Building Bridges With The Community
Tel: 0161 832 5352 · Email: office@myf.org.uk
Clydesdale House, 27 Turner street, Manchester M4 1DY
If you know that your trial is not in your religion, but is in worldly matters, then be content.
Know that no trick or artifice can be used to undo what has already taken place. A poet said: Read more…
The author of Ease after Difficuhy mentioned the story of a wise person who was afflicted by calamity. His brothers went to him and tried to console him over his loss. He answered, `I have put together a remedy that is composed of six ingredients.’ They asked him what those ingredients were, and he answered, Read more…
If you toss and turn during the night without being able to fall asleep, do the following:
1. Remember Allah with Prophetic supplications or supplications taken from the Qur’an:
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Qur’an 13: 28)
2. Avoid sleeping during the day, except when you have no other choice:
And have made the day for livelihood. (Qur’an 78: 11)
3. Read or write until sleep comes:
And say: My Lord! Increase me in knowledge. ‘(Qur’an 20: 114)
4. Work hard during the day:
And [it is He no] makes the day Nushur [i.e. getting up and going about here and there for daily work, etc., after one’s sleep at night or like resurrection after one’s death]. (Qur’an 25: 47)
5. Consume stimulants such as coffee and tea in moderation.
First Jummah – 12.15 – 12.45pm
Second Jummah – 1.15 – 1.45pm
Ibn `Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“If Allah removes the light from my eyes,
My tongue and ears still have in them light.
My heart is intelligent and my mind is not crooked, and my tongue is sharp like a warrior’s sword.”
When harm befalls you, perhaps there is a benefit that comes with it, a benefit that you cannot perceive.
And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you… (Qur’an 2: 216)
Bashhar ibn Burd said:
“My enemies disparage me, and the defect is in them, it is not a disgrace to be called defective.
If a person can see gallantry and truth,
Blindness in the eyes will not be a hindrance.
In blindness I see rewards, savings, and protection,
And for these three, I am most needy.”
Observe the difference between what Ibn `Abbaas or Bashhar said and what Saaleh ibn `Abdul Quddoos said when he became blind:
“Farewell to the world; the old man who is blind has no share whatsoever of this life.
He dies and people consider him to be of the living, False hopes have betrayed him from the beginning.”
All Divine decrees will come to pass, both upon the one who accepts them and upon the one who rejects them. The difference is that the former will find reward and happiness while the latter will find only sin and misery.
`Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz wrote to Maymoon ibn Mehran:
“You have written to console me for losing `Abdul-Malik. For this matter I had been in waiting, and when it finally came to pass, I had no misgivings about it.”
Verily, the One Who provides sustenance is Allah. He has made it binding upon Himself that whatever provision He has written for His slaves will reach them.
And in the heaven is your provision, and that which you are promised. (Qur’an 51: 22)
If Allah is the One Who provides for the creation, why curry favor with people? And why should one degrade himself in front of another person in the hope of procuring from him his sustenance? Allah said:
And no [moving] living creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. (Qur ‘an 11: 6)
Whatever of mercy i.e. e. of good], Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter: (Qur’an 35: 2)
Do not be sad, for there are means of making it easier to bear calamity. Among them are the following:
1. Expecting reward and recompense from Allah, the Exalted: only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning.? (Qur’an 39: 1O)
2. Visiting those who are afflicted and seeking comfort in that you are better off than many others.
A poet said:
“If not for the many mourners around me,
Who weep for their brothers, I would have taken my own life.”
So look at those who surround you. There will not be one, except that hardship or affliction has touched him.
If one wants to know whether one is climbing upwards toward success, there are certain signs and indications that can help him to determine his progress.
1. As one becomes more knowledgeable, one becomes more humble and merciful to others. Think of an expensive pearl: the more heavy and valuable it is, the deeper it is in the ocean. A wise person knows that though knowledge is a gift, Allah tests the one whom He gives it to. When one is thankful for the gift of knowledge, one will be raised in ranking.
Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe and those who have been granted knowledge. (Qur’an 58: 11)
2. The more one performs good deeds; the more one becomes cautious and fearful, in the sense that he does not feel secure from error, such as a slip of the tongue or a change of heart. He is always in a state of watching over himself and of being wary. He is like a careful bird: each time it lands on a tree, it soon leaves it for another, afraid of the skilled hunter and his bullet.
3. The older one gets the less covetous should one be for this world, for he comes to know with certainty that his time is soon finished.
4. The wealthier one becomes the more generous should one be towards others. The wealthy Muslim must understand that his wealth is a trust given to him, and that Allah is testing him in that wealth.
5. The higher one’s status becomes in society, the closer should he be to ordinary people, showing humility and fulfilling their needs.
But there are also signs that indicate wretchedness:
1. The more knowledge one attains the haughtier and arrogant he becomes. Such a person’s knowledge is not beneficial. His heart is empty and his company is heavy to bear.
2. The more he increases in deeds, the more proud he becomes and the more contemptuous he becomes of others. He doesn’t give the benefit of the doubt to anyone except to his own self. Thus, he deems that he is the only one who achieves salvation while all others are bound for destruction.
3. The older he gets, the more avarice and cupidity become part of his character. He gathers, but he never shares. Calamities and misfortune fail to move him into becoming a benefactor to others.
4. The wealthier he becomes, the more miserly he becomes with his money.
5. The higher his position in society, the higher his level of arrogance and haughtiness. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:
“The arrogant ones will be gathered on the Day of Judgment in the form of small ants. People will trample on them with their feet.”
In each of the points discussed above, I mentioned some of Allah’s favors, favors by which He tests His slaves: some of those slaves will pass the test while others will fail it.
The Event [the Hour or the punishment of disbelievers and polytheists or the Islamic laws or commandments], ordained by Allah will come to pass, so seek not to hasten it. (Qur’an 16: 1)
Be not hasty and rushed for things that have yet to come to pass. Do you think it is wise to pick fruits before they become ripe? Tomorrow is non-existent, having no reality today, so why should you busy yourself with it? Why should you have apprehensions about future disasters? Why should you be engrossed by their thoughts, especially since you do not know whether you will even see tomorrow?
The important thing to know is that tomorrow is from the world of the unseen, a bridge that we do not cross until it comes. Who knows, perhaps we might never reach the bridge, or the bridge might collapse before we reach it, or we may actually reach it and cross safely.
For us to be engrossed in expectations about the future is looked down upon in our religion since it leads to our having a long-term attachment to this world, an attachment that the good believer shuns. Many people of this world are unduly fearful of future poverty, hunger, disease, and disaster: such thinking is inspired by the Devil.
Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha [evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins etc.], whereas Allah promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty… (Qur’an 2: 268)
Many are those who cry because they see themselves starving tomorrow, falling sick after a month, or because they fear that the world will come to an end after a year. Someone who has no clue as to when he wil die (which is all of us) should not busy himself with such thoughts.
Since you ire absorbed in the toils of today, leave tomorrow until it comes. Beware of becoming unduly attached to future prospects in this world.
Allah’s ruling is binding upon His slave: it will come to pass, and it is a just ruling, as mentioned in the hadith:
“Your decree concerning me will be carried out, and you are Just with me in Your Ruling.”
Allah, the Most High, has forbidden Himself from being unjust with his slaves. Indeed it is people themselves who do wrong and are unjust.
The above-mentioned hadith, “And You are Just with Me in Your Ruling” also includes the decree of sinning, in its effect and its punishment. Allah is the Most Just regarding His decree for sinning and for its punishment. He may have ordained a sin for one of His slaves for reasons that are beyond our grasp. There might be a purpose which, due to its being so profound in its ramifications, is known only to Him. And that is the belief of the Muslim.
In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) advised us to repeat this phrase often:
“O’ (Allah) who is full of Majesty and Honor.”
He (bpuh) also advised us to say:
“O’ Ever Living, O’ One Who sustains and protects all that exists.”
Therefore, for one’s own well being, one should invoke Allah and seek His help with these phrases, and the answer will surely then follow.
[Remember] when you sought help of your Lord and He answered vou. (Qur’an 8: 9)
In the life of a Muslim, there are three truly joyful days:
1. The day that he abjures sinning and performs his obligatory prayers in congregation.
Answer Allah [by obeying Him] and [His] Messenger when he calls you…) (Qur ‘an 8: 24)
2. The day that he repents from a sin, forsakes it, and returns to his Lord.
Then, He accepted their repentance that they might repent [unto Him]. (Qur’an 9. 118)
3. The day that he dies to meet his Lord, having performed a final deed that is both good and pure.
“Whosoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him.”
After having studied the life of the Prophet’s Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all), I found in them five characteristics that distinguish them from others:
1. They led simple lives that were free from ostentation and extravagance.
And we shall make easy for you [O’ Muhammad] the easy way Ii. e. the doing of righteous deeds]. (Qur’an 87: 8)
2. Their knowledge of religious matters was as blessed as it was profound. And more importantly, they accompanied that knowledge with practical application.
Are only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah? (Qur’an 35: 28)
3. They gave precedence to deeds of the heart over deeds that others could see. Thus, they had sincerity; they depended upon Allah; they loved Him; they hoped from Him only; and they feared none save Him. Furthermore, they assiduously performed voluntary acts of worship, such as prayer and fasting.
He knew what was in their hearts… (Qur’an 48: 18)
4. They did not seek the world and its pleasures. They turned their backs in disdain on material possessions, and they reaped the fruits of this noble stance: happiness, peace of mind, and sincerity.
Arrd whoever desires the Hereafter and strives .for it, with the necessary effort due for it [i.e. do righteous deeds of Allah :s Obedience] while he is a believer… (Qur’an 17: 19)
5. Jihad was a priority for them over other good deeds until it became a banner by which they were recognized. And through Jihad, they annihilated their worries and troubles, because all of the following are a part of Jihad: remembrance, striving, effort, and activity.
As .for those who strive hard in us [Our Cause], we will surely guide them to Our Paths [i.e. Allah’s Religion – Islamic Monotheism]. And verily, Allah is with the good doers. (Qur’an 29: 69)
In the Qur’an, truths and realities that are constant and do not change are mentioned concerning this life. Here are the ones that are related to the subject matter of this book.
Whoever works for Allah, He will help him:
If you help [in the cause on Allah, He will help you, and make your foothold firma (Qur’an 47: 7)
Whoever asks of Allah, He will answer him:
And your Lord said: `Invoke Me, I will respond to your [invocation]. (Qur’an 40: 60)
When one asks Allah for forgiveness, He will forgive him: He said: `My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me’.
Then He forgave him. (Qur’an 28: 16)
{And He it is who accepts repentance from His slaves…. (Qur’an 42: 25)
Whoever places his trust in Allah, He will be sufficient for him: and whosoever puts his trust in Allah, and then He will suffice him. (Qur ‘an 65: 3)
There are three kinds of people whose punishment is certain: those who are rebellious against Allah, those who break their pledges, and those who plot evil deeds:
Your rebellion [disobedience to Allah] is only against your ownsel ves. (Qur ‘an 10: 23)
Then whosoever breaks his pledge breaks only to his own harm… (Qur’an 48: 10)
But the evil plot encompasses only him who makes it. (Qur’an 35: 43)
Oppressors will not escape from Allah’s punishment:
These are their houses in utter ruin, for they did wrong. (Qur’an 27: 52)
The fruits of righteousness are harvested both in the short and long term:
So Allah gave them the reward of this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter :} (Qur’an 3: 148)
Whoever obeys Allah; He will love him and provide sustenance for him:
Verily, Allah is the All-Provider. (Qur ‘an 51: 58)
Allah will punish the enemies of his obedient slaves:
Verily, we will exact retribution. (Qur’an 44: 16)
Shaykh `Abdur-Rehmaan ibn Sa’di wrote a valuable book called Practical Means to a Happy Life. In it he said,
“By enumerating Allah’s blessings, one will realize that he is better off than a great number of people and that he should truly be thankful for Allah’s favors upon him.”
Even in matters of religion, one finds that in spite of the negligence we are all guilty of, some of us are better than others in performing the obligatory congregational prayers regularly, in reading the Qur’an, in remembering Allah, and so on. These are all favors for which we should be thankful. Allah, the Exalted, said: Allah has 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. Ones 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)
Adh-Dhahabi mentioned that the great scholar of hadith, Ibn `Abdul Ba’qi, observed the people as they were leaving the central Mosque of Baghdad. He was looking for someone who in all respects he wished to change places with in life, yet he reported that he found no one:
And we have preferred them above many of those whom we have created with a marked preference. (Qur’an 17: 70)