Be grateful to Allah s.w.t.

This is a very good one…everyone should read!

Heavy rains remind us of challenges in life. Never ask for a lighter rain.

Just pray for a better umbrella.
That is attitude.

When flood comes, fish eat ants & when flood recedes, ants eat fish. Only time matters.
Just hold on, God gives opportunity to everyone!

Life is not about finding the right person, but creating the right relationship,
it’s not how we care in the beginning, but how much we care till the very end.
 
 Some people always throw stones in your path.  It depends on you what you make with them.
 A Wall or a Bridge? Remember you are the architect of your life.

Search for a beautiful heart, but don’t search for a beautiful face’  
 coz beautiful things are not always good, but good things are always beautiful.

It’s not important to hold all the good cards in life.
but it’s important how well you play with the cards you hold.

Often when we lose all hope & think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, `relax dear it’s just a bend, not the end.
Have Faith and have a successful life.

One of the basic differences between God and humans is, God gives, gives and forgives. but the human gets, gets, gets and forgets.
Be thankful in life….

Badbaadaa Bulshada If iyo Aakhiro

Assalamu Calaykum Waraxmatulahi Wabarakatahu – Waa Muxadaro Muqayim ah oo Mowduca Kuu Sahabsaan Badbaadaa Bulshada If iyo Aakhiro

Ku Billabid Magaca Alle ee Naxariis Guud Iyo Mid Gaaraba Nariista. Alle ayaa mahad iska leh, isaga ayaan mahadinaynaa, kaalmo waydiisanaynaa, dambi dhaafwaydiisanaynaa, waxaana Alle ka magan galaynaa naftayada sharteeda iyooacmaashayada xun, qofkii Alle hanuuniyo cid baadiyeen karta majirto, kii Allebaadiyeeyana cid hanuunin karta majirto, waxaan qirayaa Alle mooyee Ilaah kalein uusan jirin, xaal uu yahay kaligiis, shariiknaa uusan lahayn, waxaan kalooqirayaa in (Nabi) Muxammed (scw) uu yahay addoonkiisii iyo Rasuulkiisii.

Kuwa (xaqa)  rumeeyowka dhawrsada Eebe dhawrsashadiisa xaqaa ah, hana dhimanina idinkon Muslimahayn. Suurat Aali-Cimraam, aayadda 102.

Dadow ka dhawrsada Eebihiina idinka abuuray nafkaliya(Aadam), kana abuuray xaggeeda haweenaydeeda (Xaawo) , kadhawrsada  Eebihiina aad  wax isku  warsataan iyoqaraabada, Eebana wuxuu u yahay korkiinna haaliye. Suurat An-Nisaa’, ayaadda 1.

Kuwa (Xaqa)  rumeeyowka  dhawrsada Eeba hadal oosanna ku hadla:

Haydiinwaanajiyo camalkiinna hana dhaafo dambigiinee, ruuxii adeeca Eebe iyoRasuulkiisa  wuxuu u liibaanay dhab ahaan, liibaan weyn SuuratAl’Axzaab , ayaadda 70-71.

Hadaal  waxa ugu sita kitaabka Allee(sw), hanunna waxa ugu sita hanuunki Muxammad (S.C.W) . Arrimahana waxaaugu shar badan in arrimo cusub lagu soo daro. Caqiidada Islamka iyo iimanka iyo guudahaan waxa lagu daro dhaan Diinta  ee BidcadaBidcaadu  waa Baadi. Baadikastanaa waa Narta. Walciyadu Bilaah.

Intaakadib,

Alle weyne kor ahaaye wuxuu yidhi:  “Kuwa cesha cadhodooda iskana cafiyo dadka, Allenawaa jecel yahay samaan falayaasha”.wa suuraadda al-ciimraan, aayadda 134.

Wuxuu kaloo yidhi kor ahaaye: ” Samaanta iyo xumaantu ma sinna, gefka lagugu sameeyo ku qaabil wanaag, markaasaa kii colka kula ahaa noqonayaa gacal saaxiiboo kale ah.

Taasina lama siiyo waxaan aheyn kuwaa samra, oo lama siiyo waxaan aheyn cid nasiib weyn leh” waa suuradda Fussilat aayadda 34-35.

Waxa laga weriye Abuu Hureyra ( Allaha karaalli noqdee) , in uu Nebiga (s.c.w)  yidhi:

1- Qofkiika feyda qof mu’min ah kurbo ka mid ah kurbadaha dunida, isagana Allah (s.w) baa ka feyda kurbo ka mid ah kuwa qiyaamah.

2- Qofkiiu xoolo gooya qof sabool ah,  isaganaAllee baa u xoolo gooya  ifka iyo aakhiraba.

3- Qofkiiu xiil qariya qof muslim ah, isagana Allee baa ceebihiisa astura if iyo akhiriba.

4- Qofkii jid mara isago cilmi doonaya Allee baa u fududeeya jidka Jannada loo maroo.

Ilaahay wuu u gargaaaraa addoomadiisa inta qofku u gargaarayo walaalahiisa.

Haddi ay jamaaca ku kulanto guri ka mid ah guryaha Ilaahay ( waa sidaa Masajiida iyo Masaloyinka ..)   iyagoo akhrisanaya Kitaab Allee waa Qur’aanka oo isbaraya,waxa ku soo degeysa xasilloonaan, waxadabooleysa naxariistii Allee (swt),Malaa’iktuna way la safanaysaa, Ilaahayna wuxuu ku xusayaa khalqiga agtiisa jooga.

5- Qofki camalkiisu reebo nasabkiisu  meel marin maayo..

(Waxaaso Weriye Xadiiskan Muslim , Saxadisuuna Waa Saxiix)

Marka xadiiskan waa xadis cajayiib badaan oo macnaa badaan kuu salaysan, sababtoo ah wakhtiiga xadirka ah oo  waaxad mooda inuu bulshadeena iyo dhibatoyinkaa sii  toos ah kaa maacno bixinayo iyo digniin xag walbaa, balse Insha’Allah  xogga baan  dhuxidiisa kuu rageynaa.

Xadiskanii wuxuu ku saabsan yahaay marka xubin amba xubnoo  ka mid ah bulshadadhibaato qabsato sidi waax looga qaban lahaa XAAL..,

wuxuu so qaatay xadiiskan dhowr qodob.

1-Qodobka kobaad waaxa weeyan markay dhibatoo amba kurbo iyo laxaw ku abuurtoqofka walaalka ee muslimka ah, wax kastaba ha noqotee dhibaatadaasi , sidaxanuun amba cuduroo uu u tabar waayay inuu kaa so baxoodhicii  nolool malmeedkii sidaa  masrufkiireerka,  bahaadi toolkaa , zakaadi iyo iwm…

Marka Allee (sw) wuxuu u ballanqaaday qofkadhibaatadaa ka saara qof muslim ah in isagana Ilaahay ka saari doonodhibaatoyinka kulul Maalinta Qiyaamaha waa maalin laaka firdhinayoo labadiiiskuu jecleyd  aduunka, oo cidna cid wax uu fidinayn, qofkastana  wuxuuoo kuu dhawaqaa Nafsii!! Nafsii!! aniiga Nafteydaa!! Nafteydaa !!!

Haddaba, Qofkii  isagoo cudur qadaa dhigayoodawoo  uu soo qaada markanaa Alle(sw)  kuu bogsiyaa waxaaiska leh abaalkaas dhakhtarkii cudurka gartay, kii daawada sameeyey , sidookalee kii bixiyey kharajka , kii soo qadey daawada iyo qofkii buukey.. iwm…

Sidoo kale qofkii hanuuniyaa  qofbaadi kuu jiira marka  kuu toosiyaa jidkaa xaqaa  ooxanuunkii qalbii  kaa saraa taas waa lamiid iyaadna oo Allee (sw) waakaa abalguudi maalintaa Qiyame,  oo waa maalintee ( Waa Maalinta aynau hanannin Nafna Naf  kale waxba , amarkana maalintaas waxaa iska leh Eebe waa  Suurat Al -Infidhaar1-9.

2- Taan Labaad waa qofka ay dhibaato kahaysato xagga dhaqaaalaha ee saboolka ah waxaa Ilaahay (sw) uu ballan qadaay qofkii cidhiidhiga ka saraa inisagana Ilaahay ka saari doono cidhiidhiga ifka iyo mid aakhiraba, waxanaa jirainaan cidhiidhiga ka bixinta aan loola jeedin oo keli ah in qofka walaalka ambawalashaa ee muslimka ah gajoo loo qudiyo.

Waxaa loojeedaa in laga kaalmeeyo siduu cidhiidhiga uga bixi lahaa oo u lugihiisa isugutaagi lahaa.  Tusaale ahaan , waxaa la bari karaa xirfaad ama cilmiuu ku shaqaysto.

Waxa loosamayn karaa mashruuc uu ka shaqeeyo , waaxa la bariikaara waax badaan oo aywalaalka amba walashaa kaaga  kaftoomii karaan, wixi yara eedkuu  turi jirtey sida dhowr dollar oo weey kaa hadheysaa oo  reerko dhaan buu waxtari oo wuxuu yelan dheef qofkasii hadi Raxmanku  sugoooo  waa laguu dhargidonaa Insha’Allah.

3- TaanSaddexaad waa Qofka Walaalka amba Walaasha ee  Muslimka ah ee aad kuuaragtid ceebo u  leyahay oo aanu jecleyn in lagu ogaada marka qofkiiceeb muslim ogaaday ee qariya, waxaa Allee (sw) u ballanqaday in isagana looqarin donoo ceebihiisa if iyo aakhiraba,

laakin ceebahala qarinaayo kuma jiraan kuwa xuquuqda dadka kale kuu dayacmeyso,

Matalan qofkiiku xadgudbaya xoolo ama sharfata iyo cirdiga dad kale inaad qarisoo maahaa , gaar ahaan haddi marag laguu qabsado, waxaana caddaynaya aayado iyoaxaadiis kale inaan waxyaaalaha ceynkaas ah qofka an loogu ceeb qarinaynin.

Haddaba , wuxu xadiiskani ku hanuuniyeymuslimkii horee iyo kaan wakhtigaa xadiirka jogaa iyo kan so socdabaa inuu kaadhikto hubkii uu kaga bixi karii lahaa dhibaatooyinka dhammantood, hubkaas ooah kaan cilmiga, waxaan ugu baaqay dhaaman qofkasta inuu cilmiga barashadiisaaisku shuqliya in Allee (sw) u fududeynaayo jidka Jannada

“Al’Fardowsa Wal’ Acla ,  Allahuma Acdini Fardowsa Wal’acla waa dakhalniicalaal abraar , Insha’Allah dhahaa  Allahuma Amiin !!Allahuma Amiin!!Amiin.

Waxaa  weyanwalaalayal  cilmigu sida ka muqata xadiiskan cajayibka badan AllahumaCajayib! kuma koobna cilmiga diniga ah oo keliya, balsee  waxa sogeli kara cilmi kasta oo wax tar leh  oo sharciga Allee (sw) aankhilaafasaneyn oo Qofkii dhibka Jahligaa, Gaajada, Dhaqalahaa, XanunadaaQarkood iwm ..wax kaa qabankara abaalgud cadim aah,  oowaxanad  kaa heeli doonta  Abalgudkaa Allaha Raxmaanka eeNaxarista Badan.

Waxaan kuu dharanayaa Allaah Nafteyda iyoUnkaan khalqay inaan ciyaar ciyaar iyo dheel dheel iyo kaftaanreer magaal lagu geleynin Janadaa Allee ee balsee shaqo iyo dadaal badanoo Ikhlaas Lilahiyaa kuu saleysaan in la isweydiin donaa.

Wuxuu kolee xadiisku sheegay abaal gudwayninay leehiyhiin dadka mel ku wada kulma iyagoo akhrisanaya oo baranaya kitaabkaIlaahay waa Quranka, waxa loogu abaal gudayaa xasilloonaan iyo naxariista Alleeoo lagu dejinayo, Malaa’iktaa Allee oo an marnaba casiyiin Raxmaanka oohareerahoodaa  fadhiisanayaaa, Ilahayna (sw) kuu ammani doono  khalqigajogga agtisa.

AllahuAkbaar! Bal kaa waaran Raxmankii kuu umay ooku  siyeey nicmoyiinkan oo halkaan an lagu so kobii kariin ookuu xusaaya.

Masha’Allah nicmoyiin kaa adunka Rabii noogumahaadnaqay waa Kitab Qur’anku waa Nur oo waa  Qawlkii Allee (sw).

Allee(sw) wuxii Yidhii: “  Waxaa Eebe uu khushuuca waxa samooyinkaiyo dhulka ku sugan isaga awood leh, waana kan addomadiisa wanaaga u falay eeuu soo diray Rasuul Bani Adan ah, si uu hannuniyo waxna u Barokuwa  jooga iyo kuwa imaandoona waa inagaa.

Xaalkaasnawaa xaal weyn  oo khayr ah ciddu doona yuuna siiya, illeen waa deeqbadanee, Suraat Al-Jumucah 1-4. “

Waaxan kuu so khatimaya  wacdigaanoo ah is xasusiin iyo dhirigaliin walaloyaal amba hunnoyal, sidaa dadka lagukala soocayo marku Raxmankuu abaal marinaayo addomadiisa  oo ah axadka  kastaImaanka iyo Camalka suubaan uun la yimaado faqad,  oo lagu dari mayoXisaabta Nasabkiisa, Qabiilkiisa iyo Xoolahiisa, Sababtoo ah, Ilaahay dadka umakala dhowa mana kala xigaan dhammantood waa  addoomadiisa, waxaanalagu kala bixinayaa abaalgudkooda qof kasta wuxuu kheyr shaqaystay uuna sii qadimey iyo siduu Allee (sw) ugaa baqayey oo waa Taqwaada Baas iyo  sidii sharcigaa diinta uguu hoggansama, axaadkii camalxun la yimid waxba Nasaabkiisuu iyo Qabilkiisu u tari mayo ilaa man Raximullah.

Allee (sw) wuxuu yidhii: “ Caabuda Eebe hanalawadaajinina waxba, labada waalidna u wanaag fala, iyo qarabada , agoonta ,maasakiinta, dariska dhaw, dariska durugsan, saaxiibka dhinaca socotada  iyo waxay hanatay gacmihiinu, Eebana ma jeclacidda Kibirka badan ee faanka badan. Waa Suurat An-Nisaa .36 “

Wiixi an khaldeyna xagaa shandanka walciyadubilah iyo naafteeda weeyan,

wixii an saxeynaa waa wax xaga Rabii ka yimid,Waa Al-Xamdulilah, Wastaqfiirulah Lii Danbi, Wasalatu WasalamuCaleykum  Salam, An Nebiyuuna, Al- Mustafa, Muxammed, Wal khatimuAl’Anbiyahi, Wal ‘Mursalin, Salalahu Caleyhi Wasalam, Waa billahi TowfiqAjmaciin.

WaaSalaamu Caleykum, Wa Raxmatulahii , Waa Barakatahuu.
Sh. Saciid Xasan Beerujif
Ottawa, Canada

Asmaa al Husna

ارسل هذه الأسماء الحسنى الخمسة إلى أصدقائك وسترى أن أكبر مشكلة عندك ستنحل بإذن الله تعالى

جربها حتى لو لم تكن مقتنعا بها:

يا الله
يا كريم
يا أول
يا آخر
يا مجيب

لا تلغي هذه الرسالة جرب حتى لو لم تكن مصدقا

يا فارج الهمّ،
ويا كاشف الغمّ،
فرّج همي ويسّر أمري
وارحم ضعفي وقلة حيلتي
وارزقني من حيث
لا أحتسب يا ربّ العالمين

قال صلّى الله عليه وسلّم: “من قرأ هذا الدعاء وأخبر الناس به فرّج الله همّه”

Ashura of Muharram – A Shia and Sunni Muslim Observance

10th of Muharram (the day of Ashura) is observed as an important day by both Sunni and Shia Muslims – however, for different reasons. Most scholars believe that Ahsura is named as such because of “tenth” of Muharram (ten is translated as “Ashara” in the Arabic language)

Sunni Muslims look at Ashura as “good” while Shia Muslims believe that day to be a day of mourning and sorrow.

Sunni Muslims

Based on the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (saws), Sunni Muslims celebrate Ashura as the day when Prophet Moses (Moosa) fasted on that day because Allah saved the Israelites from their enemy in Egypt. One of the many Ahadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) that attests to that is in Bukhari that states:

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1865) from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: The Prophet (saws) came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashoora. He said, “What is this?” They said, “This is a good day, this is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Moosa fasted on this day.” He (the Prophet Muhammad) said, “We are closer to Moosa than you.”

So he (the Prophet Muhammad) fasted on this day and told the people to fast.

There are many other versions of this Hadith in the books of “Muslim” and “Bukhari”.

According to a version narrated by Muslim,

This is a great day when Allah saved Moosa (Moses) and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people.”

Sunni Muslims celebrate Ashura by fasting on that day. Usually, Sunni Muslims are recommended to fast on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.

It is permissible to fast the day of Ashoora on its own, but it is better to fast the day before it or the day after it. This is the Sunnah that is proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), as he said, “If I am still alive next year, I will certainly fast the ninth.” Narrated by Muslim, 1134. [Source: Islam-QA.com (question 21776)]

Other Ahadith on the subject are the following:

The prophet observed the fast on Ashuraa (the 10th of Muharram), and ordered (Muslims) to fast on that day. (Agreed upon Hadith i.e. Bukhari & Muslim).

Narrated by Abi Katada: The prophet was asked about fasting on ‘Ashuraa’ (the 10th of Muharram), he said: “it expiates the previous year (for sins).” (Sahih Muslim)

It was proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that the best fasting after Ramadaan is fasting in the month of Muharram. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The best fasting after Ramadaan is the month of Muharram, and the best prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer at night.” Narrated by Muslim, 1163.

Shia Muslims

Shia Muslims observe Ashura as the day of martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala. Shia Muslims therefore consider this a day of sorrow and observe it as such by refraining from music, listening to sorrowful poetic recitations, wearing mourning attire, and refraining from all joyous events (e.g. weddings) that in anyway distract them from the sorrowful remembrance of that day.

Some Shia sects carry the observance to further extremes by beating themselves in public. Sunni Muslims believe such Shia practices (beating, etc.) of the day of Muharram (Ashura) as innovations. Their basis is that during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) a number of senior Sahabah (Prophet’s companions) were martyred and he mourned their loss, such as Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, Zayd ibn Haarithah, Jafar ibn Abi Taalib and Abd-Allah ibn Rawaahah, but he never practiced any such acts. [References: Islam-QA.com]

As 9th of Muharram for the year 1434 Hijri will fall on November 24th, 2012, that day and the day before or after will be the two days Muslims should be looking to fast.

How to repent from sins and ask for Allah’s forgiveness

The merits and rewards of ‘Tawbah’ (repentance to Allah), were discussed in an earlier post. This article focuses on how one can repent for the sins committed, and to earn Allah’s pleasure for asking for such forgiveness. As Allah the Most Caring assures us:

quran1

“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 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:53)

He also says in the Quran:quran2quran3

“Indeed Allah loves those who repent and purify themselves.“ [Surah Al Baqarah, 2:222]

 

The following paragraphs summarize some of the steps one can  take to ask Allah for His forgiveness. However, along with the following, the sinner should ensure that he or she feels sorry for the sins, desist from committing them, and make a resolve not to recommit those sins. We should also attempt to move away from situations and environments that encourage sinful behavior.

Ask for forgiveness after the Salat (prayers)

The best time for seeking Allah’s forgiveness is after the Salat. (It goes without saying that we should be regular in offering Salat). Allah guides us in this matter as well. He, the most Merciful, Says:

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“And perform Salaat, at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night [i.e. the five compulsory Salaat].” (Hud 11:114).

Asking Allah for forgiveness day and night

Being steadfast in prayers day and night and constantly asking Allah for forgiveness can help us repent for our sins. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (R.A.A) reported: The Prophet (S.A.W.S) said: “Allah, the Exalted, will continue to stretch out His Hand in the night so that the sinners of the day may repent, and continue to stretch His Hand in the daytime so that the sinners of the night may repent, until the sun rises from the west (start of day of judgment)”. [Sahih Muslim].

Using Allah’s names to ask for His forgiveness

While seeking forgiveness, Allah’s names concerning His Attributes of forgiveness and kindness should be used. Among the perfect Names of Allah, the Majestic and Most High, is Al-’Afuww (He who pardons), and Al-Ghafoor (He who forgives), and Al-Ghaffaar (The Oft-Forgiving). Allah, the Majestic and Most High, loves our calling upon Him by His names and worshipping Him by that which His names demand. As He said:

“And Allah has the most excellent and perfect names, so worship and invoke Him by them” (Al-A’raaf ,7:180)

The Prophet has said in a hadith reported in the two Sahihs’ from Abu Hurairah , “Allah has ninety-nine names. Whoever memorizes and is mindful of them (ahsaahaa) will enter Paradise.” (Al-Bukhari, vo1. 8, no. 419 and Muslim, no.6476.)

However, ‘… memorizing and being mindful of them …’ (ihsaa), is not merely writing these names on a piece of paper and reciting them, as some people do. Scholars have explained that ‘ihsaa’ of the names comprises of three stages. The first of these is to memorize the names. The second is to understand their meanings. And the third is to call upon Allah by these names in context of the calling.

Staying away from forbidden matters and performing the obligatory deeds

Allah tells us in the Quran that doing good deeds can help us in erasing our bad deeds. He says in the Quran:

quran5

“Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice).” (Hud 11:114)

Focusing on the obligatory acts and steering clear of what Allah has forbidden, thus helps one distance from sins.

If an evil action has been committed, it should be followed up with a good one. Righteous actions expiate the evil actions as the Prophet (S.A.W.S) said:

“The five daily prayers and one Jumu’ah to the next, and one Ramadan to the next Ramadan, is expiation for what lies between them as a long as one refrains from the major sins.” [Sahih Muslim]

And he said: “One Umrah to the next is an expiation for what is in between them” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

Practicing self control

One can stay away from sins by practicing self control. We can practice self control using that the prophet (S) taught us. For example, we are asked to stem anger by reciting A’udhu Billahi min ash-shaytaan-i’r rajeem (I seek refuge in Allah against the accursed Satan), whenever we get angry and are about to do or say something in a fit of anger. Sins pertaining to fulfillment of desires in the haraam, forbidden way, require self control as well. This should be accompanied with supplications to Allah, as we constantly need His help to strengthen ourselves. To help us in such situations where self control needs to be brought forth, we should think of the rewards that Allah Most Merciful has promised those who exercise patience and restrain themselves from reacting with anger or in any negative manner. Those rewards should not be lost!

Weeping out of fear of Allah

Anas bin Malik (R.A.A) reported: The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.S) delivered a Khutbah to us the like of which I had never heard from him before. In the course of the Khutbah, he said: “If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much”.  [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Hurairah (R.A.A) reported: Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.S) said, “One who weeps out of fear of Allah, will not enter Hell till milk returns back in the udder…” [At-Tirmidhi].

Other acts that can help the sinner in getting Allah’s Forgiveness

 

  • Supplication upon hearing the Athaan: Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas, (R.A.A), narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W.S) said, “He who says upon hearing the person calling the Athaan, ‘I also bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone without a partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. I accept Allah as a Lord, Muhammad as a messenger, and Islam as a religion’ – all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Sahih Muslim).
  • Saying ‘Ameen’: Abu Hurayrah,(R.A.A) narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W.S) said, “When the Imaam says ‘Ameen’, say ‘Ameen’, because he who coincides with the angels when saying Ameen will get all his previous sins forgiven.” (Al-Bukhaari & Muslim).
  • Praying two rak’aah of salaah attentively: The Prophet (S.A.W.S) said, “He who performs ablution properly, then prays any two rak’aah (of salaah) without being heedless, will get all his previous sins forgiven.” (Ahmad).
  • Gathering in circles of people mentioning Allah: Sahl ibn Hanthalah, R.A.A) narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W.S) said, “It is never that a group of people gather to mention Allah, but they will be told upon leaving the circle (after finishing): ‘Your sins have been forgiven.’” (Ahmad).
  • Being patient in Sickness (accepting it gracefully, without complaints): Aa’ishah (R.A.A), narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W.S) said, “Whenever a believer becomes sick, he will be purified from his sins, just as fire purifies steel.” (Al- Bukhaari).

Conclusion

Let us remember that Prophet Adam (alaihi salam) was misled by Satan into disobeying Allah. However, he regretted it considerably and repented very sincerely. Allah (SWT) showed His Mercy and revealed the words for seeking forgiveness from Him.

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“Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If Thou forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.” (Al-A’raf; 7:23) and Allah forgave him.

Allah says:quran7

“……. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful.” (Al-Baqara, 2:37)

Select Duas asking for forgiveness

Both the Quran and Hadith provide us with many Duas that one can use to ask for Allah’s forgiveness. Some of them are stated below:

One should recite Astaghfirullah‘ constantly. This includes saying it 3 times after every salat and a minimum of 100 times a day as was reported in Sahih Muslim

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“I seek forgiveness from Allah”

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“My Rubb! Forgive me and pardon me. Indeed, You are the Oft-Returning with compassion and Ever Merciful.” (Reported in Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi).

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“O Allah! Forgive my sins, my ignorance, myintemperance in my affairs and all that I am not aware of but You know. O Allah! Forgive my play and my seriousness. Forgive my sins,be they undeliberate or deliberate, for all of which I am responsible.” (Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari # 6398)

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“O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no God but You. You have created me, and I amYour slave. I try my best to keep my covenant(faith) with You and to live in the hope ofYour promise. I seek refuge in You from theevil I have done. I acknowledge Your favorsupon me, and I admit my sins. Please, forgiveme, for none forgives sins but YOU.” (Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari # 6306)

“Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi; Astaghfirullaha wa atubu ilaihi -Allah is free from imperfection, and I begin with praising Him. I beg forgiveness from Allah and I turn to Him in repentance.” Reported by Aishah (R.A.A) that prior to his death, the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.S) used to supplicate this dua frequently. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

– End

Heavenly Breeze of Hope

It is a hallmark of depressed people that they give up on hope. Life for these people can seem void of color, so mundane that it is not worth living any more. Any energy spent on the face of earth seems such a waste for them. Hence, depressed people seem to care less about putting an effort to change, or to make meaning of their existence. Many of them lose track of the whole purpose of life and extinguish into demise or willfully end their lives. It is my belief that the same cascade of misery that applies to an individual also applies to a community or even a nation at large. Think about that as you read this paragraph again and think about the blessing of having hope.
We often refer to Islam as a life style (as opposed to just-a-religion). I would like to add another alteration for the way we understand Islam and say, that Islam is also an art of living. I say that, because of the ornamentation Islam allows us to solicit to give meaning to life, while at the same time remaining within the scope of worship and religious rituals. One of the hallmarks of this deen (religion) that Allah asked us to practice, and has become to many of us a forgotten ibada (worship), is the ibada of hope. Yes, hope can be an ibada, and arguably, one of the noblest and most honored in the eyes of God. It is also no surprise that the holy Qur’an and the seerah (life) of the Prophet have an abundance of parables and stories that are hope-enriching, I shall mention a few:

The story of Yusuf is a remarkable ode to hope that the Qur’an beautifully captures. One great verse in this chapter talks about the prophet Jacob, Joseph’s father, sending his sons back to Egypt to get back their little brother Benjamin who was captured by the Aziz whom they will get to know as none other than Yusuf. Jacob had lost Yusuf before Benjamin some 25 years earlier and when he sends his other children to look for Benjamin, this is what he says:

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“O my sons, go and find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.”(Qur’an, 12:87)
He kept hope in finding his son Yusuf for a quarter of a century until Allah brought them back together. This a lesson for all of us to keep the hope in Allah when we suffer in relationships and in moments of separation that Allah will find an exit for us with His mercy: “… despair not of the mercy of Allah …”

During the battle of Al-Ahzab (also known as the battle of the trench) the tribe of Quraish had not yet embraced Islam and had formed a coalition against the Muslims in Al-Madina. The coalition included Quraish themselves, Jewish tribes near al-Madinah, and other strong Arab tribes such as the tribe of Ghatafan. The Muslims felt at loss until they decided to adopt a military strategy borrowed from Persia. They decided to dig a trench around al- Madinah so that their enemies might not get to them. It was not an easy chore, and the Muslims worked on the trench through the cold nights of the dessert and through the burning hot days. The Qur’an describes those times as times of great fear and despair. They were seeing the armies gather around Al-Madinah in camps from a distance with horses, weapons, swords and spears. These were times of great tribulation where some Muslims started questioning their own faith. One very cold night as the Muslims were digging the trench, they faced a huge white rock that they were unable to break. They turned towards the Prophet asking him for advice. He then took it upon himself to break this stone with his own blessed hands. He grabbed the sledgehammer of Salman Al Farsi and hit the rock thrice, shattering it into pieces. With each strike, there was a spark and with each spark, the Prophet said Allahu Akbar and gave the Muslims glad tidings. “Bismillah.” One third of the rock was broken. He said, “Allahu Akbar! I was given the keys of Damascus. I swear by God that I see the red manors of Damascus now!” Then, he said, “Bismillah!” again and hit the rock with the sledgehammer again. One third of the rock was broken. The Prophet said, “Allahu Akbar! I was given the keys of Persia. I swear by God that I see the city of Madayin of the Chosroes and his white manors!” Then, he said “Bismillah!” again and hit the rock with the sledgehammer; the remaining part of the rock was broken into pieces. The Prophet said, “Allahu Akbar! I was given the keys of Yemen. I swear by God that I see the gates of Sana now!” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad). All of these cities were given to the Muslims in conquest during the times of Omar and Othman . This is a great lesson from our holy prophet PBUH that even during the times of difficulty where there might not seem to be any string of hope, we should not give up on the promise of Allah .

After the battle of Uhud, the Muslim were exhausted and defeated as they retreated to the mountains. They had lost some of their greatest men in this battle, including the uncle of our Prophet , the brave and noble man, Hamzah . He was savagely killed and mutilated, causing the Prophet himself to cry for him on that day. Their wounds were still open and their souls were shaken and defeated. They feared that this would be the end of their nation and that the Quraish would have the upper hand afterwards. They felt ashamed that they had made the Prophet go out for war when he felt that it was not wise to do so. The Prophet ‘s life itself was endangered and he was beaten so savagely that the metallic sheaths of his helmet penetrated into his holy face. In the midst of all this turmoil, Allah revealed these blessed verses from Surat Aal-‘Imran:

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“So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers.

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“If a wound should touch you – there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs – and Allah does not like the wrongdoers,” (Qur’an, 3:139-140)
The only analogy I can think of as I read the context of these touching verses is that of a mother who meets her child who has been beaten and humiliated in school. She dusts the dirt of his clothes, gives him a hug, and tells him that she loves him, and that he will always be great in her eyes. A great lesson, that despite the defeat of our ummah, if we are true believers, we should not feel demoralized and we are to hold onto the rope of hope in Allah .

In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, there is a story that people came complaining to the Prophet that a youth was a hypocrite because he prays all night (or prays qiyam at night), and when he wakes up in the morning, steals from people. It seems that the sahaba felt uncomfortable that someone with such a great honorable deed such as qiyam,would still live a double life and would commit a kabirah (a major sin). The Prophet planted the seeds of hope for people like this young man when he said: “His prayer will eventually forbid him from committing this sin.” In this story, there is a great lesson that we are all human and that we have our shortcomings. We sin in the day and during the night, in private and in public, so much so that some of us have lost hope in ourselves that we will ever repent to Allah . Just like this young man, we all have hope that one day we will be granted the precious gift of repentance and steadfastness. This is a great lesson that we should never lose hope, that Allah will accept us, that His mercy is greater than our sins.

We need hope to live our spiritual life and to make sense of the challenges that face us on the road to Allah . We need hope as an Ummah when we witness what is happening in Syria and the rest of the Muslim world, we need hope as a community when we feel estranged and alienated on the road of improving or surroundings and making da’wah, we need hope as individuals to keep the energy for reformation alive, we need to learn how to instill hope in our children and in people around us, and we need hope when treating our own selves. We should never lose hope on our Ummah, never lose hope on the validity and uniqueness of our Islam or our Muslim identity. If we lose hope, we will get depressed as individuals and as a nation, and we will not be able to achieve the role that Allah has allocated to us in the Holy Qur’an, a mercy to mankind, like our Prophet was:quran4

“And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.” (Qur’an, 2:143)

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“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah …” (Qur’an, 3:110)

Jerusalem under Umar ibn al-Khattab’s rule

Umar ibn al-Khattab was one of the closest companions of Prophet Muhammad (s) and was the second caliph / ruler of the Muslims (after Abu Bakr Siddiq.) This post reviews some historical facts related to Umar’s forces conquering Jerusalem during the 7th century. This article is taken from the book Jerusalem is Ours: The Centuries old Christian, Jewish, and Islamic struggle for the Holy Lands – authored and published by IqraSense.com.

After the death of Prophet Muhammad, Umar ibn al-Khattab’s forces  conquered Jerusalem.[1] During Umar’s reign, Jerusalem was conquered bloodlessly for the first time by Muslims in the year 638 CE. As Prophet Muhammad (s) had laid the foundation of the religion of Islam (through revelation from God, Allah), Umar’s conquest of Jerusalem is considered to be the first in Islamic history.  During Umar’s reign, his armies advanced into many territories. During these conquests, as the Muslim forces marched toward Jerusalem, the Byzantines were forced to leave Syria. The Muslim armies under the commandership of Amr ibn Al-As reached Jerusalem and lay siege of the city. Amr was later joined by prominent Muslim commanders such as Khalid bin Waleed and Abu Ubaidah ibn al Jarrah. At that time, Bishop Sophronius was the Patriarch[3] of Jerusalem. Sophronius, who was of an Arab descent, is venerated as a saint in the Catholic as well as the Eastern Orthodox Church. Seeing little hope in resisting, the Christians in Jerusalem decided to surrender at the hands of Caliph Umar’s forces. However, the Bishop demanded that the city keys would be handed over to the Muslims without resistance only if Caliph Umar personally received the city keys. Muslims at that time didn’t favor entertaining the patriarch’s demands saying that as the Christian forces had been vanquished, they were in no position to dictate terms and thus there was no need for the Caliph to go to Jerusalem. On this, Caliph Umar sought the advice of Ali,[4] one of the Prophet’s closet aides and companions. Ali instead advised Umar to go to Jerusalem on the grounds that he was the victor and that it was from Jerusalem that the Prophet Muhammad (s) ascended the Heavens. On this, Caliph Umar agreed to go to Jerusalem to accept the Christian surrender. When Umar entered the city, he first asked about the location of the site of Al-Aqsa and the Rock from where Prophet Muhammad (s) ascended for Me’raj. At that time, the Dome of the Rock had not yet been built. The Bishop took him to the site (known to the Jews as Temple Mount), which to Umar’s disappointment was being used as a garbage dump. This is because under the Christian rule at that time, Jews were not allowed to worship or even enter Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa site (Temple Mount) had no specific religious significance for the Christians. He also found out that the Al-Aqsa mosque was destroyed by the Romans. On seeing the state of the Al-Aqsa site (Temple Mount), Umar said:

“Allah (God) is Great, I swear by the one who holds my soul in his hand that this is the Mosque of David which the prophet of Allah described to us after his night journey.” [5]

The Caliph then asked Kaab al-Ahbar, a Jewish Rabbi who had converted to Islam and came with Umar from Medina, to guide him to the place of the Rock. Umar used his clothes to remove the trash covering the Rock, and other Muslims followed Umar and they cleaned the Al-Aqsa site. Umar also fenced the rock and an Umayyad ruler later built the Dome of the Rock on the Al-Aqsa site (the site on which stand the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.)

In Jerusalem, Caliph Umar was also taken to the Church of Holy Sepulcher and was offered the opportunity by the Christian leadership to pray in the church. The Caliph, in the view of Muslims, acted with prudence and refused to pray inside the church. He feared that future Muslim generations might decide to follow his footsteps and demand that the church be converted into a mosque. The Caliph therefore preferred to pray outside and a mosque was later built in his name called the Mosque of Umar. This mosque is currently located opposite the southern courtyard of the church.

On the surrender of Jerusalem’s Patriarch Sophronius, no killing or destruction was carried out by Muslims. It was a peaceful transition and all the holy sites of Christians were left untouched. Caliph Umar signed a treaty with Sophronius and as a result, Christians were allowed to live in the city. The treaty Umar signed was as follows:

From the servant of Allah and the Commander of the Faithful, Omar: The inhabitants of Jerusalem are granted security of life and property. Their churches and crosses shall be secure. This treaty applies to all people of the city. Their places of worship shall remain intact. These shall neither be taken over nor pulled down. People shall be quite free to follow their religion. They shall not be put to any trouble…[6]

History notes that before the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem, the Jews were not allowed to live inside the city. Although Jews were eventually allowed to come to Jerusalem for worship, the Christian ruler had requested that the Jews were not to be allowed to live in Jerusalem. Under the surrender terms, Caliph Umar accepted that request. However, later the Muslims relaxed the rules and the Jews were also allowed to enter the city and settle with the rest of the population. Caliph Umar also assured the Christian ruler that the Christians would have full rights under the Muslim rule and they would not be harmed in any way. They would have complete protection as specifically directed by Islamic laws. The Muslim rulers following Caliph Umar understood the nobility of Jerusalem in the hearts of Jews and Christians and thus the three religions started to practice their beliefs freely in Jerusalem.

In course of time, many scholars belonging to the three religions came and settled in Jerusalem. For Muslims, Jerusalem, especially the Al-Aqsa mosque, became a large hub of learning. It also became common for Muslims to start mentioning in their wills the desire to be buried in Jerusalem. This is one of the reasons why there are thousands of Muslim graves in Jerusalem. The Muslim rulers later also built many schools, religious centers and hospitals in Jerusalem. Large areas of land was purchased and dedicated to religious activities.

Article Source: Jerusalem is Ours: The Centuries old Christian, Islamic, and Muslim struggle for the Holy Lands

Notes

[1] Umar was the second Islamic Caliph after Abu-Bakr al-Siddiq. Abu-Bakr was the first Muslim Caliph (ruler) appointed after the death of Prophet Muhammad.

[2] The Levant includes Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. Occasionally Cyprus, Sinai, and Israel are also included. The UCL Institute of Archeology describes the Levant as the “crossroads of western Asia, the eastern Mediterranean and northeast Africa.”

[3] In general, the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Roman Catholic Church, are called patriarchs.

[4] Ali became the Caliph after the reign of Uthman, who in turn became the Caliph after the assassination of Umar.

Lessons from the story of Prophet Ayub

Prophet Ayoub (Alaihi-salam – May be peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was one of Allah’s very sincere worshippers. We find in his story many lessons that we can reflect upon to assess our relationship with Allah. This story especially should make us question whether all our sincerity and worship for Allah is dependent on His blessings on us.

The following story was documented by Ibn Kathir.

Prophet Ayoub (A) was Allah’s thankful, repentant, patient and steadfast worshipper. Allah the Almighty has praised Him in the Quran thus:

“Truly! We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft-returning in repentance to Us” (Saad 38:44).

Ibn Kathir narrates that once Iblis (satan) heard an angel praising Ayoub (A) to other angels, extolling his noble character, patience and remembrance of Allah and describing him as “the best creature on earth today, and an excellent model for the worshippers of Allah.” The angel also added that Allah had blessed him with long life and plenty of riches, yet he was never haughty or selfish. His family, servants, the needy and the poor, all had a share in his good fortune. He bought slaves to set them free and made those who received his charity feel as if they were doing him a favor.

Overhearing all this, Iblis became annoyed and planned to tempt Ayoub (A) and lead him to disbelief. First, he tried to distract him from his prayers by whispering to him about the good things in life, but as a true believer, Ayoub would not let evil thoughts tempt him. Iblis, then tried to attribute ulterior motives to his constant glorification of Allah, projecting his worship as being motivated from greed to safeguard his wealth. Iblis thus said to Allah, “If You deprive him of his wealth You will find that he will no longer mention Your name and his praying will stop.”

Allah told Iblis that Ayoub (A) was one of His most sincere devotees whose worship stemmed from his heart and had nothing to do with material gifts or favors granted to him. To prove His devotee’s depth of sincerity and patience, Allah allowed Iblis to do whatever he wished with Ayoub (A)’s wealth.

Delighted, Iblis gathered his helpers and set about destroying Ayoub (A)’s cattle, servants and farms, depriving him of all his possessions. Then in the guise of a wise old man he approached him and said:

“All your wealth is lost. Some people say that it is because you gave too much charity and that you are wasting your time with your continuous prayers to Allah. Others say that Allah has brought this upon you in order to please your enemies. If Allah had the capacity to prevent harm, then He would have protected your wealth.”

Steadfast in his faith, Ayoub (A) replied: “What Allah has taken away from me belongs to Him. I was only its trustee for a while. He gives to whom He wills and withholds from whom He wills,” and he prostrated before his Lord.

Frustrated with his failure, Iblis again addressed Allah:

“I have stripped Ayoub (A) of all his possessions, but he still remains grateful to You. However, he is only hiding his disappointment, for he places great store by his many children. The real test of a parent is through his children. You will then see how Ayoub (A) will reject You.”

Allah again granted Iblis authority, but warned him that it would reduce neither Ayoub (A)’s faith in his Lord nor his patience.

Iblis gathered his helpers and brought the house in which Ayoub (A)’s children were living, crashing down, killing all of them. Disguised as a man who had come to sympathize with him, he said:

“The circumstances under which your children died were sad. Surely, your Lord is not rewarding you properly for all your prayers.”

The faithful believer of Allah replied, disappointing Iblis once again:

“Allah sometimes gives and sometimes takes. He is sometimes pleased and sometimes displeased with our deeds. Whether a thing is beneficial or harmful to me, I will remain firm in my belief and remain thankful to my Creator.”

Saying this he prostrated to his Lord. Extremely vexed, Iblis again called on Allah:

“O my Lord, Ayoub (A)’s wealth is gone and his children are dead, but he is still healthy in body, and as long as he enjoys good health he will continue to worship You in the hope of regaining his wealth and producing more children. Grant me authority over his body so that I may weaken it. He will surely stop worshipping You and will thus become disobedient.”

Allah granted Iblis his third request but placed a condition:

“I give you authority over his body but not over his soul, intellect, or heart, for in these places reside the knowledge of Me and My religion.”

Armed with this new authority, Iblis afflicted Ayoub (A)’s body with disease, reducing it to mere skin and bone. He suffered severe pain yet remained strong in faith, and patiently bore all the suffering without complaints. Hopeful of Allah’s Mercy, he neither despaired nor turned to others for help. Although he had lost all his children and was deprived of his wealth and physically afflicted, he still continued to glorify Allah the Almighty day and night. His disease lasted for a long time. His friends felt disgusted and his close relatives deserted him. The sole companion and comforter through many years of his suffering was his kind and loving wife.

Iblis became desperate. He consulted his helpers but they asked him:

“How is it that your cleverness cannot work against Ayoub (A), yet you succeeded in misleading Adam, the father of man, out of paradise?”

Iblis went to Ayoub (A)’s wife in the form of a man. “Where is your husband?” he asked her.

She pointed to an almost lifeless form crumpled on the bed and said: “There he is, suspended between life and death.”

Iblis reminded her of the days when he had enjoyed good health, wealth and children. The painful memory of years of hardship overwhelmed her. She burst into tears and asked her husband:

“How long are you going to bear this torture from our Lord? Are we to remain without wealth, children or friends forever? Why don’t you call upon Allah to remove this suffering?”

Ayoub (A) sighed, and replied softly:

“Iblis must have whispered to you and made you dissatisfied. Tell me, how long did I enjoy good health and riches?”

She replied, “For eighty years.”

Then he asked, “How long have I been suffering like this?”

She said, “Seven years.”

Then he told her: “In that case I am ashamed to call on my Lord to remove the hardship, for I have not suffered longer than the years of good health and plenty that I enjoyed. Your faith seems to have weakened and you are dissatisfied with the fate decreed by Allah. If I ever regain health, I swear I will punish you with a hundred strokes! From this day, I shall not eat or drink anything from your hand. Leave me alone and let my Lord do with me as He pleases.”

Crying bitterly, with no other choice, she left with a heavy heart. In his helpless state, Ayoub (A) turned to Allah, not to complain but to seek His mercy:

“And (remember) Ayyub (Job), when he cried to his Lord: ‘Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.’ So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his family to him (that he had lost) and the like thereof along with them as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all those who worship Us” (Al-Anbiya 21:83-84).

Almighty Allah further says in the Quran:

“And remember Our slave Ayyub (Job), when he invoked his Lord (saying): ‘Verily Shaitan (Satan) has touched me with distress (by ruining my health) and torment (by ruining my wealth)!’ (Allah said to him): “Strike the ground with your foot: This is (a spring of) water to wash in, and a cool and (refreshing) drink.” And We gave him (back) his family, and along with them the like thereof, as a Mercy from Us, and a Reminder for those who understand (Sad 38:41-43).

Ayoub (A) obeyed Allah’s instructions, and almost immediately his good health was restored. Meanwhile, his faithful wife who could no longer bear to be parted from her husband returned to beg his forgiveness, and to serve him. On entering the house, she was amazed at the sudden change she saw. Ayoub (A) had regained his health! She embraced him and thanked Allah for His mercy.

Ayoub (A) was now worried about the oath he had taken to punish her with a hundred strokes if he regained health. He did not wish to hurt her but could not break a promise to Allah. Therefore, Allah in His wisdom and mercy, came to the assistance of His faithful servant, and instructed him:

“And take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith (your wife), and break not your oath” (Sad 38:44).

Thus Allah the Most Merciful rewards His faithful and grateful servants.

Source: Ibn Kathir

This story should remind us that we should never make our worship and sincerity toward Allah contingent on our perceived blessings. Allah tests us in many ways and we should, therefore, be steadfast in His worship constantly.

Merits, benefits and the need for the daily prayers

Prayers, or salat as it is called in Arabic, is the first pillar of Islam that the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned after mentioning the testimony of faith, by which one becomes a Muslim. It was made obligatory upon all the prophets and for all peoples. Allah has declared its obligatory status in many places in the Quran. For example, when Allah spoke directly to Moses, He said,

“And I have chosen you, so listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily, I am Allah! There is none worthy of worship but I, so worship Me and offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance.” [Surah Taha 13-14]

Allah also says in the Quran,

“Recite (O Muhammad SAW) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Quran), and perform As-Salat (the prayer). Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahesha (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.) and the remembering (praising, etc.) of (you by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed (than your remembering (praising, etc.) Allah in prayers, etc.). And Allah knows what you do.” (Surah al-Ankaboot 45).

Here are additional facts about prayers (salat) that show its significance in Islam:

  • The prayers were made fard (obligatory) upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during his ascension to heaven.
  • When Allah praises the believers, such as in the beginning of surah al-Muminoon, one of the first descriptions He states is their adherence to the prayers.
  • Once a man asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the most virtuous deed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated that the most virtuous deed is the prayer and he repeated this three times. [This is form a hadith recorded by Ahmad and ibn Hibban. According to al-Albani, the hadith is hasan. Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Sahih al-Targheeb wa al-Tarheeb (Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami, 1982), vol. 1, p. 150]
  • The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad.” [Recorded by al-Tabarani. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol.1, p. 503.]
  • Prayers help in establishing one’s relationship with Allah. Therefore, if the prayers are sound and proper, the rest of the deeds will be sound and proper; and if the prayers are not sound and proper, then the rest of the deeds will not be sound and proper, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself stated.
  • Nadwi has described this effect in the following eloquent way. “Its aim is to generate within the subliminal self of man such spiritual power, light of faith and awareness of God as can enable him to strive successfully against all kinds of evils and temptations and remain steadfast at times of trial and adversity and protect himself against the weakness of the flesh and the mischief of immoderate appetites. [Nadwi, p. 24]”
  • As for the Hereafter, Allah’s forgiveness and pleasure is closely related to the prayers. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions, prays them in their proper times, completes their bows, prostrations and khushu (complete sincerity) has a promise from Allah that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do that has no promise from Allah. He may either forgive him or punish him.” [Recorded by Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’I and others. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol. 1, p. 616.]
  • The Prophet (peace be upon him): “If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?” The people said, “No filth would remain on him whatsoever.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “That is like the five daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them.” (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
  • In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The five daily prayers and the Friday Prayer until the Friday prayer are expiation for what is between them.” (Recorded by Muslim.)

The following is an excellent video lecture on the merits and importance of prayers. The actual lecture on the topic starts around minute 11:30. Here is the lecture. The text highlights follow this video below.

To be a complete Muslim one needs to show complete faith in Allah and practice all the teachings of Islam in daily life.

  • Every Muslim will harvest the fruit of the adherence, submission and the hard work in the world in the form of peace and in the later life the gift of heaven will be waiting for him.
  • There will be a day of judgment when all the people will have to be accountable for their deeds in the world. As a Muslim, belief in the judgment day is a compulsion.
  • What should matter to a Muslim is the Goodwill of Allah (God) and how much near he or she is to Him.
  • A Muslim should be judged by the character he possesses and not by the amount of wealth or luxuries he carries because nothing will last forever but the faith will remain intact.
  • As the body of a Muslim needs food and nutrition to keep the life going on; the soul of a Muslim also needs nourishment. This nourishment comes from the power of the religion Islam and the practices of Islam that a Muslim follows like offering prayer, paying zakat and doing other noble deeds.
  • The Satan will constantly seduce a Muslim to the wrong path but Muslims should have strong faith to overcome the false wiles of Satan.
  • God will always be with you but to get mercy of Allah you need to make the effort and please God through performing all the fundamental practices of Islam.
  • Praying five times in a day is a necessary practice that all Muslims should follow. It is the basis of all noble deeds as it connects a Muslim to his God who is Benevolent and Merciful. Praying five times a day will keep a Muslim away from many other sins and he will not fall prey to evil deeds.
  • Islam is a religion of peace and it cannot be forced as a religion on somebody. Muslim should present themselves as ideal human beings toward others.

Observing the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah

Most Muslims very well know the blessings of the nights of Ramadan, especially the last ten nights. However, not everyone knows that the first ten days of the last month of the Islamic month, Dhul Hijjah, are equally packed with blessings.

Allah has provided Muslims numerous opportunities throughout the year to renew their faith and to encourage them towards acts of goodness by specifying such special days. So, we have another such opportunity that we shouldn’t let pass by just like any other period in time.

Allah says in the Quran in Surah Al-Fajr (interpretation of the meaning):

“By the dawn; By the 10 nights” [al-Fajr 89:1-2].

Most scholars agree that these ten nights refer to the first ten nights of Dhul-Hijjah. Ibn Katheer also had validated that opinion by stating: “This is the correct opinion.” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/413]

Ibn ‘Abbas reports that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) said,

“No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these days [meaning the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah].”

Among the deeds recommended during those ten days are observing voluntary fasting, offering animal sacrifices (lamb, goat, etc.), sincere repentance, recitation of the Quran, staying up the night and finally praying the Eid prayers on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah.

Hafsah reported, “There are five things that the Messenger (saws) never abandoned: fasting the day of ‘Ashurah, fasting the [first] 10 [days of Dhul-Hijjah], fasting 3 days of every month and praying two rak’aah before the dawn prayer.” [Related by Ahmad and an-Nasa’i]

Abu Hurairah relates that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, “There are no days more loved to Allah for you to worship Him therein than the ten days of Dhul Hijja. Fasting any day during it is equivalent to fasting one year and to offer salatul tahajjud (late-night prayer) during one of its nights is like performing the late night prayer on the night of power. [i.e., Lailatul Qadr].” [Related by at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and al-Baihaqi]

The Prophet (SAWS) commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh (“Subhan-Allah”), Tahmeed (“Al-hamdu Lillaah”) and Takbeer (“Allaahu akbar”) during this time. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (SAWS) said: “There are no days greater in the sight of Allah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Tahleel (“La ilaaha ill-Allah”), Takbeer and Tahmeed.” (Reported by Ahmad, 7/224; Ahmad Shaakir stated that it is saheeh). (Islam-QA.com)

For Muslims who do not attend Hajj, fasting on the day of Arafah is highly recommended. Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is a confirmed Sunnah for those who are not performing Hajj. It was narrated from Abu Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah and he said: “It expiates for the past and coming years.” Narrated by Muslim (1162). According to another report: “I ask Allah that it may expiate for (the sins of) the year that comes before it and the year that comes after it.”

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (4/443), which is a Hanbali book:

It is a great and noble day, and a blessed festival which is of great virtue. It is narrated in saheeh reports from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that fasting it is expiation for two years. End quote.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on fasting the day of ‘Arafah for non-pilgrims and pilgrims?

He replied: Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah for non-pilgrims is a confirmed Sunnah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah and he said: “I ask Allah that it may expiate for (the sins of) the year that comes before it and the year that comes after it.” According to another report he said: “It expiates for the past and coming years.”

As for the pilgrim, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the day of ‘Arafah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not fast on the day of ‘Arafah during the Farewell Pilgrimage. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is narrated from Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the people were not sure whether the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, so she sent him some milk when he was standing in ‘Arafah, and he drank it whilst the people were looking on. End quote.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (part 20, question no. 404) [Source: islam-qa.com]

So, as Muslims we should welcome the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah with the same fervor and enthusiasm as we welcome the last ten days of Ramadan or any other blessed days in Islam. Lets make the most of it.