Building Bridges With The Community
Tel: 0161 832 5352 · Email: office@myf.org.uk
Clydesdale House, 27 Turner street, Manchester M4 1DY
We have, in the story of Zakariya AS, given details of how Zakariya’s AS sincere supplication to Allah led to his wife conceiving Yahya AS in extreme old age. We also learnt how Allah selected the name Yahya for him, which was a name previously unheard of in human history.
Preface: This is only a summary of the life of Zaid Al-Khattab (RA) and does not cover all the points of his life story. It is not intended to be a biography, but rather a glimpse of the main incidents of his life so that we can get an idea of his character. For ease of reading, we have not inserted “May Allah be pleased with him (RA)” each time his name or the name of each Companion is mentioned, but please take it that the salutations apply to all of them, may Allah be pleased with them all. Read more ›
Preface: This is only a summary of the life of Jaafar ibn Abi Talib (RA) and does not cover all the points of his life story. It is not intended to be a biography, but rather a glimpse of the main incidents of his life so that we can get an idea of his character. For ease of reading, we have not inserted “May Allah be pleased with him (RA)” each time his name or the name of each Companion is mentioned, but please take it that the salutations apply to all of them, may Allah be pleased with them all. Read more ›
Over two million Muslim pilgrims will make the annual journey to the Saudi city of Mecca, in what is one of the largest religious gatherings of people in the world. As the fifth and final pillar of Islam, it is a mandatory religious duty for adult Muslims to make the journey and it must be carried out at least once a lifetime, if an individual is physically and financially able to do so.
The exact date of the beginning of Hajj depends on the lunar calendar and this year it is expected to start on Monday 21 September through to Saturday 26 September. The pilgrimage occurs in the last month of the Islamic calendar, Dhu al-Hijjah.
Muslims of every ethnic group, social status and culture gather together in Mecca and stand before the Kaaba – the most famous shrine in the Muslim world – praising Allah together.
The ritual is designed to promote the bonds of Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal. In one of the acts of worship, thousands of people swirl counter-clockwise, seven times, around the Kaaba.
The Hajjis, or pilgrims, wear simple white clothes to perform the same acts of worship and renew their sense of purpose in the world. To carry out the pilgrimage rituals you need to be in a state of Ihram, or purity, which is achieved by observing several regulations, including abstaining from marital relations, not shaving or cutting nails, refraining from using perfumes and avoiding fighting or arguing. Men must not wear clothing with stitching and women must not cover their faces, even if they would do in their home country.
Pilgrims can also go to Mecca to perform the same rituals at other times of the year, which is sometimes referred to as Umrah or the “lesser pilgrimage”. If they choose to do so, they are still required to perform the Hajj at another point in their lifetime if they have the means to do so.
Eid Ul Adha will be on Thursday 24th September InshaAllah.
The MYF will hold 2 Eid prayers:
1st Eid Prayer: 8:00 am
2nd Eid Prayer: 10:30 am
1st of Dhul Hijjah is Tuesday
Arafah is Wednesday 23 Sep
Eid is Thursday 24 Sep
May Allah accept our efforts during the 10 great days.
Don’t forget to fast on Wednesday 23rd (day of Arafat) which equals the forgiveness sins the year gone and the year to come.
Al-Asma-ul-Husna ( اَلاسْمَاءُ الْحُسناى ) The 99 Most Beautiful Names and Attributes of Allah the Almighty
He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Surat Al-Hashr 59:24
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them
Surat Al-A’raf 7:180
Allah – there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names.
Surat Taha 20:8
Narrated Abu Huraira: Prophet Muhammad SAW said, “Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari – Book 50 Hadith 894
Abu Huraira reported Prophet Muhammad SAW as saying: Verily, there are ninety-nine names for Allah, i.e. hundred excepting one. He who enumerates them would get into Paradise. And Hammam has made this addition on the authority of Abu Huraira who reported it from Prophet Muhammad SAW that he said: “He is Odd (one) and loves odd number.”
Sahih Muslim – Book 35 Hadith 6476
It is not possible to perfectly translate the names and attributes of Allah from their original Arabic into English. However, here are some fairly close definitions.
هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إلَهَ إلَّا هُوَ
He is Allah, there is none worthy of worship except for Him
Name |
Transliteration |
Meaning |
Explanation |
|
|
1 |
الرَّحْمَنُ |
Ar-Rahmaan |
The Beneficent |
He who wills goodness and mercy for all His creatures |
|
2 |
الرَّحِيمُ |
Ar-Raheem |
The Merciful |
He who acts with extreme kindness |
|
3 |
الْمَلِكُ |
Al-Malik |
The Eternal Lord |
The Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection |
|
4 |
الْقُدُّوسُ |
Al-Quddus |
The Most Sacred |
The One who is pure from any imperfection and clear from children and adversaries |
|
5 |
السَّلاَمُ |
As-Salam |
The Embodiment of Peace |
The One who is free from every imperfection. |
|
6 |
الْمُؤْمِنُ |
Al-Mu’min |
The Infuser of Faith |
The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him |
|
7 |
الْمُهَيْمِنُ |
Al-Muhaymin |
The Preserver of Safety |
The One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His creatures |
|
8 |
الْعَزِيزُ |
Al-Aziz |
The Mighty One |
The Strong, The Defeater who is not defeated |
|
9 |
الْجَبَّارُ |
Al-Jabbar |
The Omnipotent One |
The One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He willed |
|
10 |
الْمُتَكَبِّرُ |
Al-Mutakabbir |
The Dominant One |
The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and from resembling them. |
|
11 |
الْخَالِقُ |
Al-Khaaliq |
The Creator |
The One who brings everything from non-existence to existence |
|
12 |
الْبَارِئُ |
Al-Baari |
The Evolver |
The Maker, The Creator who has the Power to turn the entities. |
|
13 |
الْمُصَوِّرُ |
Al-Musawwir |
The Flawless Shaper |
The One who forms His creatures in different pictures. |
|
14 |
الْغَفَّارُ |
Al-Ghaffaar |
The Great Forgiver |
The Forgiver, The One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again. |
|
15 |
الْقَهَّارُ |
Al-Qahhaar |
The All-Prevailing One |
The Dominant, The One who has the perfect Power and is not unable over anything. |
|
16 |
الْوَهَّابُ |
Al-Wahhab |
The Supreme Bestower |
The One who is Generous in giving plenty without any return. He is everything that benefits whether Halal or Haram. |
|
17 |
الرَّزَّاقُ |
Ar-Razzaq |
The Total Provider |
The Sustainer, The Provider. |
|
18 |
الْفَتَّاحُ |
Al-Fattah |
The Supreme Solver |
The Opener, The Reliever, The Judge, The One who opens for His slaves the closed worldly and religious matters. |
|
19 |
اَلْعَلِيْمُ |
Al-Alim |
The All-Knowing One |
The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His knowledge |
|
20 |
الْقَابِضُ |
Al-Qaabid |
The Restricting One |
The Constrictor, The Withholder, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy. |
|
21 |
الْبَاسِطُ |
Al-Baasit |
The Extender |
The Englarger, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy. |
|
22 |
الْخَافِضُ |
Al-Khaafid |
The Reducer |
The Abaser, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment. |
|
23 |
الرَّافِعُ |
Ar-Rafi |
The Elevating One |
The Exalter, The Elevator, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment. |
|
24 |
الْمُعِزُّ |
Al-Mu’izz |
The Honourer-Bestower |
He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem. |
|
25 |
المُذِلُّ |
Al-Muzil |
The Abaser |
The Dishonourer, The Humiliator, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem. |
|
26 |
السَّمِيعُ |
As-Sami’ |
The All-Hearer |
The Hearer, The One who Hears all things that are heard by His Eternal Hearing without an ear, instrument or organ. |
|
27 |
الْبَصِيرُ |
Al-Baseer |
The All-Seeing |
The All-Noticing, The One who Sees all things that are seen by His Eternal Seeing without a pupil or any other instrument. |
|
28 |
الْحَكَمُ |
Al-Hakam |
The Impartial Judge |
The Judge, He is the Ruler and His judgment is His Word. |
|
29 |
الْعَدْلُ |
Al-Adl |
The Embodiment of Justice |
The Just, The One who is entitled to do what He does. |
|
30 |
اللَّطِيفُ |
Al-Lateef |
The Knower of Subtleties |
The Subtle One, The Gracious, The One who is kind to His slaves and endows upon them. |
|
31 |
الْخَبِيرُ |
Al-Khabeer |
The All-Aware One |
The One who knows the truth of things. |
|
32 |
الْحَلِيمُ |
Al-Haleem |
The Clement One |
The Forebearing, The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it and then He might forgive them. |
|
33 |
الْعَظِيمُ |
Al-Azeem |
The Magnificent One |
The Great One, The Mighty, The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolement, and Purity from all imperfection. |
|
34 |
الْغَفُورُ |
Al-Ghafoor |
The Great Forgiver |
The All-Forgiving, The Forgiving, The One who forgives a lot. |
|
35 |
الشَّكُورُ |
Ash-Shakoor |
The Acknowledging One |
The Grateful, The Appreciative, The One who gives a lot of reward for a little obedience. |
|
36 |
الْعَلِيُّ |
Al-Aliyy |
The Sublime One |
The Most High, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures. |
|
37 |
الْكَبِيرُ |
Al-Kabeer |
The Great One |
The Most Great, The Great, The One who is greater than everything in status. |
|
38 |
الْحَفِيظُ |
Al-Hafiz |
The Guarding One |
The Preserver, The Protector, The One who protects whatever and whoever He willed to protect. |
|
39 |
المُقيِت |
Al-Muqeet |
The Sustaining One |
The Maintainer, The Guardian, The Feeder, The One who has the Power. |
|
40 |
الْحسِيبُ |
Al-Haseeb |
The Reckoning One |
The Reckoner, The One who gives the satisfaction. |
|
41 |
الْجَلِيلُ |
Al-Jaleel |
The Majestic One |
The Sublime One, The Beneficent, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status. |
|
42 |
الْكَرِيمُ |
Al-Kareem |
The Bountiful One |
The Generous One, The Gracious, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status. |
|
43 |
الرَّقِيبُ |
Ar-Raqeeb |
The Watchful One |
The Watcher, The One that nothing is absent from Him. Hence it’s meaning is related to the attribute of Knowledge. |
|
44 |
الْمُجِيبُ |
Al-Mujeeb |
The Responding One |
The Responsive, The Hearkener, The One who answers the one in need if he asks Him and rescues the yearner if he calls upon Him. |
|
45 |
الْوَاسِعُ |
Al-Waasi’ |
The All-Pervading One |
The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Knowledgeable. |
|
46 |
الْحَكِيمُ |
Al-Hakeem |
The Wise One |
The Wise, The Judge of Judges, The One who is correct in His doings. |
|
47 |
الْوَدُودُ |
Al-Wadud |
The Loving One |
The One who loves His believing slaves and His believing slaves love Him. His love to His slaves is His Will to be merciful to them and praise them |
|
48 |
الْمَجِيدُ |
Al-Majeed |
The Glorious One |
The Most Glorious One, The One who is with perfect Power, High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness. |
|
49 |
الْبَاعِثُ |
Al-Ba’ith |
The Infuser of New Life |
The Resurrector, The Raiser (from death), The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment. |
|
50 |
الشَّهِيدُ |
Ash-Shaheed |
The All Observing Witness |
The Witness, The One who nothing is absent from Him. |
|
51 |
الْحَقُّ |
Al-Haqq |
The Embodiment of Truth |
The Truth, The True, The One who truly exists. |
|
52 |
الْوَكِيلُ |
Al-Wakeel |
The Universal Trustee |
The Trustee, The One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon. |
|
53 |
الْقَوِيُّ |
Al-Qawwiyy |
The Strong One |
The Most Strong, The Strong, The One with the complete Power |
|
54 |
الْمَتِينُ |
Al-Mateen |
The Firm One |
The One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He does not get tired. |
|
55 |
الْوَلِيُّ |
Al-Waliyy |
The Protecting Associate |
The Protecting Friend, The Supporter. |
|
56 |
الْحَمِيدُ |
Al-Hameed |
The Sole-Laudable One |
The Praiseworthy, The praised One who deserves to be praised. |
|
57 |
الْمُحْصِي |
Al-Muhsee |
The All-Enumerating One |
The Counter, The Reckoner, The One who the count of things are known to him. |
|
58 |
الْمُبْدِئُ |
Al-Mubdi |
The Originator |
The One who started the human being. That is, He created him. |
|
59 |
الْمُعِيدُ |
Al-Mueed |
The Restorer |
The Reproducer, The One who brings back the creatures after death |
|
60 |
الْمُحْيِي |
Al-Muhyi |
The Maintainer of life |
The Restorer, The Giver of Life, The One who took out a living human from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life by giving the souls back to the worn out bodies on the resurrection day and He makes the hearts alive by the light of knowledge. |
|
61 |
اَلْمُمِيتُ |
Al-Mumeet |
The Inflictor of Death |
The Creator of Death, The Destroyer, The One who renders the living dead. |
|
62 |
الْحَيُّ |
Al-Hayy |
The Eternally Living One |
The Alive, The One attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is not that of a combination of soul, flesh or blood. |
|
63 |
الْقَيُّومُ |
Al-Qayyoom |
The Self-Subsisting One |
The One who remains and does not end. |
|
64 |
الْوَاجِدُ |
Al-Waajid |
The Pointing One |
The Perceiver, The Finder, The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is Richness. |
|
65 |
الْمَاجِدُ |
Al-Maajid |
The All-Noble One |
The Glorious, He who is Most Glorious. |
|
66 |
الْواحِدُ |
Al-Waahid |
The Only One |
The Unique, The One, The One without a partner |
|
67 |
اَلاَحَدُ |
Al-Ahad |
The Sole One |
The One |
|
68 |
الصَّمَدُ |
As-Samad |
The Supreme Provider |
The Eternal, The Independent, The Master who is relied upon in matters and reverted to in ones needs. |
|
69 |
الْقَادِرُ |
Al-Qaadir |
The Omnipotent One |
The Able, The Capable, The One attributed with Power. |
|
70 |
الْمُقْتَدِرُ |
Al-Muqtadir |
The All Authoritative One |
The Powerful, The Dominant, The One with the perfect Power that nothing is withheld from Him. |
|
71 |
الْمُقَدِّمُ |
Al-Muqaddim |
The Expediting One |
The Expediter, The Promoter, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills. |
|
72 |
الْمُؤَخِّرُ |
Al-Mu’akhkhir |
The Procrastinator |
The Delayer, the Retarder, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills. |
|
73 |
الأوَّلُ |
Al-Awwal |
The Very First |
The First, The One whose Existence is without a beginning. |
|
74 |
الآخِرُ |
Al-Akhir |
The Infinite Last One |
The Last, The One whose Existence is without an end. |
|
75 |
الظَّاهِرُ |
Az-Zaahir |
The Perceptible |
The Manifest, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies. |
|
76 |
الْبَاطِنُ |
Al-Baatin |
The Imperceptible |
The Hidden, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies. |
|
77 |
الْوَالِي |
Al-Waali |
The Holder of Supreme Authority |
The Governor, The One who owns things and manages them. |
|
78 |
الْمُتَعَالِي |
Al-Muta’ali |
The Extremely Exalted One |
The Most Exalted, The High Exalted, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation. |
|
79 |
الْبَرُّ |
Al-Barr |
The Fountain-Head of Truth |
The Source of All Goodness, The Righteous, The One who is kind to His creatures, who covered them with His sustenance and specified whoever He willed among them by His support, protection, and special mercy. |
|
80 |
التَّوَابُ |
At-Tawwaab |
The Ever-Acceptor of Repentance |
The Relenting, The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts his repentance. |
|
81 |
الْمُنْتَقِمُ |
Al-Muntaqim |
The Retaliator |
The Avenger, The One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and punishes them for their sins. It may mean the One who destroys them. |
|
82 |
العَفُوُّ |
Al-Afuww |
The Supreme Pardoner |
The Forgiver, The One with wide forgiveness. |
|
83 |
الرَّؤُوفُ |
Ar-Ra’oof |
The Benign One |
The Compassionate, The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy of Allah is His will to endow upon whoever He willed among His creatures. |
|
84 |
مَالِكُ الْمُلْكِ |
Maalik-ul-Mulk |
The Eternal Possessor of Sovereignty |
The One who controls the Dominion and gives dominion to whoever He willed. |
|
85 |
ذُوالْجَلاَلِ وَالإكْرَامِ |
Zul-Jalaali-wal-Ikram |
The Possessor of Majesty and Honour |
The Lord of Majesty and Bounty, The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied. |
|
86 |
الْمُقْسِطُ |
Al-Muqsit |
The Just One |
The Equitable, The One who is Just in His judgment. |
|
87 |
الْجَامِعُ |
Al-Jaami’ |
The Assembler of Scattered Creations |
The Gatherer, The One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment. |
|
88 |
الْغَنِيُّ |
Al-Ghaniyy |
The Self-Sufficient One |
The One who does not need the creation. |
|
89 |
الْمُغْنِي |
Al-Mughni |
The Bestower of Sufficiency |
The Enricher, The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures. |
|
90 |
اَلْمَانِعُ |
Al-Maani’ |
The Preventer |
The Withholder. |
|
91 |
الضَّارَّ |
Ad-Daarr |
The Distressor |
The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed. |
|
92 |
النَّافِعُ |
An-Naafi’ |
The Bestower of Benefits |
The Propitious, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed. |
|
93 |
النُّورُ |
An-Noor |
The Prime Light |
The Light, The One who guides. |
|
94 |
الْهَادِي |
Al-Haadi |
The Provider of Guidance |
The Guide, The One whom with His Guidance His believers were guided, and with His Guidance the living beings have been guided to what is beneficial for them and protected from what is harmful to them. |
|
95 |
الْبَدِيعُ |
Al-Badi’ |
The Unique One |
The Incomparable, The One who created the creation and formed it without any preceding example. |
|
96 |
اَلْبَاقِي |
Al-Baaqi |
The Ever Surviving One |
The Everlasting, The One that the state of non-existence is impossible for Him. |
|
97 |
الْوَارِثُ |
Al-Waaris |
The Eternal Inheritor |
The Heir, The One whose Existence remains. |
|
98 |
الرَّشِيدُ |
Ar-Rasheed |
The Guide to Path of Rectitude |
The Guide to the Right Path, The One who guides. |
|
99 |
الصَّبُورُ |
As-Saboor |
The Extensively Enduring One |
The Patient, The One who does not quickly punish the sinners. |
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.
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.”‘
And [mention] Ishmael and Idris and Dhul-Kifl; all were of the patient. And We admitted them into Our mercy. Indeed, they were of the righteous. (Qur’an 31:85-86)
And mention in the Book, Idris. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet. And We raised him to a high station. Those were the ones upon whom Allah bestowed favour from among the prophets of the descendants of Adam and of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah, and of the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping. (Qur’an 19:56-58)
Who was the Prophet Idris AS? No one knows with certainty since these 2 passages are the only references to him in the entire Qur’an, he had not been positively identified.
Allah has praised Idris AS in the verses above and described him as a prophet and truthful. Our Prophets’ ancestral line meets him as many of the genealogists mentioned it. Muslim commentators say that Idris AS was deeply devoted to his Lord’s worship and law; in fact his name means “one who studies or teaches”.
After Adam and Shiith, Idris was the first man to be sent as Prophet, peace be upon them all.
Although nothing is mentioned in the Qur’an concerning the life of Idris AS, Prophet Muhammad SAW spoke of him to his Companion, Abu Dharr RA saying,
“Four – that is, messengers – were Syrians; Adam, Shiith, Nuh, and Idris, who was the first to write with a pen. Allah revealed 3 scrolls to him.” (Tabari)
Ibn Khathir adds that Idris AS was constantly occupied with the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) and that the number of his good deeds was equal to the number of good deeds of all the people on earth during his time. Ibn Khathir mentions that Idris AS worked as a tailor, and that with each stitch he would say, “SubhanAllah”.
According to some traditions, the words “We raised him to a high station” (Qur’an 19:57), cited in the verses above, imply that Allah raised Idris AS to Himself without his experiencing death, but only Allah knows the truth. However, it is mentioned in hadith that when Prophet Muhammad SAW ascended during the blessed Miraj, he met all the earlier prophets face to face, and Idris AS was one of them. (Bukhari) May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon all of them.
After Idris AS, his son and successor Mehthusaleh continued in Allah’s path, calling His servants to him; his lifespan is said to have been 919 years. Methusaleh’s son Lamaq succeeded him and lived 780 years.
It is said that although all these righteous descendants of Adam AS forbade their people to go among the corrupted descendants of Qabil, their advice was not heeded. As time passed, almost all the people on the mountain went down and began to live among Qabil’s descendants, adopting their evil ways and forgetting the honourable way, upright way of their grandfather Adam AS and his righteous successors.
Then a son was born to Lamaq who was named Nuh. As the first major prophet after Adam AS, he was to have a grave impact on the future of mankind.
Acknowledgement: Most of the information for this work has been obtained from: “A History of the Prophets of Islam”, Volume I, by Suzanne Haneef “Stories of the Prophets”, by Ibn Kathir (Translation by Rashad Ahmad Azami)