Quotes...

Ataa al Khurasani said: "I don't advise you to mind your life's affairs because I know that you are covetous to do so, but I advise you to mind the affairs of the Hereafter. Take from this temporary home to the eternal one. Consider this life as something that you have left, I swear by Allah you will leave it. Consider death as something that you have tasted, I swear by Allah you will taste it. And consider the Hereafter as a home that you have visited, I swear by Allah you will be there."

Dhu'n-Noon al-Misri said: "The ailment of the body is in sickness and that of the heart is in sins. A delicious meal cannot benefit the body when the person is sick and likewise, the heart cannot taste the sweetness of worship if it is full of sins."

`Ali ibn Abi Talib said: "Whoever has the following six characteristics does all that is required to make him enter Paradise and avoid Hell: to know Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala and obey him, to know Satan and disobey him, to know the truth and follow it, to know the falsehood and avoid it, to know the life of this world and renounce it, and to know the Hereafter and seek it."

Ibrahim al-Ash`ath said: I heard al-Fudayl saying: "Man's fear of Allah is equal to his knowledge of Him, and his renunciation of the life of this world is equal to his desire of the Hereafter. Whoever acts according to what he knows, Allah will make him successful in what he doesn't know. And whoever is ill-tempered disgraces his honour, religion and generosity."

Want all your past sins forgiven?

Recently I was listening to a lecture by Sheikh Kamal El Mekki (May Allah preserve Him) in which he spoke about how us Muslims tend to be very inconsistent with our Ibadah and always set high goals which we usually never complete. For example, fasting every Monday and Thursday, finishing the Qur'an once every month throughout the year, walking to the mosque for every salah etc. Yes, no doubt they're all good deeds, and should be done, but how many of us start off on such things in top gear and then burn out within a few weeks or even days? How many of us actually do this on a regular basis?

What we overlook is, apart from all these acts of worship, the Prophet Muhammad sallahu alaihi wa sallam has taught us different forms of ibadah which we can do in our daily life, and won't take much time or effort but will weigh heavy on our scales on the Day of Judgement, insha Allah.

Sheikh Kamal El Mekki gave the example of the dua that we recite after finishing our meal. Did you know that a person who completes his meal and recites this dua with true ikhlaas (sincerity), will have all his past sins forgiven? How many times do we eat in a day? Imagine reciting this dua a minimum of 3 times a day, think of the rewards you will accumulate. It only takes a few seconds to recite, and yet can have such powerful results, insha Allah.

So from this day forward, why not try to incorporate this into our daily routine and make an effort to recite this dua after every meal, insha Allah.

 الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا الطَّعَامَ وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
"
All Praise belongs to Allah who granted this meal, (which I received) without my power or effort".

All previous sins are forgiven if this dua is recited after meals.(Mishkat, Kitabul-li-baas)

Hide the faults of others and Allah will hide yours

'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar rad iallaahu 'anhu relates that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam mounted the pulpit and said in a loud voice: "O You who have accepted Islaam with your tongues, but in whose heart eemaan (faith) has not yet entered! Do not annoy the Muslims' nor revile them, nor seek out their faults. For whosoever seeks out the fault of his Muslim brother, Allaah will seek out his faults. He whose faults are sought out by Allaah, then Allaah will expose him, even if he is inside his house." Related by Muslim.

'Ubaadah ibn as-Saamit radiallaahu `anhu related that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam said: "Whosoever seeks forgiveness for the believing men and the believing women, Allaah will record for that person - equivalent to every believing man and believing woman -a good deed."
Hasan: Related by al-Haythamee in Majma'az-Zawaa'id (1/210) where he said: "The isnaad is jayyid."

Allah `azza wa jall says: “O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.” [Al-Hujurat 49:12]

Allah `azza wa jall ordered avoiding much of the suspicion because some of it is sin, and He followed this order with the prohibition of spying, pointing out that spying in most cases does not occur except due to bad assumptions.

The way of the Muslim – the general rule - is hiding others' faults and having a good opinion of others. This is why Allah `azza wa jall ordered believers to have a good opinion of people when they hear slanders of their Muslim brothers.

Allah `azza wa jall clarified the true position which every Muslim must understand. He said subhanahu wa ta`ala:

“Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of themselves [i.e. one another] and say, 'This is an obvious falsehood'?” [An-Noor 24:12]” [Hisham Ismail As-Sini, Manhaj Ahl As-Sunnah wal Jama`ah fin Naqd wal Hukm `ala al Akhirin, Al Muntada, London, 1992, p. 21]

Dr. Mustafa as-Siba'i said, “Because having a good opinion and then regretting is better than having a bad opinion and then regretting.” [as-Sibai, Hakadha `allamatni al Hayat, al Maktab al Islami, Beirut, 1984, vol. 1, p. 42]

Taken from: www.islaam.com

Valuable Prophetic Advice

Ibn Abbas may Allah be pleased with him and his father, reported:

I was riding behind the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam (on a beast) one day when he said to me, "O son, I am going to teach you some advice:


1. "Observe Allah, He guards you."
Obey his commands and avoid his prohibitions, He protects you in this world and in the world to come.

2. "Observe Allah, you will find Him ahead of you."
Observe the limits set by Allah and His Rights, He brings you to success and supports you.

3. "When you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek help, seek the help of Allah."
When you need a thing, ask Allah for it, and when you need help to accomplish any of your affairs, then seek the help of Allah, particularly in the things that only Allah can provide such as curing sickness, providing sustenance etc.

4. "And be certain that were the whole Ummah to collaborate to benefit you, they would never benefit you except in a thing which Allah has already foreordained for you, and if they were to collaborate to harm you, they would never harm you except in a thing which Allah has already foreordained against you."
This reflects deep faith in the Qada' and Qadar, it's good and evil consequences.

5. "The pens are lifted and the sheets have become dry."

6. "Recognize Allah at times of ease, He recognizes you at times of difficulty."
Fulfill the Rights of Allah and the rights of people at times of ease, He helps and relieves you at the time of your difficulties.

7. "And rest assured that whatever misses you, it would never befall you, and whatever befalls you, it would never miss you."
If Allah withholds a thing from you, it will never reach you. And if Allah grants you a thing, there is none to withhold it from you.

8. "And you should know that victory comes with endurance."
Victory against the enemy and the ego depends on perseverance and endurance. Patience is one of the greatest means to victory.

9. "And the relief comes through distress."
Distress that afflicts a believer, comes along with it's relief.

10. "And along with difficulty comes ease."

Source: Pg 40, Guidelines to Raising Children, Darussalam.

Stern Warning

Backbiting is speaking slanderously about an absent person. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:

"Do you know what is Gheebah?" They said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "It is to attribute to your brother what he dislikes." He was asked: "What do you think if what I say about my brother is true?" He said: "If what you attribute to him is true, then you have backbitten him, and if it is not true, then you have lied about him."

What is Nameemah?

Nameemah is to circulate slanderous rumours between two persons to damage or sever the ties between them. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said:

"No Nammam will be admitted to Jannah".

Source: Pg: 22 Guidelines for Raising Children, Darussalam