Building Bridges With The Community
Tel: 0161 832 5352 · Email: office@myf.org.uk
Clydesdale House, 27 Turner street, Manchester M4 1DY
Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid RA
Umm-Al-Mu’minīn (Mother of Believers)
Note: For ease of reading, we have not inserted “May Allah be pleased with her (RA)” each time Khadijah’s RA 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…
William James said:
“Our handicaps help us to an extent that we never expected. If Dostoyevski and Tolstoy had not lived painful lives, they would not have been capable of writing their ageless journals. So being an orphan, blind, poor, or away from home and comfort are all conditions that may lead you to accomplishment and distinction, to advancement and contribution.” Read more…
Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish [i.e. don’t punish them]. (Qur ‘an 7: 199)
It is not right for you to forsake your brother because of one or two faults that you find in him, especially if the rest of his character is honorable. As we know, perfection for any one of us is unattainable. Al-Kindi said:
“How is it that you want your friend to possess a specific pattern of characteristics when your soul____________ which is the closest of souls to you – does not always obey your commands? What right do you then have to expect another person’s soul to follow your orders?”
Even as he is now, so were you yourselves before till Allah conferred on you His Favors [i.e. guided you to Islam]… (Qur’an 4: 94)
So ascribe not purity to yourselves. He knows best him who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him. (Qur’an: 53: 32)
It is enough for you that you are satisfied with the main part of your brother’s character. Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“To reproach your brother for something is better than to lose him altogether.”
Some of the wise said:
“We are still not satisfied with ourselves, so how then can we expect ourselves to be satisfied with others.”
It has also been said:
“Don’t remain aloof from someone who impresses you with a good character and sound judgment because of some minor fault that is surrounded by an ocean of virtues. You will not find, as long as you live, a person so cultivated that he is free from blemish and sin. Contemplate your own self and how it often errs and strays. This kind of introspection makes your demand on others more balanced and makes you more sympathetic to the sinner.” An Arab poet said:
“Who is the one whose character is untainted,
Sufficient worthiness for someone is that his defects can be counted.”
It has been said that one’s suspicions concerning one’s brother should not ruin a good mutual trust that has been tested over time. Ja’far ibn Muhammad said to his son. “O’ my son, whoever among your brothers becomes angry with you three times, and on each occasion speaks only the truth about you, take him as a close friend.” Al-Hasan ibn Wahb said,
“From the rights of mutual love is to forgive and overlook shortcomings.”
So overlook their faults with gracious forgiveness. (Qur ‘an 15: 85)
Ibn Roomi said:
“These are people and the world, and there is no doing away with dust
That irritates the eyes or spoils the drink.
From the lack of fairness is to expect refinement
In the world, while you yourself are unrefined.”
And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. (Qur ‘an 24: 21)
A poet said:
“You seek a cultivated person who is free from defects, but does the aloe exude a pleasant odor without smoke.”
He knows best him who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him. (Qur’an 53: 32)
1. How blessed are we to have hot food all the time? Today at lunchtime I thought to myself we are never short of food for us or our children. We are so lucky. We should be thankful to Allah for the small things we take for granted. Look at people all over the world who don’t have these luxuries which we take for granted every single day. May Allah give us humility to never forget how lucky we truly are. Ameen Read more…
Among the many ways in which they were blessed, the Companions were informed of their ranking through revelation. This verse was revealed about Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him):
And Al-Muttaqoon [the pious and righteous] will be far removed from it [Hell]. He who spends his wealth for increase in self purification. (Qur’an 92: 17-18) Read more…
You should feel reassured in that you have a Lord who is just.
Allah, the Exalted, admitted a woman into Paradise because of a dog and another into the Hellfire because of a cat. The first was a prostitute from the children of Israel; because she once gave drink to a thirsty dog, Allah forgave her and admitted her into Paradise. This was a just recompense for her sincerity in doing a good deed, for her sincerity to Allah. The second was a woman who confined a cat to a room. She neither fed it nor gave it drink; by confining the cat, she prevented it from eating insects in the fields, and so Allah made her enter the Hellfire.
The story of the first woman is one that brings coolness to the heart, because it makes one know that Allah gives great rewards for small deeds.
So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom for a small ant] shall see it.
And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom for a small ant] shall see it.
(Qur ‘an 99: 7-8)
Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds [i.e. small sins]. (Qur ‘an 11: 114)
So help the grief-stricken, give to the poor, aid the oppressed, visit the sick, pray over the dead, guide the blind, give comfort to the afflicted, guide the misguided, and be generous to both guest and neighbor. All of these are deeds of charity, deeds that not only help the receiver of your kind acts, but that also help you by giving you comfort and peace.
It has been related that Imam Ahmad visited Baqi ibn Mukhalid while he was sick and said to him:
“O’ Baqi, rejoice in Allah’s reward. The days of health are devoid of sickness and the days of sickness are devoid of health.” Read more…
Dr. Wajid Akhter, an MD by profession, is also a passionate historian of Islam. He talks to us about the state of Islamic History and why it is so important.
At-Tanookhi gave the account of a governor in Baghdad who usurped the wealth of an old lady in his province. He took away all of her rights and confiscated her property. She went to him, wept before him, and complained of his oppression and wrongdoing. He was neither regretful nor ashamed of what he had done. In a fit of anger, she said, “I will pray against you.” He laughed at her in mockery and said, “Then you should pray in the last third of the night.” His arrogance had made him say this to her. She went away, and in accordance with the governor’s mock-advice she was steadfast in praying during the last third of the night. It was only a matter of days before he was violently removed from office. As a reward for his tyranny, his properties were seized, and he was publicly whipped. After the whipping, the old lady passed by him and said, “You did well! You advised me to pray in the last third of the night and I found the results to be most favorable.”