Haq Islam

Develop Inside and Out

Ahmed — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:27:36 +0000

In the same way that we are taught to dress appropriately and correct our outward appearance, we are taught not to ignore the internal modesty, bashfulness, sincerity and truthfulness. Guarding our tongues and hearts from diseases that are far more detrimental than inappropriate dress is sometimes ignored or overlooked even by those who appear religious. The worst experience is to be cheated, deceived, abused or sworn at by those who appear so godly. Sadly, we have reached a stage where a growing number of people mistrust those who appear religious more quickly than they would do others.

Never hide behind religious garb or appearance to defraud others or display unacceptable behaviour. It sets a very bad precedent and tarnishes the image of the true believers. We should go the extra mile to ensure that we live up to what we are taught. Thinking that once we have the proper dress, we can do as we please is not what we are taught.

Let us realise that we must develop BOTH the inside and the outside and not just one.
Mufti Ismail Menk

Bishr Hafi Repents

Ahmed — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:03:26 +0000

Bishr Hafi was from among the great saints. However, initially he used to be intoxicated with wine. Once he found a piece of paper on the road on which bismillah was written. He picked it up with love, placed it on his eyes, respectfully applied perfume to it and kept it away with reverence. Then he drank some wine and slept away.

In the meantime Hasan Basri was inspired that he should give glad tidings to Bishr Hafi and bring him out of the tavern.

With the command of Allah, Hasan Basri went to the tavern. The people looked at him astounded and asked him what the mater was. Why did he come to the tavern? He replied, “You people are correct but I have not come here on my own. Allah has sent me to fetch Bishr Hafi. Therefore tell me where he is”

The people pointed out Bishr Hafi who was lying down in a stupor. Hasan Basri went to him and saw that he was in a state of negligence and intoxication. He somehow managed to revive him and take him away.

When he has completely recovered, he conveyed the glad tidings of Allah to him. A sound from the unseen was heard, “O Bishr, you respected My name. Therefore I increased your honour. You purified My name and applied fragrance to it. I have purified you of sins as a result and applied My fragrance to you.”

In this manner, in a few moments he changed from alcoholic to a perfect Wali. Glory be to Allah! What mercy He has. By respecting the name of Allah, He granted him admission to the group of the Auliya.

The mercy of Allah does not require any excuse
while the power of Allah requires an excuse.

This was in reality the favour of Allah otherwise what power does man have?

Source: The virtues of Bismillah by Mufti Shafi Sahib rahmatullah alayhi via Sufi Zikr

Bishr and the People

The Power of Good Words

Ahmed — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:06:15 +0000

A group of frogs were travelling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit.

All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit.

The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and suffering and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs asked him, “Why did you continue jumping. Didn’t you hear us?”

The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story holds two lessons:

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.

The power of words… it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times.

Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

Effect of Prayer

Ahmed — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:16:17 +0000

And in the words of a distinguished American psychologist:
‘All historians declare that the amazing success of Islam in dominating the world lay in the astounding coherence or sense of unity in the group, but they do not explain how this miracle was worked. There can be little doubt that one of the most effective means was the prayer. The five daily prayers, when all the faithful wherever they were, alone in the grim solitude of the desert or in vast assemblies in the crowded city, knelt and prostrated themselves towards Mecca, uttering the same words of adoration for the one true God and of loyalty to His Prophet, produce an overwhelming effect upon the spectator, and the psychological effect of thus fusing minds of the worshippers in a common adoration and expression of loyalty is certainly stupendous’ (Denison, Emotion as the basis of Civilization, pp 274-275).

Rabiul Awwal

Ahmed — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:25:47 +0000

The month of Rabi’-Ul-Awwal is considered to be amongst the most special and significant months, because mankind was blessed with the birth of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw). Regarding this special event Allah (swt) has stated in the Holy Quran “We have sent him (Muhammad saw) as a source of mercy for the A’alimeen (humans, jinns and all else that exists),” (Surah 21.Al- Anbiya: Verse 107).

Muhammad (saw), the master of the prophets was born in the holy city of Mecca on Monday morning, the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th of Rabi’-Ul-Awwal. Ibn Sa’d reports that Muhammad’s (saw) mother, Aamina, stated regarding the birth of her son “When He (saw) was born, there was a light that issued out of my pudendum and lit the palaces of Syria.” (Mukhtasar Seerat-ul-Rasool)

As is mentioned above Allah (swt) has stated in the Glorious Qur’an: “We have sent him (Muhammad saw) as a source of mercy for the A’alimeen.” Not only was Rasulullah (saw) a source of numerous blessings after receiving the task of prophethood, but from his birth up to his death and until the day of judgment billions of people have and will continue to benefit from his blessings. A clear example of this is when Halimah, the daughter of Abu Dhu’ayb who was accompanied by her husband Harith and a new born son of their own, decided to undertake a journey from a small village situated south east of Mecca to the actual city of Meccah Mukarramah. This was in order to acquire a nursling. She narrates: “It was a year of drought, and we had nothing left. I set forth on a gray she camel of mine, and we had an old she camel with us which could not even yield one drop of milk. We were kept awake all night by our son who was crying due to hunger, for I didn’t have enough in my breast to feed him; and that she camel of mine was so weak and emaciated I often keep the others (Tribe of Bani Sa’d Ibn Bakr) waiting.”

Once everyone began looking for nurslings, Rasulullah’s (saw) mother Aamina offered her son first to one and then to another until finally she had tried them all and they had all refused. “That” said Halimah, “was because we hoped for some compensation from the child’s father.” “An orphan” we said, “what will his mother and grandfather be able to do for us?” Not that they would have wanted direct payment for their service, since it was considered dishonorable for a woman to take a fee for suckling a child. The recompense they hoped for, though less direct was of a far wider scope. For example, creation connections and links with people from the city.

On the other side, though the foster-parents were not expected to be rich, they must not be too poverty-stricken, and it was evident that Halimah and her husband were poorer then any other of their companions. Whenever the choice lay between her and another, the other was preferred and chosen; and it was not long before everyone of the Bani Sa’d women except Halimah had been entrusted with a baby. Only the poorest nurse was without a nursling; and only the poorest nursling was without a nurse.

“When we decided to leave Mecca,” said Halimah, “I told my husband: ‘I hate to return in the company of my friends without having taken a baby to suckle. I shall go to that orphan and take him.’ ‘As you wish’ he said. ‘it may be, that God will bless us through him.’ So I went back and took him, for no reason except that I could find no baby but him. I carried him back to where our mounts were stationed, and no sooner did I put him in my bosom, my breasts overflowed with milk. He drank his fill, and with him his foster-brother drank likewise, his fill. Then they both slept; and my husband went to that old she camel of ours, and amazingly her udders were full. He milked her and drank of her milk and I drank with him until we could drink no more and our hunger was satisfied.

We spent the best of nights, and in the morning my husband said to me: ‘by God, Halimah, it is a blessed creature that you have taken.’ ‘That is indeed my hope,’ I said. Then we set out, and I rode my camel and carried him with me on her back. She outraced the whole troop, nor could any of their camels keep pace with her. ‘Wow!’ They said to me, ‘Wait for us! Isn’t that the same camel you came on?’ ‘Yes by God,’ I said, ‘She is the very same.’ ‘Some amazing thing has happened to her,’ they said.

We reached our tents in the Bani Sa’d, and I know of no place on God’s Earth more barren than that. But after we brought him to live with us, my flock would come home to me and would be full of milk. We milked them and drank and when others had no milk; our neighbors would say to their shepherds. ‘Go graze your flocks where he has grazed his’, meaning my shepherd. But still their flocks came home hungry, yielding no milk, while mine came well fed, with plenty of milk; and we ceased not to enjoy this increase and this bounty from God until the baby’s two years passed.”

During the pre-Islamic days of Arabia, everyone including the Romans and Persians were in the midst of ignorance and darkness. They were amongst the most uncivilized people the world had seen. Not only were they indulged in evils and vices such as adultery, fornication, incest, rape, stealing and murder they went to the extent of burying their baby daughters alive! Allah (swt) has stated in the Holy Quran “And when the news of the birth of a female child is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief! He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonor or bury her in the Earth? Certainly their decisions are evil.” (Surah 16. An-Nahl: verse 58-59)

Nevertheless the Holy Prophet (saw) was sent to this world with the light of monotheism, eradicating all ignorant and uncivilized customs, rituals, practices and beliefs. Allah (swt) has stated in the glorious Quran “Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when he sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad saw) from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses, (The Quran) and purifying them, (from sins by their following him) and instructing them (in) the Book (Quran) and Al-Hikmah, (the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet saw) before that they had been in manifest error,” (Surah 3. Al-Imran: Verse 164).

Source:Madania.org

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Walking to the Mosque in the Dark

Ahmed — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:56:11 +0000

Burayda reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Give good news to those who walk to mosques in the dark that they will have full light on the Day of Rising.” [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi] Related posts: White Hair Abu Dawud Related posts:

Personality Development

Ahmed — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:18:32 +0000

Development of personality is a duty upon all. It requires a great effort, lots of consciousness, much correction & gentle reminders. Are we people who live a life as we wish, always want things done our way, do as we please whether it is considered upright or not, courteous or not – or do we really try hard to accommodate others, respect them and speak to them politely no matter who they are, try to help others, maintain good relations with family and try our best to be as courteous and helpful as possible to all?

Time to think hard, be honest and make a positive change!

Remember, charity begins at home, so start with your spouse, children and parents!

Mufti Ismail Menk

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Virtues of Salaah

Ahmed — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:04:59 +0000

Fajr Salaah: It has been narrated by Aisha (R.A.) that Nabi (S.A.W.) said: “The two Rak’aats of Fajr (Sunnah) is better than the entire world and whatever it contains. (Muslim)

Zuhr Salaah: Umme Habibah (R.A.) says: “I heard Rasoolullah (S.A.W.) saying: “Allah will make the fire of Hell Haraam on whoever observes the four Rak’aats before Zuhr and four Rak’aats (two Sunnah and two Nafl) after Zuhr.” (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)

Asr Salaah: It has been narrated by Ibne Umar (R.A.) that Nabi (S.A.W.) said: “May Allah shower mercy on that person who performs four Rak’aats before Asr.” (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)

Maghrib Salaah: Abu Hurairah (R.A.) narrates that Nabi (S.A.W.) said: “Whosoever performs six Rak’aats after the Maghrib Salaah and does not speak any evil in between, he will receive the reward of twelve years of ‘Ibaadah.” (Tirmidhi)

Eshaa Salaah: Whosoever performs Eshaa Salaah with Jamaat and performs four Rak’aats prior to leaving the Masjid will receive the reward of Laitul Qadr. (Tibraani)

Fajr and Asr Salaah: Umaarah bint Ruwaybah (R.A.) says: “I heard Nabi (S.A.W.) say: “That person who performs Salaah before sunrise and before sunset will never enter the fire.” (That is Fajr and Asr Salaah)

Eshaa Salaah: It has been narrated by Abu Hurairah (R.A.) that Nabi (S.A.W.) said: “There is no Salaah that is more burdensome on a Munaafiq (hypocrite) than the Fajr and Eshaa Salaah. If they knew the virtue of these Salaah they would perform them even if they had to come to the Masjid crawling.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Maghrib Salaah: Abu Ayyub (R.A.) narrates that: “Did you hear Nabi (S.A.W.) say that: “My Ummah will continue to be on good or he said on Fitrah, as long as they do not delay Maghrib Salaah till the stars become apparent.” (Abu Dawood)

And Allah Ta’ala knows best

Ilyaas bin Hashim Limbada

Attested to as correct by:

Mufti Muhammad Ashraf

Darul Iftaa

Jameah Mahmoodiyah Springs

www.mahmoodiyah.org.za

Contentment

Ahmed — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:10:11 +0000

In order to achieve contentment in life, the Messenger pbuh taught us to “Look at those who are less fortunate than yourselves”. The minute we compare our situation with those in a better position, we lose contentment and become ungrateful. This can also cause loss of even the little that we have. This applies in wealth, health, marriage, children and most other aspects of life.

However, regarding spirituality and worship, in order to achieve progress , the Messenger pbuh taught us to “Look at those who are higher than yourselves”. This will make us aim high. When we see others fulfill all their prayers, dress so appropriately, spend time and money seeking knowledge, learn the Qur’aan and quote it etc it should encourage us to to make an effort towards achieving greater closeness to the Almighty!

Mufti Ismail Menk

Perspective

Ahmed — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:32:48 +0000

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah,” said the son.

“So, tell me, what you learned from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered:

“I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Isn’t perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don’t have.

Appreciate every single thing you have Allah has blessed you with, especially your sincere friends!

Pass this on to friends and acquaintances and help them refresh their perspective and appreciation.

“Life is too short and friends are too few.”

Source: thekhalids.org

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