Abu Hafsat

As-Salaam alaikum, Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:-- "When a deceased starts to experience the intensity (of death), do not force him to read the Kalima, but give him Talqeen (ie read the Kalima and let him hear you and this will remind him/her of it), because no munafiq (hypocrite) has died on this Kalima." Source: "The Sharhus Sudoor", by Imam Jalaludden Suyuti.

As-Salaam alaikum, The most essential names of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, are: Abd Allah, Servant of Allah, Ahmadun, the best of glorifiers, and Muhammadun, the best of the glorified. Ahmadun is considered as the esoteric aspect of Muhammadun. Sayyadi Hassan al-Basri, may Allah be Merciful to him, relates that a group of individuals claimed to love Allah and so Allah tested their love by revealing the verses:-- "Say, if you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins." (3:31) Sayyadi Junaid al-Baghdadi, may Allah be Merciful to him, said: "No one has reached Allah except through Allah. And the path to reaching Allah is following the Chosen One, al-Mustafa, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam." Reaching Allah (al-wusul ila' Allah) means attaining a state in which Allah is pleased with one. It is based on this perspective that the Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, said:-- "All of my community will enter Paradise except those who refuse." It was asked, "O Messenger of Allah, who refuses?" He said, "Whoever obeys me will enter Heaven. Whoever disobeys me has refused." [Bukhari, vol. 6].

As-Salaam alaykum, The Noble Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, said: "The son of Adam never fills a vessel worse than his stomach. The son of Adam only needs a few bites that would sustain him; but if he insists, one third should be reserved for his food, another third for his drink and the last third for his breathing." Ailments attack and harm our bodies and alter its normal functions due to excess amount of substances we consume.... traceable to overeating or consuming more than what the body needs. When we habitually fill our stomachs with all types of food, some of which may not easily be digestable, we end up with various types of illnesses. On the other-hand, when one eats moderately, the body will get maximum benefit from such moderate diet, as opposed to when one overeats. So, mind the quality and level of that food and drink you eat/consume. Many Regards.

As-Salaam alaikum, It is my pleasure to share with you a copy of the attached 'Du'a for Khayrat... Du'a for all Kinds of Good Fortunes' courtesy of Sheikh Salih Ja'afar, may Allah be Merciful to him. It is recommended to all those who seek good fortunes, Spiritual and Material... a very auspicious Du'a indeed. Use it and see wonders. Many Regards. dua-for-khayrat1.pdf

Be Contented As-Salaam alaikum, The Noble Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, said:-- "Know that even if the whole community were to gather together to benefit [you] with something, they would not benefit you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded for you; and that if they gather together to harm you with something, they would not be able to harm you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded against you." [at-Tirmidhi].

Answered Du'a... As-Salaam alaykum, The Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, said:-- "Three (3) types of Du'a are undoubtedly granted: a parent's Du'a for his children; Du'a for a fasting person, and Du'a of the traveller". [Abu Dawud]

Of Zikr, Gratitude and Patience. As-Salaam alaikum, Hammad Ibn Salama reported that on the authority of Talqa Ibn Habib, Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him said:-- "The Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, said: 4 matters are such that whoever is given them is given the good of this world and the Hereafter: a grateful heart, a tongue busy with remembrance of Allah [Zikr], a body patient with trial, and faith in that which Allah has guaranteed." [ Abu Na'im, in his book.. Hilyat al-Awliya].

Laugh but a little.. As-Salaam alaikum, Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, told me: "O Abu Hurairah, be scrupulous and you will be the most devoted of people; be content and you will be the most grateful of people; Love for people what you love for yourself and you will be a believer; be a good companion to those in your company and you will be a Muslim; and decrease laughter, for truly, a lot of laughter kills the heart." [ibn Majah].

"Sometimes in order to help He makes us cry. Happy is the eye that sheds tears for His sake. Fortunate the heart that burns for His sake, Laughter always follows tears Blessed are those who understand. Life blossoms wherever water flows, Where tears are shed, Divine Mercy is shown." Maulana Jalaludden Rumi.

As-Salaam alaikum, In Ayat 46 of Surat Kahfi of the Holy Qur'an, Allah Tabaraka Wa Ta'ala says:--- "Wealth and children are the embellishment of worldly life, and the good things that last (al-baqiyat-as-salihat ) are greater with your Lord and greater in expectation." About this Noble Ayat, the Noble Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, told us what the baqiyat-salihat (the good things that last) are in a certain Hadith where one of his companions, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, reported from the Messenger of Allah, alaihis-Salaat Was-Salaam, that he said:-- "Make plenty of 'the good things that last (al-baqiyat salihat)'. It was said: And what are O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "TAKBIR (Saying: ALLAHU AKBAR), TAHLIL (Saying: LA-ILAHA ILLALLAH), TAHMID (Saying: ALHAMDU-LILLAH) and Saying: LA-HAWLA WALA QUWATA ILLA BILLAH." [bukhari, Muslim].

The Sign Of Imaan As-Salaam alaikum, A man asked the Prophet Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, "O Messenger of Allah! What is Imaan?" He replied:-- "When your good deeds please you and your evil deeds grieve you, then you are a believer." The man [further] asked, "O Messenger of Allah, then what is sin?" The Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, replied: "When something causes a doubt in your heart, leave it out." Musnad Ahmad, No. 22166

As-Salaam alaikum, The Noble Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, was the first of the lights emanating from the Immense Ocean of Divine Being. From this we come to know that he is the primal created light out of which flowed the springs of all created manifestations. It is reported by Jabir Ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, said: "The first thing that Allah created was my light.." (Bukhari and Muslim). From that light all other lights came to be, and by it the various levels and degrees of existence became established. The word 'light' is an expression for that meaning which illuminates all things it comes into contact with, material or non-material thing. Says Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, in the Qur'an: "From Allah has come to you a Light and a Book manifest." (5:15) Qari 'Iyad, may Allah be Merciful to him, said: "The Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, was named a Light because of the clarity of his case and the fact that his Prophecy was made manifest, and also because of the illumination of the hearts of the believers and the knowers of Allah with what he brought." ALLAHUMMA SALLI ALAA SAYYADUNA MUHAMMAD, ANNABIYY-'UMMUYYU, WA ALAA AHLIHI, WA SAHBIHI, WASALLIM.

As-Salaam alaikum, In his book titled 'Epistle On Sufism', Imam al-Qushayri, may Allah be Merciful to him, related this wonderful story... that a Magian (follower of Zoroastrian religion) sought the hospitality of Prophet Ibrahim, alaihis-Salaat Was-Salaam, and Nabiy Ibrahim told him: "I will be your host, only if you embrace Islam." To which the Magian replied: "If I were to embrace Islam, there would be no benefit for you in [hosting] me"....since it will be a duty for a believer to host a fellow believer, anyway! When the Magian went away, Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, revealed to Ibrahim, alaihis-Salaam: "Ya Ibrahim, you will not feed him unless he changes his religion, whereas We have fed him for 70 years despite his unbelief! If you were to be his host for just one night, what would it be to you?" Sayyiduna Ibrahim, peace be upon him, rushed after the Magian and invited him to stay with him. The Magian asked him what caused him to change his mind. Ibrahim told him what happened to him. The Magian said: "So that is how He treats me"! He then said: "Present [your] Islam to me", and he became a Muslim.

As-Salaam alaikum, Sheikh Abu Bakr Dhaheer, may Allah be Merciful to him, narrates: "I had a young, handsome slave who used to fast daily and spend the nights in Ibaadat. One day he came to me and said: 'Last night I went to sleep without reciting my auraad (plural of wird-Zikr). In a dream I saw a few exceptionally beautiful damsels emerging out of the wall which had split open. One among them was extremely ugly. Never had I seen an ugly person in my life. I asked them: To whom do you belong and for whom is the ugly one?' They said: 'We are all your past nights (of Ibaadat) and the ugly one is your last night when you had slept away (missing your Ibaadat). If you had died this night, she would have fallen to your share permanently.' After narrating this dream, the youth let out a shriek and his soul departed from his physical body." Culled from: "ORCHARDS OF LOVE", by Mujlisul Ulama of South Africa (April, 2001).

As-Salaam alaikum, The Noble Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, once asked his companions: "ARE YOU UNABLE TO EARN 1,000 GOOD DEEDS A DAY?" Someone said: "How can we earn 1,000 deeds a day?" The Prophet, alaihis-Salaat Was-Salaam, replied: "MAKE 100 TASBIH [recital of SUBHANALLAHI ] AND 1,000 GOOD DEEDS WILL BE RECORDED FOR YOU OR 1,000 SINS WILL BE ERASED." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2698 ).

As-Salaam alaikum, As we live everyday life, I think it is apt to consider/remember these Ahadith, related from the Leader of Mankind and Jinn, Sayyadina Muhammadur-Rasulullahi, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam:-- (1) "DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL, FOR IT IS THE KEY TO ALL EVIL."- Ibn Majah (2) "LIVELIHOOD SEEKS A PERSON OUT IN THE SAME WAY THAT HIS DEATH SEEKS HIM OUT."- Ibn Hibban (3) "ALL THE CHILDREN OF ADAM ARE WRONGDOERS, BUT THE BEST WRONGDOERS ARE THOSE THAT REPENT."- Tirmidhi (4) "THE BEAUTY OF ONE'S ISLAM REQUIRES HIS LEAVING ALL THINGS THAT DO NOT CONCERN HIM".- Ibn Hibban (5) "FEED THE HUNGRY, VISIT THE SICK AND FREE CAPTIVES."- Bukhari (6) "THE KEY TO PARADISE IS SALLAH, AND THE KEY TO SALLAH IS WUDU."- Tirmidhi.

As-Salaam alaikum, "Tasawwuf is to keep the heart clean from all expectations from people; abstaining from subservience to desire; killing the attributes of the nafs; cultivating the spiritual attributes; acquisition of true knowledge; to practice such deeds which will benefit until qiyaamat; to admonish and advise all people of the Ummat, and to follow the Shari'ah of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam." -- Sheikh Junaid al-Baghdadi.

Sometimes in order to help, He makes us cry. Happy is the eye that sheds tears for His sake. Fortunate the heart that burns for His sake. Laughter always follows tears. Blessed are those who understand. Life blossoms wherever water flows. Where tears are shed, Divine Mercy is shown. ... after Jalaluddin Rumi.

Assalam alaikum, With respect to the above topic on so called 'Weak Ahadith' some people beleive, as did Sayyadi Ibn Arabi, may Allah be Merciful to him, that such 'weak' Hadith shuold be allowed and/or be acceptable... especially those that encourage the practice of pious works or those that convey an indisputable spiritual teaching. It is harmless, such folks hold, to regularly put into practice authentic or weak Hadith, taking into account all the nuances brought out by the different versions of such Ahadith, without attaching oneself to the exterior criteria of the validity of the Hadith, except obviously when it is a matter of licit or illicit. The imitation of the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, as carried by a Hadith [ presumably weak ], in conformity to the Sunnah leads in effect, according to the Holy Qur'an, to Divine Love: 'Say: If truly you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you.' (3:31) And in any case, if we accept the so called 'Weak' Hadith related from the Holy Prohpet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, we accept it out of respect for the Prophet, peace be upon him. When it is incorrect hadith, there would be no responsibility on us for accepting it. This is good manners/adaab. Wallahu Ta'ala A'aalam.

Assalam alaikum, Kindly permit me to share with you the following Inspiring reminder from Imam an-Nawawi, may Allah sunctify his secret, as contained in his "Al-Maqaasid". It reads:-- "One reaches Allah Most High by repenting form all things, unlawful or offensive; seeking sacred knowledge in accordance with one's needs, maintaining ritual purity; performing the obligatory prayers in the first of their time and in congragation, including the Sunnah prayers that correspond to each of the obligatory prayers; adhering to the 8 raka'ats of the midmorning prayer (Duha) and the 6 raka'ats after the sunset prayer and before the night prayer; performing the night prayer (tahajjud) after awaking from one's sleep; fulfilling the witr prayer; fasting on Mondays and Thursdays and on the 3 days of the full moon- ie the 13th, 14th and 15th of the lunar month- and also the days of the year in which fasting is recommended; reciting the Qur'an with the heart's presence coupled with reflection upon its meanings;...... frequently asking forgiveness of Allah (Istighfar); maintaining prayers and blessings [salat ala Nabiyy] upon the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam; and finally, adhering to the meritorious invocations of the morning and evening that have come to us from the Sunnah (adhkaar as-sabaah wa al-masa)".

Assalam alykum, I wish to share with you some inspiring quotes, to make us aspire more towards good, as follows;-- 1) "We look at Allah by the sight of Imaan and certitude, making us in no need of evidence and proofs, and we see none from creation: Is there anyone in existence other than the True King? And if it is inevitable that there is, then it is like dust in the air, if you examine them you will find them nothing."- Abu Hasan Ash-Shaathali. 2) Commenting on Ayat 54 of Surat Shura (41:54) of the Holy Qur'an, in which Allah, Azzah Wa Jallah, says:- "Verily ! He it is Who is surrounding all things." Sayyid Ali Muhammad Wafa (d. 1399 AD) said: "Just like the surrounding of the sea water with its waves in sense and in image, for He [Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala] is the Reality of everything and He is the essence of everything and everything is Him and His quality. So, understand." 3) "Know that days are but hours, and hours are but breaths, and every soul is a container; hence let not any breath pass without any benefit, such as on the Day of Judgement you find an empty container and feel regret. Be aware of every hour and how it passes, and only spend it in the best possible way; do not neglect yourself, but render it accustomed to the noblest and best of actions, and send to your grave that which will please you when you arrive to it." - Imam al-Jawzi.

Assalam alaykum, Permit me to second above topic started by one of our senoirs on Sufism and Shari'a and observe that the 2 are insearable. Indeed, Tasawwuf or Sufism as others refer to it is nothing other than Love of Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, and adherance to the Prophet's Sunnah, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam. And there is no way one can do/succed in that without recourse to the Shari'a. The begining of Sufism is to engage in Allah's worship and the end is to entrust everything to Him [Azzah Wa Jallah], disregarding all means: "Every soul will taste death. Then to Us, you will be returned." (29:54)

Assalam alaykum, I wish to share with you the following Inspiring quotes that have that remarkable potential of making us work towards good at all times. These are:-- 1) "The Qur'an is like a friend.... the longer the friendship lasts the more you will know of its secrets, as a friend doesn't reveal his secrets to someone who sits with him for a few minutes and then leaves." -- Muhammad al-Awaji. 2) "When the heart finds solace in something other than God Mopst High, it is barred from smelling the frangrance of certainty." - Sahl Ibn Abdullah. 3) "Certainty prompts the servant to cut short his hopes [for the things of this world]; cutting short one's hopes, in turn, prompts him to embrace renunciation; renunciation produces wisdom, and wisdom produces desire to ponder upon one's fate in the Hereafter."-- Dhu'l Nun al-Misri. 4) "Nobility lies in Modesty; greatness lies in fear of God; and freedom lies in Contentment."-- Ibrahim Ibn Shayban. 5) "The signs of God's Love is to bestow 3 attributes on His Lover: A generosity like that of the sea, a kindness like that of the sun, and a humility like that of the earth."-- Abu Yazid al-Bistami.

Assalam alaikum, Yes, indeed you all know about the importance and significance of Istighfar, that is our seeking of forgiveness of Allah, whereby we say/recite Astaghfirullah ( I seek forgiveness of Allah). We need plenty of this Du'a or Zikr or Supplication daily in view of our shortcomings. In any case, Allah, Most High, says:-- "....SEEK THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR LORD, AND TURN TO HIM IN REPENTANCE, THAT HE MAY GRANT YOU GOOD ENJOYMENT, FOR A TERM APPOINTED..." [surat Hud 11:3] And Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:--"The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:--"If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not". [Abu Dawud]. We must, therefore, engage in Istighfar constantly... it is in our own interest.

Salaam everyone, Muraqabah is knowing that Allah, Most High, is watching over us. In the Holy Qur'an Allah, Most High, says:-- "AND KNOW THAT ALLAH KONWS WHAT IS IN YOUR MINDS." (2:235) "AND ALLAH IS EVER A WATCHER OVER ALL THINGS". (33:52) "AND HE IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU MAY BE". (57:4) In the Hadith of Jibreel, peace be upon him, when he asked the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, about Ihsan [Goodness and Exellence], the Prophet replied:-- "Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, but since we do not see Him, we should know that He sees us at all times". [bukhari and Muslim]. The meaning of this Hadith is the meaning of Muraqabah, namely, the endurance of the servant's knowledge and his conviction and certainty that Allah is watching over his internal and external affairs [thoughts and actions]. To have this knowledge and certainty at all times is called Muraqabah. It is the fruit of the servant's knowledge that Allah is his Watcher, Overseeing him, Hearing his utterances and Observing all his deeds at all times. For further reading, see Ibn Qayyim al-jawziyya's "The Steps Of The Followers".