Something Nice

"The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best parts of a person’s life."

William Wordsworth

Ever caught yourself smiling; as you strolled through an isle in a super market; because it brought back memories of someone who had done something nice for you? That feels good, doesn't it?

Ever did something nice for someone without telling them, and not expecting anything in return? Yes, that also definitely feels good.

The point is; when you do something nice, it makes you feel good about yourself. And, if you do it with a clean heart, then you're definitely getting rewarded for it too. 

Little acts of kindness never hurt anyone. So let's try to implant them in our daily lives!

Here are a few ideas...

~ Say Assalam Alaikum when greeting friends or family members. Actually, try this with someone who you don't get along with. Who knows, it might be the start of a new friendship. If not, all the good deeds will be in your pocket. That's a bonus!

~ Make Dua'a for people without telling them. In Saheeh Muslim and Sunan Ibn Majah, it is narrated from Abu Darda that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The Dua of a person for his Muslim brother in his absence will be answered. At his head there is an angel, and every time he prays for him for something good, the angel who has been appointed to be with him says, 'Ameen, may you have likewise.'

~ Tell your parents you love them! 'Love you Mum, Love you Dad!' 

It's not only on Mother's Day or Father's day that you appreciate your parents, or do you?

~ If you are blessed enough to still have your grandparents around, spend some time with them. If they live in another country, email them or write them a letter.

~ Smile - it's a Sunnah

~ Say 'Alhamdulillah' for all the blessings that you have, rather than complain about all the things you don't.

~ Be polite. Say 'please' and 'thank you' often. 

~ Do not litter!

~ This is a hard one, but try to forgive someone who has really done you wrong from the bottom of your heart.

~ Leave a generous tip for a pleasant waiter.

~ Help a poor or needy person. It could be money, or meal for a day, or clothes in good condition that you don't need anymore.

~ Appreciate people for the things they do for you.

~ Compliment others! If you're a girl, tell another girl she's beautiful and don't be jealous of her beauty. If you're a boy, lower that gaze bro! HARAAM!!! ;)

These are all the little things I could think of. Do you have more? Share it with us by leaving your replies in the comments below.

I Resolve To...

Is it just me or has this year really zoomed by?

Don't stare at the screen with that blank face! Depending on the moon, we will be starting the new Hijri year 1435 in a day or two, InShaAllah...

... but you already knew that, didn't you?

With the end of every year begins a new one and I pray to Allah (SWT) that this year brings a lot of blessings to everyone around the globe. Ameen!

Around this time last year, I wrote an article about the Islamic (Hijri) calendar.

This year, I wanted to do something different. So, I thought and I thought and I thought...

Then at 3 a.m. one night, or shall I say morning, (by the way isn't that when the most brilliant ideas strike?), I knew what I wanted to write about...

New Year's Resolutions!

It seemed like a brilliant idea until I woke up next morning. I started doubting whether Muslims should even bother with things like New Year's Resolutions.

 

I did a bit of research and went around asking friends, and family, (and anybody who was ready to answer), the following question:

Do you think Muslims can make New Year's Resolutions for the new Islamic Year or avoid it because it is the tradition on the non-believers?

I got mixed answers and opinions.

"I think they can unless I am missing out on any Islamic rulings on this."

"Make resolutions everyday!"

"There shouldn't be a problem."

"Avoid it!"

"Resolutions can be made any time: on Ramadan, or Eid or Hajj. I think people need to realise that just because they are doing it for the New Hijri Year, doesn't mean that it is more Islamic, as there is no such tradition in Islam. However, making good resolutions and going according to them is a good thing; it doesn't have to be New Year."

"Avoid it as it is the tradition of the non believers. We are not supposed to copy them otherwise on the Day of Judgement, we will be awaken amongst them."

"If you sincerely want to improve your character and life style, go for it. Just bear in mind that it should not be limited to New Year only and your Niyah (intention) should be to please Allah (SWT) and not to follow some social trend."

"When's the new Islamic Year?" 

So after much thought, more research and weighing all the opinions, I came to the following conclusion.

We can make resolutions, because no where in Islamic teachings is it mentioned not to, as long as our Niyah (intention) is: 

1. to please Allah (SWT).

2. to improve ourselves and become better people. 

3. not to make resolutions because everyone else does so. 

4. not to show off to others by sticking to our resolutions.

Keeping all that in mind, I thought of some ideas that could top a New Year's Resolutions list:

~ If you don't offer Salah already, start with one, and be firm about praying that one Salah everyday. Then gradually increase it till you reach five. If you already offer your Fard Salahs, try offering the Sunnahs and the Nafils. And if you do all that, please tell me your secret.

~ Fast on Mondays and Thursdays.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 

“Deeds are shown (to Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays, and I like my deeds to be shown when I am fasting.” 

[Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 747; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1041. ]

~ If fasting twice a week seems too much, fast three days a month. These days could be at the beginning of the month, in the middle or at the end, and may be done separately or consecutively. But, it is better to fast on the 'ayaam al-beed', which are the days on which the moon is full: namely the 13th, 14th and 15th of each lunar month. 

It was narrated from Jareer ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 

“Fasting three days of each month is fasting for a lifetime, and ayaam al-beed are the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth.” 

Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2420; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1040. 

~ Read an ayah of the Qur'an a day, and try to learn its meaning too. Just one ayah. It doesn't sound too hard, does it? 

~ Do a good deed everyday, and don't tell anyone about it. Let there be a daily little secret between you and Allah (SWT) and He will definitely reward you for it.

It needn't be something huge and complicated either. It could be a simple thing as giving a small sum of money to the poor, or helping and old lady cross the road.

Why go far? Start at home. Help a younger sibling with homework. Do you daily chores without your Mum having to shout herself hoarse.

~ Forgive someone who has hurt you in the past. We all know the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) famous saying:

“Have mercy on those on the earth, and the One in heaven will have mercy on you” 

[Tirmidhi].

Also, shove that ego aside and apologise to those who have been hurt by you.

Are there more points you can come up with? What is your take on the topic? Will you be making any resolutions this year, or will you be like:

Leave your answers in the comments below. I would love to know what you have to say on this topic. 

The Story of Ibn Jud'an

When one thinks about the pre-Islamic times in Makkah, certain names come to mind - such as 'Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet's (peace be upon him) grandfather, or Waraqah Bin Naufal. But there is one more person who is little remembered today: 'Abdullah Bin Jud'an, the first cousin of Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq's father.

In the early years of his life, 'Abdullah Bin Jud'an was neither successful nor happy. In fact, growing up hungry and poor, he soon became embittered by life. For solace or perhaps, out of spite, he turned to evil and committed many crimes. He was caught so often for his evil acts that he was considered by most to be an incorrigible criminal. People thought that he was evil incarnate and that there was no way that he could ever improve. Everyone hated him, including his fellow clansmen, his family, and even his own father; and he reciprocated that hatred with equal or greater vehemence.

One day, as he was walking in the valleys of Makkah, ruefully thinking about his bitter existence, he noticed a small opening in a mountain, perhaps an entrance to a cave. He thought that there might be something harmful inside, maybe a venomous snake. That foreboding did not stop him from approaching; instead, it encouraged him to go to it, for his situation was so hopeless, he actually wanted to be killed by some venomous lizard, so that he could part from his miserable existence.

When he came near the mouth of the cave, he saw a lean shape inside, and through the darkness, he perceived it to be a snake in an erect position, the position most favoured by a venomous snake when it is ready to strike. Overcome by madness, 'Abdullah Bin Jud'an was terrified and suddenly realised that he did not want to die. He imagined that the snake was coming at him, and so he jumped wildly , trying to fend off a lethal bite. After a short while, he calmed down, realising it was only him who was moving and that the snake was actually in a still position. When he came nearer, he realised that it was only a statue of a snake, which was made of gold and had two eyes made of precious emeralds.

He broke the emeralds off and took them. He then entered deeper into the cave, and from the writings he saw around him, he realised that the cave was a graveyard for kings of the Jurhum tribe. At the end of each grave was a gravestone made of gold; on it was written a short history of the king who was buried underneath. Surrounding the graves were treasures of gold, silver, pearls, precious stones and much more.

'Abdullah Bin Jud'an picked up a few small treasures, made a sign outside the cave so that he could find it again, and then returned to his people. He was generous with his newly found wealth, giving to his family, friends, and even to the needy. He was especially generous in gathering people together and serving them food. As time went on, he gained status in society until he became one of the leaders of the Quraish. 

Whenever he ran out of funds, he would return to the cave and take some more. His generosity extended even beyond the boundaries of Makkah. Once when the people of As-Sham were suffering from hard times, 'Abdullah Bin Jud'an sent 2000 camels to them, loading each one with wheat, oils and other provisions.

Every night someone stood on the roof of the Ka'bah and called out, "Come to the bowls (filled with food) of 'Abdullah Bn Judan."

Yet in spite of all that, the following is related about him in Sahih Muslim. 'Aisha (RA) asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), "Indeed, Ibn Jud'an used to provide food (for the people) and he would be hospitable to his guest[s]. Will any of that benefit him on the Day of Resurrection?"

The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered, "No. Indeed, on no day did he ever say: O my Lord, forgive me of my sins on the Day of Recompense."

[Disclaimer: This article is not written by me. It has been lifted from a Darussalam publication, Gems and Jewels.]

The Fifteenth of Sha'baan

The 15th of Sha'baan is fast approaching, and along with it the millions of ideas on what you should and shouldn't do or else you will end up in Heaven or Hell.

So far I have come across the following things:

~ Do fresh Ghusul and Wudu: First of all, tell me what exactly is 'fresh' Ghusul?

~ Forgive others: Someone once asked me what if I forgive them for this day or until the end of Ramadan and then go back to not forgiving them?

~ Settle all your current debts: What if we don't have the means to settle the current debts? Should we take loan from someone else to settle current debts and then leave the loan to be settled until the 15th of Sha'baan of next year.That would turn into one vicious cycle - 'The Debt Settling Cycle of 15th of Sha'baan'?

I am, by no means, suggesting that performing Ghusul and Wudu, forgiving others, and settling debts is wrong. But why do it just on this day?  

I came across this article which suggested  a number of Dua'as to be read a certain number of times, fasting on this day, Wazeefa for fogiveness (I don't even know what Wazeefa is!) and performing a certain number of Nawafil Salaat. It all sounded very complicated and overwhelming!And none of it was supported by a reference to any authentic Ahadith. 

I received a message this afternoon which read: 'In these five nights (one of them being 15th of Sha'baan), Allah (SWT) does not grant 'Maghfirah' to those who commit Shirk, hold grudges, drink alcohol, murder unlawfully and women with a bad character.

Think about it for a minute...

Would Allah (SWT) forgive anyone who has committed these deeds? The answer is no. Not unless that person seeks for forgiveness and sincerely repents and never goes down that wrong path again. There are other conditions that come with seeking forgiveness and repenting, which will be discussed in another article.

Misconceptions of Sha'baan:

#1: Fasting on 15th of Sha'baan is a deed of great reward.

Fasting ONLY on 15th of Sha'baan is a bi'dah (innovation) and not according to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Thus should be totally avoided. Fasting frequently in Sha'baan was the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). However, he (peace be upon him) prohibited his ummah from fasting after 15th of Sha'baan due to fear of becoming too weak to be able to fast in Ramadan.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said :

“When half of shaban has passed, do not fast” 

(Abu Dawood Bab 12: Hadith 2337- Classed Hasan Sahih by Albani)

#2: Shab-e-Baraat - the 15th of Sha'baan is a Special Night for prayers in Islam.

There is no such thing as Shab-e-Baraat. Word Shab-e-Baraat never appears in the Qur'an or Hadith. Shab-e-Baraat is infact NOT an Arabic Word.

#3: On this blessed night Allah Tala descends down to forgive people.
Allah (SWT) descends down EVERY night to forgive the people who repent.

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said:

“When it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends every night to the heaven of the world and says, ‘Is there anyone who invokes Me (demand anything from Me), that I may respond to his invocation; Is there anyone who asks Me for something that I may give (it to) him; Is there anyone who asks My forgiveness that I may forgive him?’“

[Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 75, Number 333]

#4: This is the blessed night on which the taqdeer (destiny) is decided.

Who will live, who will die, who will get how much rizq, etc. The following verses of the Qur'an are presented as evidence stating that this verse is talking about a blessed night on which everything is decreed and that night is 15th of Sha'baan.

"Verily, We Sent it down on a blessed night. Verily, We are ever warning. There in is decreed every matter of ordainments. As a command from Us. Verily, We are ever sending, (As) a mercy from your Lord. Verily! He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower."

[Surah Dukhaan 44:4]

The verse is being misquoted. This verse is about a Night in Ramadan NOT Sha'baan. The verse is talking about revelation of Qur'an on a blessed night. Read the first four ayahs of Surah Dukhaan again!

Indeed we sent IT (i.e. The Quran) on a blessed night (Lailtul Qadr in Ramadan) Allah (SWT) has informed us in Surah Baqarah that the Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan.

"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an." 

[Surah Al Baqarah 2:185]

Conclusion

There is no Sahih report that speaks of the virtue of the middle of Sha’baan that may be followed, not even  in the chapters on al-Fadaa’il (chapters on virtues in books of hadith, etc.). Some maqtoo’ reports (reports whose isnaads do not go back further than the Taabi’een) have been narrated from some of the Taabi’een, and there are some Ahadith, the best of which are mawdoo’ (fabricated) or da’eef jiddan (very weak). These reports became very well known in some countries which were overwhelmed by ignorance. These reports suggest that people’s lifespans are written on that day or that it is decided on that day who is to die in the coming year. On this basis, it is not prescribed to spend this night in prayer or to fast on this day, or to single it out for certain acts of worship. One should not be deceived by the large numbers of ignorant people who do these things. And Allah (SWT) knows best.

If a person wants to pray qiyaam on this night as he does on other nights – without doing anything extra or singling this night out for anything – then that is OKAY. The same applies if he fasts the day of the 15th of Sha’baan because it happens to be one of the ayyaam al-beed, along with the 14th and 13th of the month, or because it happens to be a Monday or Thursday. If the 15th of Sha’baan coincides with a Monday or Thursday, there is nothing wrong with fasting on that day, so long as he is not seeking extra reward that has not been proven (in the saheeh texts).

And Allah (SWT) knows best.

A Living Heart

The following article was e-mailed to us by our teacher at the Islamic Centre. It's very interesting, informative and essential for us as Muslims. Here's to hoping you will benefit from it...

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is our role model. He is the best example of the practical application of Islam, because he not only spoke about Islam but lived it in all spheres of his life. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says

 “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern.” 

[Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21]

In order for us to adopt this pattern, we need to introduce certain changes into our lives. In fact, we need to re-analyse our whole Islamic practices, the internal aspects and the external ones. Usually Muslims place great emphasis upon "`ibādāt" [acts of worship]. Now we need to focus on the motives behind these ibādāt and upon “Mu`āmalāt” [interacting with one another, dealings and relationships]. How many times do we hear about a Muslim who prays and fasts but is not trustworthy, or about a Muslimah who wears a complete Islamic hijab but lies, backbites, or scorns others while flaunting her Islamic appearance! So we need to look at the "inner Muslim", examine our hearts and attain the true Islamic personality.

Angel Jibreel عليه السلام visited the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked him about Islam, īmān and ihsān (piety). The Prophet's response was that ihsān is "to worship Allah as though you see Him; for if you do not see Him, indeed, He sees you." Jibreel عليه السلام had asked about the inner Muslim, the conscience or the essence of a person. 

Ihsān is an outward expression of taqwā. And taqwā is inner piety, the love of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, fearing Him and avoiding displeasing Him. Ihsān is the willing to do more than one’s duty and to be satisfied with less than one’s right, seeking the acceptance of Allah سبحانه وتعالى alone.

Thus, we need to look into our inner selves in order to find out whether we possess this kind of piety or not. We should ask ourselves: “What kind of hearts do we have? Is it assured المطمئنة/ sound السليمة/ returning in repentance المنيبة/ fearful and trembling الوجلة/ humbly submitting المخبتة? Or is it harsh الغليظة/ deviating الزائغة/ heedless الغافلة/ hard القاسية/ wrapped المغلفة/ sealed المختومة/ sick المريضة/ covered في أكنة/ blinded العمياء/ distracted اللاهية/ sinful الآثمة/ or disapproving المنكرة?

We should ask ourselves: “Why do we pray, why do we fast or give zakāt?” “Why do we memorize the Qur’an?” “Why do we go for hajj or `umrah?” “Are these acts of worship done for Allah سبحانه وتعالى alone or for the people's attention and pleasure?” “Are they done for our own satisfaction; to convince ourselves that, “I have done my part, so where’s my reward?", “Will people get impressed with my righteousness?” If so I am exceptional – I can now be a leader in my community!!!

Sufyān bin `Abdillah ath-Thaqafi رضي الله عنه asked:

"O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam, about which I will not need to ask anyone other than you." The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, "Say, I believe in Allah, and then remain upright."

رواه مسلم في صحيحه

 

Sufyān asked for a comprehensive meaning of Islam, one which may be practiced and enables a person to be rewarded with Jannah. Istiqāmah is mentioned in the Qur’ān; Allah سبحانه وتعالى gave good news of Paradise to those who remain upright:

قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّـهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ" "إِنَّ الَّذِينَ

“Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah" and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.”  [Surah Fussilat 41:30]

Remaining on the right course means to be steadfast and firm in most of what Allah سبحانه وتعالى has commanded - in all matters of faith, speech and action. The upright Muslim is one who remembers Allah سبحانه وتعالى in all conditions, especially when the shaytān incites him to fall into sin; he hastens to make tawbah. As Allah سبحانه وتعالى said:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ

“Indeed, those who fear Allah - when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.”  [Surah al-A`raf 7: 201]

Practicing istiqāmah gives life to the heart; hence one’s heart gets connected to Allah’s book, actively.

Ibnul-Qayyim (رحمـه الله) noted: "The keys to obtaining a living heart lies in 1) reflecting upon the Qur'ān, 2) being humble before Allah in private and 3) abstaining from sins." 

Let’s analyse these three elements:

1) Reflecting upon the Qur'ān:

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says: 

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

“[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.”  

[Sura Sad 38:29]

So, Allah سبحانه وتعالى informed us that He sent down this great book, al-Qur'ān, which is blessed in its words, meanings, commands, prohibitions and regulations. And among its blessings is that:

a) One who recites it even one letter of it will have a reward, and this reward is increased tenfold, as mentioned in the hadith reported by at-Tirmidhi (رحمـه الله).

b) One who recites it and acts upon it shall not be misguided in this world, nor shall he be in disgrace or misery in the Hereafter. This is stated by Ibn `Abbās (رضي الله عنه) in his commentary on Allah’s words:

فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَىٰ 

“Whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].” 

[Surah TāHā 20: 123]

c) One who learns it and teaches it is considered from the best of people, as mentioned in the hadith, "The best of you is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it." [Sahih al-Bukhari]

d) It will be an intercessor on the Day of Judgement for those who used to act by it in this world. 

When reciting it one should reflect on its verses in such a way that if he comes across a command he says, “I hear and obey”. And when he comes across a prohibition he determines to abandon it for the acceptance of his Lord. And when he comes across a verse of mercy he hopes for Allah’s mercy and asks for it. And when he comes across a verse of punishment he fears his Lord and seeks refuge with Him from His punishment. And when he comes across a verse glorifying Allah سبحانه وتعالى and praising Him he glorifies Allah سبحانه وتعالى and praises Him. Allah says:

 أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَا 

“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?” 

[Surah Muhammad  47:24]

And when He سبحانه وتعالى described the believers, He said:

وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا 

“and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith.” 

[Surah al-Anfāl 8: 2]

2) By humbling oneself to Allah in private: 

This means to desire and long for Allah’s acceptance and approval through supplication, seeking forgiveness, turning to Him, asking for His Paradise and for His protection from Hellfire at the time when He سبحانه وتعالى descends to the lowest Heaven, in the last third of the night. And to stand up for prayers, supplicate Allah sincerely, ask for His forgiveness, and to supplicate for the achievement of the good of this world and the next. 

3) And by abstaining from sins:

This is done by practicing jihādun-nafs: striving to purify the soul, to increase its faith and to incline it towards good while keeping it away from evil and unlawful desires and temptations. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

َالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَاۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ 

“And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good."  [Al-`Ankabūt 29: 6]

Jihād an-nafs is the most intense type of struggle, the hardest and longest-lasting one in all times and conditions. It is one that makes a person fully awake, aware and knowledgeable of the weak points of his enemy [i.e., the devil and his strategies]. Without this striving, one will remain simply a Muslim in name – a shell that does not reflect the reality of Islam. Jihadun-nafs should produce both internal and external changes which continue until one achieves success.

Ibn `Aṭā as-Sikandary (رحمـه الله) said: 

“From the indications of achieving success in the end is turning to Allah in the beginning.”

Several traditions state that deeds are judged according to how they are sealed. One cannot judge someone by outer appearance and determine that he is destined for Paradise or for Hell, because this knowledge belongs to Allah سبحانه وتعالى alone. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “You must not be impressed by anyone until you observe that by which his life is sealed…” 

What appears to be righteousness and piety might possibly be a great amount of deeds invalidated [in the sight of Allah] by a person’s seeking worldly recognition and praise instead of Allah’s acceptance. 

It has been remarkably explained by our scholars that the three men who invoked Allah’s help when they were trapped by a rock that fell and closed the entrance of the cave, didn’t intercede with Allah سبحانه وتعالى through their good deeds. Rather, they asked Him to relieve them from their state of distress if He knew that their deeds were done sincerely for Him and had accepted them.

Therefore, one has to frequently review his motivation and be on guard against the continual attempts of shayṭān to enter his heart, corrupt his intention, and consequently destroy his good deeds. This is important in the case of every believer, but it becomes more important in the case of a student of knowledge or a worker for Islam. For he/she is expected to be a bearer of truth, representing the ideal Muslim. He is seen by others to represent the principles and moral standards of Islam in his personal conduct.

So it is essential that every student of Islam and every dā`iyah purifies his deeds from all forms of riyā’ [showing off] and make certain that they are done sincerely for Allah alone, so that Allah سبحانه وتعالى accepts them. The criterion of sincerity in a person towards his religion and fellow Muslims is in his devotion to Allah سبحانه وتعالى ; for one who is not sincere to his Creator can never be sincere with people.

Islam is a religion that encourages humbleness and selflessness; it disapproves seeking praise.  However, if one seeks the praise of others through the performance of an act of worship, his deed will not only be unacceptable, but he will be in danger of punishment in the Hereafter. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned the first three types of people to be sent to Hellfire: A man who died as a martyr, but had fought to be called brave. And a man who learnt the Qur’ān [taught it and recited it] to be called a scholar. And a man who was given from every kind of wealth, but spent it to be known as generous. For all these people, Allah will order that they be dragged on their faces to be cast into Hell. [Narrated by Muslim (Book # 020, Hadith # 4688)]

Showing off (الرياء) is to perform acts that are pleasing to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, with the intention of pleasing other than Him, either to be praised by them or to avoid their criticism. The primary cause of riyā’ is a weakness in faith. When a person does not have strong faith in Allah سبحانه وتعالى, he will prefer the admiration of people over the pleasure of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. There are symptoms that are indicative of riyā’, and it is essential that a believer recognizes them and avoids them all, for there is the risk of becoming proud, an attributes that befits Allah سبحانه وتعالى, alone.

Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) quoted Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) saying:"Allah سبحانه وتعالى said: “Pride is My cloak, and grandeur is My robe, so whoever competes with Me, with respect to either of them, I shall cast him into Hell"  [Narrated by Sahih Muslim, vol. 4 #6349, Sunan Abu Dawud, vol. 3 #4079)]

Abū Sa`eed (رضي الله عنه) reported, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to us while we were discussing the Dajjāl and said: "Shall I inform you of that which I fear for you even more than the danger of ad-Dajjāl? It is the hidden Shirk. A person stands to pray, and he beautifies his prayer because he sees the people looking at him."  [Sunan Ibn Majah vol. 2, #3389]

Abū Mūsā al-Ash`ari (رضي الله عنه) reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) delivered a talk one day and said: "O People! Fear this Shirk (meaning riyā’), for it is more hidden than the crawling of an ant."  [Sunan Ibn Majah vol. 2, #3389]

Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) warned about three destructive things: “Desires that are followed, stinginess that is obeyed, and a person's self-admiration and conceit; and this is the worst of the three"

The difference between الرياء and السمعة: 

Al-`Izz bin `Abdus-Salām (رحمـه الله) said: 

“Riyā’ is to work for other than Allah, while sum`ah is to work for Allah,
and then talk to people about it.”

Ways to avoid riyā’:

1) By making du`ā to Allah. The prophet (peace be upon him) taught this specific du`ā:

اللهم إنا نعوذ بك أن نشرك بك شيئًا نعلمه ونستغفرك لما لا نعلمه

“O Allah, we seek refuge in you from committing shirk knowingly and ask your forgiveness for what we may commit unknowingly"

2) By remembering Paradise and Hell and reflecting on the consequences of one’s deeds.

3) By concealing one's good deeds. Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated the hadith of the seven types of people who will be in the shade of Allah’s throne on the Day of Judgment. Among them is:

“A man gave ṣadaqah and concealed it so [much] that his left hand did not know what his right hand has given, and a man who remembered Allah سبحانه وتعالى while alone and wept [fearing Him]. 

[Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]

Concealing a good deed is preferred unless there is a valid reason for showing it, such as encouraging ṣadaqah, teaching or demonstrating certain act, and so on. 

4) By being in the company of the pious people.

5) By learning about riyā’ and its indications, and to avoid it before it becomes a habit.

How to attain ikhlās (sincerity): 

1) Avoid shirk and do righteous deeds - the more good deeds we do the closer we get to Allah سبحانه وتعالى and the more sincere we become.

2) Do not give false impressions, making others believe that something you did was good when it wasn’t. 

3) Make efforts to seek more beneficial knowledge, and make sure your deeds are in accordance with the sharī`ah.

4) Do istighfār. The Prophet (peace be upon him), after 23 years of da`wah and nubuwwah, was instructed by Allah سبحانه وتعالى to seek forgiveness (istighfār).

5) Upon completing any good deed ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى to accept it and forgive any shortcoming. Imām Ahmad (رحمـه الله) used to say: 

“Before you do anything, check your intention, and then ask yourself: "Was it done for Allah?"

The Benefits Of Reading The Qur'an

Here is an email I received a while ago which I really wanted to share with everyone...

There are two main things you have to do. The first is to move your heart from dwelling on the things of this world and move it to dwell on the Hereafter, then focus all your heart on the Qur’an and ponder its meanings and why it was revealed. Try to understand something from every ayah and apply it to the disease of your heart. These ayaat were revealed (to treat) the disease of the heart, so you will be healed, by the permission of Allah.

—Ibn al-Qayyim [d. 751H/1350CE] on curing one’s heart

Will you become a better person?

The importance of knowledge is one of the main messages of the Qur’an. The word 'ilm' (knowledge) is mentioned more than 700 times in 87 different forms. In this piece you will find ten things you miss out on when you don’t understand the Qur’an. And yes, that also means you will gain ten beautiful gifts if you do understand the Qur’an! We all know why the Qur’an is sent down to us, right? To ponder and to take lessons from it. Pondering means to stop and think over or reflect upon something. But for many of us the Qur’an is the only book we do not actively THINK about. Do we think how every ayah can CHANGE us as a person? How every ayah can teach us a daily life lesson? Not really. Occasionally we come across ayat which shake us and move us to action, but it never seems to last for long. We come closer and move away from the Qur’an all the time.

Here are ten things you miss out on when you don’t understand the Book of Allah (SWT):

1. The Purpose of Revelation

If you don’t understand the Qur’an and keep on reading it, the very purpose of revelation is lost. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an:

“A Book (the Qur’ân) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember .” 

[Surah Saad 38:29]

How can you extract lessons from a book you do not understand? You can’t always carry a translation, especially while listening to the Qur’an in Salah, the most meaningful moments of your day. A world will open up for you if you know what you recite.

2. The Garden of the Mind

The mind is like a garden. If you don’t sow flowers, weeds will grow and even if you do sow flowers, weeds will still grow. You will need to remove these weeds continuously.

Flowers are the Guidance and the weeds are satanic thoughts. Allah (SWT) sows flower seeds into our brain every time we listen to Qur’an, especially in our prayer. If we don’t water them (ponder), they will be wasted and weeds may grow.

3. The Objectives of Recitation

There are 5 objectives of reading the Qur’an:

1. To receive rewards from Allah (SWT).

2. To gain knowledge.

3. To take action based on what Allah (SWT) is asking us to do.

4. To cure our heart and mind.

5. To talk to Allah (SWT).

How can you achieve all of these, especially the last four, if you don’t understand the Qur’an?

4. The Cleaning of the Heart

People know that Fajr is compulsory but very few come to the Masjid. Why? Not because they don’t know, but because their hearts are rusted. We have a major misconception that the Qur’an is a book of commandments only. The ayaat that deal with commandments constitute less than 10% of the total ayaat. The rest, 90% , is for the heart and mind. The heart keeps rusting and deviating because of sins. We need de-rusting and re-alignment.

Adam (AS) was asked not to go near the tree. Allah (SWT) says :

“But he forgot; and We did not find in him any determination.”

We humans have these weaknesses. We have several fitaan (trials) surrounding us. We need continuous reminders and warnings which come to us only through daily recitation and listening to the Qur’an. Allah (SWT) says about the Qur’an: 

“A healing for the (diseases) in your hearts”  [10:57]

Can there be a better cure than what Allah (SWT) has prescribed for you?

5. The Strengthening of the Heart

The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in pieces. 

“And those who disbelieve say: Why has not the Qur’an been revealed to him all at once? Thus, that We may strengthen your heart by it and We have arranged it well in arranging.”  

[25:32]

The heart should be firm in belief to His promises and warnings. Continuous pondering of the Qur’an everyday during and after salah helps you strengthen your heart.

6. Daily ‘Talk’ (Munajaat) with Allah (SWT)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to interact with the recitation. 

“And when he recited the Verses which referred to the Glory of Allah, he glorified Him, the Great,

and when he recited the Verses that mention supplication, he supplicated,

and when he recited the Verses that mention seeking Refuge of the Rabb, he sought (His) Refuge.” .

Can you live without talking at least five minutes every day to your near and dear ones? Allah (SWT) is most beloved to us. He loves us more than seventy times than our mothers.Still we live without bothering as to what Allah (SWT) said to us today during salah.

7. Live Guidance

Whatever you read or listen to the Qur’an, remember that it is a live guidance from Allah (SWT) to each individual when he or she listens to Qur’an. Not appreciating the value of live guidance from Allah, our own Creator, is a HUGE loss. If you are wise you can never neglect this.

8. Relationship with Allah (SWT)

There are different dimensions to the relationship with Allah (SWT) – His Love, Sincerity, Trust in Him, Remembering Him directly and whenever we see His signs in creation, Pondering His creation and in His names, not complaining of Qadaa’, etc. This relationship is strengthened over time. It requires slow and steady cooking with regular heat coming from the Qur’an.

9. Qu’ranic Character

According to Aisha (RA): 

“His (the Prophet, peace be upon him) morals were the Qur’an.” 

The Qur’an is theory and the Prophet’s life was a practical demonstration of that theory (the Qur’an). We need to study the Seerah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and keep relating the ayaat of the Qur’an that we study to his life. This is a project in itself and requires one to ponder the verses every day along with the Seerah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

10. Qur’anic Vision

As a patient starts describing his problems, the doctor’s mind starts working on diagnosis and comes up with the relevant medicines. Similarly, we come across many situations and dilemmas in our life. We should be able to see solutions in the Qur’an corresponding to these situations. Only through continuous pondering and relating it to your daily life, you can attain this vision.

How do you ponder?

So, we know we should ponder upon its ayat. But do you know how to actually do that? HOW do you ponder? Here are five tips for maximizing your benefits from every ayah:

Firstly; when you read an ayah say to yourself ‘this is Allah ‘azza wajal’, don’t say you hear an

imam reciting, these are Allah’s words, direct from Him. Then think these words are directly addressing YOU. At the moment you read an ayah Allah (SWT) is watching you and how you REACT to His words! Form a direct relationship between you and the ayaat.

Secondly; whatever you read or hear, take the advice as that advice is for ME. Don’t take the ayaat as, these are for hypocrites, disbelievers, idolaters etc. You should look what is in there for YOU.

Thirdly; everything is part of al-Qadr, even the exact amount of oxygen we breathe every second of the day. So, every ayah you read is part of your destiny. Ask yourself ‘Why is Allah (SWT) is making ME read THIS today?’

Fourthly; while reading an ayah, focus your eyes, ears, your brain and your heart, don’t think of anything else. Use your imagination; visualize!

And finally fifthly; thank Allah (SWT) sincerely by ACTION.

To conclude, each ayah of the Qur’an demands something from us. To fulfil it, start with dua’!