will be seen by us as it really is a beautiful creation. If the spectacles become dirty, and their lenses stained, then everything will seem to be black and morbid.
There are those souls that are able to turn everything into misery, whilst there are those that are able to derive happiness from the most difficult of circumstances. There is the woman whose eyes fall upon nothing but mistakes. Today is black because a piece of fine china broke or because the cook put too much salt in the food. Then she flares up and curses, and no one in the house escapes from her execrations. Then there is the man who brings misery upon his own self and, through his disposition, heaps the same upon others. Any word that he hears he interprets in the worst possible way. He is affected gravely by the most insignificant of things that occur to him, or that have occurred to him through his actions. He is drawn into misery by profits lost. By profits expected that went unrealized, and so on. The whole world from his perspective is black, and so he blackens it for those around him. Such people have much ability to over-exaggerate the trifles that occur to them. Thus they make mountains out of molehills. Their ability to do well is negligent, and they are never happy or content with that which they have, even if what they have is plenty. No matter how great their possessions, they will never feel any blessings from what they have.
Life is like an art or a science: it needs to be learned and cultivated. It is much better for a person to plant love in his life than to glorify money, using all his might to help it ease its way into his pocket or into his account. What is life when all its energies are exploited and used for the sole purpose of accumulating wealth, an existence where no energy is directed towards the cultivation of beauty, splendor, and love?
Most people do not open their eyes to the beauty of life, but open them only to gold or silver. They pass by a lush and luxuriant garden, a beautiful bed of roses, a flowing river, or a group of singing birds, yet they are unmoved by such scenes. All that moves them is the coming and going of money into or out of their pockets. Money is but a means to a happy life. They have reversed this fact, have sold their happy existence, and have made money to be an end in itself
Our body has been equipped with eyes to see beauty with, yet we have trained them to look on nothing but money.
Nothing causes the soul or the face to frown more often and with more intensity than despondency. If you want to be a smiling person, wage war with despondency and hopelessness. The door to opportunity is always open to you and to others, and so is the door to success. So indoctrinate your mind with hopes of prosperity in the future.
If you believe that you are inconsequential and have been created for things of only minor importance, then your achievement in life will never surpass this initial goal. And if you believe that your calling in life is to achieve extraordinary feats. You will feel in you a determination that can destroy all kinds of barriers. This can be exemplified as follows. Whoever enters a 100m race will feel tired the moment he completes it, whereas anyone that enters a 400m race, will not feel fatigue after passing the 100m or 200m mark. Therefore the soul gives resolution and will power in proportion to your goal. Hence you must identify your goal, and let it be high and difficult to achieve. And never feel despondency as long as everyday you are taking a new step in its direction. What blocks the soul, making it frown and placing it in a dark prison? The answer is despondency, hopelessness, seeing everything as being evil, searching for faults in others and constantly speaking about the evilness of the world.
Blessed is the one who has a teacher that helps him to develop his natural abilities and broaden his horizons. The best teacher is the one that instills kindness and generosity into his pupil, and teaches that the noblest of pursuits that one can strive for, is to be a source of goodness to others, in accordance with one’s abilities. The soul should be like the sun, radiating light and hope. The heart should be filled with tenderness, virtue, benevolence, and a genuine love for spreading goodness to all those that are connected to it.
The smiling soul sees difficulties, and loves to surmount them. When it sees problems, it smiles, reveling in the opportunity to solve and overcome them. The frowning soul, when faced with a problem, magnifies it and belittles its own determination, while spending all its time justifying. It loves success in life, but is not willing to pay its price. On every path, it sees a grinning lion. It waits only for gold to shower down upon it, or to chance upon some treasure in the ground.
Difficult things in life are only relative, for everything is difficult for the ordinary person, while there is no great difficulty for the remarkable person. While the remarkable person increases in worthiness by overcoming obstacles, the weak person increases in meanness by running away from them. Problems are comparable to a vicious dog. When it sees you scared or running away, it barks and follows in pursuit. However, when it sees your scorn, your lack of concern, and when you shine your eyes in its direction, it gives way and draws back.
Furthermore, there is nothing more deadly than a feeling of inferiority, a feeling that makes its holder lose all faith in his adequacy. So when he embarks upon a project, he is immediately doubtful of its completion or success and he acts accordingly by gratifying these doubts. Thus he fails. Having self-confidence is a noble virtue, and is a pillar of success in life. It is important to note, though, that there is a vast difference between conceitedness and confidence. Conceitedness means to rely upon a deceitful imagination and false pride. Confidence means to rely upon true abilities; it means fulfilling responsibilities, developing talents and organizational skills.
How much in need we indeed are of a smile, a friendly face, easy-going manners, and a gentle, generous soul. The Prophet said:
“Verily, Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble, so that none of you should transgress upon another, and so that none of you should be arrogant and proud to another.”
Posted on June 25th, 2012 · Filed under International News, MYF Latest News
Do not be sad, for that which has been preordained has already been decided upon and will take place though you may not like it. The pens have dried, the scrolls have been rolled up, and every affair is firmly established. Therefore your sadness will not change your reality in the least.
Do not be sad because, with your sadness, you desire for time’s suspension: for the sun to stop in its place, for the hands of the clock to stand still, for the steps of your feet to move backwards, and for the river to flow back to its source.
Do not be sad, because sadness is like a hurricane that violently tosses the waves, changing the atmosphere and destroying the blooming flowers of the luxuriant garden.
Do not be sad, because the one who is sad is like a person who pours water into a bucket that has a hole in it. He is like a writer who uses his finger to write on water.
Do not be sad, because the true span of life is measured by the number of days in which you are content. Do not then spend your days in grief, do not waste your nights in sorrow, and do not be extravagant in squandering your time; for truly, Allah loves not those who are extravagant and wasteful.
Do not be sad, for in truth, your Lord forgives sins and accepts repentance.
When you read the following verse, does not your heart feel peaceful, are not your worries driven away, and does not happiness permeate your whole being?
Say: `O’ my slaves who have transgressed against themselves [by committing evil deeds and sins]! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Of-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur’an 39: 53)
He addressed them with, `O’ my slaves,’ to tame their hearts and souls. He specifically mentioned those who transgress, since they are more disposed than others to perpetrate evil deeds on a continual basis. How much greater then will be the Mercy of Allah for others! Thus He forbade them from despairing and from losing hope of attaining forgiveness. And He informed them that He forgives all sins of the one who repents, whether they are big or small, important or unimportant.
Do you not then rejoice upon reading the following verses?
And those who, when they have committed Fahishah [illegal sexual intercourse etc.] or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins — and none can forgive sins but Allah – And do not persist in what [wrong] they have done, while they know. (Qur’an 3: 135)
And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah’s Forgiveness, he will find Allah Of-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur’an 4: 110)
1f you avoid the great sins which you are. Forbidden to do, we shall remit from you your [small] sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance [I.e. into Paradise].
(Qur’an 4: 31)
If they [hypocrites], when they had been unjust to themselves, had come to you [Muhammad] and begged Allah’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had begged forgiveness for them: indeed, they would have found Allah All-Forgiving [One no accepts repentance], Most Merciful. (Qur’an 4: 64)
And verily, 1 am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes [in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with me] and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, [till his death].} (Qur’an 20: 82)
When Prophet Moosa (Moses) killed a man, he said:
`O’ my Lord, forgives me,’ and He forgave him.
When Prophet Dawood (David) repented, Allah said:
So we forgave him that, and verily, for him is a near access to us, and a good place of’ [final] return [Paradise]. (Qur’an 38: 25)
How perfect, merciful, and generous is Allah! He even proffered His mercy and forgiveness for those who believe in the Trinity
That is, if they repent:
Surely, disbelievers are those who said: `Allah is the third of the three [in a Trinity]’. But there is no Ilah [god] [none who has the right to be worshipped] but One Ilah [God Allah]. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them. Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Of-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur’an 5: 73-74)
In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“Allah, blessed is He and Most High, says: `O’ son of Adam, indeed, you will not supplicate to Me and hope from Me except that I will forgive you, in proportion to what came from you (i.e. your level of sincerity), and I won’t mind. O’ son of Adam, if your sins were to reach in magnitude the height of the heavens, and then you were to ask me for forgiveness, I would forgive you, and I won’t mind. O’ son of Adam, were you to come to me with sins that (in their size) almost fill the earth, and you met me without ascribing to me any partners, I would come to you with its size in forgiveness.”
Bukhari related that the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“Indeed, Allah extends His Hand in the night to forgive the one who sins in the day, and He extends His Hand in the day to forgive the one who sins at night, and this continues until the sun rises from the west.”
In another hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) relates that Allah said: “O’ my slaves, verily you sin by day and night, and I forgive all sins; so seek forgiveness from me and I will forgive you.”
In another authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, if you were not to sin, then Allah would remove you, and would bring another nation who sins, and who then seek forgiveness from Allah; and He would forgive them.”
And the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) also said: “By the One, who has my soul in His Hand, if you were not to sin, then I would fear upon you that which is more severe than sin; and that is self-conceit.”
In another authentic narration, the Prophet (bpuh) said: “Every one of you is constantly doing wrong, and the best of those who constantly do wrong are the ones who are constantly making repentance.”
He (bpuh) also said in this authentic hadith:
“Truly, Allah is happier with the repentance of His slave than one of you who is on his mount, and upon his mount is his drink and food; then he loses his mount in the desert, and he searches for it until he loses hope; so he sleeps and then wakes up to find that his mount is beside him, and he says, `O’ Allah, you are my slave and I am your Lord’. He pronounced this mistake as a result of his extreme happiness.”
He (bpuh) is also authentically reported to have said:
“Verily, a slave (of Allah) commits a sin and then he says, `O’ Allah, forgive me my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except you’. Then he commits another sin, and he afterwards says, `O’ Allah, forgive me my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except you’. Then he commits another sin, and he afterwards says, `O’ Allah, forgive me my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except you’. Then Allah says, `My slave knows that he has a Lord, Who takes one to account for sins, and Who also forgives sins, so let my slave do as he wishes. ‘
The meaning of this is that as long as Allah’s slave is contrite and repentant, then Allah will forgive him.
Posted on June 4th, 2012 · Filed under International News, MYF News
Being of service to others leads to happiness. In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:
Verily, Allah will say to His slave as He is taking account of him on the Day of Judgment, `O’ son of Adam, I was hungry and you did not feed me. He will answer, how can I feed you and you are the Lord of the worlds! He will say, did you not know that my slave so and so who is the son of so and so felt hunger, and you did not feed him. Alas! Had you fed him you would have found that (i.e. reward) with Me. O’ son of Adam, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. He will say, How can I give you drink, and you are the Lord of the worlds! He will say, did you not know that my slave so and so, the son of so and so felt thirsty and you did not give him drink. Alas! If you had given him, you would have found that (i.e. reward) with Me. O’ son of Adam, I became sick and you did not visit Me. He will say, How can I visit you and you are the Lord of the worlds! He will say, did you not know that my slave so and so, the son of so and so became sick and you did not visit him. Alas! Had you visited him, you would have found me with him.”
Here is an interesting point; in the last third of the hadith are the words: …you would have found me with him.
This is unlike the first two parts of the hadith: “You would have found that (i.e. the reward for feeding and giving drink) with Me.”
The reason for the difference is that Allah, the All-Merciful, is with those whose hearts are troubled, as is the case with the person who is sick. And in another hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“There is reward in each moist liver (i.e. to do service to any living creature will be rewarded).”
Also, know that Allah admitted the prostitute from the children of Israel into Paradise because she gave a drink to a dog that was thirsty. So what will be the case for the one who feeds other humans, giving them drink and removing from them hardships!
In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said,
“Whoever has extra provision should give from it to the one who has no provision. And whoever has an extra mount should give with this extra to the one who has no mount.”
Commanding his servant to search out for guests, Hatim said in some of his more beautiful verses:
“Burn the coals, for truly, the night is chilly,
If you bring me a guest, then I have set you free.” And he said to his wife:
“Whenever you make food, then search
For he who is hungry, as I do not eat alone.”
Ibn Mubarak’s neighbor was a Jew. He would always feed him before feeding his own children and would provide clothing for him first and then for his children. Some people said to the Jew, “Sell us your house.” He answered, “My house is for two thousand dinars. One thousand is for the price of the house and one thousand is for having Ibn Mubarak as a neighbor!” Ibn Mubarak heard of this and he exclaimed, “O’ Allah, guide him to Islam.” Then, by the permission of Allah, he accepted Islam.
On another occasion, Ibn Mubarak passed by a caravan of people who were traveling to make the pilgrimage to Makkah, and he too was on his way to do the same. He saw one of the women from the caravan take a dead crow from a cesspit. He sent his servant to inquire about this and when he asked her, she replied, “We have had nothing for three days except that which finds its way into it.” When Ibn Mubarak heard of this, his eyes swelled with tears. He ordered for all of his provision to be distributed among those of the caravan, and having nothing with which to continue the journey, he returned to his home and gave up making the pilgrimage for that year. Later, he saw someone in a dream saying, “Your pilgrimage has been accepted, as have your rites; and your sins have been forgiven.” Allah says:
And give them preference over themselves, even though they were in need of those themselves. (Qur ‘an 59: 9)
One poet said:
“Even if I am a person who is far,
From his friend in terms of distance,
I offer him my help and wish to alleviate his difficulties, I answer his invitation and his call to me for help, and if he dons a wonderful new outfit I will not say, alas, were I to be blessed with the clothes that he wears.”
By Allah, how wonderful are good manners and a generous soul!
No one regrets having done well even if he was extravagant in doing so. Regret is only for the mistake or for the wrong done, even when that wrong is a minor one.
Posted on May 17th, 2012 · Filed under International News, MYF Latest News, MYF News
Do not be sad. If you are poor, then someone else is immersed in debt. If you do not own your own means of transportation, then someone else has been deprived of his legs. If you have reason to complain concerning the pains of sickness, then someone else has been bedridden for years. And if you have lost a child, then someone else has lost many children, for instance, in a single car accident.
Do not be sad. You are a Muslim who believes in Allah, His Messengers, His angels, the Hereafter, and Preordainment both the good and the bad of it. While you are blessed with this faith, which is the greatest of blessings, others disbelieve in Allah, discredit the Messengers, differ among themselves concerning the Book, deny the Hereafter, and deviate in their understanding of Divine Preordainment.
Do not be sad, because if you are, you disturb your soul and heart, and you prevent yourself from sleeping. One of the Arab poets said:
“How often is the young man overcome with despair when afflicted, and with Allah is the way out,
The situation becomes unbearable, and when its rope tightens, it snaps, and throughout, he never thought that he would be saved.”
Posted on May 17th, 2012 · Filed under International News, MYF News
So do not become weak [against your eneml J, nor be sad… (Qur’an 3: 139)
And grieve not over them, and be not distressed because of what they plot.
(Qur’an 16: 127)
Be not sad, surely Allah is with us. (Qur’an 9: 40)
Referring to true believers, Allah informs us that:
Upon such shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Our ‘an 2: 38)
Sadness enervates the soul’s will to act and paralyzes the body into inactivity. Sadness prevents one from action instead of compelling one towards it. The heart benefits nothing through grief the most beloved thing to the Devil is to make the worshipper sad in order to prevent him from continuing on his path. Allah, the Exalted, says:
*Secret counsels [conspiracies] are only from Shaytaan [Satan], in order that he may cause grief to the believers. (Qur’an 58: 10)
In the following hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“In a company of three, it is forbidden for two to hold secret counsel to the exclusion of the third, since doing so will be a cause of sadness for him.”
Contrary to what some believe (those who have an extreme ascetic bent); the believer should not seek out sadness, because sadness is a harmful condition that afflicts the soul. The Muslim must repel sadness and fight it in any way that is permissible in our Religion.
There is no real benefit to sadness; the Prophet (bpuh) sought refuge from it in the following supplication:
“O’ Allah, I seek refuge in you from anxiety and grief.”
Grief is coupled with anxiety in this hadith. The difference between the two is that if a bad feeling is related to what is going to happen in the future. Then one is feeling anxiety. And if the cause of this feeling concerns the past, then one is feeling grief both of them weaken the heart, causing inactivity and a decrease in will power.
Despite what has been mentioned above, grief may sometimes be both inevitable and necessary. When they enter Paradise, its dwellers will say:
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has removed from us [all] grief.
(Qur’an 35: 34)
This verse implies that they were afflicted with grief in this life, just as they were afflicted with other forms of hardship, both of which were out of their control. So whenever one is overcome by grief and there is no way to avoid it, one is rewarded, because grief is a form of hardship, and the believer is rewarded for going through hardship. Nonetheless, the believer must ward off grief with supplication and other practical means.
As for the saying of Allah, the Almighty:
Nor his there blame] on those who came to you to be provided with mounts, and when you said: `I can find no mounts for you, ‘ they turned back, while their eves overflowing with tears of grief that they could not find anything to spend. (Qur ‘an 9: 92)
They were not praised for their grief in itself, but for what that grief indicated and pointed to namely, strong faith. This occurred when they remained behind during one of the Prophet’s expeditions, due to their inability to find the necessary resources needed to make the trip. The verse also exposed the hypocrites, because they did not feel grief when they remained behind.
Therefore the good kind of grief is that which stems from missing out an opportunity to do a good deed or from performing a sin. When one feels sad because he was negligent in fulfilling the rights of Allah, he shows a characteristic of a person who is on the right path. As for the hadith,
“Whatever befalls the believer in terms of anxiety, hardship or grief, Allah will make it an atonement for (some ofd his sins,”)
It indicates that grief is a trial with which the believer is afflicted, and through which some of his sins are atoned for. However, it does not indicate that grief is something to be sought after; the believer should not seek out means of finding grief, thinking that he is performing an act of worship. If this were the case, then the Prophet (bpuh) would have been the first to apply this principle. But he didn’t search out for misery; rather, his face was always smiling, his heart was content, and he was continually joyful.
As for the hadith of Hind, “He was continually sorrowful,” it is considered to be unsubstantiated by scholars of hadith, because among its narrators is someone who is unknown. Not only is the hadith weak because of its chain of narrators; it is also weak because it is contrary to how the Prophet (bpuh) really was.
How could he have been continually in grief when Allah had informed him that he was forgiven for everything (guaranteeing his entry into Paradise) and had protected him from feeling grief over matters pertaining to this life: for example, Allah forbade him from feeling grief over the actions of the disbelievers? How could he have felt grief when all the time his heart was filled with the remembrance of Allah, and when he was at peace with Allah’s promise? In fact, he was always pleasant and his teeth were always visible due to his constant smiles. Whoever delves deeply into his life will know that he came to remove falsehood and to eradicate anxiety, confusion, and grief. He came to free our souls from the tyranny of doubt, disbelief, confusion, and disorder. He came to save our souls from destruction. So many indeed are the favors that were bestowed upon mankind through him (Blessings and Peace be upon him).
And as for the alleged hadith, “Verily, Allah loves all sad hearts,” the chain of its narrators is unknown, so it is not an authentic hadith, especially in view of the fact that the basic principles of our religion are contrary to its import. Even if we were to suppose the hadith to be authentic. Then its meaning would be that sadness is one of the hardships of life imposed upon the worshipper as a form of trial. And if the worshipper is tested by this trial, and if he perserveres through patience, then Allah loves him. As for those who have praised melancholy and have lauded its many virtues (while claiming that our religion encourages it) then they are very mistaken. In fact, every text from revelation that touches upon sadness forbids it and orders its opposite: namely, that we should be content with the mercy and blessings of Allah, and happy with that which has been sent with the Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him).
Those who incline towards extremes in asceticism also relate the following narration:
“If Allah loves one of his slaves, He makes that slave’s heart that of a weeper. And if he hates one of his slaves, then he places a flute in his heart (thus making him constantly light and happy).”
First, we must note that this is an Israelite tradition, which is claimed to be found in the Torah. Nevertheless, it does have a correct meaning since, truly, the believer feels grief due to his sins and the evildoer is ever playful and frivolous, light and joyful. So if the hearts of the faithful grieve, then it is only due to opportunities lost in terms of righteous deeds or because of sins committed. This is contrary to the sadness of the evildoers, whose grief is caused by losing out on physical pleasure or worldly benefit. Their yearnings, anxieties, and sadness are always for these ends and for nothing else.
In this verse, Allah says of his Prophet Israa’eel (Israel):
And he lost his sight because of the sorrow that he was suppressing. (Qur’an 12: 84)
Here we are informed of his grief over losing his beloved son. Simply informing about something does not in itself signify either approval or disapproval of that thing. The fact is that we have been ordered to seek refuge from sadness, as it is a heavy cloud that hangs above its victim, and is a barrier that prevents one from advancing to higher aims.
There is no doubt that sadness is a trial and a hardship, and is in some ways similar to sickness. However, it is not a stage, level, or condition that the pious should actively seek out.
You are required to seek the means of happiness and peace, to ask Allah to grant you a good life, one that gives you a clear conscience and a mind at peace. The achievement of this is an early reward, a point that is underscored by the saying of some, “In this world is a paradise, and whoever does not enter it shall not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter.”
And we ask Allah to open our hearts to the light of faith, to guide our hearts to His straight path, and to save us from a miserable and wretched life.
Posted on May 7th, 2012 · Filed under MYF News
Certainly no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.
(Qur’an 12: 87)
[They were reprieved] until, when the Messengers gave up hope and thought that they were denied [by their people], then came to them Our Help… (Qur’an 12: 110)
And we delivered him from the distress. And thus we do deliver the believers.
(Qur’an 21: 88)
And you were harboring doubts about Allah. There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking. (Qur an 33: 10-11)
Do not grieve over the hurt that is inflicted upon you by others, and forgive those that have ill-treated you.
The price of jealousy and rancor is enormous; it is the price that the revengeful person pays in exchange for his malice towards others. He pays with his heart, flesh, and blood. His peace, his relaxation, and his happiness – these he forsakes because he desires the sweetness of revenge and because he resents others.
Jealousy and rancor are illnesses for which Allah has given the cure and remedy:
[Those] who repress anger, and who pardon men… (Qur’an 3: 134)
Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish [i.e. don’t punish them]. (Qur’an 7. 199)
Repel [the evil] with one 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, bettiveen whom and you there was enmity [will become] as though he was a close friend. (Qur’an 41: 34)
Do not grieve over that which has passed you by in life, for indeed you have been blessed with much.
Contemplate the many favors and gifts that Allah has bestowed upon you and be thankful to Him for them. Remind yourself of Allah’s many blessings, for Him, the Almighty, said:
And if you would count the graces of Allah, never could you be able to count them. (Qur’an 16: 18)
And [Allah] has completed and perfected His Graces upon you, [both] apparent [i.e. Islamic Monotheism, and the lawful pleasures of this world, including health, good looks, etc.] and hidden [i.e. One’s Faith in Allah (of Islamic Monotheism) knowledge, wisdom, guidance for doing righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in Paradise, etc.]. (Qur’an 31: 20)
And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah. Then, when harm touches you, unto Him you cry aloud for help.} (Qur’an 16. 53)
Allah said, establishing His favors upon man:
Wave we not made for him a pair of eyes; and a tongue and a pair of lips? And shown him the two ways [good and evil]? (Qur’an 90: 8-10)
Life, health, the faculties of hearing and seeing, two hands and two legs, water, air, food – these are some of the more visible blessings in this world, while the greatest of all blessings is that of Islam and correct guidance. What would you say to someone who offered you large sums of money in return for your eyes, your ears, your legs, your hands_ or your heart? How great is your wealth in reality? By not being thankful, you do not render justice to Allah’s countless favors
Posted on May 3rd, 2012 · Filed under MYF News
By brooding over the past and its tragedies, one exhibits a form of insanity – a kind of sickness that destroys resolve to live for the present moment. Those who have a firm purpose have filed away and forgotten occurrences of the past, which will never again see light, since they occupy such a dark place in the recesses of the mind.
Episodes of the past are finished with; sadness cannot retrieve them, melancholy cannot make things right, and depression will never bring the past back to life. This is because the past is non-existent.
Do not live in the nightmares of former times or under the shade of what you have missed. Save yourself from the ghostly apparition of the past. Do you think that you can return the sun to its place of rising, the baby to its mother’s womb, milk to the udder, or tears to the eye? By constantly dwelling on the past and its happenings, you place yourself in a very frightful and tragic state of mind.
Reading too much into the past is a waste of the present. When Allah mentioned the affairs of the previous nations, He, the Exalted, said:
That was a nation who has passed away. (Qur’an 2. 134)
Former days are gone and done with, and you benefit nothing by carrying out an autopsy over them, by turning back the wheels of history.
The person who lives in the past is like someone who tries to saw sawdust. Of old, they used to say: “Do not remove the dead from their graves.”
Our tragedy is that we are incapable of dealing with the present: neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated buildings. If every man and every jinn were to try jointly to bring back the past, they would most certainly fail. Everything on earth marches forward, preparing for a new season and so should you.
Posted on April 23rd, 2012 · Filed under MYF Latest News
Wealth, appearance, children, house, and talents you must be content with your share in these things:
So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful. (Qur’an 7: 144)
Most Islamic scholars and pious Muslims of the early generations of Islam were poor; needless it is to say, then, that they did not have beautiful houses or nice cars. Yet, despite these disadvantages, they led fruitful lives, and they benefited mankind, not by some miracle, but because they used all that they were given, and spent their time in the correct way. Hence they were blessed in their lives, their time, and their talents.
On the contrary, there are many people who have been bestowed with wealth, children, and all forms of blessings, yet these blessings have been the very reason for their misery and ruin. They deviated from what their inborn instincts were telling them, namely, that material things are not everything. Look at those that have obtained degrees from world-renowned universities, and yet they are paragons of obscurity. Their talents and abilities remain unused. Meanwhile, others who are limited in the scope of their knowledge have managed to make mountains out of what they have been given, benefiting both themselves and society.
If you are a seeker of happiness, be satisfied with the looks Allah has favored you with, with your family situation, with the sound of your voice, with the level of your understanding, and with the amount of your salary. Certain educators go further than this by saying that you should imagine being contented with even less than you actually have now.
Here for you is a list of those who have shone from our Islamic heritage despite each being challenged by various disadvantages:
Ataa ibn Rabah was a world-renowned scholar of his time. He was not only a freed slave and snub-nosed, but he was also paralyzed.
Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays was famous among the Arabs for his singular level of patience. He achieved that fame despite being emaciated, humpbacked, with crooked legs and a fragile frame.
Al-A`mash was among the most famous scholars of hadith in his time. He was a freed slave, he had bad eyesight, and he was poor. His clothes were ripped, his appearance was disheveled, and he lived in straitened circumstances.
In fact, every Prophet was at one time or another shepherd. Dawood (David) was a blacksmith, Zakariah (Zacharia) a carpenter, and Idrees (Enoch) a tailor; and yet they were the best of mankind.
Therefore your value is in your abilities, good deeds, manners, and contributions to society. Do not feel grief, then, over that which has passed you by in life in terms of good looks, wealth, or family; and be content with what Allah has allotted for you.
It is we who portion out between them their livelihood in this world. (Qur’an 43: 32)
Remind yourself of Paradise, which is as wide as are the Heavens and the Earth.
If you are hungry in this world, if you are sad, ill or oppressed, remember the eternal bliss of Paradise. If you do this, then your losses are really profits and the hardships you face are really gifts. The most wise of people are those that work for the Hereafter, because it is better and everlasting. And the most foolish of mankind are those that see this world as their eternal abode – in it reside all of their hopes. You will find such people to be the most grief-stricken of all when faced with calamity. They will be the most affected by worldly loss simply because they see nothing beyond the insignificant lives that they lead. They see and think only of this impermanent life. They wish for nothing to spoil them in their state of felicity. Were they to remove the veil of ignorance from their eyes, they would commune with themselves about the eternal abode – its bliss, pleasures, and castles. They would listen attentively when they are informed through the Qur’an and the Sunnah about its description. Indeed, that is the abode that deserves our attention and merits our striving and our toiling, so that we may achieve the best of it.
Have we reflected at length about the description of the inhabitants of Paradise? Illness does not befall them, grief does not come near them, they die not, they remain young, and their attire remains both perfect and clean. They are in a beautiful home. In Paradise is found that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has imagined. The rider travels under a tree in Paradise for one hundred years and yet he still does not reach its end. The length of a tent in Paradise is sixty miles. Its rivers are constant, its castles are lofty, and its fruits are not only close-by, but are also easily picked.
Therein will be a running spring. Therein will be thrones raised high, and cups set at hand, and cushions set in rows, and rich carpets [all] spread out. (Qur’an 88: 12-16)
The happiness of Paradise will be absolute. So why do we not contemplate this fact?
If Paradise is our final destination and we ask Allah for Paradise – then the hardships of this world are less heavy than they may seem, so let the hearts of the afflicted ones find solace.
You who live in poverty, or are afflicted with calamity, work righteous deeds so that you shall live in Allah’s Paradise. Peace is upon you, because you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the. Final hornet (Qur’an 13: 24)
Posted on April 21st, 2012 · Filed under MYF News
Everything occurs according to preordainment and according to what has been decreed. Such is the belief of Muslims, the followers of Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him). And nothing happens in the Universe except through Allah’s Knowledge, Permission, and Divine Plan.
No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees [Al-Lauh al-Mahfuz], before we bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah. (Qur’an 57: 22)
Verily, we have created all things with Qadar [Divine Preordainments of all things before their creation, as written in the Book of Decrees – Al-Lauh al-Mahfuz]. (Qur’an 54: 49)
And certainly, we shall test you with something offear; hunger; loss of wealth, lives and f -u ShaykhShaykh it’s, but give glad tidings to the patient ones. (Qur’an 2: 155)
And in a hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“Wonderful is the affair of the believer! His affairs in their entirety are good for him: if good befalls him, he is thankful, and that is good for him. And if harm befalls him, he is patient, and that is good for him. And this (prosperous state of being) is only for the believer.”
In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“If you ask, then ask of Allah, and if you seek help, then seek it from Allah. And know that if the whole of the nation were to rally together in order to bring benefit to you in anything, they would not benefit you except with that which Allah has written for you. And if they were to gather together in order to inflict harm upon you with something; they would not harm you except with that which Allah has written upon you. The pens have been raised and the pages have dried.”
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) also said: “And know that what has befallen you was not going to miss you, and that which missed you was not meant to befall you.”
In another authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said: “Strive for that which will benefit you, seek help from Allah, do not be weak, and do not say: If I had done such and such, the situation would be such and such. But say: Allah has decreed and what He wishes, He does.”
And in another authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said: “Every matter that Allah decrees for His slave is better for him.”
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about sin: Is it good for someone? He said:
“Yes, with the condition that it is followed by being remorseful and repentant, by seeking forgiveness, and by being sincerely moved (to submission) on the inside.”
Allah, the Exalted, says:
And it may be that you dislike a thing, which is good for you and that you like a thing, which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know
Bukhari related that the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“Indeed, Allah extends His Hand in the night to forgive the one who sins in the day, and He extends His Hand in the day to forgive the one who sins at night, and this continues until the sun rises from the west.”
In another hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) relates that Allah said: “O’ my slaves, verily you sin by day and night, and I forgive all sins; so seek forgiveness from me and I will forgive you.”
In another authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, if you were not to sin, then Allah would remove you, and would bring another nation who sins, and who then seek forgiveness from Allah; and He would forgive them.”
And the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) also said:
“By the One, who has my soul in His Hand, if you were not to sin, then I would fear upon you that which is more severe than sin; and that is self-conceit.”
In another authentic narration, the Prophet (bpuh) said: “Every one of you is constantly doing wrong, and the best of those who constantly do wrong are the ones who are constantly making repentance.”
He (bpuh) also said in this authentic hadith:
“Truly, Allah is happier with the repentance of His slave than one of you who is on his mount, and upon his mount is his drink and food; then he loses his mount in the desert, and he searches for it until he loses hope; so he sleeps and then wakes up to find that his mount is beside him, and he says, `O’ Allah, you are my slave and I am your Lord’. He pronounced this mistake as a result of his extreme happiness.”
He (bpuh) is also authentically reported to have said:
“Verily, a slave (of Allah) commits a sin and then he says, `O’ Allah, forgive me my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except you’. Then he commits another sin, and he afterwards says, `O’ Allah, forgive me my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except you’. Then he commits another sin, and he afterwards says, `O’ Allah, forgive me my sin, for indeed, none forgives sins except you’. Then Allah says, `My slave knows that he has a Lord, Who takes one to account for sins, and Who also forgives sins, so let my slave do as he wishes. ‘
The meaning of this is that as long as Allah’s slave is contrite and repentant, then Allah will forgive him.