Itikaaf
It is reported from Hazrat Ali (radhiyallahu anhu) that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:
“Whosoever performs an I’tikaaf of ten days in Ramadaan will receive the reward of two Hajj and two Umrah.” (Shu’abul Iemaan)
Category: Hadeeth
Rights of Islam
THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXTRACT FROM THE TREATISE OF HAZRAT MOULANA ASHRAF ALI THANWI (R.A.) TITLED “HUQOOQUL-ISLAM” (RIGHTS OF ISLAM):
In the book At-targheeb wat-Tarheeb of Imam Asfahaani, a hadith of Hazrat Ali radhiyallahu anhu is narrated wherein the following general rights to be observe mutually among all Muslims are enlisted:
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Forgive the mistakes of another Muslim.
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Show sympathy over his grief.
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Hide his faults.
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Accept his excuse.
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Remove his difficulty.
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Always wish for his well-being.
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Safeguard his love.
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Have respect for his pacts.
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Visit him when he is ill.
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Attend his funeral.
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Accept his invitation.
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Accept his gifts.
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Repay his kindness.
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Thank him for his favours.
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Help him at the time of need.
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Protect his wife and children.
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Fulfill his needs.
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Listen to his requests.
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Accept his intercession.
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Do not make him despondent in his ambitions.
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Say Yarhamukallah upon hearing him say Al-Hamdu-lillah after sneezing.
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Return his lost property.
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Reply his greeting (Salaam).
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Speak to him kindly and courteously.
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Treat him kindly.
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If one Muslim takes an oath on the strength of the other, it should be honoured by the other.
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Help him when he is oppressed, and stop him when he oppresses others.
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Be his friend, not his enemy.
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Do not disgrace him.
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Love for him what you love for yourself.
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Greet him (with salaam) when meeting, and, better still, shake his hands.
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Never break off ties for more than three days if an argument arises.
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Do not be suspicious of him.
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Do not be jealous of him nor bear enmity towards him.
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Where possible observe amar bil maroof and nahi anil munkar (to command good and prohibit evil) towards the next Muslim.
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Have mercy on the little ones and respect the elders.
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Create peace between two Muslims whom have had an argument.
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Do not backbite another Muslim.
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Do not cause harm to his body, wealth or honour.
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Help him mount his animal or load his goods on to it when he is unable to do so.
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Do not ask him to leave and then take his place.
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Two people should not speak in whispers while a third is in their presence.
Source: Darul Uloom al-Islamiyya
Deeds are according to intentions
Allah Accepts Deeds That Are Only For Him
عَنْ أَمِيْرِ المؤْمِنِيْن أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلي الله عليه و سلم يَقُولُ : إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ؛ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا؛ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ
رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيُّ وَمسلم
It is related by Umar Ibn al-Khattab (رضى الله تعالى عنه ) that he heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) say:
The actions are but judged according to intentions; and to every man is due what he intended. Thus, whosoever migrates for the sake of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) (and there is no other motive of his migration except compliance with the commands of Allah (SWT) and his Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) and winning of their good pleasure), his migration is accounted for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) (and doubtlessly, he is to true Muhajir- Emigrant- and shall receive the recompense prescribed for Hijrat-Migration-towards Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم )); and whosoever migrates for the sake of this world or to wed a woman (his migration will not be for Allah and the Prophet [صلى الله عليه وسلم ]), and will be accounted only for the purpose for which it is intended. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Commentary:
The Main purpose of the Hadith is to Show that the goodness or badness and acceptability or otherwise of all human actions is dependant on intention.
Or, in other words, only such deeds will be deemed good and carry merit in the sight of Allah (SWT) which is done with a good and virtues intention and a good deed noble and meritorious; on the contrary, it will held to be wicked and detestable according to the intention which motivated it through, apparently, it may be good and praiseworthy.
To summarise, Allah (SWT) judges the worth and value of a deed by the motive with which it is performed.
Source: Bilal Academy
A Female Child
It is mentioned in a hadith that Nabi (sallalaahu alayhi wassallam) said, ” When a female child is born, Allah Ta’ala sends His angels to that house. They come to the dwellers of the house and pray that peace may be upon them, The angels then cover the newly born girl in the shadow of their wings and caressing the head of the baby with their hands they say that, this is a weak and frail person, whoever will bear the responsibility of cherishing her will go on having the blessing of Allah Ta’ala as long as that person remains alive.” ( Al-Mojam al – Saghir li Tabrani).
Source: Upbringing Children in Islam
Replying to One who sneezes
As a right one Muslim enjoys over another, one should reply to the person who sneezes.
Hadhrat Anas Bin Malik (رضى الله تعالى عنه) narrates that two people sneezed in the presence of Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). He replied to one and not the other. The one who did not get the reply of Yar-Hamukullah said: “So and so sneezed and you replied but you did not do so when I sneezed?” The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “He said “Alhumdulillah” whilst you failed to say Alhumdulillah.” [Muslim]
One of the etiquettes of sneezing is that the sound should be stilted and the nose covered. This ensures that one’s companion are not annoyed if anything comes out of his nose. In the event of any food or person before him, one should turn his face away and sneeze to prevent the particles that emerge from sneezing from falling onto the food or person before him.
Whenever our beloved Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم sneezed, he would cover his face with his hands or with a piece of cloth, so that the sound of the sneeze could not be heard too loudly. [Tirmidhi]
Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (رضى الله تعالى عنه) said: I heard Allah’s messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say, “When one of you sneezes and praises Allah, invoke a blessing on him, but if he does not praise Allah do not invoke a blessing on him.” [Muslim]
Source: The 40 Pathways to Jannah by Sheikh Khalid Sayyid Ali
Wealth
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Wealth is not from a lot of money. Wealth is the independence of the self.” [Agreed upon, Riyad as-Salihin]