ummtaalib

Question Are woman allowed to cut their hair and colour it black? Answer In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh 1) It is not permissible for women to cut their hair. The illustrious Fuqahaa have mentioned that if a woman cuts her hair she will be sinful and worthy of curse, even in the case where her husband desires for her to do so. وفيه : قطعت شعر رأسها أثمت ولعنت زاد في البزازية وإن بإذن الزوج لأنه لا طاعة لمخلوق في معصية الخالق ، ولذا يحرم على الرجل قطع لحيته ، والمعنى المؤثر التشبه بالرجال (Darrul Mukhtar, Vol. 6, P. 407, HM Saeed) The above ruling is also supported by the following Hadith: Abdullah Ibn Amr (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrated that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) prohibited free women from cutting their hair up to the shoulders. عن عبد الله بن عمرو قال : « نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم عن الجمة للحرة والعقيصة للأمة » (Al-Mu'jam Al-Sagheer Li Tabraani) 2) It is not permissible for men and women to dye their hair black. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) has said: قال رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « يكون قوم يخضبون فى آخر الزمان بالسواد كحواصل الحمام لا يريحون رائحة الجنة ». "There will be people who come later in time who will apply dye that is black like the stomachs of pigeons; those people will not get to smell the fragrance of paradise." (Sunan Abi Dawud, Vol. 2, P. 222, HM Saeed) However, it is permissible to dye the hair any other color as long as it is not for the purpose of following modern-day fashion. It is a sunnah to use mehndi to dye the hair red. ( اختضب لأجل التزين للنساء والجواري جاز ) في الأصح ويكره بالسواد (Darrul Mukhtar, Vol. 6, P. 756, HM Saeed) أما بالحمرة ، فهو سنة الرجال و سيما المسلمين (Raddul Muhtar, Vol. 6, P. 756, HM Saeed) (Fatawa Mahmudiyya, Vol. 19, P. 454, Faruqiyya) And Allah knows best Wassalam Ml. Asif Umar, Student Darul Iftaa Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah http://askimam.org/public/question_detail/16450

'AbAbu 'Ali, a man from Banu Kaalil, said, "Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari addressed us and said, "O people! Fear this shirk as it is more hidden than a crawling ant." 'Abdullah ibn Hazm and Qays bin al-Madaarib both stood and said, "By Allah! You should clarify what you have said, otherwise we shall bring 'Umar with authority on our behalf or without it". He then said, "Rather I will explain to you what I said. Allaah's Messenger (saw) addressed us one day and said, "O People! Fear this shirk as it is more hidden than a crawling ant." Then someone whom Allaah had willed to speak said: " And how shall we save ourselves from it when it is more hidden than a crawling ant, O Messenger of Allaah?" . He said, "Say "Allahumma inni a`udhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana a`lamu wa astaghfiruka lima la a`lamu" [O Allah I seek refuge in You from knowingly associating partners with You, and I seek Your forgiveness for that which I do not know] .

Riyaa' is when one intends to gain the people's pleasure when drawing close to Allah Tala. It is action of the heart and not the action of the tongue. For example: One can draw closer to Allah Tala in worships ('Ibadaat) or many other things. So the one who prolongs his prostration so that people can see him is showing off. The one who writes an article so that people say he is a scholar is showing off. The one who gives a lecture to impress the people is showing off. The one who gives a khutbah so people say he is a good khateeb is showing off. The one who wears rags so people say he is simple is showing off. The one who grows a beard and wears jalbiyya so people say he is following sunah is showing off. The one who walks with head down so people think he is pious is showing off. The one who carries a small copy of the Quran and reads it in public to show people is showing off. We live in a reality where there is no shame in showing off, rather the great majority of Muslims are naive and unaware of its reality and rules. Riyaa is not discovered by anyone except Allah Tala, even the one who is doing it at times is not aware of it unless he enjoys Khalis Ikhlaas.Riyaa (showing off) is absolutly forbidden. Ibn Majah and al-Bayhaqi reported wiht a hasan isnad on the authority of abu Saeed al-khudri that Prophet (saw) said when he saw them talking about the Maseeha ad-dajjal, he said: "shall I not inform you what i I fear of you more than the Maseeh ud-Dajjal? we said: Yes, Oh Messanger of Allah! he said: It is the hidden Shirk, which is when a man stands up for prayer, then beautifies his prayer for because of another man is looking (at him)." in Another hadith the prophet (saw) said: " A little showing off (riyaa') is shirk." The Riyaa of shirk invalidates the action . Ahmed reported on the authority of Ubay b. Ka'ab with a hasan Isnad tha the prophet (saw) said: "Give good tidings to this ummah of splendor, high ranks, victory and strengthening. Whoever of them worked the deeds of Akhirah for the sake of the world , he would not have any share/reward in the akhirah." Riyaa` is shirk, Allah Tala will ignore the action done out of Riyaa' to the one who associates partners with Allah Tala (shirk), he Allah Tala on the day of judgement will ask the one who does Riyaa, ask for Riyaa from the Shareek (partner one associated with Allah) ie the one for whom the action was done to please other than Allah Tala. Trick of Shaytan with Riya to lessen our Ibadah In between our effort to avoid riya(show off) beware of the Devils whispers! For Example: In between the prayer the Shaytan will try to convince us to shorten the prayer, misguiding us with the reason of Riya. Also when we are about to post a good article, the Shaytan will wishper 'Dont do it people might think you are a show off'. Do not leave an Ibadah inorder to avoid Riya, but instead do more of it, just be sincere and keep in mind that we do it ONLY to please Allah ta'ala. So we have to be careful of both things: 1. Avoid riya(show off) 2. Do not avoid doing good deed for the fear of Riya. Riya is a double edged sword indeed. There is a technique to avoid riya ,which i have heard from an imam, to avoid both of it in one go. Whenever you are in situation when you have to do Ibadat(like salath or giving zakat) while there are people around you, just go ahead and do it while considering that you are surrounded by camels instead of people. In that way we can avoid Riya(showing off) and also will we be saved from decreasing the good deeds in the fear of showing off. The trick is not to care about what others think about your Imaan or good deeds. All that matters is what Allah (swt) thinks of us. Dua against riya. 'AbAbu 'Ali, a man from Banu Kaalil, said, "Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari addressed us and said, "O people! Fear this shirk as it is more hidden than a crawling ant." 'Abdullah ibn Hazm and Qays bin al-Madaarib both stood and said, "By Allah! You should clarify what you have said, otherwise we shall bring 'Umar with authority on our behalf or without it". He then said, "Rather I will explain to you what I said. Allaah's Messenger (saw) addressed us one day and said, "O People! Fear this shirk as it is more hidden than a crawling ant." Then someone whom Allaah had willed to speak said: " And how shall we save ourselves from it when it is more hidden than a crawling ant, O Messenger of Allaah?" . He said, "Say "Allahumma inni a`udhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana a`lamu wa astaghfiruka lima la a`lamu" [O Allah I seek refuge in You from knowingly associating partners with You, and I seek Your forgiveness for that which I do not know] . source: sunniforum.com

The works of Shah Waliullah Hazrat Shah Waliullah was born in Delhi on the 21 st of February 1703 A.D. His father, Shah Abdur Rahman was a great scholar and a mystic. He took special pain in the education and the training of his son. At the special age of 15, Hazrat Shah Waliullah had completed his education and then became a disciple (mureed) of his father who gave him spiritual training. When he was 17, his father died, for 12 years he taught in the fashion of his father. Twice he performed the Hajj pilgrimage. He attained a certificate of Proficiency in Hadith from the famous scholar, Shaikh Abu Tahir Bin Ibrahim of Madina, when he was in Arabia, the marhatta turmoid was at its height and his friends advised Hazrat Shah Waliullah to stay in Arabia. As such he left Arabia in 1145 AH and reached Delhi on 14 Rajab 1145 AH. On reaching Delhi, he devoted most of his time in writing books and to preaching in public meetings. The teaching activity was limited to the lessons of Hadith. The political and the moral degeneration of the Muslims had tremendous effects on the sensitive thinking mind of Hazrat Shah Waliullah. His famous book “Al-Tafheematul llahia” minutely pen points all the various defects, shortcomings and vices, which had taken roots in various sections of the Muslims. His aim, metaphorically speaking, was to destroy the rotten moral buildings and to reconstruct a new mansion over it. He bluntly wrote in one of his writings “I have arrived to destroy every old in region at present. The most monumental task he performed was to translate the Quran from Arabic to Persian which was the language spoken by the Muslims at that time in India. His aim was that educated Muslims may have access to the Quran without depending on the scholars who had opposed his reformatory measures. The short sighted ullama gathered and wanted to kill him for his sin of translating the Quran from Arabic to Persian but he continued with his task till he completed it. This task was appreciated by Allah so much so that the Quran is translated to many languages. Apart from the Holy Quran, Shah Waliullah also wrote authentic books on Hadith, the principles of Hadith, Tafseer and on mystical subjects. But the most popular book of “Hujatul Baligdh”. This book explains how Islam was found suitable for all races, cultures and people of the world and how successfully it solves social, moral, economic and political problems of human beings. He died in Delhi on the year 1176 AH corresponding to 1762 AD, behind the central jail. There is a vast ground and a graveyard known popularly as “Mehindin Kakhitta” which contains in it the grave of Shah Waliullah and his progeny. Hazrat Shah Waliullah was fortunate of having children who were great scholars and god-fearing men like himself. His eldest son Shah Abdul Aziz was born in 1159 AH and died in 1238 AH corresponding to 1823 AD. At the age of 17 he had become an accomplished scholar and began teaching like his father. For 60 years, he continued teaching and preaching Islam. The blessing of his knowledge reached every corner of the Indian sub-continent. Because of his versatile genius he was giving the title “Ayatullah”, a sign of God. The second of Shah Waliullah Rafi-uddin. He was born in 1163 AH and died in 1233 AH. His scholarly qualities may well be judged from the fact that when Shah Abdul Aziz had become to teach he passed on his responsibilities to Shah Rafi. Among the work of Shah Rafi his urdu translation of the Holy Quran. The third son of Shah Sahib was Shah Abdul Qadir who was born in 1162 AH and died in 1230 AH. He was also a big scholar by his nature, he loved solitude, and he spent his whole life in a secluded room of Akbar Badi mosque. He did not much attend to literary writings, however, his urdu translation under the title of “Mozih ul Quran” was his monumental achievement which is recognised by scholarly circles. His fourth son was Abdul Ghani. He was a saintly person. His son Shah Ismail Shaheed was a unique personality who had combined in himself all virtues of scholarly and mystical personalities. In short, due to sincere and dedicated efforts of Shah Waliullah and his family the illustrious banner of Islam kept flying over the Indian sub continent despite the decline and fall of the Mughal empire. In Spain, the faith of Islam disappeared with disappearance of the Muslim rule. Many Muslims were killed and many were converted to Christianity. In India however the intention of the British Government did not realize and Muslim India did not convert to the faith of the ruling people despite missionary efforts of the British Government who spent millions of pounds on missionary activities and arranged lectures, debates and seminars to propagate their faith. The failure of the British Government in converting Muslim India was due to the dedicated efforts of Hazrat Shah Waliullah and his noble family. http://www.inter-islam.org/Biographies/biographydex.htm

When you are hurt by the people who share blood relations with you, recall Yusuf [alayhis salaam] who was also betrayed by his brothers. When you find your parents opposing you (in deen) recall Ibraheem [alayhis salaam] who was made to jump into a blazing fire by his father. When you are mocked and abused by your own relatives just because you adopted deen over duniya, recall Rasul Allah [sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam] who faced the same. When you are stuck into some problem and find no way out recall Yunus [alayhis salaam] who was stuck inside the belly of a whale. When you fall ill and your whole body cries with pain, recall Ayoob [alayhi salaam] who was more ill than you. When someone slanders you, recall 'Aysha [radiallahu anhaa] who was also slandered throughout the city. When you feel lonely recall how Adam [alayhis salaam] felt when he was created alone at first. When you can't see any logic in what's going on and your heart asks why this is happening, recall Nooh [alayhis salaam] who built the biggest ship without questioning. Subhan Allah! Allah put all those great personalities in trial so that the generations to follow may learn a lesson in patience and perseverance. May Allah swt include us among His patient and grateful servants. Ameen! Lesson of the Day http://hubbeilahi.blogspot.co.uk/

A true friend is one who shares your joy And one who is with you in times of uncertainty. It is one who wipes your tears away in grief And who cares for you sincerely. It is one who never turns away from you, And bears all your faults patiently. It is one who reveals to others what is favourable to you, And conceals your bad side protectively. It is one who is extremely generous and kind, But will rebuke you gently when necessary. It is one who helps you up when you slip and fall, And holds on to you till you walk steadily. A friend you could rely on for everything, On whom, night and day, you could turn to trustingly. Can anyone be such a friend, One who, despite your faults, always looks on lovingly and compassionately? We search for such a friend far and wide, Constantly and endlessly, But if only we look carefully, we would find one closer to us than our jugular vein, One who will be there for us eternally!

A brief guide (22 pages) provided by MBCOL (Leicester). This booklet is a guide on what to do when a Muslim dies. It has been compiled with the help of an 'Aalimah (a female scholar) who held practical demonstrations of the bathing and shrouding for sisters on several occassions due to demand. Introduction Grief is the most painful of all human experiences and can bring about stronger emotions than perhaps you have ever felt. It is the process, which allows people to grieve and come to terms with the loss and resulting change in their lives. Grief is a very personal and individual experience and is comprised not of just one feeling, but of many. However, though we may experience different feelings at different times, grief usually follows a general, recognisable pattern. After a loss such as bereavement, the initial response is one of numbness and disbelief. Different people react in different ways and even if death occurred after a long ailment you may feel cold, numb, empty and the situation unreal for a time. You may experience anger, panic, guilt and sadness. This may also be accompanied by periods of restlessness, especially at night when it is difficult to sleep. You may react by becoming irritable or critical of yourself and others, which can lead to feelings of despair. All these are natural reactions to bereavement and it should not be assumed that you cannot cope any more. Muslims believe in the inevitability of death of the human body and not the end of the spirit but the beginning of the life hereafter, which is everlasting. Death must therefore be accepted and dealt with in a dignified manner and according to the rulings of the Islamic Shariah. Practices Following Death & an Insight on Arranging a Muslim Funeral.pdf

The Maktab The Lifeblood of the community It is an indisputable fact that the Ummah is currently passing through a phase of Jaahiliyyah (ignorance). The global onslaught upon the Ummah is on many fronts. However, the most dangerous and unfortunately the most effective is the silent battle that is waged on the hearts and minds of our innocent children. The battle is waged with smiling faces, alluring fashions, deceptive articles and even “exciting” toys which leave subtle messages in the hearts of children. Eventually, Muslim children with Muslim names but western hearts and minds grow up without any spirit of Islam in their lives. Apart from a few practices which they perform in a ritualistic manner, their lives centre on materialism and chasing “fun.” The true purpose of our existence in this earth is then completely lost. Thus it is imperative that we recognise the harm of this battle that is being waged on the hearts and minds of the Ummah. Having recognised it, steps must be taken to safeguard ourselves and our children from the onslaught. One of the most vital efforts in this regard is the effort of the Makaatib. It has become the means of stemming the tide of kufr in many parts of the world. Indeed, it is only by inculcating the awareness of Allah Ta’ala together with a sound knowledge of at least the fundamentals of Deen that will serve as a protection for our children. In the current conditions of fitnah and fasaad (mischief and corruption), lack of Deeni knowledge, Taqwa and a general mindset of materialism, the role of the primary Madarasah, The Maktab has become more important and vital than ever before. In numerous countries of the world, and indeed in our own country, the Makaatib have become a means of saving the Imaan of thousands and reversing the tide of Irtidaad (reneging from Islam). It is not possible to fully appreciate the fundamental function that these Makaatib fulfill in watering the seeds of Imaan which will later flourish, Insha Allah. Every parent should regard it as his/her incumbent duty to find a suitable maktab for their child to attend daily. Parents should be firm on sending their children to learn the Qur-aan as well as other basic tenets of Deen. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians 223 Alpine Road, Overport, Durban

By Khalid Baig "Say O People of the Book! Exceed not in your religion the bounds of (what is proper), trespassing beyond the truth. Nor follow the vein desires of people who went wrong in times gone by, --- who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the even Way." [Al-Maidah, 5:77] Both Muslims and serious Christians can learn a lot from Christmas, the annual celebration of the victory of paganism over the religion of Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ), alayhi salam. No one disputes that the event and all its symbols came from pagan religions; it has nothing to do with the birth or teachings of Jesus Christ. For one thing, no one knows with certainty the date of birth of Jesus Christ. "In fact, dates in almost every month in the year were suggested by reputable scholars at one time or another," notes The American Book of Days. For another, the celebration of birthdays is itself a pagan idea, never promoted by any Prophet or Book of God, including the Bible. Early Church leaders opposed it strongly. As late as 245 CE African Church father and philosopher Origen wrote that it was sinful even to contemplate observing Jesus's birthday `as though he were a King Pharaoh."[The American Book of Days]. But the pagan world did have prayers and celebrations during the winter season. Those who worshipped the sun god because of its apparent power, used to become concerned about the fate of their god, in a world of many gods, as days became shorter and air very cold. It looked like the sun was being defeated by the god of snow that brought death and misery with it. "... in Rome, the sun in its winter solstice was at its weakest on December 25 and had to be born anew with the help of bonfires, lights, processions and prayer." [Reader's Digest Book of Christmas]. The Roman pagan celebration was called Saturnalia. The Persians also had similar celebrations for Mithras, their sun god. The evergreens, holly, ivy, and mistletoe plants, which remained green even during this wintertime, were similarly considered by the pagans to have magical powers. The Druids, whose Stonehenge temples can be seen in England, regarded mistletoe with reverence and used to burn it in sacrifice during the solstitial festivities. They also used to hang it in their houses. When you don't know the One True God, even leaves and plants can become god. They thought it brought good luck, fertility, and protection from witchcraft, and was an antidote to poison. Mistletoe is used even today, although the U.N. might consider banning it if the fertility claim proves true! In 1822 a Dr. Clement Moore, professor of divinity, wrote a poem titled "The visit of St. Nicholas." The poem became popular and Santa Claus was born. The reason for popularity? "... the time was ripe. A myth was needed, and the recreation of `old Christmas' was well in the wind."[William Sanson, A Book of Christmas]. Some decades later The New York Sun answered an 8 year old's question: Is there a Santa Claus? The answer has become classic and is worth noting. "Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see." So Santa Claus is divine, and judging from the Christmas celebrations, certainly more important than Jesus Christ himself. Early church leaders wanted to Christianize the pagan festivities, but their operating principle became: When you can't beat them, join them. For as Pope Gregory declared in 601 CE, "... from obdurate minds it is impossible to cut off everything at once." It was a license for another pearl of "wisdom": When in Rome, do as the Romans do. And so they did. First slowly and then rapidly. The Son of God replaced the sun god. Saturnalia was replaced by the ceremony for Christ or Christ Mass, which later became Christmas. For several centuries it was solely a church anniversary, observed by religious services. "At Christmas, men and women were not, repeat not, to dress up or mime; there were not to be auguries, such as superstitions about fire; houses were not to be decorated, no presents given, no well-laden tables, and a strict watch was to be kept on drink." But false religion drives out true religion. Consider Christmas gifts, a carryover from the Roman practice of giving dolls as gift in lieu of their earlier barbaric custom of offering human sacrifices. "The early Church frowned on gift giving as a pagan custom. But the people enjoyed it too much to abandon it, and so finally the Church accepted the idea and sanctioned it." [barbara Rinkoff, The Family Christmas Book]. Evergreens? "The early church forbade the use of them, but here again the custom was too deeply rooted and the ban was ignored. Finally the church accepted the use of evergreens for decoration." And on and on. Now consider this portrait of Saturnalia and contrast it with the original don'ts mentioned above: "... a fortnight of near riot, of drunkenness, noise and games, naked slaves singing, men dressing up as animals and behaving with less dignity, sex, often with perversion." [Reader's Digest Book of Christmas]. Anyone can see which picture represents today's Christmas more closely. With the advent of Capitalism, the old pagans got a new supporter in the form of the adman. George Bernard Shaw observed: "Christmas is forced on a reluctant ... nation by...shopkeepers and the press." This is how they can serve God, and make money at the same time. This in itself is a pagan idea and it is alive and well today. This defeat of Christianity at the hands of paganism must be contrasted with Islam's resounding victory over it. Before Islam, Arabia was a pagan country--big time. But none of the pagan customs survived after Islam. None whatsoever. There was no such thing as `the people wanted it very much so the church allowed it.' Islam completely eradicated not only the beliefs but also the practices and the symbols of paganism. This in itself is a miracle that serious students of comparative religions must reflect upon. Here is a living proof of the authenticity of the last Messenger, Salla-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. The success continued throughout the centuries. The secret of this great success lies in what Stuart Brown (The Nearest in Affection, see book review), deplores as Muslim "antipathy to innovation." The first Khalifah, Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu, had declared in his first address as the new ruler, that he was a follower not an innovator, thereby setting the tone for all successors. Throughout Islamic history there have been attempts to introduce bida (innovation) as innocent good practices, but unlike Christianity, there have always been rightly guided ulema who fought them strongly. The struggle continues today. Yes, Muslims can learn from Christmas. Those of us who may be wondering what is wrong with Milad Nabi celebrations may do well to realize that Christmas also started as Milad for Jesus Christ.

Words of Worth Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafizahullah) 1. Any good that exists in the heart will make its effect apparent, just as a bottle of musk emits its fragrance. 2. Whenever doing anything - good or bad - think to yourself that it may be your last action. 3. It is not possible to aim without a target, so make Allāh your target and then aim. 4. Never delay in securing du‘ās from three people: your parents, your shaykh and your teachers. 5. Dīn is not about doing things to please yourself; Dīn is about pleasing Allah. Read more: http://www.at-tazkiy...words_worth.pdf

Q. At what age should infants be weaned off breastmilk? (Query published as received) A. Infants should be weaned off breast milk by the time they reach the age of two (lunar) years. And Allah Knows Best Mufti Suhail Tarmahomed Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Question my question is weather pictures are haram in islam i know drawing eyes is haram but if i use a camera and took pictures with that be considered as haram please can you varifiy weather i am allowed to take pictures or not Answer In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh During the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم there existed various ways of producing a picture; e.g. carving, painting, tracing, drawing, etc. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم prohibited all these different types of pictures. In other words, the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم declared that pictures are prohibited and not the means of taking the photo. The ruling of picture-making does not change by the changing of the tool with which the picture is produced. The invention of a camera merely marks yet another method of taking a photo. In order to understand this further it is essential that you understand the definition of a photograph. The Oxford Dictionary defines the term ‘photograph’ thus, “a picture taken by means of the chemical action of light on a sensitive film.” The American heritage dictionary has defined it as “An image, especially a positive print, recorded by a camera and reproduced on a photosensitive surface.” The Websters revised unabridged dictionary, “A picture or likeness obtained by photography.” These citations prove that a photograph is a picture (and not a mere reflection). Therefore, they will fall in the ambit of the explicit prohibition which is found in numerous authentic Ahadith. And Allah knows best Wassalam Ml. Ismail Moosa, Student Darul Iftaa Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah http://askimam.org/p...on_detail/17346

wish we could be like this!!

According to Dr ‘Abdul Hayy ‘Aarifi, out of the many deeds to do with the inward state which should be acquired under the supervision of a qualified Shaykh, four of them form the basis of Tasawwuf and they are the very moving spirit and foundation of the Faith as a whole. They are easy to practice under all conditions whether on the go or in relaxation and very effective if one acquires constancy in them. Many evil characteristics will automatically become weakened and many good traits will be strengthened. الشُّكْر Gratitude From the moment you wake up look around and acknowledge every blessing, whether worldly or religious and express gratitude and make a resolution of using that blessing in the correct way. Even in adversity, cast a glance at the blessings which surround you despite being undeserving. Gratitude generates love for Allah and relationship with Him is strengthened اَللّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَلَكَ الشُّكْرُ Allaahumma lakal hamdu walakash shukr All praise belongs to Allah. O Allah, for You is all praise and for You, all gratitude ********** الصَّبْرPatience Allah puts man to tests to show the strength of his belief. The inward deed of patience is hard but crucial. To believe that all distress, grief, hardship etc are from Allah and that there is wisdom and mercy in it is a fast working treatment for the shock and for attaining peace of mind and heart in trying circumstances. For patience Allah has promised His company by saying “We are with the patient” اِنَّا لِلهِ وَاِنَّآ اِلَيْهِ راجِعُوْنَ Innaa lillaahi wainnaa ilayhi raaji’oon To Allah we belong and to Him we are sure to return ********** الْاِسْتِغْفار Repentance The human heart is under constant pressure from urges of sinning. How many sins do we commit knowingly and unknowingly? Immediately turn to Allah with regret and remorse and beg forgiveness and have the black spot of sin removed permanently. اَللّهُمَّ اغْفِرْلى Allaahummagh firlee O Allah, forgive me ********** الاِسْتِعاضَةSeeking Allah’s Protection Seeking protection from the unforeseen is just as important whether it be seeking protection from calamities or from sinning, i.e. matters relating to one’s life in this world or one’s faith and the Hereafter. One is often assailed with fears and one should immediately turn to Allah and ask for His protection. لاحَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّهِ لا مَلْجَأَ وَلا مَنْجَأّ مِنَ اللهِ اِلآّ اِلَيْهِ Laa hawla walaa quwwaata illaa billaahi, laa malja-a walaa manja-a minallaahi illaa ilayhi There is no might (to guarantee safety against evil) and there is no power (to help acquire anything good) except with the help of Allah. There is nowhere to go and there is no refuge from Allah unless it be toward Him ********** From “A Daily Program of Dhikr and Du’a” by Dr. Muhammad ‘Abdul Hayy ‘Aarifi

Sheikh Saadi (Rahmatullah ‘alayh) mentions a beautiful story, in his Bustaan, of a raindrop which fell from a spring cloud. Seeing the magnitude and vast expanse of the ocean, it was ashamed. Reflecting and introspecting, it thought : “Where am I next to the sea ? Compared with it, I am extinct. I am nothing.” In its contemplative and pensive mood, it regarded itself with an eye of disdain. Whilst doing so, an oyster surfaced from the ocean and took the raindrop within the haven of its care. Destiny then shaped its course that eventually the raindrop became a renowned Royal pearl. For its humility and humbleness, it found itself exalted. Its annihilation, made it existent.

In Mathnawi Mawlana Jalal uddin Rumi (Allah have mercy on him) gives an excellent example to encourage us to give up all that is sinful right now. The sinful desires are like seeds of a humongous, foul smelling, full of thorns and fruitless tree. If one follows them and commits the sin it is like watering the seed. It germinates and grows in the middle of a path. If one continues to follow his desires the seedling gets nutrition. It becomes a sapling and eventually a tree. The leaves, branches and roots spread. And the tree is firmly ‘rooted’. Being in the middle of a path it is a major obstacle. Removing it now is not easy. It requires special equipment and expertise. It would have been very easy to remove the seedling. Similarly, by giving into sinful desires we nurtures the lower self (nafs) and it becomes stronger each day. We may fool himself ourselves with lame excuses, like it is lesser of the two evils, or it is a norm to do these things nowadays, or it is a phase it will pass, or I will give it up after I graduate or get married or have children, etc. We procrastinate. With each passing day the tree of sinful desires (nafs) grows strong, whereas as the sinful individual gets older, loosing the mental sharpness, the emotional vigor and the physical strength as part of the natural aging process.. We have to be wise and not delay. It is easier to give up sins right now. http://www.ashrafiya.com/2012/05/23/stop-watering-it-and-root-it-up/

Why a Shaykh? “Take the example of a person who wants to lose weight. In the initial weeks, with self motivation at its peak, he will exercise regularly, follow a special diet and do all the necessary things required to achieve his objective. However, after a few weeks once the initial motivation wanes, he will return to his old ways and will end up as he started, with no long term benefit whatsoever. In contrast, if this person had taken professional advice from the outset, he would have been able to set a timetable and develop a manageable action plan under expert guidance. This in conjunction with the continued supervision of the dietician would have resulted in long term benefit and success in his objective. This is precisely the example of the relationship between a shaykh and a murīd. A murīd will find great difficulty in purifying his soul and acquiring the recognition of Allāh ta’ala by himself. Thus he needs someone to slowly – but surely – guide him and take him along the path that leads to soul rectification and the recognition of Allāh ta’ala. That someone is the Shaykh.” Courtesy of In Shaykh's Company: a blog maintained by the students of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah www.shaykh.org

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She then pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied. She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, Mother?” Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity – boiling water – but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were put in the boiling water, they had changed the water with colour and a beautiful aroma. “Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?” The egg, the carrot, and the coffee all went through the same trial: hot water. And yet, they each reacted differently, the inside of the egg hardened, the carrot softened altogether, and the coffee turned the water into something purely delicious. The same concept applies to us, to what happens to us when we go through our own hot water, don’t you think? We all are going through trials of our own, but only we can decide if we will weaken and loose our courage and strength altogether – like the carrot, or have our hearts harden, and turn cold – like the egg, or to change the situation itself instead of wallowing in the misery of it, choose to improve the circumstances, and revise the entire environment itself – like the coffee. How do you handle adversity? When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level? Are you changed by your surroundings or do you bring life and flavor to them? http://idealwoman.org/2012/be-firm-and-prevail/

Once a boy went to a shop with his mother. The shop keeper looked at the small cute child and showed him a bottle with sweets and said ‘Dear Child, you can take some of these sweets. But the child didn’t take any of them. The shop keeper was surprised, such a small child he is and why is he not taking the sweets from the bottle. Again he said take the sweets. This time the mother also heard that and said… beta take the sweets. Yet he still didnt take any. The shopkeeper seeing the child not taking the sweets, himself took the sweets and gave to them to the child. The child was happy to get two hands full of sweets. When they returned back home, Mother asked the child, “Why didnt you take the sweets, when shop keeper told you to take them, not once but twice?” Can you guess the response:- Child replies… Mom! my hands are very small and if i take the sweets I can only take a few, but now you see when the kind shop keeper gave with his big hands how many more sweets I got! Moral: When we take we may get little but when Allah gives… HE gives us more, beyond our expectations…more than what we can hold. Source: Haq Islam

This is a beautiful du’a for those of us who get angry quickly: اللّهُمَ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ ، وَأَذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قَلْبِيْ، وَأَجِرْنِيْ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ Allahummaghfirli dhanbi, wa adh-hib ghayza qalbi, wa ajirni min al-shaytan. O Allah, forgive my sins, remove the rage in my heart and protect me from the Shaytan. (Ibn al-Sunni, 622) http://www.zamzamacademy.com/2012/11/do-you-want-to-cure-your-anger-problem/

Who are the Blind Followers? By Maulana Abu Usama Ayyub. This book discusses the issue of taqleed and responds to attacks made against it. Written mostly in a question/answer form, it handles "difficult questions" on the subject in an easy to understand manner. Second, revised edition. From the publishers: Some of the issues tackled in this book are: What is the need for different madh-habs when there is one Quran and one Nabi? Why do only four Madh-habs exist? Can all four schools of jurisprudence be concurrently correct? If a man claims to be following the fiqh of Imam Bukhari, will he not be on the straight path? Explanation of taqlid through a practical example. Lists of distinguished scholars of Hadith, who lived in different centuries and hailed from various lands, that followed each of the four madh-habs. Is it correct to say "I am a Muhammadi - not a Hanafi/Shafi"? The book consists of twenty-five similar questions about taqlid. At the end of the book a summary has been presented of a debate between Albani and al-Buti. Thereafter, as an example of how easily people are misled, the issue of performing salah with short sleeves has been dealt with in detail. http://www.albalagh....=view&item=1372

A couple were once seated for meals. Suddenly a knock was heard at the door from a beggar standing outside. The husband in a fit of rage approached the beggar, scolded him and chased him away. As time passed it so happened that this wealthy man became poor. He lost his entire empire and eventually even ended up divorcing his wife. Life continued. She remarried and now was seated for meals with her new husband. Again a knock was heard at the door from a beggar. Her husband told her: “Take this food which was prepared for us and give it to the beggar outside.” She did as he instructed her but she returned crying. She replied: “The beggar outside was my previous husband.” Then she related to him the entire incident which transpired between her previous husband and his abuse to that beggar. Her new husband then told her: “By the qasm of Allah, I am that very same beggar.” (Al Mustatraf vol 1 pg 24) Lesson: If you have been blessed with prosperity and ease, never regard it as your achievement. Also, do not look down upon those who are less fortunate or treat them with pride and arrogance. Instead, be humble and grateful to Allah Ta’ala and treat His creation with compassion and kindness. Otherwise, the tables could turn. http://alhaadi.org.za/articles-publications/weekly-advice/1955-what-goes-around-comes-around-.html

QUESTION> I wish to ask, if we are allowed to pierce our belly button, eyebrows, or any part of our face... Is this allowed in Islam? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, The scholars agree that it is permissible for a woman to have her ears pierced to wear an earring since that was customary in the time of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace), and also because it is considered to be an adornment for women. Similarly they have even permitted the piercing of the nose as women in some communities do, for it is also considered a form of adornment in many Muslim communities. However, it would not be permissible to pierce the lip, belly button and other body parts since that is not considered the adornment for any decent women. Also, this is a fashion and trait of the vilest from the non-Muslims (kuffar), such as the celebrities and pop-icons, etc, thus it would be considered imitation of the non-believers, hence impermissible. Then there is also self torture involved here known as Muthla, and to inflict harm and torture upon one’s self is impermissible. Therefore, it would best be to avoid piercing the various parts of the body with the exception of the ears and nose. And Allah Knows Best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK

Q. What does Quran / Hadith say about performing Masah over socks? A. Assalāmu `alaikum Warahmatullāhi Wabrakatuh, Making masah on cotton socks is not permissible because they do not meet the requirements outlined by the jurists. One may make masah on leather socks with the relevant injunctions. ( قوله أو جوربيه ) الجورب لفافة الرجل قاموس ، وكأنه تفسير باعتبار اللغة ، لكن العرف خص اللفافة بما ليس بمخيط والجورب بالمخيط ونحوه الذي يلبس كما يلبس الخف شرح المنية ( قوله ولو من غزل أو شعر ) دخل فيه الجوخ كما حققه في شرح المنية وقال : وخرج عنه ما كان من كرباس بالكسر : وهو الثوب من القطن الأبيض ويلحق بالكرباس كل ما كان من نوع الخيط كالكتان والإبريسم ونحوهما وتوقف ح في وجه عدم جواز المسح عليه إذا وجد فيه الشروط الأربعة التي ذكرها الشارح وأقول : الظاهر أنه إذا وجدت فيه الشروط يجوز وأنهم أخرجوه لعدم تأتي الشروط فيه غالبا يدل عليه ما في كافي النسفي حيث علل جواز المسح على الجورب من كرباس بأنه لا يمكن تتابع المشي عليه فإنه يفيد أنه لو أمكن جاز ويدل عليه أيضا ما في ط عن الخانية أن كل ما كان في معنى الخف في إدمان المشي عليه وقطع السفر به ولو من لبد رومي يجوز المسح عليه - رد المحتار (1/499) دار المعرفة Masah should be made on the top section of the leather socks and not of the soles. The method of performing the masah is that after wetting the fingers, they should be placed in the front i.e. the toes. Place the fingers flat on the socks with the palms away from them. Thereafter, draw or pull the fingers towards the ankles. If the palms are also placed flat on the socks together with the fingers, it will be permissible. (Bahishti Zewar vol. 1, pg. 95) والسنة أن يخطه ( خطوطا بأصابع ) يد ( مفرجة ) قليلا ( يبدأ من ) قبل ( أصابع رجله ) متوجها ( إلى ) أصل ( الساق ) ومحله ( على ظاهر خفيه ) من رءوس أصابعه إلى معقد الشراك- الدر المختار (1/497) دار المعرفة ( قوله والسنة إلخ ) أفاد أن إظهار الخطوط ليس بشرط وهو ظاهر الرواية ، بل هو شرط السنة في المسح وكيفيته كما ذكره قاضي خان في شرح الجامع الصغير أن يضع أصابع يده اليمنى على مقدم خفه الأيمن وأصابع يده اليسرى على مقدم خفه الأيسر من قبل الأصابع ، فإذا تمكنت الأصابع يمدها حتى ينتهي إلى أصل الساق فوق الكعبين ؛ لأن الكعبين يلحقهما فرض الغسل ويلحقهما سنة المسح ، وإن وضع الكفين مع الأصابع كان أحسن هكذا روي عن محمد ا هـ بحرأقول : وظاهره أن التيامن فيه غيره مسنون كما في مسح الأذن وفي الحلية : والمستحب أن يمسح بباطن اليد لا بظاهرها ( قوله قليلا ) ذكره في البحر عن الخلاصة ( قوله ومحله ) زاده على المتن ، ليعلم أن ذلك شرط ( قوله على ظاهر خفيه ) قيد به إذ لا يجوز المسح على الباطن والعقب والساق درر - رد المحتار (1/497) دار المعرفة And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best Mufti Faizal Riza, Australia. Checked and Approved by, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. www.daruliftaa.net

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful Forty Hadith Qudsi . Hadith Qudsi are the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) as revealed to him by the Almighty Allah. Hadith Qudsi (or Sacred Hadith) are so named because, unlike the majority of Hadith which are Prophetic Hadith, their authority (Sanad) is traced back not to the Prophet but to the Almighty. Among the many definitions given by the early scholars to Sacred Hadith is that of as-Sayyid ash-Sharif al-Jurjani (died in 816 A.H.) in his lexicon At-Tarifat where he says: "A Sacred Hadith is, as to the meaning, from Allah the Almighty; as to the wording, it is from the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). It is that which Allah the Almighty has communicated to His Prophet through revelation or in dream, and he, peace be upon him, has communicated it in his own words. Thus Qur'an is superior to it because, besides being revealed, it is His wording. Hadith Qudsi 1: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: When Allah decreed the Creation He pledged Himself by writing in His book which is laid down with Him: My mercy prevails over my wrath. Related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah). Hadith Qudsi 2: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah Almighty has said: The son of Adam denied Me and he had no right to do so. And he reviled Me and he had no right to do so. As for his denying Me, it is his saying: He will not remake me as He made me at first and the initial creation [of him] is no easier for Me than remaking him. As for his reviling Me, it is his saying: Allah has taken to Himself a son, while I am the One, the Everlasting Refuge. I begot not nor was I begotten, and there is none comparable to Me. Related by al-Bukhari (also by an-Nasa'i). Hadith Qudsi 3: On the authority of Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhaniyy (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led the morning prayer for us at al-Hudaybiyah following rainfall during the night. When the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished, he faced the people and said to them: Do you know what your Lord has said? They said: Allah and his Messenger know best. He said: This morning one of my servants became a believer in Me and one a disbeliever. As for him who said: We have been given rain by virtue of Allah and His mercy, that one is a believer in Me, a disbeliever in the stars and as for him who said: We have been given rain by such-and-such a star, that one is a disbeliever in Me, a believer in the stars. Related by al-Bukhari (also by Malik and an-Nasa'i). Hadith Qudsi 4: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah said: Sons of Adam inveigh against [the vicissitudes of] Time, and I am Time, in My hand is the night and the day. Related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim). Hadith Qudsi 5: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (glorified and exalted be He) said:I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else's sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me. Related by Muslim (also by Ibn Majah). Hadith Qudsi 6: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will recognize them. [ The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied - you did but fight that it might be said [of you]: He is courageous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man who has studied [religious] knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will be brought and Allah will make known to his His favours and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I studied [religious] knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but study [religious] knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. And you recited the Quran that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make known to his His favours and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I left no path [untrodden] in which You like money to be spent without spending in it for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but do so that it might be said [of you]: He is open-handed. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. Related by Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasa'i). Hadith Qudsi 7: On the authority of Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:Your Lord delights at a shepherd who, on the peak of a mountain crag, gives the call to prayer and prays. Then Allah (glorified and exalted be He) say: Look at this servant of Mine, he gives the call to prayer and performs the prayers; he is in awe of Me. I have forgiven My servant [his sins] and have admitted him to Paradise . Related by an-Nasa'i with a good chain of authorities. Hadith Qudsi 8: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: A prayer performed by someone who has not recited the Essence of the Quran (1) during it is deficient (and he repeated the word three times), incomplete. Someone said to Abu Hurayrah: [Even though] we are behind the imam? (2) He said: Recite it to yourself, for I have heard the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be up on him) say: Allah (mighty and sublime be He), had said: I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. When the servant says: Al-hamdu lillahi rabbi l-alamin (3), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has praised Me. And when he says: Ar-rahmani r-rahim (4), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has extolled Me, and when he says: Maliki yawmi d-din (5), Allah says: My servant has glorified Me - and on one occasion He said: My servant has submitted to My power. And when he says: Iyyaka na budu wa iyyaka nasta in (6), He says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. And when he says: Ihdina s-sirata l- mustaqim, siratal ladhina an amta alayhim ghayril-maghdubi alayhim wa la d-dallin (7), He says: This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. Related by Muslim (also by Malik, at-Tirmidhi, Abu-Dawud, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah). Hadith Qudsi 9: On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says:The first of his actions for which a servant of Allah will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayers. If they are in order, then he will have prospered and succeeded: and if they are wanting, then he will have failed and lost. If there is something defective in his obligatory prayers, the Lord (glorified and exalted be He) will say: See if My servant has any supererogatory prayers with which may be completed that which was defective in his obligatory prayers. Then the rest of his actions will be judged in like fashion. Related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Ahmad). Hadith Qudsi 10: On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says:Fasting is Mine and it I who give reward for it. [A man] gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for my sake. Fasting is like a shield, and he who fasts has two joys: a joy whin he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The change in the breath of the mouth of him who fasts is better in Allah's estimation than the smell of musk. Related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah). Hadith Qudsi 11: On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:Spend (on charity), O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you. Related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim). Hadith Qudsi 12: On the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:A man from among those who were before you was called to account. Nothing in the way of good was found for him except that he used to have dealings with people and, being well-to-do, he would order his servants to let off the man in straitened circumstances [from repaying his debt]. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said that Allah said: We are worthier than you of that (of being so generous). Let him off. Related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari and an-Nasa'i). Hadith Qudsi 13: On the authority of Adiyy ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I was with the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and there came to him two men: one of them was complaining of penury (being very poor), while the other was complaining of brigandry (robbery). The Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: As for brigandry, it will be but a short time before a caravan will [be able to] go out of Mecca without a guard. As for penury, the Hour (Day of Judgement) will not arrive before one of you takes his charity around without finding anyone to accept it from him. Then one of you will surely stand before Allah, there being no screed between Him and him, nor an interpreter to translate for him. Then He will say to him: Did I not bring you wealth? And he will say: Yes. Then He will say: Did I not send to you a messenger? And he will say: Yes. And he will look to his right and will see nothing but Hell-fire, then he will look to his left and will see nothing but Hell-fire, so let each of you protect himself against Hell-fire, be it with even half a date - and if he finds it not, then with a kind word. Related by al-Bukhari. Hadith Qudsi 14: On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said:Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has supernumerary angels who rove about seeking out gatherings in which Allah's name is being invoked: they sit with them and fold their wings round each other, fillin that which is between them and between the lowest heaven. When [the people in the gathering] depart, [the angels] ascend and rise up to heaven. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h.) said: Then Allah (mighty and sublime be He) asks them - [though] He is most knowing about them: From where have you come? And they say: We have come from some servants of Yours on Earth: they were glorifying You (Subhana llah), exalting you (Allahu akbar), witnessing that there is no god but You (La ilaha illa llah), praising You (Al-Hamdu lillah), and asking [favours] of You. He says: And what do they ask of Me? They say: They ask of You Your Paradise. He says: And have they seen My Paradise? They say: No, O Lord. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Paradise! They say: And they ask protection of You. He says: From what do they ask protection of Me? They say: From Your Hell-fire, O Lord. He says: And have they seen My Hell-fire? They say: NO. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Hell-fire: They say: And they ask for Your forgiveness. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: Then He says: I have forgiven them and I have bestowed upon them what they have asked for,and I have granted them sanctuary from that from which they asked protection. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: They say: O Lord, among then is So-and-so, a much sinning servant, who was merely passing by and sat down with them. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: And He says: And to him [too] I have given forgiveness: he who sits with such people shall not suffer. Related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, at-Tirmidhi, and an-Nasa'i). Hadith Qudsi 15: On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah the Almighty said: 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 assemble better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed. Related by al-Buhkari (also by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah). Hadith Qudsi 16: On the authority of son of Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), among the sayings he related from his Lord (glorified and exalted be He) is that He said:Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones. Then He explained it [by saying that] he who has intended a good deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds to seven hundred times, or many times over. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed. Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim. Hadith Qudsi 17: On the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him) is that among the sayings he relates from his Lord (may He be glorified) is that He said:O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you, O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other that blame no one but himself. Related by Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah). Hadith Qudsi 18: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection:O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink whin You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me. Related by Muslim. Hadith Qudsi 19: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:Pride is my cloak and greatness My robe, and he who competes with Me in respect of either of them I shall cast into Hell-fire. Related by Abu Dawud (also by Ibn Majah and Ahmad) with sound chains of authority. This Hadith also appears in Muslim in another version. Hadith Qudsi 20: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:The gates of Paradise will be opened on Mondays and on Thursdays, and every servant [of Allah] who associates nothing with Allah will be forgiven, except for the man who has a grudge against his brother. [About them] it will be said: Delay these two until they are reconciled; delay these two until they are reconciled. Related by Muslim (also by Malik and Abu Dawud). Hadith Qudsi 21: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that Allah the Almighty said: There are three whose adversary I shall be on the Day of Resurrection: a man who has given his word by Me and has broken it; a man who has sold a free man and has consumed the price; and a man who has hired a workman, has exacted his due in full from him and has not given him his wage. Related by al-Bukhari (also by Ibn Majah and Ahmad ibn Hanbal). Hadith Qudsi 22: On the authority of Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:Let not any one of you belittle himself. They said: O Messenger of Allah, how can any one of us belittle himself? He said: He finds a matter concerning Allah about which he should say something, and he does not say [it], so Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says to him on the Day of Resurrection: What prevented you from saying something about such-and-such and such-and-such? He say: [it was] out of fear of people. Then He says: Rather it is I whom you should more properly fear. Related by Ibn Majah with a sound chain of authorities. Hadith Qudsi 23: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection:Where are those who love one another through My glory? Today I shall give them shade in My shade, it being a day when there is no shade but My shade. Related by al-Bukhari (also by Malik). Hadith Qudsi 24: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:If Allah has loved a servant [of His] He calls Gabriel (on whom be peace) and says: I love So-and-so, therefore love him. He (the Prophet peace be upon him) said: So Gabriel loves him. Then he (Gabriel) calls out in heaven, saying: Allah loves So-and-so, therefore love him. And the inhabitants of heaven love him. He (the Prophet peace be upon him) said: Then acceptance is established for him on earth. And if Allah has abhorred a servant [of His], He calls Gabriel and says: I abhor So-and-so, therefore abhor him. So Gabriel abhors him. Then Gabriel calls out to the inhabitants of heaven: Allah abhors So-and-so, therefore abhor him. He (the Prophet peace be upon him) said: So they abhor him, and abhorrence is established for him on earth. Related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, Malik, and at-Tirmidhi). Hadith Qudsi 25: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. Related by al-Bukhari. Hadith Qudsi 26: On the authority of Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:Truly of those devoted to Me the one I most favour is a believer who is of meagre means and much given to prayer, who has been particular in the worship of his Lord and has obeyed Him inwardly (1), who was obscure among people and not pointed our, and whose sustenance was just sufficient to provide for him yet he bore this patiently. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) rapped his hand and said: Death will have come early to him, his mourners will have been few, his estate scant. Related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Ibn Majah). Its chain of authorities is sound. Hadith Qudsi 27: On the authority of Masruq, who said:We asked Abdullah (i.e. Ibn Masud) about this verse: And do not regard those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead, rather are they alive with their Lord, being provided for (Quran Chapter 3 Verse 169). He said: We asked about that and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Their souls are in the insides of green birds having lanterns suspended from the Throne, roaming freely in Paradise where they please, then taking shelter in those lanterns. So their Lord cast a glance at them and said: Do you wish for anything? They said: What shall we wish for when we roam freely in Paradise where we please? And thus did He do to them three times. When they say that they would not be spared from being asked [again], they said: O Lord, we would like for You to put back our souls into our bodies so that we might fight for Your sake once again. And when He saw that they were not in need of anything they were let be. Related by Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah). Hadith Qudsi 28: On the authority of Jundub ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:There was amongst those before you a man who had a wound. He was in [such] anguish that he took a knife and made with it a cut in his hand, and the blood did not cease to flow till he died. Allah the Almighty said: My servant has himself forestalled Me; I have forbidden him Paradise . Related by al-Bukhari. Hadith Qudsi 29: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says:My faithful servant's reward from Me, if I have taken to Me his best friend from amongst the inhabitants of the world and he has then borne it patiently for My sake, shall be nothing less than Paradise. Related by al-Bukhari. Hadith Qudsi 30: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:If My servant likes to meet Me, I like to meet him; and if he dislikes to meet Me, I dislike to meet him. Prophetic explanation of this Sacred Hadith: He who likes to meet Allah, Allah likes to meet him; and he who dislikes to meet Allah, Allah dislikes to meet him. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: O Prophet of Allah, is it because of the dislike of death, for all of us dislike death? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: It is not so, but rather it is that when the believer is given news of Allah's mercy, His approval and His Paradise, he likes to meet Allah and Allah likes to meet him; but when the unbeliever is given news of Allah's punishment and His displeasure, he dislikes to meet Allah and Allah dislikes to meet him. Related by al-Bukhari and Malik. The Prophetic version is related by Muslim. Hadith Qudsi 31: On the authority of Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) related:A man said: By Allah, Allah will not forgive So-and-so. At this Allah the Almighty said: Who is he who swears by Me that I will not forgive So-and-so? Verily I have forgiven So-and-so and have nullified your [own good] deeds (or as he said [it]). Related by Muslim. Hadith Qudsi 32: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:A man sinned greatly against himself, and when death came to him he charged his sons, saying: When I have died, burn me, then crush me and scatter [my ashes] into the sea, for, by Allah, if my Lord takes possession of me, He will punish me in a manner in which He has punished no one [else]. So they did that to him. Then He said to the earth: Produce what you have taken-and there he was! And He said to him: What induced you to do what you did? He said: Being afraid of You, O my Lord (or he said: Being frightened of You) and because of that He forgave him. Related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah). Hadith Qudsi 33: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him), from among the things he reports from his Lord (mighty and sublime be He), is that he said:A servant [of Allah's] committed a sin and said: O Allah, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sins. Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you. Related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari). Hadith Qudsi 34: On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: Allah the Almighty said:O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great at it. Related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Ahmad ibn Hanbal). Its chain of authorities is sound. Hadith Qudsi 35: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He) descends each night to the earth's sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him? Related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud). Hadith Qudsi 36: On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said:The believers will gather together on the Day of Resurrection and will say: Should we not ask [someone] to intercede for us with our Lord? So they will come to Adam and will say: You are the Father of mankind; Allah created you with His hand He made His angels bow down to you and He taught you the names of everything, so intercede for us with you Lord so that He may give us relief form this place where we are. And he will say: I am not in a position [to do that] - and he will mention his wrongdoing and will feel ashamed and will say: Go to Noah, for he is the first messenger that Allah sent to the inhabitants of the earth. So they will come to him and he will say: I am not in a position [to do that] - and he will mention his having requested something of his Lord about which he had no [proper] knowledge (Quran Chapter 11 Verses 45-46), and he will feel ashamed and will say: Go to the Friend of the Merciful (Abraham). So they will come to him and he will say: I am not in a position [to do that]. Go to Moses, a servant to whom Allah talked and to whom He gave the Torah. So they will come to him and he will say: I am not in a position [to do that] - and he will mention the talking of a life other that for a life (Quran Chapter 28 Verses 15-16), and he will fell ashamed in the sight of his Lord and will say: Go to Jesus, Allah's servant and messenger, Allah's word and spirit. So they will come to him and he will say: I am not in a position [to do that]. Go to Muhammad (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), a servant to whom Allah has forgiven all his wrongdoing, past and future. So they will come to me and I shall set forth to ask permission to come to my Lord, and permission will be given, and when I shall see my Lord I shall prostrate myself. He will leave me thus for such time as it pleases Him, and then it will be said [to me]: Raise your head. Ask and it will be granted. Speak and it will be heard. Intercede and your intercession will be accepted. So I shall raise my head and praise Him with a form of praise that He will teach me. Then I shall intercede and HE will set me a limit [as to the number of people], so I shall admit them into Paradise . Then I shall return to Him, and when I shall see my Lord [i shall bow down] as before. Then I shall intercede and He will set me a limit [as to the number of people]. So I shall admit them into Paradise . Then I shall return for a third time, then a fourth, and I shall say: There remains in Hell-fire only those whom the Quran has confined and who must be there for eternity. There shall come out of Hell-fire he who has said: There is no god but Allah and who has in his heart goodness weighing a barley-corn; then there shall come out of Hell-fire he who has said: There is no god but Allah and who has in his heart goodness weighing a grain of wheat; then there shall come out of Hell-fire he who has said: There is no god but Allah and who has in his heart goodness weighing an atom. Related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah). Hadith Qudsi 37: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah said:I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen and no ear has heard, not has it occurred to human heart. Thus recite if you wish: And no soul knows what joy for them (the inhabitants of Paradise ) has been kept hidden (Quran Chapter 32 Verse 17). Related by al-Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah. Hadith Qudsi 38: On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:When Allah created Paradise and Hell-fire, He sent Gabriel to Paradise , saying: Look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: So he came to it and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: So he returned to Him and said: By your glory, no one hears of it without entering it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by forms of hardship, and He said: Return to it and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: So he returned to it and found that it was encompassed by forms of hardship. Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, I fear that no one will enter it. He said: Go to Hell-fire and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants, and he fount that it was in layers, one above the other. Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, no one who hears of it will enter it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by lusts. Then He said: Return to it. And he returned to it and said: By Your glory, I am frightened that no one will escape from entering it. Related by Tirmidhi, who said that it was a good and sound Hadith (also by Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i). Hadith Qudsi 39: On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Paradise and Hell-fire disputed together, and Hell-fire said: In me are the mighty and the haughty. Paradise said: In me are the weak and the poor. So Allah judged between them, [saying]: You are Paradise , My mercy; through you I show mercy to those I wish. And you are Hell-fire, My punishment; through you I punish those I wish, and it is incumbent upon Me that each of you shall have its fill. Related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari and at-Tirmidhi). Hadith Qudsi 40: On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:Allah will say to the inhabitant of Paradise: O inhabitants of Paradise ! They will say: O our Lord, we present ourselves and are at Your pleasure, and goodness rests in Your hands. Then He will say: Are you contented? And they will say: And how should we not be contented, O Lord, when You have given to us that which You have given to no one else of Your creation? Then He will say: Would not like Me to give you something better than that? And they will say: O Lord and what thing is better than that? And He will say: I shall cause My favour to descend upon you and thereafter shall never be displeased with you. Related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim and at-Tirmidhi). http://www.quranicsciences.com/FortyAhadeethQudsi.asp?visitormonid=95473