Yahya ibn Mu’adh was once asked, ‘When does a slave reach the ranks of Ridha (being pleased with Allah)?’

He said:

“When he acts upon 4 principles with which he deals with his Lord:

That he says: ‘(O Allah), if You give me, I shall accept and if You prevent me, then I shall be content. If You were to leave me, I shall still worship You, and were to call me I shall indeed answer.” [Hilyat al-Awliya']

Being pleased with Allah `azza wa jall no matter what happens is from the greatest signs that a believer is a sincere and strong believer. It shows caliber, truthfulness and integrity in one’s practise of Islam. As human beings, we’re bound to go through ups and downs in life, we’re tested with many things – sometimes the test is easy but sometimes it’s difficult and will knock you down unsuspectingly – but this is not the key issue in our lives. Trials & tribulations, ups & downs, good & bad times etc, are all from the Sunan of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala that every living thing will experience in their lifespan. But the crucial matter at hand is how we deal and cope with these issues.

It might be the case that a few years ago, you used to be a very strong Muslim, steadfast in your faith, consistent in your ‘Ibadah (worship in all its forms) and being very active in general. Throughout the years however, you notice that things are not the same anymore, you’re slacking, you no longer have that zeal to learn, to develop and progress in your Deen, and your worship is minimal at it’s best – no Sunnah prayers, no extra fasts, no Qiyam and definitely no sadaqah, what with all the credit crunch crunching right through your pocket!. When bad times hit you, you fall into some type of depression, unable to lift your chin, breathe in the air and say with a smile and fresh contentment, ‘Alhamdulillah `ala kulli hal’ (praising Allah for every circumstance).

Why? What’s changed?

It could be many reasons; it could be a personal thing for you. But at its root, undeniably, it’s to do with tarbiyyah – were you built up enough to endure those years? Were you strong enough from the beginning such that any problem you faced only made you stronger? Did you have the right self-tarbiyyah in the first place?

What Yahya ibn Mu’adh described above is a person who has trained themselves upon the principles of Islam… someone who has gone through effective tarbiyyah and who has really benefited from their knowledge and practise of Islam. It has penetrated them such that no matter what happens, they see beyond that matter and focus on Allah `azza wa jall Himself, since He is the Controller of all things, the Sustainer, the One to Who they’re returning to – and this is an incredible source of strength for the ‘Abd: when he turns to his Master and Keeper.

So, let us try to understand our affairs and be happy regardless of what situations we find ourselves in. If it’s good, then be thankful and if it’s not what you expected, then be patient and still be thankful because at the end of the day, it’s not about the issues you face… rather what’s being recorded in your book is how you deal with them and the deeds you subsequently do.

Source: http://fajr.wordpress.com/2010/09/16/no-matter-what-were-still-believers/

Say: "If both humanity and jinn banded together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could never produce anything like it, even if they backed each other up." [The Quran, 17: 88]

A few days ago, I was watching the news when I saw a report about Pastor Terry Jones who is planning to burn the Qur’an on 9/11. At first, I got really sad and upset and I wanted to cry at the thought that the beautiful words of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala were going to be burnt. I wonder if Terry Jones ever read the Qur’an, and if he did, wasn’t he at least touched by its beauty? The more I watched the report, the more disturbing it became. I found myself helpless in front of such a blatant insult and offense towards the Qur’an and the Muslims. But then, I got an epiphany.
This man could not burn the Qur’an. He can burn pieces of paper on which the
Qur’an is printed, but he certainly can not burn the Qur’an. Because the Quran is preserved in al-lawh al-mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet):

21. Nay; but this is a glorious Qur’an,
22. Inscribed on a well-guarded Tablet. [From Surah 85 of the Quran]

We have sent down the Reminder, and We will preserve it. [The Quran, 15: 9]

This is the promise from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Even if the whole world came together to corrupt it or destroy it, they wouldn’t be able to. Let’s rejoice brothers and sisters, man can not destroy the Qur’an. If we trust in Allah, which we should as Muslims, then there is nothing to worry about.
The Qur’an further states that:

It is nothing less than a message to all nations. [68:52]

Therefore, regardless of our attachment to this book, it doesn’t belong to us. It was revealed to all of humanity, this pastor is burning his own book.
Let us then remember that the believers are those who believe in the Unseen and the will of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. If Allah allows this to happen, then alhamdulilah, because the words of Allah can not be extinguished by man.
And finally, the Qur’an says:

Therefore excuse them and proclaim, "Peace"; for they will soon come to know. [43:89]

This article was written before 9/11/2010.

via: QuranClub

There is a saying that the longest journey is from the head to the heart. We know, of course, that physically only a few inches separate the head from the heart, but emotionally and psychologically, it could be many miles; or if measured in time, trying to connect the head and the heart could take months, years, or even an eternity.

The journey from the head to the heart is a long and difficult journey. It’s a journey from what we think and say to what we really believe and do; from the world of thought and speech, to the world of action and commitment. We must shorten that journey if we want to develop the healthy, well-rounded personality of the ideal Muslim. There is a clear and unmistakable link between our inner world and the world outside. Look at any family or community, and you can read the contents of the head, heart, and soul of its members.

Muslim unity is not some miracle that will suddenly fall one day from the sky. Muslim unity, the unity of the whole Ummah, will be the reward for much effort and the culmination of a long process that begins with individual Muslim—and I mean you and me. We must start that process. We must seek to unite our own mind, body, and spirit. We must not say one thing and do the opposite. Our goal must be a unity of thought and feeling, word and action.

Allah Most Gracious reminds us that

[Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.] (Ar-Ra`d 103:11)

In other words, the condition that is within their hearts and souls. Our illustrious Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most perfect of all examples. Even his enemies acknowledged that he was always honest, truthful, and sincere. There was no contradiction between his head and his heart. His thoughts, feelings, words, and actions were of the same substance. There was never even the slightest trace of arrogance, hypocrisy, vanity, or conceit in his personality. He was the role model for personal character, upon which the unity of the first Muslim Ummah was based. We still need his example today.

The brotherhood, sisterhood, and unity of Muslims will only be as strong as the strength of individual Muslims. We are taught that the best jihad is the jihad against one’s ego. We need to tame this beast within our breast—our pride. We must learn to submit our will, our ego, and our vanity to the will of our Creator, just as the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us. When, and only when, we have made a start on this greatest of journeys, we will earn the pleasure of Allah. And when we earn Allah’s pleasure, we will find that we can easily tolerate differences of opinion without becoming angry or abusive.

We will then begin to see the unity of purpose that underpins the wide diversity of Allah’s creation. We will see the good things that bind us together, without being distracted by the petty things that divide us. By keeping our ego under control and by cleansing our hearts of all vanity and false pride, we actually make room for Allah’s divine wisdom; which must follow if we are sincere in our quest for knowledge and understanding.

In a hadith qudsi, Allah tells us

“I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly even better than that one. And if he takes one step towards me, I take ten steps towards him. And if he comes walking to Me, I go running towards him.“

What a beautiful and graphic description of Allah’s love and affection towards us! All He wants is for us to take that crucial first step! I am sure that each and every one of us here would like to be among those towards whom Allah comes running at a great speed!

My dear brothers and sisters, let us pray to Allah to help us along this most difficult of all journeys—our quest for self-discovery and self-renewal. O Allah, help us to acknowledge our own shortcomings with honesty and humility. O Allah, please plant within our hearts the desire to improve ourselves. Let this desire for self-improvement grow and give it expression, so that we can constantly refine our own character. O Allah, help us to strengthen our families, to uplift our communities, and to unite the Ummah. O Allah, please strengthen our resolve and our faith; give us courage and patience to endure hardship and overcome evil. O Allah, help us to build a strong foundation for Islam . And may we, as Your ambassadors of Islam, become excellent role models for our children and for those who have not yet received your message.

Based on a Friday sermon delivered at the Royal Holloway University of London

By Arshad Gamiet

Sometimes someone becomes angry when a hardship or affliction befalls him. How does Islam look at this situation?

People, during circumstances of affliction or difficulties, are at four levels:

First Level – Angry
Such people become angry. This can be in different ways. For instance, the anger is by the heart as if he is angry at his Lord. So, he gets angry with what Allah has decreed for him, and this (level) is not permissible.
It’s possible that it could even lead to disbelief. Allah says:”And among mankind is he who worships Allah as it were, upon the very edge (i.e. in doubt); if good befalls him, he’s content therewith, but if a trial befalls him, he turns back on his face (i.e. reverts back to disbelief after embracing Islam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter.” (Surat al-Hajj: 11)
The second way of expressing their anger is with their tongue. They pray and supplicate for the destruction of ruin or by similar statements. This is also impermissible. The third type of anger is that of the limbs like slapping the cheeks, ripping the clothes, pulling out hair (some Arab cul-tural reactions of Jahiliyyah), and similar actions. And none of this is allowed; it’s in contradiction to having patience which is required.

Second Level – Patient
It’s just like a poet said, “Patience, like its name, is bitter in taste, yet its outcomes are sweeter than honey.” Such a person sees this thing (the affliction, problem) as weighing down heavily on him. But he bears it although he dislikes that it happened. His faith bears it patiently and prevents him from being angry. So, the times of affliction and times without are not the same to him. This (level) is obligatory because Allah commanded the people to be patient, saying: “And be patient. Certainly, Allah is with the patient ones.” (Surah al-Anfal: 46)

Third Level –Pleased
In such a way, the person is pleased with the affliction. It’s the same to him whether it happened or not; it’s not difficult upon him and he doesn’t bear it as if it is something weighing heavily on him. This (level) is preferred but not an obligation according to the most correct opinions. The difference between this level and the one before it is apparent because the affliction happening or not happening (in this third level) is the same due to the fact that the person at this level is actually content and pleased. As for the level before it, the affliction is hard upon him, yet he still remains patient over it.

Fourth Level – Thankful
Actually being grateful is the highest level. This is the state when a person thanks Allah for the affliction that has befallen him. He knows that such a difficulty is a means of expiation for his sins and perhaps a cause for an increase in his good deeds. Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “There’s no affliction that strikes a Muslim except that Allah expiates with it (his sins), even with a thorn that may poke him.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

sent via email:
By: M Salih Al-‘Utsaimin

1. Knowledge:  Wasted when not taking action with it.

2. Actions:  Wasted when we do anything without sincerity. Intentions count.

3. Wealth:  Wasted when used on things that will not bring us âjr (reward). We waste our money, our status, our authority, on things that have no benefit in this life or in âkhirah (The Hereafter).

4. Hearts:  Wasted when empty from the love of Allah, and the longing for Him/Her, and devoid of peace & contentment.

5. Bodies:  Wasted when we don’t use them in ibâdah (worship) and service of Allah in serving humankind.

6. Love:  Wasted when our emotional love is misdirected, not towards Allah, but towards something/someone else.

7. Time :  Wasted when not used properly, by not doing what is righteous.

8. Intellect :  Wasted on things that are detrimental to society and the individual, not in contemplation or reflection.

9. Service:  Wasted when in service of someone who will not bring us closer to Allah.

10. Dhikr:  Wasted when it does not have an effect on our hearts.

from QuranClub

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you – depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how Allah wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways Allah wants to use the problems in your life:

1. Allah uses problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? “Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.”

2. Allah uses problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags…if you want to know what’s inside them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested your faith with a problem What do problems reveal about
you? “When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.”

3. Allah uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It’s likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove…. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something… health, money, a relationship.. .. by losing it. “It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws.”

4. Allah uses problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem – but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management’s actions were eventually discovered. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…”

5. Allah uses problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you’re going to take with you into eternity. “We can rejoice when we run into problems…they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.”

Here’s the point:

God is at work in your life – even when you do not recognize it or understand it.

But it’s much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.

Asking questions to the speaker after a lecture has become an expected routine. This practice is encouraged without any discretion.  Islamically, there is a lot to be learned in this matter. I would like to remind readers to ponder over some important points before they pose their questions.

Firstly, how well do you know this speaker, and what is their area of expertise? Can you trust them with your Deen? Have they been invited to this gathering because they speak well or are a good fundraiser, or, a true scholar of Deen who has studied the Qur’an, Hadeeth, Fiqh, and science of Usool under the supervision of learned scholars? Imam Ibn-Sireen, advising us about whom we ask and learn from, has a narration collected by Imam Tirmidhi in his Shamaa’il, “This Deen is a very important matter so be cautious as to whom you take it (religious knowledge) from.” (Shamaa’il of Imam Tirmizi)

Of course, this is not to say that speakers or fundraisers should not be invited. Certainly they have their place; however, Islamic questions should be reserved for the experts of Deen, the ‘Ulamaa.

Secondly, what is the purpose behind asking him the question? Is it only to test the speaker’s knowledge and try to challenge or confuse them, or is it to see how liberal or conservative they are? Sometimes, questions are asked only to demonstrate the incompetence of this speaker and that they do not deserve to be re-invited.

Lastly, some people ask questions only in hopes of getting an answer that is appealing to them or one that they feel is correct. Then the “great and very learned scholar” will be the one who gives the answers we like to hear. The same questions are repeatedly asked until someone is found who (out of ignorance or just to please us) gives us our desired answer. In other words, it’s shopping for what we want and not what is in the Qur’an and hadeeth.

During the time of Rasulullah (saw), the Jews would often send people to Rasulullah (saw) to ask questions about Islam. They would train them to ask particular questions and would say to them, “If that Prophet responds to your question in this manner, then say we follow him in that. And if he says otherwise, then tell him that we don’t want to follow what you say.” And so, these predisposed insincere seekers would frequently bombard Rasulullah (saw) with questions. We should all carefully ponder the following verse (regarding these incidents) in which Allah (swt) sternly reprimands them,  “They say “if you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!” and whoever Allah (swt) wants to put in Fitnah (error); you can do nothing for him. They are the ones whose hearts Allah (swt) does not want to purify; and for them there is a disgrace in this world and in Hereafter a great torment.” (5:41)

We pray that Allah grant us the ability to remain sincere in our quest for knowledge.  Aameen.

1.  Correct intention:
The prime intention is of self-rectification; the purification of the soul.  We should come with this intention that what is being said is a mirror and I will look at my life in the mirror of what is being said. Whatever dark spots I will notice I will clean them. We should listen to what is being said and compare it immediately with our life in order to assess whether that item is in our life or not. With the correct intention three further things are required:

2.  Talab:
Desire/want: this is the feeling that I have to take something away with me.

3.  Ihtiyaaj:
to be in need: the feeling that I am need of what is being distributed or taught.

4.  Aadaab: etiquette: we should come with respect, sit with respect and observe all the etiquette of acquiring knowledge.

The need and desire should be such that one should feel that if I do not take something (and benefit) today then maybe I will not get something tomorrow. (We should come with this in mind that) today I need to get something to fulfill this spiritual hunger of mine so that if I were to die tomorrow then I will die with a clean heart. The feeling of need should be such that if I do not get what I need today then I don’t know if I will ever get it.  And remember that respect is not in reality respect for the speaker, it is respect for the Qur’an and Ahadeeth.

This is a short 5 minute audio clip from ProductiveMuslim.com giving some tips on being focused and improving your productivity for this world and the next.

There was a youngster – like one of today’s youngsters – who had become friendly with another youth. The youngster’s elderly father noticed his coming home late at nights and enquired, “One night, two nights, three nights, and now every night you are coming home very late. What is your story?” The youngster replied, “I go to visit a friend of mine. Sitting and talking with him, it tends to get a bit late.” The father said, “Really? Oho! There are still such friends today?” The father continued, “When you are about to visit your friend tomorrow, let me know. I also wish to meet this dear friend of yours.”

The following evening the youngster got ready and informed his father that he was about to leave to visit his friend. His father said, “Very well. I will be with you in a minute.” The father kept himself busy with first one task and then another, causing some delay. The youngster became restless. “Don’t fret. I am coming now,” the father said. Deliberately he busied himself some more until it became quite late. “At last I am free. Let us go,” he said.

The streets were empty. It was close to midnight and most of the people had retired for the night. On reaching the friend’s house the youngster knocked on the door and called out to his friend. His friend enquired from inside. “Who is it?” (Mind you, the friend still wants to know who it is!) The youngster gave his name. “Oh! It is rather late… Never mind. Hang on.” The friend came to the door and opened it. “Why have you come so late?” he asked. The father had coached his son along the way as to what to say. Accordingly the son replied, “Some problem has cropped up causing my ! delay. I have landed myself in some problem.” The word “problem” had a noticeable affect on the friend. He yawned and said, “I was fast asleep. I am still feeling heavy headed, and my mind is not quite clear. What you do is come back in the morning. Then we will see what is what.” Saying this, the friend closed the door, fastened the door chain and went back to bed.

After a few moments of deathly silence the father spoke, “I have seen your friend of these times. And so have you. Now you come with me. I also have a friend from the old days. He has gone quite old, and so have I. I have not seen him for ages, but never mind, let me show you what type of friend he is.” Late as it was, father and son proceeded to the house of the father’s friend. When they reached there the father knocked on the door and called out to his friend. The knocking woke up the friend and he called back from inside, “I’ll be with you in a minute.” (You will note that he did not ! ask “Who is it?” Even after an absence of several years he had recognised the voice immediately, in contrast to the youngster’s friend.)

He did not come to the door “in a minute”. There was some delay. And when he did open the door he presented a strange spectacle as he stood in the doorway: in his one arm he was clutching a bag; in his other arm he had a stick; and on his head was balanced a pot! After Salaams were exchanged, the father asked his friend, “What is all this?” The friend replied, “Nothing really. When I recognised your voice the thought struck me that, coming at this time of the night after an absence of several years, you must have some special problem. I have hurriedly made these few preparations, and this cause! d the delay in my coming to the door.” The friend went on to explain: “This pot on my head has some food: if you have nothing to eat, this is to take home for your family. This bag in my hand contains money: if some creditor is making life difficult for you, this is to settle your debts. Thirdly, it may be that some enemy is after your blood: I may be old but I can still wield a stick quite deftly, and I’ll contribute at least two or three shots with this stick.”

The father reassured his friend, “No. There are no problems with food or money. There is also no fight. It is just that this son of mine used to come home late at night because of some friend of his. We went and saw this friend. I, in turn, offered to show him my old friend, which I have done. Shukria – thank you very much. Really, I am not in need of anything. Please forgive us for inconveniencing you at this late hour.” “You are welcome. It is your right,” his friend said. Making Salaam, father and son took their leave.

The lesson on the true friendship that existed in those years had been forcefully driven home to the youngster. This is not an age in which you will find such friendships. So called friends have earned some fancy titles for themselves:

-”Chamchí yár” “Friend of the tablespoon”.
-”Dastarkhán ke yár” “Friend of the table spread”.
-”Muhazzab dákú” “Cultured/sophisticated thief”.
Etc., etc

[Taken from the discourses of Maulana Muhammad Masíhulláh Khán Sáhib RA]