SAFAH

The Wealth of Time by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah alayh) This life is a journey. We are all on a journey and we are traveling all the time. …Even if the person is a couch potato, and passing his life in inactivity and idleness, he too is traveling. If the person is sitting, lying down or sleeping, he too is traveling. The person is in a car: The car is moving and covering distance, and simultaneously, the journey of life too is continuing. The person’s life is moving on and on. One breath follows another. And every breath of life is part of that journey. Seconds are ticking away. Minutes slip through the hourglass of time. Days and nights bring a close to weeks and weeks bring a close to months and months bring a close to the years. Hazrat Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh) had so aptly said: "O Son of Aadam! You are nothing but a number of days. Whenever a day passes, a part of you has gone." Every day, every week, every month is part of the journey – like how a person travels 10 kms, 100 kms, 500 kms, 1000 kms… Every passing year of life is like a station which we reach. And no one knows how many stations he has to travel through before he arrives at his destination. …For some, there is just one station – and they die at the tender age of one; some stop at 10 stations and at the age of 10, they depart. Others have to travel through 50 stations, 60 stations, even 100 stations in life before they reach the end of the journey. Most of us have the experience of flight travel or even traveling by train. We stop here and there in transit and then we arrive at the destination. The pilot informs the passengers when the plane begins its descent for landing, and when the plane lands and comes to a standstill, the pilot announces that all passengers must disembark… This is the reality of life. All of us have to disembark at some stage. When we reach the end of this worldly life, the Command is given that the soul now disembarks. And we have already seen so many disembark : seniors and juniors, rich and poor, kings, presidents, subjects – all have to disembark. Therefore we have to be thrifty with time; we have to be prudent and cautious in regard to time. Use it productively and constructively, usefully and efficiently. Time can be likened to the root of a young tree –a sapling. If a person looks after the sapling, and waters the root, it will grow into a big tree, with its branches and leaves spreading out, providing extensive shelter and a tree which gives a lot of fruit. We will say that the person took care of his life and the most precious commodity of his life was his time. Now that time bears fruit because the person carried out good deeds in the time given to him, engaging himself in Salaah, Zikrullah, Tilawah; spending days in fasting, in giving Zakaah and Sadaqaat, striving in earning Halaal sustenance, as well as controlling his gazes when in the shopping centres, markets, universities, colleges, or wherever else, and controlling his heart from the evil desires of nafs and shaytaan. All of these noble deeds were done in time. That tree bears fruit, and he will enjoy those delicious fruits in the grave and in the Hereafter. On the Day of Qiyaamah, he will also enjoy the extensive shelter which his good deeds will offer him, Insha-Allah. Allah Ta’ala also uses the analogy of a tree in the Qur’aan Shareef: “See you not how Allah sets forth a parable? A goodly word as a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the sky (i.e. very high).” [surah Ibrahim 14 : 24] Here, Allah Ta’ala likens the Believer’s Imaan and his deeds to a tree, with roots, deeply entrenched, a bark which is strong and sturdy, and branches, extending high up. The real dividends and the real earnings and the greatest of all enjoyments, will be experienced in Jannah when he will behold the beauty of Allah Ta’ala with his own eyes. SubhanAllah. ‘That veil, which was covering Allah Ta’ala’s Countenance, will be removed. Now will be the time to smile for those who took that grief on their hearts, and restrained themselves from all evil.’ As for the person who falls for the temptations of nafs and shaytaan, he will have to deal with the consequences of squandering the wealth of life and wasting the fortune of time. His is a bad investment, where the shares drop completely. He may be left with a meagre 20% or 10 %, or he may end up with nothing. If it was spent in disbelief, the net result is the fire of Jahannum – May Allah Ta’ala save us. If it was spent in sins, then we have been warned of punishment in the grave as well as in the Hereafter. Allah Ta’ala likens the disbeliever to a bad tree - because his words and deeds are bad. The roots of the tree are not fixed and not firmly established, and does not stand the test of time. “And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree uprooted from the surface of earth, having no stability.” [surah Ibrahim 14: 26] The deeds of the disbeliever are described as: “The deeds of those who disbelieve their Lord are like ashes blown away by the wind on a stormy day. They will not be able to gain anything out of what they did. That is the wandering away from the path.” [surah Ibrahim 14: 18] Their deeds are wasted due to their disbelief in Allah Ta’ala. Thus their time of life was wasted and there is no good that awaits them in the Hereafter. (May Allah Ta’ala protect us all from such an end). …When time is lost, life is lost. Sometimes the Hereafter is lost. What a great loss when the person loses out the opportunity of making real investments – which would bring him great, great profits in both worlds. How sad if he reaches the Aakhirah as a pauper, or worse still, as a loser – losing out on Jannah forever. May Allah Ta’ala protect us all. Let us reflect over the words of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa-Sallam) and reflect over which category we are in:““The intelligent one is he who suppresses his desires and practises for what is after death, and the foolish one is he who makes his nafs follow its desires and (he) places hope on Allah.” (Tirmizi and Ibn Majah) …So let us not waste time on those things that will not benefit us in any way. May Allah Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq of preparation for the journey to the Aakhirah.

Love your parents by words and actions The nest of family love is like a nest of birds. When it’s the right time to fly, the young will fly away; as it is the way of life. It is so hard for parents to give their children wings so that they can confidentially fly away. So many years spent together and all of a sudden they are gone to pursue their own lives. Parents have to deal with the absence of family and love when children have flown from the nest of their family to build their own. However, this can be a time of great emptiness and sadness that can easily tip into depression. Sometimes, separation is needed in life. As for parents, they raise their children with lots of care and love but as soon as everyone under their care ages and becomes independent, they have to start their own lives leaving their parents behind all alone. For daughters, they get married and step into their own world. And for son’s, it’s sometimes a transfer in jobs which causes separation; it can also be that he has to move into a new house with his family, because of the lack of space in the current house. So in the end, only the parents remain all alone. Only the old couples left, no one to look after them, they only have themselves to share their warmth of love and affection. If you think about it, throughout our lives we had our parents for us when we really needed them. They gave us strength and courage when we needed it. They embraced us with love when were feeling down. But today, when our parents have grown old and they really need someone by their side, are we there? Are we beside them, to tend to them, to look after them? Parents feel they are forgotten by their children. Parents interpret lack of contact as lack of love. So that parents feel loved, it is very important for children to work together to encourage a healthy relationship. Keeping up constant communication is vital for maintaining a sense of family togetherness. So frequent calls should be made to show your parents that you have concern for them and that you remember them. You can still make time for them even when you are busy with your own family. This will make them feel happy. It will let them know that their children think about them often and still love them. The key is to SHOW and TELL. The contact rate decreases overtime, and its logical as everyone gets busy in their own world, with a very busy schedule that it becomes very hard to make time for even a phone call. You should make sure that you do not forget your most closest ones, your old parents while you are taking care of your own family. Remember, they are a part of your family too and it is your duty to check on them once in a while. Nobody is more important for your time than your own parents. Remind yourself that you wouldn’t have been in the position you are in, if it weren’t for your parents. Give yourself a moment and put yourself in your parents shoes. Think how you would have felt if you were left all alone and your children have become distant from you. Think about all the things you have done for your children as they grew up. Imagine the sleepless nights, the cries, the stress, the tension; and yet you were happy doing it. Imagine the child growing up, you still taking care of him/her. Helping them get dressed, cooking for them, and cleaning up after them. Now imagine, how you would feel if they leave you all alone. Distance hurts; the physical separation hurts. Many miles away means no way to hug, laugh and enjoy time together. Departure hurts and when parents do not know when they will see or hear from their children, it unnecessarily adds to the pain. So my words of advice are: "When you truly love someone, be loving in words and deeds every single day. If you appreciate your parents today, tell them that. Hearts are often confused and broken by thoughtful words left unspoken and loving deeds left undone. There might not be a tomorrow. Today is the day to express your love and admiration. So express your feelings by words and actions." With lots of love and respect, your sister in Islam!

The hope of a believer is in God The person whose hopes are in people will eventually be disappointed, but the one who places all his hopes in God, He will never be disappointed. His dreams will come to pass, and his life will flourish will blessings he never imagined. When we place our hopes in people we are doing it wrong. We shouldn't be surprised if all dreams come crashing because we relied on them. People will disappoint us because they are just people. They are created things. They have no power but to influence each moment as it passes with human limitations. They are all subject to the limitations of time, space, knowledge and all other barriers that our creator is not. If we want a handhold that never breaks, then we should place all our hopes in God—our Creator, the one who created everything in this world and maintains them. If we want to be successful, we need to place all our hopes in the All-Knowing, All-Wise; the one who controls our sustenance and gives us just the right amount. We need to rely on God who is always on time and provides us with perfect sustenance. We should never place our hopes in people. They do not control the future and are subject to the unknown themselves. No matter how difficult and uncertain the future may seem, don't lose hope. Place all your hopes and dreams in God and be certain that success is just around the corner waiting to meet you, when you have finished growing. The difficulties you are undergoing now are your preparation season. They are teaching you lessons and wisdom. They are qualifying you to help others when opportunities intersect with your dreams. When the need for your dreams come, you will be ready to step in because God prepared you. The very fact that you have dreams means you have a calling to do something unique. The creator of the universe proportioned you with blessings you still have yet to uncover. God gave you all the right tools to carry a mountain while others may only traverse it. If you are always carrying more than others, realize that God made you this way to glorify Him. He made you perfect and qualified you to do more than others can. Embrace your identity and blessings. They are your greatest joy. And the more difficult the journey the greater the reward. Embrace your dreams and don't lose hope. Place all your hopes in God and not in people, for "God is our best protector and helper. (Qur'an 3:150)" The moment we place all our hopes in God instead of people, He begins to send grace to us. He calls on His angels and commands them to be our guide and helpers. He uses created beings to guide us. He commands the universe to get us moving in the right direction, by influencing events in our favor. We will often receive unaccepted blessings that will provide guidance and help when we least expect it. Unlike people, God will come through. The moment we become stagnant, He will alarm us by sending a calamity our way, to get us moving. It is God who places dreams in our hearts not people. It is God who created us with the right blessings to be successful in our tasks not people. It is God who made the earth a place of sustenance not people. It is God who created everything with a plan. You are His plan and He will use you when the right time comes. Therefore, it is God who is in control all along. So whose help do you want. The creator's or His creation? "If Allah is your helper none can overcome you, and if He withdraws His help from you, who is there who can help you after Him? In Allah let believers put their trust.(Qur'an 3:160)"

What does my future hold? All of us think and dream of the future. We want to live long happy lives with spouses and nice careers. We want many good things in life and envision a blissful life full of good things, while not realizing that this world is not perfect and is not meant for eternity, rather the hereafter is. Not only do we want good things, we want to be certain what our future holds. We thus turn to various forms of divination's such as reading tea-leaves, drawing lines, writing numbers, palm-reading, casting horoscopes, and other means to predict our future—all of which have more false and deceptive information than truth of our future. We get bombarded with false hope that eventually leads to major disappointments and setbacks in our life. We stain our souls with sins and then we wonder why God did not help us from the deceptive lies we have pursued? It never is God, it is always us! Forget the future. Lets turn to God and pray for guidance instead. His helps is better than any ways we seek on our own. Lets ask for His help to bless and guide us with the things we need to live satisfying and contentful lives now. Indeed, He knows every event that will unfold. Before He created the universe and everything in it, He wrote everything that will happen. That does not mean he dictates our lives rather, His knowledge encompasses everything. So He is not stranger to our future and is always waiting for our call. He controls the steering wheel of our life and will turn us when we need to if we allow Him, instead of pursuing our free will. Before you resort to any forms of divination's, ask yourselves why? Why do you need to know the future if you can't control it? Furthermore, why do you need to know exact details that will unfold. How is that adding productivity and fun in your life? It is actually taking the beauty and mystery out of life. It is adding stress and anxiety because you are trying to prepare for something before its time. You have freewill to be tested not to cheat the test. Therefore, let God manage your affairs in the best way He knows how. Just live your life now—its better that way. Know that all forms of divination's are wrong and inaccurate except what God sends to us via visions or what He communicates with us via circumstances. God has made forbidden predicting of the future to use it in decision making. In the glorious Qur'an, it is stated: "And (also forbidden) is predicting the future by means of divining arrows, for that is impiety. (5:4)" The unseen is for a good reason kept away from us. It is better that we do not know it, for it may be a burden rather than advantage. The more advantage you have by knowing the unseen, the greater the tests and trials you will face. So ask yourself what benefit do I gain from knowing the unseen? Nobody truly knows the unseen except Allah. Any fortune telling that you seek will be false and deceptive, and will cause you more harm than good, for the outcome of the future cannot be changed unless Allah wills it. As it is explicitly stated in the glorious Qur'an:"Say (O Muhammad): None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah. (Qur'an: 27:65)" It has been made perfectly clear that nobody but Allah knows the unseen except what has been permitted to those authorized by God. So be careful what and who you believe. Prophet Muhammad was further advised to recite to the ignorant believers who claim that: If they knew the timing of the day of the hour, they can prepare better for it today, by avoiding the bad and ensuring good. Prophet Muhammad recited: "I hold not for myself [the power of] benefit or harm, except what Allah has willed. And if I knew the unseen, I could have acquired much wealth, and no harm would have touched me. I am not except a Warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe." Allah has made life a test and striving not a means of manipulation. And it has been made clear that we have no power to benefit or harm ourselves except what Allah wills. Not knowing the future actually benefits us. It allows us to strive harder rather than picking and chosing the things we want to endure or experience. If we knew what tomorrow holds, our striving may be limited and our reward as well. Never approach a fortune teller and believe what they say because it contains all lies, and only the sinful and lying people engage in divination. Prophet Muhammad recited in the glorious Qur'an: "Shall I inform you (O people!) Upon whom the devils descend. They descend on every lying, sinful person who lends an ear (to the devils and they pour what they may have heard of the Unseen from the angels), and most of them are liars (because they speak that which they don't know and understand). (Qur'an 26:221-223)" If you have relied on such forms of fortune telling in the past, repent to God and abstain from any form of fortune telling in the future. It is a grievous sin harmful to you, and may cause harm to others. Beware of staining your soul by engaging in fortune telling, because no good comes out of it. Realize that your prayers may fall on deaf ears if you engage in fortune telling. As Prophet Muhammad said: "The daily prayers of whoever approaches a fortune-teller and asks him about anything will not be accepted for forty days and nights." [Narrated Muslim] Whatever your future holds cannot be changed by you. If you were to know the future, you would only confuse yourself but would not be able to change your future. If God were to reveal to you your future, embrace it knowing there is a purpose why He has given you a vision and knowledge of the unseen. If God gives you a great vision, there is a great mission for you and often times, God may reveal future things to us in order to keep us on track and encourage us. Impossible things require extra help, and God will provide the extra knowledge that we need. God may also reveal to you your future if you insist but it will come with a price. You will encounter many difficulties that you will be the cause of it. God will use the knowledge of the unseen that He gave you to benefit others. He will subject you to more testing because you hold an advantage to those around you. But what good is knowledge that may be of no good use and only cause us more harm than good. Leave the unseen alone for God's justice will be served perfectly in proportion to what we know and posses. Whatever advantage you have will be offset with greater decisions and tasks. If you need to know the unseen, you don't need to be actively seeking it, for God will provide it at the best time. Remember, to live is to embrace every moment now without worrying about the uncertain tomorrow. To work for God is to receive His vision and work for the future. Today is yours perfectly made easy and plain for you. Tomorrow God decides if He will allow you another day to life. Therefore, be careful what you ask for. It may come with a price and with no benefit to you.

Envy refers to the desire that a person feels for the destruction or removal of a blessing that another person has – a destruction which the bearer of this feeling would himself carry out if he had the power to. This is quite different to wanting such blessings for oneself while not wishing for them to be removed from others, for that is, indeed, a positive and commendable desire that leads to competition. Competition is not considered blameworthy in general, rather it is considered to be praiseworthy if it is in pursuit of righteousness; Allaah Says (what means): "Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure. On adorned couches, observing…You will recognise in their faces the radiance of pleasure. They will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed. The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete.” [Quran 83:22-26] Allaah mentions in the Quran the envy of the disbelievers, the hypocrites and people in general. Speaking about the disbelievers, Allaah Says (what means): “Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from themselves [even] after the truth has become clear to them…” [Quran 2:109] Allaah also Says (what means): “Or do they envy people for what Allaah has given them of His bounty?” [Quran 4:54] Envy is an evil disease of the heart that leads to foul conduct and bad behaviour. It leads to animosity, thinking evil of the intentions of others, backbiting, tale-bearing, lying, and the abandonment of other Muslims. It may lead its possessor to inflict physical harm on the person whom he envies and can even lead to murder. It is considered to be among the most dangerous and destructive of internal diseases and is the most destructive to a person's religion and worldly life. The Messenger of Allaah said: "Do not envy one another; do not hate one another; do not turn your back on one another (in discontent); (but) be slaves of Allaah as brothers." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim] Allaah orders the believers to seek refuge from the evil of the envious person and envy in general when He says (what means): "And from the evil of the envier when he envies." [Quran 113:5] The Messenger of Allaah also said: “Indeed envy eats up good deeds just as fire consumes firewood.” [Ahmad] There are many stories in the Quran that highlight the dangers and evils of envy. When we read the story of Prophet Yoosuf (Joseph) and his brothers, we realise the danger of envy, how it blinds, how it snatches mercy away from the heart, and how it drives its possessor to inflict terrible physical pain on the envied person. Allaah Says (what means): "When they [i.e., the brothers of Yoosuf] said: 'Yoosuf and his brother are more beloved to our father than we, while we are a clan. Indeed, our father is in clear error. Kill Yoosuf or cast him out to [another] land; the countenance [i.e., attention] of your father will [then] be accessible to you, and you will be, after that, righteous people.'" [Quran 12:8-9] Another story that shows the danger of envy is the story of Haabeel and Qaabeel: The Quran tells us about the first son of Aadam who murdered his brother out of envy, which constituted the first crime ever in which blood was spilt. He envied him because Allaah accepted his brother's sacrifice but not his; Allaah says what means: "And recite to them the story of Aadam's two sons, in truth, when they both offered a sacrifice [to Allaah], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter]: 'I will surely kill you.' Said [the former]: 'Indeed, Allaah only accepts from the righteous [who fear him]. If you should raise your hand against me to kill me - I shall not raise my hand against you to kill you. Indeed, I fear Allaah, Lord of the worlds.'… And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers." [Quran: 5:27-28 & 30] The blameworthy type of envy is an unrestricted dislike of the blessings bestowed upon the envied. Therefore, when one despises something, he is hurt and grieved by its very existence, and this becomes a sickness in his heart, to the extent that he derives pleasure from the removal of the blessings from the envied - even if this does not result in any benefit to him except having the pain that was in his soul removed. This pain is not removed except as a result of the envier continuously monitoring the envied so that he would find relief when the blessing is removed, but it can become more severe, as is the case of the one who is suffering from a physical sickness, in that the blessing, or one similar to it, may return to the envied. The Prophet said: "I swear by the One in whose Hands is my soul! none of you will believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim] He also said: "There is to be no envy except in two cases: (towards) a person to whom Allaah has granted wisdom, and who rules by this and teaches it to the people, and (towards) a person to whom Allaah has granted wealth and property along with the power to spend it in the cause of the Truth." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim] Ibn `Umar added to this from his own narration: "(And) a person to whom Allaah has given the Quran and who recites it night and day, and a person to whom Allaah has granted wealth and property from which he gives in charity by night and day." Envy may occur as a result of enmity, pride, self-admiration, love of leadership or impurity of the soul. Of these, enmity is the most serious cause, as it leads to malevolence and this, in turn, causes man to thirst for revenge and drives him to gloat over any calamity that may afflict his enemy. Imaam Al-Ghazzaali said in his book Al-Ihyaa': "Be aware that envy is one of the deadliest diseases of the hearts, and there is no medicine for the diseases of the heart except through knowledge and deeds. The knowledge that will treat the disease of envy is to know, without any doubt, that envy is lethal for a person's worldly life as well as his religion, and that there is no danger from it to the envied person regarding his life or his religion; on the contrary, the envied person will actually benefit from it. The fact is that envy is actually dangerous for the envier's religion because it is through this envy that he hated Allaah's predestination and the blessings that He divided among his slaves; he also hated His justice that He established in His world due to His Wisdom; therefore, the envier contested that and objected to it. This is contrary to belief in the Oneness of Allaah. Additionally, the envier would share with Satan and the rest of the disbelievers a love for crises to befall the believers and for blessings to leave them. These are evils in the heart that devour good deeds and erase them like the night erases the day. The person who suffers from envy in his life is tortured by it, and will always be in sorrow every time he sees the blessings of Allaah upon the envied person."

The hard heart is that which contains a mixture of harshness and toughness; a heart that is void of submission and the sense of turning to Allah The Exalted in repentance at all times. This is the severest punishment ever. This is why the disbelievers are punished with having a hard and harsh heart. Maalik ibn Deenaar, May Allah Have mercy upon him, said in this regard, "Allah The Almighty Punishes the wrongdoers in their hearts and bodies as well. They are punished with a hard and miserable life and laziness and indolence in carrying out acts of worship. However, there is no punishment that is severer than having a hard heart." [Hilyat Al-Awliyaa’] Furthermore, Imaam Al-Mar‘ashi, May Allah Have mercy upon him, stressed the same meaning saying, "No one was afflicted by a severer calamity than having a hard heart." [Hilyat Al-Awliyaa’] Dear readers, let us ponder over what Allah The Exalted Says (which means): {Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah Is not unaware of what you do.} [Quran 2:74] This verse refers to the story of the children of Israel and the miracle of reviving the murdered man and to all the examples, warnings and adversities that had befallen the Children of Israel. Those Divine Miracles would cause huge mountains to shake and solid rocks to dissolve! Actually, it was worthier of their hearts to be softened by such amazing miracles, yet they did not. Allah The Exalted Clarified that their hearts had become more of rocks and even worse in hardness due to the fact that they rejected Imaan after knowing and understanding the requirements of attaining Imaan and its conditions. Hence, these hearts were like rocks and even worse in hardness. Indeed, rocks are a good example that people use to indicate hardness. Yet, Allah The Exalted Excluded some rocks from that absolute hardness, but Did not Exclude the hearts of the children of Israel. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah.} [Quran 2:74] Let us reflect on this description of the one who has a hard heart. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {… and his sin has encompassed him…} [Quran 2:81] This means that his sins and wrongdoings have encompassed him totally from all sides until he was surrounded with his own sins and wrongdoings from all directions. These sins and wrongdoings worked as a separator that detached him from all that is around him. Undeniably, this is clearly evident when a sinner does not repent of his sin, he is tempted to commit it more and more. This incites him to preoccupy himself exclusively and be wholly taken up with committing such sins and even graver sins and wrongdoings. Hence, sins subdue and overwhelm such a person totally and take hold of his heart entirely. Accordingly, he becomes inherently inclined to committing sins, liking and loving them, believing that this is the ultimate and optimal way to relish happiness and pleasure, disliking all who would come on his way in attaining that fake happiness and joy, and disbelieving anyone who would advise him to avoid such sins. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Then the end of those who did evil was the worst [consequence] because they denied the Signs of Allah and used to ridicule them.} [Quran 30:10] Regrettably, this man's sins become like a thick tent that screen everything around him. He no longer senses or thinks of the fact that Allah The Exalted Sees him all the time. He loses sight of the enduring pleasures in Paradise, the promised and anticipated punishment in Hellfire, the evil schemes of the devil that are all set to mislead Mankind, and the pity of the kind angels. Such a sinner fails to notice all these facts while being wholly lost in his sins and wrongdoings. The Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "When an adulterer commits illegal sexual intercourse, then he is not a believer at the time he is doing it, and when a drinker of an alcoholic liquor drinks it, he is not a believer at the time of drinking it, and when a thief steals, he is not a believer at the time of stealing, and when a robber robs, and the people look at him, he is not a believer at the time of doing robbery." [Al-Bukhari]

Be thankful Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement. ... Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference. It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfilment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

"You forget to wake up for Fajr. You sleep through your alarm. You rush through Zuhr, then you’re too busy for Asr. Maghrib passes without you realizing, and then you stay up on your laptop, conveniently forgetting Isha. You have wasted one whole day. Astagfirullah, this is very sad. Nowadays, Shaitaan wins. Why can’t people just do it? It’s one of your obligation as a Muslim, Subhanallah. If only people know the sacrifices that the Prophet (saw) and his companion had done then maybe it will change. May Allah (swt) give us ability to fulfil His rights. Allahumma Ameen.

Beautiful patience is to be content with adversity Beautiful patience is to surrender to the will of Allah Beautiful patience is to refrain from complaining Beautiful patience is to be grateful Indeed, as beautiful as Prophet Yusuf (as)patience in facing all the test that Allah send down .

Our faith sometimes weakens and we become overwhelmed by our desires. The shaytaan makes sin attractive to us, so we fall into things that Allah ‘azza wajal has forbidden. Now the question is not whether or not you will sin, because mistakes are in fact part of our nature. The question is: what will you do after you’ve sinned? --------------------------------------------------------------------...------ Repentance— an Opportunity! The concept of tawbah is amazingly beautiful and unique in Islam. We don’t confess to any intermediary; we turn to our Creator directly. Allah al-Ghaffaar opened the gate of repentance to Himself and commanded us to turn to Him. This is an amazing combination! The fact that we can repent at any time and the fact that Allah gave us the knowledge of how to repent is a great rahmah (mercy). Tawbah is an opportunity! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Repentance Brings to YOU Let’s look at some rewards sincere tawbah brings to you.: 1. Repentance brings success: Allah tells us …And beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. [surah An-Noor, 31] 2.Repentance keeps you away hardship. See they not that they are put in trial once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine)? Yet, they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it). [Quran, 9:126] 3.Repentance earns you Allah’s love. Do you know that repentance is one of the most beloved acts of worship to Him? Allah says: … Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves. [Quran, 2:222] 4.Repentance makes you feel happy. Tawbah cleans your heart. It makes you feel lighter, just as the burden of sin makes you feel heavy. Just say to yourself: who is there to stop me from turning back to Allah? 5.Repentance leads to forgiveness! Both the Quran and the ahadeeth are clear that those who repent sincerely to Allah, acknowledging their sins, and commit to not return again to those sins will have their sins forgiven. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: If the servant acknowledges his sin and repents, then Allah accepts his repentance.

Whenever you are faced with the burden of a difficulty, lighten it by remembering three things: 1. That it is only temporary. Nothing in this life is forever. Neither your happiness nor your pain. It will soon come to pass. 2. That it has been predestined. Nothing you think you could or could not have done would have avoided it. It was meant to get to u. It is all part of a bigger & better plan for you. 3. Thirdly, seek comfort in the fact that if you bear this with acceptance and patience then you will be rewarded greatly for the suffering you are enduring.. Allahu Akbar!

It's rare to come across souls who truly understand you. Someone who can understand your pain, share your problems with, share your feelings with. Someone who can heal your wounds. And as humans, when we come across someone who does, who does make us feel better; we tend to rely on them to make us happy. We get attached. We see it as if, as if, we need them in our lives. How long will som...eone keep making you feel better? How long can actually someone keep listening to your problems without getting annoyed? Be a shoulder for you to cry on? days, weeks, months, even years .. but eventually they will leave. Leaving us in even more pain than we once were in. Even when relying on worldly things, we will never be satisfied and will always have a restless heart .. If you were wise you'd learn from this, that relying on anything but Allah for inner peace, for happiness .. will always give us pain. We may not have a soul to talk to, who can understand us .. but what we do have, is prayer .. you may not have a shoulder to cry on, but you'll always have the ground to put your forehead on and cry to your hearts content. If you want to talk to Allah, just sit there, just sit there on the prayer mat, talk to Him about everything. Share everything with Him. Hes all ears. Cause He is your Best Friend. He's seen you cry. He's seen you going to sleep and not wanting to wake up again. He's seen you struggling. He's seen you wanting to give up. He's been there with you throughout every battle you've ever fought. He understands you. And He'll never give up on you .. never. Even if the whole world turns against you, He will still be there. With open arms. To help you. To guide you. To ease your pain. To heal your wounds. To love you. Cause He is your Creator. And No one can understand you better than the One who created you. And Only when you love Him, you will feel His love for you. Alhamdulillah!

Weakness of Faith by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah alayh) Dealing with various cases every day of our lives, we find something which has become so common is the type of statements that people utter when they are in difficulties, hardships, pain and suffering. …There is just no contemplation, no reflection, no thought – just immediate criticism of Allah Ta’ala’s system and ‘government’ - as we will say. Some question Allah Ta’ala’s wisdom and say: ‘What kind of Allah is this that He has done such injustice to me!’ (Na’uzu Billah) People actually use these kind of words, attributing their difficulties to Allah Ta’ala, accusing Him of injustice (Na’uzu Billah). …Yet who can be more just than Allah Ta’ala? “Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom's weight…” [surah Nisaa 4 : 40] Such people only see the outside. They see what is on the surface. Their ignorance becomes apparent, and sometimes their arrogance becomes evident. In English, there is a proverb: Ignorance is bliss. However, this statement is an ill-considered one. It may be bliss in this world, but when the veils of the Unseen are lifted, then ‘bliss’ comes to an end. Bliss is then replaced with distress. And ignorance is no bliss for the Muslim if it leads him to sins, and if it leads him to such statements which can even throw him out of Islam, and land him in Jahannum. And arrogance is such an evil which leads the person to believe that he is infallible; that nothing can ‘touch’ him – and when something does, then the nafs is provoked and he makes such statements. …As if we have some right to question Allah Ta’ala or criticise His Decisions. Why? …Because there is no recognition of Allah Ta’ala; no knowledge and understanding of the system and the wisdom of Allah Ta’ala. By Allah, this worldly life is not to be taken lightly – as if we are here to just while away our days and do as we like - and when things go wrong, then we get upset and angry because our boat which was sailing smoothly is suddenly hit by a storm. We should keep in mind that many a time, the sins that we have committed in our lives – which we do not even remember, let alone consider sins – are probably the cause for the museebat (difficulty). …And this is, indeed, a weakness: we easily forget our injustices. Some great injustice could have been done upon some person. It could have been that many years ago, we were unjust to someone. The person may have been under our authority or may have been at our mercy, and we caused great hurt and great grief to the person. It could have been injustice to parents, or wife, or an employee, a student, a poor person, even a non-Muslim – we least realize that that injustice will catch up at some stage in life. Other sins, Allah Ta’ala forgives. The person makes Taubah from sins and Allah Ta’ala forgives. However, there are certain sins, where justice has to be meted out… unless the person asks those people for forgiveness here. If not, Allah Ta’ala punishes in this world. …Aakhirat is Aakhirat - but even in this lifetime, punishment descends very swiftly on injustice – whether it was injustice upon a Muslim or non-Muslim. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) has related that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: Three types of people’s Duas are not rejected: 1.) The fasting person when he breaks fast, 2.) The just ruler 3.) And the one who is oppressed. Allah Ta’ala raises the Dua of the oppressed above the clouds and the doors of heaven are opened for it and Allah Ta’ala says, “By My Majesty and Honour! I will help and aid you, even though after few days.” [Tirmidhi] So sometimes the difficulty and calamity is the recompense of our own oppression and injustice. And sometimes it is a test. Allah Ta’ala is taking our examination. …If every student says: “Great injustice is being done to me in the Matric examination. I have to work so hard, I have to study so much …I have to burn the midnight oil.” Will we call that injustice? …No! Even the student knows and understands that on that hard work and sacrifice, there will be awards and rewards after he passes his examination. Look at the amount of time spent studying when the person wants to become a doctor, or wants to become an engineer, or a scientist, or whatever else. …Can we say that that hard work and sacrifice is injustice? Others are sleeping early or they are enjoying themselves at the clubs, cinemas and theatres. And this student has to work so hard. The student knows that after the years of study, he will graduate and his qualifications will place him in a high bracket of earning. He knows that once he starts earning, he will be able to afford various material luxuries. Because of what he hopes to earn and what he will be able to afford – whether a beautiful car, home, traveling the world, etc. …which he dreams of, he is prepared to work very hard. No one calls that injustice. Allah Ta’ala informs us : “We will definitely test you with some fear, some hunger and some loss in your wealth, in your health and in the fruits.” [surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 155] Allah Ta’ala tests each one of us – and this is, after all, a world of test – but the test is also within the capacity of the person to bear: “Allah does not obligate anyone beyond his capacity” [surah Baqarah 2 : 286] Whatever the test from Allah Ta’ala, it is definitely within the capacity of the person to bear. Allah Ta’ala’s Ma’iyyat (proximity) is with the person who is being tested. “…Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” [surah Baqarah 2 : 153] Glad-tidings are given to those who patiently persevere and pass such tests : “Give glad-tidings to those who patiently persevere. And when any trial reaches them, they say : ‘Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji-oon (from Allah we have come and to Him is our return).” They are those on whom are the benefactions of their Lord, and receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.” [surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 155/156/157] If it is an azaab (punishment) from Allah Ta’ala, the person will not enjoy the Ma’iyyat (closeness) of Allah Ta’ala. He will not have the love and muhabbat of Allah Ta’ala in that test because Allah Ta’ala is not on his side. Then that difficulty makes the person’s life restless, miserable, tightened and narrow and the person cannot seem to find a way out. …If he had Taqwa, there would be an exit, a way out of the problem. Allah Ta’ala alleviates and lightens the person’s test. ‘And for those who fear Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out, And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine…” [surah Talaaq 65 : 2/3] Had Taqwa been in his life, had he engendered piety and Allah-fearing in his heart, that same Allah, who has sent the test will find a way out for him. Before making rash statements, we should look into our lives and check if this is a test or an azaab. Do we have Taqwa or are we living a life of negligence and indifference? What is the point of making all kinds of statements, condemning and rejecting everything – when the root cause is our own disobedience or oppression? Where are these statements taking the person? …Certainly not in the direction of solving the problem! Let us not forget that we are servants of Allah Ta’ala. We are not an authority over Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala has said: "He is not questioned of what He does…." [surah Al-Ambiyaa 21 : 23] "…Allah knows and you do not know." [surah An-Noor: 24 :19] Let us recognize our reality and let us be humble servants. As has been aptly said: “Allah has created you from dust, Hence O bondsman, Adopt an attitude of meekness and humility like dust.” May Allah Ta’ala grant us the Taufeeq of sincere Taubah, or recognizing Him, of loving Him and being obedient to Him.

Haji Farooq Saheb ra senior Khalifa of Hadrat Maulana Maseehullah Saheb had mentioned, If a person visits a certain country and sees a beautiful plant, he may desire to take it home. However, there are certain aspects that are of concern to him. The first concern is, Will it grow in his country? There are certain plants that grow in one country but not in another country. The climate doesn’t allow growth. Secondly, Will he be permitted to import it? Certain countries have strict import regulations. Plants from other countries cannot be imported. Thirdly, Will he be able to transport the plants in a suitable manner? Fourthly, He has to finally dig a hole and plant it. He will then have to monitor the plant throughout the year. It shouldn’t get destroyed by the frost in winter; it should receive adequate water and sunshine during the year. He will also have to be careful that the children do not damage the plant whilst playing. Also, the owner could pass away before the plant grows fully. In the Hadith, Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is reported to have said Subhanallah is a plant in Jannat. If a person recites Subhanallah 33 times, he has planted 33 plants in Jannat. Similarly, if he recites Alhamdulillah 33 times or Allahu Akbar 34 times, which make up Tasbeeh-e-Fatima. How large is a tree in Jannat? ان فى الجنة شجرة يسير الراكب فى ظلها مائة عام لا يقطعها ولقاب قوس احدكم فى الجنة خير من الدنيا وما فيها (مشكوة) Verily, there is a tree in Jannat under which a rider will ride for one hundred years but he will unable to cover the distance of its shade; And most certainly (the space of) the width of one’s bow in Jannat is better than the world and its content. If we build a house on our plot in the world, the size of the plot decreases. However, the more trees a person plants by making the Zikr of Allah, the plots of Jannat increase in size.Tasbeeh-e-Fatima is a treasure from Allah. A treasure refers to a valuable item that one possesses yet he is unaware of it. Hadrat Fatima in spite of being the queen of the women of Jannat, used to personally carry out all the household chores to such an extent that she had blisters on her hand. Hadrat Ali informed her that some slaves have arrived (from the spoils of war), therefore she should request a slave from Rasulullah g to assist her in her household chores. She came to Rasulullah but could not present her request due to her modesty. This is a quality that is lost in the Ummah today. اذا فاتك الحياء فافعل ما شئت When modesty is lost, do as you desire. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was informed of Fatima’s arrival, so he went to her house and enquired of her reason for coming. An important lesson should be learnt here as well. The relationship between parents and children should be of this nature (parents should be concerned of their kids). She then presented her request to Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam who replied by saying, “if you wish, I will give you a slave, but it is better for you to personally carry out the household chores.” Once again, a great lesson for the womenfolk. Generally, we have maids working in our homes, and the housewife now has to go to the gym, recreational centres, etc. to keep fit. If the womenfolk carry out their household chores themselves, there will not be any need to attend the gyms, recreational centres, etc. Nevertheless, Rasulullah requested Hadrat Fatima to recite 33 times Subhanallah, 33 times Alhamdulillah and 34 times Allahu Akbar which is termed as Tasbeeh-e-Fatima. This would then serve as an energy booster. From the above, we understand that Zikrullah gives energy to a person. Nowadays, we take a break when we are exhausted and fatigued. We go to a resort to re-vitalise, whereas the solution to our problem lies in the Zikr of Allah . We cannot get up for Fajr Salaah and we acknowledge our weakness, we cannot control our gazes, our anger is out of control, we are physically and spiritually weak, etc. the solution to these problems lie in Zikrullah. “Subhanallah” means that Allah is pure. When a person recites “Subhanallah”, Allah says, “I am pure whether you say that I’m pure or not, but I will now purify you.” “Alhamdulillah” means all praises belong to Allah . When one recites “Alhamdulillah”, Allah says, All praises belong to Me whether you praise Me or not but I will now make people praise you.” “Allahu-Akbar” means Allah is the greatest. When one recites “Allahu-Akbar” then Allah says, “I am the greatest whether you attest to it or not but I will now make people honour and respect you.” We say that we are not worthy of respect, thus do not respect me. This is a statement uttered by foolish people. Respect is necessary for system to remain intact in the world. If there isn’t any system in our home, classroom, masjid, etc. there would be chaos. Previously we had to scrub, then polish, then shine. Nowadays, scientists have invented a polish that scrubs, shines and polishes which is three in one. Similarly the Zikr of Allah will cleanse the heart of a person, polish it and finally goodness will come into a person. Tasbeeh-e-Fatima should be recited after every Salaah and before retiring to bed. By doing so, a person will recite it six hundred times, allowing him to plant six hundred trees in Jannat. Hadrat Ibrahim u informed Rasulullah g on the occasion of Mi’raaj that Jannat is a barren land, the plants of Jannat are, “Subhanallah”, “Alhamdulillah”, Allahu-Akbar.” Reciting this Tasbeeh (of Fatima ) barely takes a minute, thus it should be part of our daily practice. This Zikr is a medicine that can be purchased over the counter; one does not require a prescription. In other words we can all act upon it. May Allah grant us the Taufeeq to practice. Ameen! http://jamiat.org.za/blog/tasbeeh-e-fatimi/

Deal with your ego In order to make your marriage work, you should try to cut down on your desires, deal with your ego and stop criticizing on small things that are not part of the bigger picture. You can't expect the person to change for you and expect the impossible from them. Even with very little common ground, you can achieve happiness, if that is what you are aiming for. You have to look at your self. Are your desires a mere want or a necessity. Are your desires driven by your ego or by your intellect. Are what you want realistic. Are you willing to offer as much as you ask? Often times the ego is the centre of all problems. Change your ego, change your future, and increase your happiness.

Patience is your friend Know, that the beginning of the path is patience, and its end is thankfulness. Its beginning is difficulty, and its end is bliss. Its beginning is toil and weariness, and its end is opening, unveiling and arrival at the ultimate goal which is gnosis of God, arrival to Him, being comforted by Him, and standing in His noble presence. The one who makes gracious patience the foundation of all his affairs turns to every goodness, reaches everything that he hopes for, and wins all that he seeks. How can you lay claim to faith, when you have no patience at all. Surely you must have heard the saying of the prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him “Patience is to faith, as the head is to the body." Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jilani(ra)

Are you in an abusive relationship? Seek help. You can do it! We had our first argument last night, and he said a lot of cruel things that really hurt me. I know he is sorry and didn't mean the things he said, because he sent me flowers today. I got flowers today. It wasn't our Anniversary or any other special day. Last night he threw me into a wall and started to choke me. It seemed like A nightmare, I couldn't believe it was real. I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over. I know he must be sorry cause he sent me flowers today. I got flowers today, and it wasn't mother's day or any other special day. Last night, he beat me up again, it was much worse than all the other times. If I leave him, what will I do? How will I take care of my kids? What about money? I'm afraid of him and scared to leave. But I know he must be sorry because he sent me flowers today. I got flowers today. Today was a very special day. It was the day of my funeral. Last night, he finally killed me. He beat me to death. If only I had gathered enough courage to leave him, I would not have gotten flowers Today. Please share this on, to your brothers and sisters. It will open the eyes of brothers who are abusing their wives and it will grant courage to sisters who are experiencing abuse so that they may speak up and reach out for help. May Allah help those who are struggling, and may He give us the courage to act when we must. Ameen!

Shaytan refused to prostrate only once, and became the accursed one. So how about the human who refuses to prostrate for days, or years?

Oh Allah ! I told You I’m in pain You said: “do not despair of the mercy of Allah.” (Al-Quran 39:53) I told You nobody knows what is in my heart You said: “Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Al-Quran 13:28) I told You many people hurt me You said: “So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them” (Al-Quran 3:1) I told You I feel I’m alone... You said: “We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.” (Al-Quran 50:16) I told You my sins are so many You said: “and who can forgive sins except Allah?” (Al-Quran 3:135) I told You do not leave me You said: “So remember Me; I will remember you.” (Al-Quran 2:152) I told You I’m facing a lot of difficulties in life You said: “And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out.” (Al-Quran 65:2) I told You oh Lord ! I need hope You said: “Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.” (Al-Quran 94:6) I told You I have many dreams You said: “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” (Al-Quran 40:60) I told You to give me just little but for sure, Oh my Rabb! You Are The Best, you gave me everything.. Alhamdulillah.. And Now May I, Oh Allah, be among those who have succeeded.. Allahumma Ameen!

MashAllah great idea.

There are two kinds of true victory. Neither one includes material wealth, which is fleeting and ultimately meaningless: “Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” - Quran 16:96 ... The first true victory is spiritual success. That is recognizing Allah’s guidance, following it, sticking to it, and being grateful for it. It’s a victory because it helps us to live lives of meaning and purpose, and to be peaceful and patient. The second victory is Jannah (Paradise), and that is the ultimate achievement. Sometimes we experience a victory in life and we clearly recognize it. Other times we may achieve a milestone of success and not even realize it, because it comes veiled in pain or loss. We must trust that Allah’s promise is true, and that victory belongs to the believers in this life and the next. Take heart, and don’t fear. Allah’s victory is near, even when we don’t see it. Allah is merciful to us and He wants good for us. Have a good opinion of Allah, and let your faith in Him be strong and ever renewed, like the well of Zamzam that never runs dry, or the waves of the sea that keep coming and coming, day and night. “By the time, Indeed, mankind is in loss; Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” – Quran Surah 103 (Al-Asr)

The greatest blessings. To love Allah, to know Him intimately, to remember Him constantly, to find peace and rest in Him, to make Him alone the [ultimate] object of love, fear, hope and trust; to base one’s act on His control of His servant’s cares, aspirations and will - such is the world’s Heaven, and such is a blessing with which NO other blessing can compare.

“Don’t think of the trials in your life (‘balaa’) as just a ‘test’ in the human form. Allah is not like a professor who hands you a test, moves away and just watches from afar to see how you’ll do. Allah is our murabee—the One who raises us with more mercy than a mother raises a child. The Prophet (pbuh) tells us that when Allah wills good for someone, he sends them ‘balaa’ (trials or tests). When...… Allah wills good for us, He purifies us. That is why each person is tested in what they love most. In other words our greatest possible ‘competitor’ in our love for God is what is withheld or must be sacrificed. This is the purification process because it cures the heart of competitors. Why was Prophet Ibrahim (AS) asked to slaughter the most beloved thing to him? Did Allah actually want him to *kill* his son? No. He didn’t kill his son. He killed the attachment. By being willing to sacrifice what he loved most, he had slaughtered any possible competing love. Allah was raising him, purifying him and elevating him. Allah tell us, “By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give (freely) of that which you love.” (3:92)”

http://www.4shared.com/mp3/ZMGkIuxv/Allah-swt-Ki-Sarparasti-Apnaan.html